The Closlieu is a specific space for the “Painting Game”, where people follow a specific process: carefully holding the brush, dipping it in water first and then in paint, using only one colour at a time, and not judging your own or anyone else’s artwork.
In the Closlieu, adults and children alike come together to appreciate the art of tracing. When practiced in a group setting, the act of tracing is different from casual drawing, allowing individuals to express themselves freely alongside others without competition.
To paint freely, with no obstacles or influences, the “practitioner’s” discreet presence is necessary: the servant of the gestures and conductor of the Closlieu is there to support those playing with the colours.
The “practitioner” has received specialized training from Arno Stern, the founder of the Closlieu, and is responsible for guiding the painting game.
They are not a teacher and do not teach painting, but instead serve the participants. They do not judge, comment, or allow comments on the trace. Their role is to serve.
To “serve” here means putting oneself in the shoes of those who are playing (painting) in the Closlieu, ensuring that the focus stays on the core of the activity.
The Practitioner prepares the palette, mixes the colours, moves the pins that hold the sheets, dries the drops, brings a stool or ladder for larger paintings, stores and protects everyone’s drawings in special folders, and prepares the studio for the next session.
“I have often been asked why I don’t let them place the pins themselves or why I make the effort to move them when a child needs to paint a corner, considering paintings won’t be displayed. The answer is simple. The child wants to communicate; every time they call out: ‘Arno! Pin,’ or ‘Drop!,’ they are establishing a connection with me. If this communication doesn’t occur through these small acts, they would call me to admire what they’ve painted, and then the trace would shift from being a personal expression (as it should be) to a form of communication.”
