What’s On

May
16
Sat
Mini Craft Market @ Education Centre
May 16 @ 10:00 am – May 17 @ 4:30 pm

We have our amazing Mini Craft Market where our talented local crafters can get together to share and sell their handmade products.

Previous crafts have included: nature crafts, paper crafts, woodwork, paintings, illustration, crochet/knitting, weaving, decoupage, cards, glass,  silk painting,  textile bags,  jewellery, resin art and flood painting.

Held in the Education Centre and is free to enter!

10am – 4:30pm (3:45pm for December Market)

May
23
Sat
Drawing with the sewing machine needle with Richard Box
May 23 @ 10:00 am – May 24 @ 5:00 pm

Course details:

Do you want to develop your skills with your sewing machine and learn how to ‘draw’ with the simple straight stitch? Then this is your course! You will start by stitching a design which Richard, your tutor, has prepared for you. He will demonstrate every stage step-by-step.This will give you the confidence and the understanding necessary to empower you to start and develop your own design on the second day. However, there is no rush and no pressure !!! Some experience with using the ‘darning foot’, which allows you to stitch freely in any direction is important. Try practising, even a little, beforehand, so that you are confident with it and excited about its amazing possibilities

Materials and additional costs: 

  • A sewing machine, with which you are very familiar and well practised with using the Free-Motion Foot  /  Darning Foot, which facilitates free machine stitching.
  • Sewing machine needles – sizes ranging from 75 to 90 or even 100.
  • A variety of machine sewing and /or  machine embroidery threads ( cotton, polyester, rayon, viscose etc, ) in the following colours for the first project : several greens, one white, one pale blue, one pale pink, one pale yellow, one metallic silver and one metallic gold. After that, bring everything ! *
  • Some coloured pencils.
  • An embroidery hoop at least 9 inches in diameter or slightly larger. 
  • A quarter of a metre of thin white cotton / polyester sheeting 
  • Some printed images for the subject you choose to do after Richard has taken you through his prepared design

Suitability:

Beginners – advanced but must have confidence in using sewing machine and darning foot

Spaces

12

Price: £124 / £158

Please call 01452 733942

May
30
Sat
Painting a Kingfisher on Bulrushes with Kim Thompson
May 30 @ 10:00 am – May 31 @ 5:00 pm

Course details:

Having used acrylics for over 35 years as a wildlife artist and illustrator, Kim Thompson has learnt many useful techniques to achieve the detailed results seen in her work which she will share on this two day course. 

Working from start to finish, using acrylics on board, participants will paint a Kingfisher perched on Bull rushes. The process is broken down into easy to follow steps, learning about composing a scene from photo reference and sketches, the fast drying time of the paint, building layers and adding the details and textures found in nature. 

This workshop will appeal to those who are looking to establish a good understanding of using acrylics or who might have already tried them and want to learn more about this versatile paint. Kim is a considerate and encouraging tutor and will bring a relaxed approach to the two days.

Materials and additional costs: 

  • £20 cash to be paid to tutor for a range of acrylic paints, pencils, painting surfaces and brushes and all other items which will be used in the workshop.

Suitability:

Improvers

Spaces

12

Price: £124 / £158

Book here 

Jun
12
Fri
Spinning Plates
Jun 12 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

Balancing commercial illustration vs personal painting. Come and hear Darrell Warner talk about the differing mindset of an artist practising in two very different fields. As an international award-winning illustrator in the film industry, the pressure to deliver within a time frame calls for some extraordinary commitments for both self and family whilst donning the creative painting hat presents other more profound questions of personal quest and fulfilment. Both approaches in turn feed an artistic want whilst informing one another. An evening for everyone!

Doors open 7pm to view Darrell’s exhibition. Finger buffet 7:30pm, followed by talk. Finish 9.15pm

£13 + booking fee – click here to book

If you are a student, call us on 01452 731422 and we’ll book you in at 50% off. 

Jun
13
Sat
Accurate botanical illustration with Simon Williams
Jun 13 @ 10:00 am – Jun 14 @ 5:00 pm

Course details:

This course will focus on botanical drawing and painting techniques in the option of working in watercolour or gouache. Both days will begin with a practical demonstrations covering drawing and painting techniques. Observational skills are a very important part of botanical art so students will be encouraged to work from life. Producing detailed studies of either plants, leaves, fruit or vegetable specimens. Course tutor Simon Williams will advise on a practical one-to-one basis. Guidance will be given on observations, colours suggestions and how to paint from the initial base coats to more controlled techniques. This will include rendering textures, contour definitions and colour transitions. Gouache is an opaque form of watercolour and is not an inferior medium to watercolour. For much of the time it is used for illustration, book design and publishing for its fantastic reproduction and vibrant colour. This course is open to all intermediate to advanced level and it is preferential to have some drawing/painting experience as botanical work requires a precise rather than loose style of painting. Please visit the tutor’s website to see samples of his work and CV.

Materials Required:

Materials list can be supplied on request, and will be emailed to all participants 4 weeks before the course.

Suitability:

Intermediate

Price: £124 / £158

Spaces: 12

Book here 

Jun
20
Sat
Garden Escape with Ros Wise
Jun 20 @ 10:00 am – Jun 21 @ 5:00 pm

Course details:

“I would like each student to produce a painting that suggests a garden escape, a place to escape the pressures of modern life. It can be a painting of a single flower, an herbaceous border, a path, trees, views, in a garden or out into the wider landscape.”

Materials and additional costs: 

  • Canvas or board 
  • Brushes in small, medium and large 
  • Paints – oil, acrylic, pencils, inks NOT watercolours 
  • A photo to work from 

Suitability:

Beginners – advanced 

Spaces

12

Price: £124 / £158

Book here 

Jun
25
Thu
Dare to Dabble @ Education Centre
Jun 25 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

We have another amazing Dare to Dabble planned for you!

Designed completely around the absolute beginner, or those who just fancy a dabble, these sessions provide a great opportunity to try out new art techniques and mediums.

Morning Session: 10am – 12pm

Afternoon Session: 1pm – 3pm

Inspiration, materials, guidance and fun are all provided, and as all tasks should, we’ll begin with a brew.

Follow this link to see what we have going on in the session today: Dare to Dabble

Jun
27
Sat
The Peeping Barn Owl in needle felt with Agnese Davies
Jun 27 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Course details:

Participants will be needle felting a version of a peeping  Barn owl . I will teach how to use felting needles, mix wool colours with some silk and this popular British bird of prey that you can hang on your wall. All materials will be provided, but if you have done needle felting and you have your own favourite felting needles, mats, scissors or other tools, please bring them along. You will be learning techniques taught by an experienced award winning artist Agnese Davies (A.D.Woolcraft).

Materials and additional costs: 

  • £10 material charge to be paid to tutor, cash

Suitability:

Absolute beginners

Spaces: 

12

Price: £62 / £79

Book here

Jul
4
Sat
Resin accessories inspired by Nature in Art with Emma Byrne
Jul 4 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Course details:

Discover how to embed beautiful dried botanicals grown in the grounds of Nature in Art on this full day workshop with tutor Emma from Nature’s Inspiration.

Create coasters working with flowers, foliage and vegan non-toxic epoxy resin learning how to use this incredibly complex medium in the morning. Break for lunch and whilst your coasters are curing this afternoon we will switch to a UV cured vegan non toxic resin which is premixed and cured using LED lamps. Working with more intricate flowers to create your very own botanical jewellery, or accessory up to 3 (choose from earrings, ring, pendant,  cufflinks, broach, bookmark, keyring or hairgrips). Demould your coasters and learn how to finish your jewellery before the end of the workshop.

Materials and additional costs:

All materials will be provided. £20 in materials will need to be paid on the day with an additional £5 if you’d like to make an extra set.

 

Suitability:

Beginners to improvers

 

Spaces: 

12

 

Price:

£62 / £79

 

Please call for details. Thank you.

 

Jul
11
Sat
Sun bear coloured pencil portrait with Karen Coulson
Jul 11 @ 10:00 am – Jul 12 @ 5:00 pm

 

Course details:

Explore the Colour Pencil techniques to draw this beautiful portrait using Derwent Coloursoft Pencils on Mount Board Including Colour blending for subtle colour changes in the fur.

Line drawing supplied to trace or copy.

Materials 

Supplied by tutor, £3 charge (cash) 

Suitability:

Suitable for all

Spaces

12

Price: £124 / £158

Book here