Christmas celebration with mulled wine and festive snacks
With the Ukranian Choir ‘Kozachky’
The Ukrainian vocal ensemble ‘Kozachky’ was created in October 2022 from a group of women who were forced to leave their homes and relocate to Bristol because of the war. The group hails from different parts of Ukraine: Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Melitopol, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia. Come and hear some wonderful Ukranian songs being sung from the heart with some more familiar songs performed too. Do come and support these singers!
Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by concert.
We were very sad to have had to report early last year, the passing of the renowned glass engraver and long-time trustee of Nature in Art, Michael Fairbairn (1935 – 2024). He had been a wonderful encourager of Nature in Art and has left a remarkable legacy of engraved glass in public and private hands. To honour Michael’s contribution to Nature in Art and to give people the opportunity to re-aquaint themselves with his remarkable work, this is a unique selection of his engraved glass, mostly borrowed from private collections, many never previously displayed in public.
At the age of 13 Michael won a scholarship to attend the Stourbridge Secondary School of Art. He wasn’t keen, but his parents insisted he took up the opportunity. Fortunately for Michael, he was encouraged by his tutor George Webb who one day gave him a lead crystal tumbler to engrave and a picture of a roe deer. He gave him hints and tips on how to control the wheel and how much abrasive to use. So began a remarkable career.
Michael excelled at the college and went on to gain a National Diploma in Design which led to a three year scholarship at The Royal Collegeof Art which he completed after his National service.Michael graduated in 1961 with a Silver medal for work of special distinction in glass engraving and was immediately commissioned to make a piece to fit into the crook belonging to Rev. Bardsley, Bishop of Coventry.
Following a short spell in industry Michael moved into secondary education teaching engineering drawing at Cirencester Comprehensive. But, in 1968, he was given the opportunity to take up the tenancy of a farm, which he later purchased and farmed for decades. He kept up this passion for engraving whilst running a farm and the commissions he would get helped run the business.
Michael was one of the founding members of the Guild of Glass Engravers and was a life member of Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen. His experience and training enabled him to accomplish many engraving styles but his speciality was wildlife themes and settings. Such was his enthusiasm for this subject that in the 1970’s he undertook the daunting task of producing a series of engraved items of threatened and endangered species. Over 50 species were each depicted on three separate items – 150 pieces that took over 4 years to complete. Part of the proceeds were given to World Wildlife Fund.
Throughout his long career, the majority of his output was commissioned including many from royalty and government.
His detailed, painstaking approach and mastery of the technique is refreshingly set apart from the modern mania for computer-aided design and mass-produced work and stands out as a testament to the enduring significance of meticulous craft-based skill. Visitors to this show will be encouraged to look at the glass, all the while remembering that it has been engraved, not by moving the tool over the glass, but by moving the glass over the tool, sometimes engraving on both sides of the glass.
We sincerely thank all the collectors who have loaned work for this display.
Fresh from its launch at the Natural History Museum, London, see the 100 winning and commended images from the very latest competition. Selected from over 60,000 entries from 113 countries this is an awe-inspiring show. Get a glimpse of the show here.
Bringing the family? Download the NHM’s printable activity trail here!
Young Artists Exhibition
Join us as we celebrate the young artists of Gloucestershire, in their interpretations of Our Great Outdoors: Art Inspired by the Natural World’.
Free to enter, in the Education Centre
The Journal of a Naturalist
An illustrated talk by Sir George White
This delightful evening will bring to life the extraordinary legacy of John Knapp of Alveston who was a pioneering naturalist, ecologist artist and poet. A recent book by Sir George White, entitled Gilbert White’s Disciple, combines the first full biography of the pioneer Gloucestershire naturalist and artist John Leonard Knapp (1767-1845) with a reconstruction from Knapp’s original notes, of the previously unpublished 5th edition of his best-selling Journal of a Naturalist. This talk introduces John Knapp, revealing that his extraordinarily advanced views on ecology and conservation, are as relevant today as they were in his lifetime. DOORS OPEN 7pm.
Books will be available on the night.
Programme:
- 7pm: Access to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and museum galleries
- 7.30pm: Finger buffet
- 8.10pm: Talk
- 9.15pm: Finish
Tickets £13. Book here
Course details:
Join Textile Artist Anne Ward for a day of mindful, collage stitching. Bringing nothing more than a supermarket size bag of fabric scraps,threads, trims buttons and beads, sewers will create a personal fabric collage suitable for the front of a special greetings card or as a piece of textile art. Stitches will be taught and trims used to embellish.
This is intended as a mindful process bringing people into the present moment with a project that is small enough to pick up and work on in a spare 5 minutes once the class is over.Try not to buy fabric scraps, beg from friends and family if you don’t sew, the results will be worth it and will be good.
Materials and additional costs:
Materials
- A Supermarket size bag of fabric scraps, less upholstery weight, more cotton weight.
- A basic sewing kit – pair of scissors, any needle, any ordinary sewing cotton.
- Notebook and pen.
- No ideas necessary but bring some if you want. They normally emerge as we go.
The tutor will provide the following for £7 (cash).
- A selection of embroidery threads.
- A card each
- Backing fabric
- Some trims
- handout
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
PLEASE NOTE THIS COURSE IS NO LONGER RUNNING
Course details:
During this course we’ll investigate the possibilities of this fascinating medium.
Traditionally scraperboard has been used to achieve exquisitely detailed artwork by scratching through black India ink to expose the white chalk layer beneath.
Day 1: We’ll review and try out the different types of scraperboard available and then use the many tools available for making textural marks to achieve a beautiful piece of black and white art. We’ll also look at how this may then be coloured to achieve another effect.
Day 2: Using a white chalk surface, we’ll use black ink in specific areas to then create our next piece of work. Lastly we’ll investigate the ways we can cover the white surface with coloured inks and use our scratching out skills to achieve a different, but still detailed piece of scraperboard art.
Materials and additional costs:
Supplied by tutor for £12 (cash)
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £124 / £158
Course details:
Paint your own beautiful,colourful flowers using water based paints.
Learn and get inspired by Folk art.
Learn how to use different shaped brushes to make the marks, lines and dots.
Mixing colours
Create a card , label, coaster to take home using learnt techniques.
Materials and additional costs:
I will supply the use of brushes and paints and will have extra coasters, decorations etc that you can paint at a small extra cost.
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
Course details:
Join Artist-Gardener Holly Foskett-Barnes to expand your creativity and nourish your wellbeing this Spring.
In this course we’ll enjoy learning a range of watercolour painting techniques alongside mindful activities throughout the creative process. Studies will be inspired by beautiful Spring shoots and wild flowers around the Nature in Art gardens and local surroundings.
Please note this course will run until 4pm.
Materials and additional costs:
- A4 pad of thick cold-pressed watercolour paper, minimum 300gsm. Recommendation: Daler-Rowney Aquafine Texture.
- Quality watercolour paint set with at least 12 half-pans. Recommendation: Winsor & Newton, Cotman Watercolour, Sketchers Pocket Set of 12.
- Set of round watercolour brushes, size 2, 4, 8 and 10, with pointed ends. Recommendation: Pro Arte Academy Brush Wallet Set of 5.
- A ceramic paint palette or side plate from the kitchen for mixing colours, preferably white, plain and as flat as possible.
- A clean, empty jam jar for a water pot.
- A pencil, whatever your preference for drawing.
- Plain white A4 copy printer paper for sketching.
OR
Borrow equipment from Holly for £10 (cash)
Suitability:
Suitable for beginners and improvers
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
Valerie Dugan
GSBI Annual Exhibition
Founded in 1993, the Gloucestershire Society for Botanical Illustration (GSBI) grew out of botanical art classes held in Cheltenham and Stroud with Michael Hickey, botanist, writer and illustrator for The Cambridge University Press.
For many years the GSBI has held its annual show at Nature in Art. As usual, exhibits this year are varied in style and mediums. All members, whether new or experienced, are exhibiting up to three pieces of their work.
Originals, prints and cards are for sale and visitors are encouraged to vote for a ‘People’s Favourite’.
A number of the Society’s more experienced members have won The Royal Horticultural Society’s Gold, Silver Gilt and Silver Medals or have gained distinctions with the Society of Botanical Artists.
Free to enter, in the Education Centre