Looking Deep into Nature
Peter Partington SWLA (1941-2025)
Painter – Printer – Sculptor Teacher – Lover Of Mother Nature
This unique exhibition is a celebration of the remarkable life and work of Peter Partington SWLA.
Peter spent his life observing and sharing our living world, bringing birds and animals to life in their habitats and seasons. He sketched in the field and created pictures, sculptures and prints with an incredible touch of the eye and hand.
Peter showed work in Nature in Art’s Inaugural 1985 exhibition, the year he was elected to the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) on whose council he served some years later. In 1989 he was Nature in Art’s very first artist in residence and one of the first to donate work to the collection. He was a valued friend and encourager of Nature in Art until his death early in 2025. He leaves a prolific output with thousands of painting’s across UK homes and many inspired people who experienced his live teaching and conversations.
This show will feature Peter’s studio, diverse works and some not previously displayed in public from private and public collections. All tell the story of a man who lived life to the full and from the heart, and inspired others to do the same. Peter’s legacy will live on, not just through his own work, but through the work of countless others who were encouraged and enabled through him.
A printmaker, painter and sculptor, it is hard to know which he enjoyed the most, and, site unseen, a parallel body of abstract art, many 3D as well as experiments in colour and form. This show includes some of these so one can see these creative steams feeding his capability across all the works. As one commentator said ‘His art was in every inch, his personality. His personality was in every inch, his art.’
Peter expressed himself through his art, which was widely published in books, print runs, ‘How to Draw’ guides, online videos and magazines, numerous local and professional exhibitions, poetry too and his ‘natural illustrator’ to bring life to other writers. His compulsion to venture into the great outdoors to watch birds (sometimes worryingly from his moving car too!) meant he could draw from memory and describe their behaviours in his art.
Small wonder that his studio groaned under the weight of thousands of works, most finished and many in states of re-work. This exhibition will sing out his enthusiasm and represent this unique English master artist, generous to a tee with his support and engagement with the public.
The show is accompanied by a new book ‘Peter Partington ‘The Artists Anthology’ by his son Jerome Partington, which includes many of the exhibition, to raise funds for a SWLA nature art school programme, Nature in Art and his conservation charities.
There also is a special launch event on September 29th.
Course details:
Explore the colour pencil techniques required to draw this little kitten using assorted colour pencils on Mount Board including indenting and colour layering for stripes in fur.
Line Drawing supplied to trace or copy.
Materials
Supplied by tutor, £3 charge (cash)
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
Course details:
Explore the techniques required to draw this portrait using Derwent Coloursoft Pencils and Water-soluble Graphite pencils to create muted tones.
Materials
Supplied by tutor, £3 charge (cash)
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
Course details:
Explore the techniques required to draw this portrait using Derwent Coloursoft Pencils and Water-soluble Graphite pencils to create muted tones.
Materials
Supplied by tutor, £3 charge (cash)
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Price: £62 / £79
Wild
A selection of new work by The Guild of Cotswold Craftsmen, a group of professional designer makers who live in and around the Cotswolds. A selling exhibition of work in wood, glass, ceramics, textiles, metal and more.
More details coming soon.
The Gift and Craft Fair has been held for over 20 years and is always well attended, helping to raise essential funds for the Nature in Art Trust. Here at Nature in Art we are extremely passionate about supporting local artists and craftspeople, helping to highlight the array of crafts available and the creativity of the people in the local area. Our event strives to have a large selection of stallholders showcasing a variety of crafts, from woodwork and ceramics, glassware and photography to jewellery, textiles, resin art, flower art and much more.
In 2026, it will take place on Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November, 10am-4pm both days.
To apply, click here
Course details:
Make a magical Christmas wreath. Start a family tradition that you can enjoy year after year. I will bring a wide selection of glass, ceramic, mirror and vintage china, so you can create a wreath to your own colour scheme – richly traditional, silver and frosty, jazzy or shabby chic!
Materials and additional costs:
£22 (cash) to be paid to tutor for materials
Please bring a shoebox size cardboard box to cut tiles into.
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
10
Price: £124 / £158
Aurora
Paintings by Nick Jones
Painter Nick Jones captures the elusive beauty of the aurora borealis and other magical Arctic light phenomena in luminous paintings that invite quiet wonder and evoke glimpses of radiance that appear and vanish like dreams.
More details coming soon.
Course details:
Are you interested in decorating your very own piece of bone china using vintage and contemporary transfers? No previous artistic ability is required. One-to-one tuition will be given to assist you in creating your own personal masterpiece.
This is a perfect starting point for further art-related workshops and is especially good for enhancing good mental health well-being and building confidence. Everyone’s an artist so come and unlea
sh your hidden creativity.
Materials and additional costs:
All materials provided
Suitability:
Suitable for all
Spaces:
12
Cost:
£31 / £42 (please note this is a half-day course)
Course Suitability: Suitable for all
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Join artist Jamie Boots for a two-day exploration into the nuanced world of graphite pencil art. This workshop delves beyond basic sketching, offering insights into the subtle techniques that breathe life into your creations. Participants will discover the art of manipulating pencil sharpness, pressure and tones to convey the fine details such as skin textures and expressive eyes.
Materials Required:
All materials supplied within the session.
Price:
£124 / £158