Wildlife Photographer of the Year
4th February – 6th April
Selected from 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories, the winners of the Natural History Museum’s prestigious competition in its 60th year are all on show in this stunning exhibition of 100 images revealing the natural world’s most astonishing and challenging sights.
Experimental Acrylics with Jackie Garner
Book here
Course Description
The more artistic experience we have, the greater the options for our own creativity. This course is focused on the exploration of acrylics and techniques, giving a deeper understanding of the medium and a willingness to be inventive. We will create textures and marks through layering, monoprinting, stencilling, texture, spattering… laying down colour and working into or over it. The resulting art may include realism or be purely abstract according to the participants’ preferences. An ideal course for those who want to move their art beyond “It looks just like a photograph”.
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Materials list
Essentials: • Acrylics: Your usual acrylics, heavy body and/ or soft body • Palette • Brushes: Nylon brushes are best for acrylics. A variety of sizes and shapes will be useful. Some spares will be available for students to use. • Painting/ palette knife: any shape, a range of sizes and shapes if you have them. • Supports: Your choice of canvas, canvas board or primed board, at least A3 size • Water Pot • Kitchen roll • Sponge: different types are useful • Table covering: some spares will be available • Apron if desired – remember acrylics are waterproof and permanent when dry • Easel if desired
Please bring any of these if you have them, but no need to buy specially as some spares will be available: • Acrylic inks • Sketchbook for practice. (Some mountboard off-cuts will also be available) • Small spray bottle for water • Gelli plate • Colour shapers/ wedges • Stencils If you have no supplies, materials may be provided for a small charge, but only by prior arrangement with the tutor.
Students wishing to discuss the course in advance are welcome to telephone Jackie on 07800 804847.
An illustrated talk by Richard Box.
Doors open 7pm to view exhibitions. 7.30pm finger buffet, followed by talk.
Richard is a regular artist in residence and tutor at Nature in Art. A former Head of Art in college education, he has written seven books and is a regular speaker for The Arts Society (formerly NADFAS). Tonight he’ll be casting a light on impressionism, which continues to be a very popular style of painting today even though, as a movement it was derided in its time and short lived. Monet in particular is an exemplar of this style. However other artists, like Seurat, Cézanne and Van Gogh progressed onwards and other movements developed. This talk will reveal how the movement started and why such developments occurred so speedily including some fascinating comments from art critics at the time. An entertaining evening for all.
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Intensive pottery with Carly Byrne
Course Description:
During this intense course you will learn everything you need to know
about hand building and pot throwing with clay.
Throughout the two days, you will delve into lots of different techniques to get you started on your pottery journey. From pinched forms to coiled pots to slab building sculptures and decorative surface designs. There is something for everyone.
We will also be showing you how to throw pots on the potter’s wheel and help you budding potters improve on what you already know.
Materials List:
All tools, equipment and aprons will be provided. Clay will be provided at a cost of £15 (cash) per person, to be paid directly to Carly on the day of the course. If you would like your work fired or glazed after the course then Carly is happy to do this at her studio in Swindon. If you would like to inquire about the extra cost for this please email niamarketing@natureinart.org.uk for a price list.
Painting Butterfly and Moth with Jackie Isard
Course Suitability: Improvers – Watercolour experience is needed
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Choose from my large selection of butterfly and moth specimens and learn how to paint these beautiful insects in detail. These beautiful insects are full of texture, fury-ness and amazing colours. You will have a chance to look at these insects under a microscope and see a whole new world is revealed! I will demonstrate techniques and give you lots of help throughout the two days.
Materials Required:
• Good quality HOT PRESSED WHITE (NOT CREAM) watercolour
paper 140lb/300gsm, A4 size will be plenty.
• Cartridge or tracing paper for drawing your butterfly or moth
before tracing onto your watercolour paper.
I will have a lightpad available to use if you wish to
transfer this way. If you do, bring along tracing paper
60gsm and a Unipin black fineliner 0.05 pen. I have trace
and pens to sell if needed.
• Full bodied pointed sable brush No. 2, suggestions to the right.
A Billy Showell synthetic Fine Liner pointed brush.
• Mixing palette or plate porcelain/ceramic
• 2 water jars
• H pencil, soft eraser, sharpener
• Kitchen Roll or Linen/Cotton cloth for brush cleaning
and drying off
• Winsor & Newton Professional watercolour
I recommend these colours to achieve good matches
to your butterfly or moth but you may use other watercolour brands.
Further details available closer to course date
About the artist:
Jackie Isard is an award-winning botanical artist having won a Gold medal at RHS in 2022. Based in Bristol, her delicate watercolours are much admired for their intricacy and detail. She is a self-taught artist and passionate about teaching. Jackie has paintings held in the RHS Lindley Library, The Shirley Sherwood Collection and The Hunt Institute. Jackie became an SBA DLDC tutor in 2024. She runs workshops in the Southwest, Wales, Gloucestershire and many other venues across the UK. She is a very attentive tutor who loves to inspire and encourage! “Nature is so beautiful and it gives me such pleasure capturing it in watercolour.”
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Scraperboard with Jackie Cox
Scraperb
oard is a method of creating a tonal picture by scratching through a layer of india ink to reveal the white chalk beneath. It is an interesting and absorbing medium which allows for great detail or looser depictions of texture and form. We will explore the different types of scraperboard and scratchboard available and the different methods for making marks on these, and the ways the scratched areas can be coloured afterwards.
We will then look at the many other possibilities of using the white chalk ground and creating your own covering surfaces layers to then scratch through to reveal the initial white layer and further pushing boundaries in mixing media.
Materials will be provided at a cost of £10
Please note that the cost of this course of £59 per day for members, £75 per day for non-members. £25 is a deposit towards the balance of this course.
Disappearing Woodlands – Disappearing Skills
April 8th – 27th
A sumptuous display by members of the Goldwork Guild showcasing varied techniques of hand and goldwork embroidery. The show aims to revive these endangered art forms to portray the intricacies of woodland nature.
The exhibition will feature the historic, traditional and modern interpretations of two and three-dimensional hand embroidery whilst embracing the use of modern textiles and textures. These together with the use of meticulously reproduced historical materials and techniques that have now been in decline for decades or even hundreds of years, will showcase the art form in the round.
See members demonstrating April 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th.
Lion in Graphite with Jamie Boots
NOW FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Absolute beginners – Advanced
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 fur, skin textures, and expressive eyes.
Materials Required:
All materials will be supplied.
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
Same Sea, Different Boat
April 12th – 27th
See the power of craft as a force for good, helping us share stories, relieve stress and connect with one another. An open-ended project, over 600 printed and stitched squares, joined into panels, have produced a large community quilt.
Course Suitability: Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
On this one day course, Helen will teach you how to make a basket using red Dogwood, Snowberry Hazel and Lime, together with the glorious colours of this years willow harvest. No previous experience needed.
Materials List:
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. The cost per person will be £10, to be paid to the tutor on the day of the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Helen Lomberg has been making Baskets and using Willow and other Hedgerow materials for many years now. Twelve years ago she set up The Gloucestershire Arts and Crafts Centre in Westgate Street, Gloucester.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £59
Non-members of Nature in Art: £75