What’s On

An illustrated talk by Katrina van Grouw

When Charles Darwin contemplated how best to introduce his controversial new theory of evolution to the general public, he chose to compare it with the selective breeding of domesticated animals. In her new book, Unnatural Selection, marking the 150th anniversary year of Darwin’s great work on domesticated animals Variation under Domestication, author and illustrator Katrina van Grouw explains why this analogy was more appropriate than even Darwin had realised. Artificial selection is, in fact, more than just an analogy for natural selection – it’s the perfect example of evolution in action. A fascinating evening for all.
Katrina has work in the Nature in Art collection and has had a solo exhibition of her work at Wallsworth Hall. She inhabits that no-man’s land slap bang between art and science. She holds degrees in fine art and natural history illustration, and is a former curator of ornithological collections at a major national museum. She’s a self-taught scientist with a passion for evolutionary biology and its history. After a long and varied career on both sides of the art/science divide she now devotes her time exclusively to her books. See her as artist in residence September 25th – 30th. 

Explore the mysteries behind the Collagraph Print on this 1-day course.

Learn how to make your own unique prints from plates created from mount card, which is
incised with lines, collaged with paper and other textured mediums to create an exciting
textured printing surface.

You will be shown how to prepare paper and how to ink up and wipe your plates ready for printing. The first part of the course will be spent making the plate and then the second will be spent printing in different ways to create your own unique print.

A day of hands-on linoprinting which will include the use of the different cutting tools, creating and transferring a design onto the lino block and cutting to leave a relief surface. The cut block can then be inked up and printed using either hand burnishing or a press. Please bring along any ideas/images that you would like to use. There will also be images available on the day. Old clothes or an apron are advisable.

The first out-of-London showing of the very latest exhibition of images from the British Wildlife Photography Awards, celebrating the beauty and diversity of British wildlife and the talent, artistry and determination of the photographers who created them. A fantastic book of the competition (pictured) is available in our shop SEE THE WINNERS HERE

This unique two-day watercolour painting workshop will use insects specimens, microscopes, magnifying glasses and macro photos to explore the hidden, beautiful, magic and unseen world of insects – To find out how insects use their vast range of colour and patterns to help make them the largest and most successful group of animals on Earth.

Students will then pay homage to what they learn by painting an intricate and beautiful watercolour study.

Using woolen fibres and specialist felting needles, you will sculpt your choice of whale or fish.

Starting with simple shapes, then making fins and tails we will join all the parts smoothly adding colour and character with our felt needles.

Learning how to fashion and join parts will enable you to go on your own felting journey making other creatures after today.

We will use commercial and hand dyed wool fibres for our sculpting. This dry felting technique uses a specialist felting needle held rather like a pencil tapping dots on a page.

Wildflower meadows look complicated and difficult to paint. My aim in this course is to show an easy way to construct a meadow, making it look natural, through layering the different grasses and flowers. The painting should achieve spacial depth, energy and variety of species.

Design a unique printed wrap scarf and learn print techniques which can be applied to fabric and paper projects.

• Use natural objects as inspiration for a printed design
• Learn to make a variety of printing blocks and how to print a continuous repeat design
• Make print blocks which you will be able to keep
• Print with your blocks using bright and metallic print media onto a pashmina-type wrap
• Embellish the printed wrap with stitch, beads and sequins

Mountains of the Moon – An illustrated talk by Steve Russell

The Ugandan Rwenzori Mountains with their glaciers, rocky outcrops and unique varieties of plants and animals are like nowhere else on Earth. This range was first photographed in 1906, when Italian photographer Vittorio Sella accompanied the Duke of Abruzzi, on an expedition. Described as being more of a challenge to climb than Kilimanjaro and situated between Uganda and the DRC in a region not always freely accessible, the Rwenzoris are under-explored and have been professionally photographed only very rarely since Sella’s time. This summer marked the third and ultimately successful attempt by Steve and two companions to climb up into the high regions, to document and record the flora, fauna and spectacular landscapes. Steve’s images reveal incredible scenes, from the mossy lower slopes to the high regions where the glaciers have retreated, exposing stark views of the bare rock.

Steve has many awards and accolades for his photography and books. He has been a finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, The Travel Photographer of the Year, Hassleblad Masters Competition, Epson Pano Awards and others. One his photines is in the Nature in Art collection.