Course details:
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of impressionist style landscape painting over this two-day acrylic course. Guided by Jonathan, you’ll explore the expressive brushwork, luminous colour, and atmospheric effects that define the impressionist style. Through structured demonstrations and practical exercises, participants will learn to capture light, movement, and mood while working from photographs. Beginners and improvers are welcome, with all techniques explained step by step. At the end of the course, you’ll have created your own impressionist landscapes, gaining confidence and inspiration for future painting.
Materials and additional costs:
Supplied by tutor for £45 cash
Or email for materials list
Suitability:
Absolute beginners – improvers
Spaces:
12
Price: £124 / £158
CRUCIFIXION
BE STILL | BE QUIET
“The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, and tell what it saw in a plain way. Hundreds of people can talk for one who can think, but thousands can think for one who can see. To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion, all in one.” John Ruskin
In seeing Darrell Warner interprets and creates natural history paintings in watercolour that may be uncomfortable at first. That is of course the intention, to arrest the viewer into a reality that they may not care to think about. And there’s the rub. In doing so, Warner eludes to a life lost yet his paintings, predominantly of our own indigenous birds are testimony to those birds’ souls continuing to sing, even in death.
At the beginning of the covid pandemic when our world was last at rest it seems, Warner would come across deceased everyday common or garden birds struck by a passing vehicle. Being Spring of 2020 and the likelihood that those unfortunate birds would be in or entering breeding season weighed heavily on the painters mind, so much so that he was unable to cast them aside, instead seeking to record their deaths in watercolour. And so begun an odyssey to record those lost souls that entered his orbit via friends and family, be it from the humble Blackbird to the elusive Water Rail.
What became apparent is how many deaths are caused by or related to human actions or environments, from vehicle to conservatory window strikes. Considering the small community in which he lives, Warner began to wonder of the overall number of avian life lost on a daily basis across both county and country. That thought became the catalyst to this exhibition. The call to raise awareness of the loss through these paintings. It is apparent that our natural world is under very serious threat from both increased green belt development and a general apathy towards what nature is and does. Small incidental deaths don’t factor into this equation but certainly add to nature’s fine balance. As we enter further into the 21st century one can only hope that Warner’s observations and recordings of these beautiful creatures remind us of what is at stake and what were once very common could become rather rare. A crucifying thought. Darrell Warner is an Internationally acclaimed artist & illustrator known predominantly for his work on large Hollywood Blockbusters. Yet his personal work has also gained international recognition whilst being a quiet testament to his true skill as a draughtsman and artist, seeking to ask questions of how we look and relate to both art and nature.
Meet Darrell amongst the exhibits all day Saturday May 23rd
Join us for an illustrated evening talk by Darrell on Saturday June 12th.
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)
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
Lesley Connolly and Lucy D’Auvergne
Wildlife Art Society International Annual Show
One of a series focusing on our desire to highlight and encourage active creative groups celebrating the natural world.
Over 300 works in a huge variety of media celebrating artistic endeavour and the diversity of nature. Artists at work every day.
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
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
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
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
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.