Papercutting with Sarais Crawshaw
Course Suitability: Suitable for beginners and improvers
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Learn about the origins of papercutting and its spread worldwide. Look at how to simplify images in positive and negative space, and make networks of joins to hold a papercut together. Experiment with different tools and types of cuts, folders and tears to create different effects and to use contract or colours to enhance the images. Create a one or two-layer papercut picture.
What to bring:
A materials list will be supplied, alternatively students can order from the artist.
About the artist:
I have always been curious about the natural world and my work reflects this fascination with wildlife and wild places. Since 2000, I have been developing my own ideas in papercut, alongside my other artwork in acrylic paint and pastel. I try to capture the behaviour and character of animals, and to picture them in their wild habitats. I am President of the Wildlife Art Society International.
Places are on a first come first basis.
To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.
£59 per day for members, £75 for non-members
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.
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and artist John Leonard Knapp (1767-1845) with a reconstruction from Knapp’s original notes, of the previously unpublished 5th edition of his best-selling Journal of a Naturalist.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
Asian Adventures
An illustrated talk by Paul Carpenter
Paul has travelled the world visiting tropical forests to photograph and film the insects, spiders and other fascinating fauna. This talk takes us to Asia and includes some of his travels through India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Sulawesi. He spent time in Sulawesi searching for Lampropelma carpenteri, a tarantula named after him. His field trip to Cambodia investigated why people eat tarantulas and the impact it is having on those creatures. Paul has just returned from a 3 week field trip to Sri Lanka so he will be sharing some of those fresh experiences with us too. Do join us for fascinating evening of travel, nature and culture. DOORS OPEN 7pm.
Programme:
- 7pm: Access to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition
- 7.30pm: Finger buffet
- 8.10pm: Talk
- 9.15pm: Finish
Tickets £13. Book here
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 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 session.