Pigments into paint with Fiona McIntyre
Course Suitability: Suitable for all
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Day one of this course will introduce you to the natural beauty of mineral and earth pigments and reveal the art of transforming them from pigment into paint. You will work with red, purple and orange ochre foraged by the artist from within the UK, and learn the secrets of exotic lapis lazuli from Afganistan and the subtlety of green earth from Italy. The artist will bring raw samples to demonstrate the process and participants will be able to mull pigments into watercolour paint to experiment with the following day.
On day two Fiona will guide you through a workshop to draw and paint from exquisite natural objects using the paints you have made on beautiful handmade watercolour paper. This natural media is much more delicate than manufactured paints, requiring patience, delicacy and a variety of layering techniques which Fiona will show you.
Materials Required:
Materials will be provided within the session for a charge of £15 payable on the day. Please also bring:
Rounds small, medium and large.
Flats small, medium and large
One fan brush hogshair
Apron
Protective goggles only necessary if you wear contact lenses
Empty watercolour box if you have it otherwise don’t worry
About the artist:
Fiona McIntyre ARE is an experienced tutor based in Gloucestershire. She trained in drawing and painting at Edinburgh College of Art followed by printmaking and fresco in Sweden, then an MA at Winchester School of Art in Barcelona. She is a founding member of The Arborealists and an elected member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. In 2022 she completed a six month residency at the Sidney Nolan Trust to develop a body of work for the exhibition ‘Dreaming The Land’, made entirely with natural pigments and inks. Fiona is passionate about sharing her knowledge of raw materials and teaches drawing as the backbone of good painting. She combines observational techniques with intuitive colour accessible at all levels. Fiona is a regular tutor at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester near where her studio is and has a loyal student following. She has exhibited in over 40 exhibitions in the UK, Gibraltar, France, Norway, Sweden, and her artwork is in the permanent collection of the Ashmolean and Bohuslan Konstmuseum Sweden.
Places are on a first come first basis.
To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.
All courses are £59 per day for members, and £75 for non-members.
Join us for a chance to see the winners of the Wildlife Art Society International’s 2025 exhibition! Located in the Education Centre, this exhibition is free to visit. Meet TWASI artists demonstrating every day:
- 7th SARAIS CRAWSHAW Paper cuts and painting
- 8th BRIDGET CORDORY Batik and Painting
- 9th VALERIE BRIGGS Drawing
- 10th ERIC WATSON Pastels and graphite
- 11th AGNESE DAVIES Wool, wood and wire sculpture
- 12th CHRIS SAUNDERSON Watercolour
Images left to right: Sarais Crawshaw, Lucy D’Auvergne, Chris Saunderson, Sophie Parkhill
Course Suitability: Suitable for all
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
Join us on this exciting course, exploring the artistic skills and techniques of sketching buildings with pen and wash. Over two inspiring days, you will delve into the fusion of pen techniques and watercolour washes, learning skills such as perspective, proportion, colour mixing and how to loosen up. Led by an experienced tutor, the workshop offers hands-on guidance in capturing the essence of buildings with precision and expressive flair. From foundational drawing skills to the harmonious blending of watercolour hues, attendees will discover a versatile approach to urban sketching. Suitable for beginners and students with some knowledge of the medium. www.jonathannewey.com
Materials Required:
Materials will be supplied by the tutor at a cost of £30 to be paid on the day.
Should the students wish to use their own tools and materials rather than buying a set from the tutor then they are welcome to bring them along.
A full list of what is needed can be obtained from the tutor jnewey210@gmail.com
About the artist:
Jonathan Newey is an award winning artist with over 25 years of experience in teaching in adult education. He has experience in a wide variety of mediums and subjects including landscapes, wildlife and architecture in acrylic, watercolour and coloured pencil.
Places are on a first come first basis.
To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.
All courses are £59 per day for members, and £75 per day for non-members
Mosaic Chicken with Erica Bibbings
Join me on a Mosaic Chicken Workshop. You will learn to cut and shape tesserae and how to position them for best effect. Learn about adhesives and the grouting process. Experiment with glass, ceramic, china and mirror to create a colourful mosaic on an MDF base. 
Suitable for all abilities. All tools and materials are provided.
£20 materials charge to be paid on the day.
Places are on a first come first basis.
To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.
All courses are £59 per day for members, and £75 for non-members.
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.
SORRY, THIS COURSE IS NOW FULL
Please note that all courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members, and a £25 deposit is required upon booking.
We are delighted to announce that Sketch for Survival, the international art initiative from conservation charity Explorers Against Extinction, will make its debut at Nature in Art this autumn. Now in its ninth year, this inspiring exhibition will be on display from 21 October – 16 November 2025, offering visitors a first chance to see the 2025 collection in full.
Every artwork in Sketch for Survival carries a message. Whether it portrays a threatened species, highlights an at-risk habitat, or reflects a wider conservation story, the art is designed to spark conversation and raise awareness about the urgent issues facing our natural world.
Since the initiative began, it has attracted artists from an incredible 119 different countries, united by a shared concern for wildlife and wild spaces. From thousands of entries received this year, just 100 artworks have been selected by our expert selection panel, chaired by renowned wildlife artist Gary Hodges. Each of these pieces has been donated by the artist, supporting both the campaign fund and the message behind it.
The exhibition at Nature in Art m
arks the start of the Sketch for Survival 2025 tour. Following its debut here, the collection will move to the Oxo Tower Wharf in London, where the works will be available to view and bid for via online auction. The auction opens for browsing on 17 October and concludes at the close of the Oxo exhibition on 23 November.
Funds raised will support frontline conservation projects around the globe. In 2025, these range from protecting pangolins in Malawi, to safeguarding tigers in India, and conserving red pandas in Nepal.
We hope you will join us at Nature in Art to experience this powerful exhibition, which demonstrates how creativity and compassion can combine to make a tangible difference for the planet.
The Gift and Craft Fair has been held for over 20 years and is always well attended. In 2023, we welcomed over 1,200 visitors across the two days and raised 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, textles, resin art, flower art and much more.
Our next Gift and Craft Fair will take place on 25th & 26th October.
List of stallholders:
Cabinet of Curios
Little Gloucester Art Group
Funky Pheasant
Freshwater Mosaics
Mirror-mirror
David Tinsley Photography
Country Fabric Crafts
Dye by Di
Mollie’s Makings
Elaine Leslie Art
Emily Hacker Textiles
Nature’s Inspiration
Wilful Ink
Off My Tree
Gaby Spencer Art
Gill Barrett Art
Ginny Boom Art
JR Ceramics
Jeanette Hannaby Enamel Artist
Jess Rayson Designs
Ambling Press
Kate Moby
Natty Deco
Hobbz Designs
Heal & Sole
Six Hands Crafting
Sarah Davis Glass
Sarah Delahoy Printmaker
BESPOKE GIFTS (PATCHWORK)
chaaboo
Drawn to the Wild
Ilé.daràsimi
Vikki Lafford Garside
Meraki Glass
Mizuki Takahashi
Spoon Fever
Mindbender Puzzles
Gordan Hemming
Fern Cottage Studio
Scribbled Daisies Illustration
apCeramics Monmouth
Octeapus
Field Fresh Skincare
Ella Daniel-Lowe
Our Heritage of Song : Or the People’s Voice
An illustrated talk by Robin Burton
Before radio, TV and the Internet, we used to make our own entertainment. Usually this meant singing. This talk charts the history of our shared songs and how it is that we know about them today … the ultimate form of popular music. It also features examples of songs from around the country and from Gloucestershire in particular. Robin is a trustee of Gloucestershire Traditions that collects and rescues traditional songs and music (part of our ‘intangible heritage’) and makes them accessible to the public. Our project partner is Gloucestershire Archives.
Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.
Glass Engraving in Black & White and Colour with Amanda Lawrence
Suitable for Beginners to Improvers
10 places available
This course explores the wonderful and versatile craft of glass engraving with a drill. It’s an opportunity for beginners to learn the basic techniques and for those who have attended a previous introductory course to expand their skills. Over the two days we will discover several different techniques, including surface engraving, creating a 3D effect with intaglio (low relief) engraving, and a couple of different ways to include colour in your engraving. You will work on both flat glass and vessels and you will come away with at least one little masterpiece of your own making! No previous experience or artistic expertise necessary to join in, but some manual dexterity is needed for this technique.
There is a £20 charge for materials, to be paid to the tutor.
£118 for members / £150 for non-members
Watercolour with John Horton
Course Suitability: Suitable for all
Maximum Participants: 12
Course Description:
I found, early on, running courses, that a good structure was the most beneficial format. We explore colour mixing using a limited palette and the use of different brush types to develop the painting. I will go through creating the picture stage by stage and although we are all working on the same composition , because of the wonderful nature of watercolour, no two pictures will be the same. Exciting things happen!
www.johnhorton.co.uk
Materials Required:
I supply a sheet of A3 200 lb Two Rivers handmade watercolour paper with a composition lightly marked out with 4H pencil. Cost £4 per person. PLEASE BRING: Palette: Ideally 2 large white plates to build up areas for colour washes. Brushes: Wash brushes up to 5cms width. and a variety of watercolour brushes. I favour Pro Arte riggers. 0 to 6. Paint: I use artists quality Winsor and Newton paints: permanent rose, permanent magenta, cadmium yellow, cadmium lemon and cobalt blue. If you don’t have these or don’t wish to buy them bring cobalt blue (sky colour) a red and a yellow. Miscellaneous: Hair dryer, kitchen roll and a few scraps of watercolour paper to test colour mixes. Supplies: www.jacksonsart.com
About the artist:
I have always been fascinated as an artist by being able to take a flat piece of paper and create distance and light in that space. I have worked with watercolour as my favourite medium for over 40 years, the last 10 years running courses in my studio and with art societies and groups. I have a passion for the natural world in all its forms. Birds are my favourite subjects often in a landscape setting. A number of years I have been artist in residence at Nature in Art (Feb. 11th. To 16th. 2025) and organize and take part in The Wildlife Art Society International annual exhibition in a marquee on the lawn at Nature in Art over spring bank holiday. (May 24th. To June 1st. 2025.)
Places are on a first come first basis.
To secure your place on this course a £25 non-refundable deposit is required.
All courses are £59 per day for members, £75 for non-members