This course has unfortunately had to be cancelled due to illness.
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Beetles are one of the earth’s greatest evolutionary success stories. Of all insect species that walk our planet, beetles make up a whopping 40%. There are 350,000 different species described in science & some think that may be as many as 2.1 million. If all flora and fauna was stretched out in a long line, leaf-to-leaf, claw-to-claw, twig-to-twig, tentacle-to-tentacle, etc every 5th thing would be a beetle.
Beetles are predators, pollinators, prey and pest controllers. They are also big, beefy & beautiful. In fact they are crying out to be studied and painted. Come along to this unique watercolour workshop and find out how to use art to pay homage to these fabulous animals.
Materials List:
Please bring the following:
- Watercolours: Neutral Tint (W&N), Titanium White, Cobalt Violet Deep Hue (Sennelier), Helio Cerulean (Schmincke) , Indigo, Ultra Marine, Orange, Madder Lake (Schmincke), Brilliant Blue Violet (Sch) ,
- Pens: – UniPin Fine Line Waterproof and Fade Proof pen. Mitsubishi. 0.05. Black
- 0.3mm Propelling Precision Pentel Pencil (HB)
- Brushes: Rosemary No. 2 SER 301 Pointed Round, Rosemary 0 SER 307, W&N Sceptre Gold 000 101 Series (Sable/Synthetic range) , W&N Foundation brush No.5, Rosemary Micro detail 15/0.
- Masking Fluid (Pebeo Drawing Gum is good)
- MaskingTape
Artist’s Profile
Cath Hodsman AMRSB, is one of the U.K’s foremost entomological artists, illustrators and teachers. Based in the Cotswolds, she has exhibited; showcased her art; or taught at many relevant esteemed venues throughout her career, including the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, R.H.S Wisley and the Natural History Museum, London. Cath believes that the best way to celebrate the importance and relevance of insects in a happy, healthy ecology, is to capture their micro beauty and anatomical intricacy. She uses microscopes in her work in order to capture beauty that is invisible to us.
FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
On this one-day course, you will make plant climbers, plant supports, trellises and decorative Garden Hurdles, all out of willow and hazel grown in Somerset and Gloucestershire.
Helen will guide you through each stage of the process, whilst introducing you to the different varieties of willow/hazel which you can use to make your creations unique.
By the end of the day you should have been able to make 3-4 items to take home to put in the garden.
Materials List
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. The cost per person will be £12, to be paid to the tutor on the day of the course. (Please try and bring the exact change)
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: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
Join staff from Gallery Pangolin and photographer Steve Russell to view ANIMALIA, a stunning display of sculpture by Anita Mandl, and photographs by Steve Russell.
FREE, but donation appreciated.
BOOK HERE
If you have any trouble booking using the above link, please call 01452 731422 to book your place.
Course Suitability: Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Create a bird’s eye view of the natural world using cruelty free non-toxic resin and materials from the natural world to make masterpieces free pouring onto mdf. You will have the opportunity to experiment using texture on a board to create dimensions of natural scenes from photographs or your creative minds! Perhaps an ocean atoll, wetland, riverbank environment, botanical garden, forest or a beach, the choice is yours.
We will explore creating dimension with both UV resin and epoxy to create a depth to the pieces. Adding botanicals and foraged natural elements. Over this two-day workshop you will get to experience making at least two pieces of art to take home.
Materials List:
The tutor will provide all materials at a cost of £25 (cash) per person, to be paid to Emma on the day of the course. Participants may bring home grown or locally foraged dried materials to put in their creations (i.e. sticks, shells bark, sand, dried flowers/leaves). These must be dried to put into resin to avoid mould occurring and humidity within the pieces.
Artist’s Profile:
Emma is a self taught mixed media artist who discovered resin during being furloughed in 2020 when she set up Nature’s Inspiration. She has experimented with many techniques and resins so can answer your queries on which is best to use. Having spent a huge amount of time of time growing, nurturing and drying botanicals she uses many in her resin work alongside those she forages locally within the countryside code.
Emma is part of a collective at Gloucestershire Arts & Crafts and The Beckford Collective and teaches workshops around the county in The Cotswolds, Worcestershire & Oxfordshire.
Emma was also awarded the LuxLife winner of Best Nature-Inspired Vegan Resin Art & Gifts 2023 – South West England under the The Perfect Gift Awards 2023 category.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £110
Non-members of Nature in Art: £138
To book a place on this course, please click here.
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. On various weekends throughout the year we host a two-day Mini Craft Market in the Education Centre, where five to ten crafters sell their unique handmade crafts.
Previous crafts have included: nature crafts – paper crafts, woodwork, paintings, crochet/knitting, weaving, decoupage, cards, glass, silk painting, textile bags, jewellery, resin art, flood painting…
- 10am – 4pm
- Education Centre
- Free to enter
On Monday 20th May 2024, we are opening our Sculpture Garden as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS).
The garden at Nature in Art is an expression of the art found in nature. A space that continues to evolve over the years and has been a journey of transformation. Dedicated volunteers have created a haven for wildlife with several ponds, a heritage apple orchard, championing old local varieties and beautiful flower beds.
Specially for the opening, find some new sculptures in the garden, inspired by Nature. Metal artist MissFire, Blacksmith Joanna Williams (FireIronArt) and contemporary artist blacksmith, Jenny Pickford. Jenny has previously exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
There will be a plant sale and book sale in aid of the charitable Trust that runs Nature in Art. (Please bring some cash!)
There will also be a chance to find out information and ask questions about beekeeping (with the beekeeper who looks after our hive) and compost (with the local Master Composters).
MissFire will be artist in residence. The museum gift shop will be open and the coffee shop will be serving hot and cold drinks and cakes.
Entrance Fee: £6.50 for adults. Children are free. This includes entry into the museum and artist’s studio. Please pay on the day in the shop.
All entrance money will go directly to NGS, who have donated over £67 million to nursing and health charities over the years and in 2022 donated £3.11 million to their beneficiaries including: Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK, Carers Trust and The Queen’s Nursing Institute. https://ngs.org.uk/
FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Together we will work through a stage by stage process to create a painting of a bird or butterfly in Oils or Acrylics- using an ‘islands to oceans’ method of working. We are aiming to make the eyes come alive and create a painting full of energy and vibrant colour. I hope to inspire you with some new ideas and techniques to take away with you and apply to your own work.
Images will be supplied for you to work from …but if you want to work from your own image please bring it as both a photo and a print out (see below). For good (free to use) reference images see www.pixabay.com
The better the reference image – the better the painting!
Materials List:
What will be supplied:
- 8” x 8” gessoboard
What to bring:
- A colour photograph of your image on an ipad/ tablet. Or printed off at least 5” x 5”.
- A black and white print out of your square cropped image as large as you can make it on an A4 piece of paper eg:
- A selection brushes eg. Rosemary Ivory Short Flats nos. 2,3,5, Ivory Filbert size 0
- A selection of artist quality paints oils or acrylics eg. Daler Rowney starter set.
- Palette knife – eg. Winsor and Newton size 22
- Paper Palette and a box to take your work home in.
- Oils only: A jar and some low odour thinners/ white spirit substitute for cleaning your brushes, some rags or plenty of tissues to wipe brushes clean.
Optional extra items
- ‘Liquin’ painting medium if working in oils
- A ‘Stay-wet’ palette if working in acrylics
Artist’s Profile
Lucy is an oil painter and teacher, living in Leamington Spa. Whatever the subject matter, Lucy encourages students to apply the paint in a dynamic and interesting way: focusing on colour mixing, brushwork and composition. She paints commissions, sells her work and exhibits locally with ‘Leamington Studio Artists’ and has also worked as the ‘Artist in Residence’ at ‘The Artroom’ Gallery in Leamington, painted live at ‘Blenheim Palace Flower Show’ , been a wildcard artist on ‘Landscape Artist of the Year’ and exhibited with ‘Warwickshire Open Studios’. Find out more about Lucy at www.lucyburtonart.com
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
The annual selling exhibition of the Wildlife Art Society International (TWASI). Over 320 works both 2D and 3D. The society provides a focus for the interests of wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers both professional and part time.
TWASI was founded in 1992 and has grown to be one of the leading Wildlife Art Societies in the UK and continues to grow in recognition internationally.
The basic aims of the Society are the promotion of the wildlife art genre in its own right, whilst providing a focus for the interests of all wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers whether they are professional, serious amateur or leisure artists.
There will be demonstrations everyday.
The exhibition will be held in a marquee on the front lawn. Free Entry.
An exhibition of work by Gloucestershire Lettering Arts embracing diverse calligraphy and lettering on the wall, in books, on boxes, pots and textiles. A wide range of styles and techniques transforming words into beautiful works of art. Demonstrations every day.
The group began life as Glevum Scribes, founded in 1991 by professional scribes, sculptors, engravers and tutors, who wished to form a group for people to share their lettering-based interests and to learn from each other. It continues to flourish with a membership of over 60 people.
This exhibition will take place in the Atrium of the Education Centre. Free entry.
COURSE CANCELLED
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
This fun & interesting one day course will provide an introduction to making origami wildlife – animal, birds, insects, flowers, fungi and other natural forms, including “action models” that jump, flap, fly or just look beautiful.
Origami is the Japanese art of paper-folding, and this course is suitable for absolute beginners through to improvers. Tony will introduce students to, and explore with them, a range of basic and more involved origami techniques, styles and paper types and their application to the art.
Tony has a particular interest in “upcycling” paper products such as tourist leaflets, flyers, post cards, old magazines etc, and these materials will be used whenever possible and appropriate during the day. Expect a hands-on and fun course and leave with a boxful of paper creations, and ideas to explore further.
Materials List:
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. *The cost per person will be £3 per person (cash) which will be paid to Tony by the participants on the day of the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Tony O’Hare is an origami artist living in Monmouth. He has folded paper since childhood, and was Chair of the British Origami Society (BOS) from 2016-2022. He has created hundreds of his own designs on a variety of subjects, and has had 4 booklets of his original work published by the BOS. Tony tends to focus on the natural world and subjects close to home, often with a humorous angle to them. Tony’s origami motto is “Keep folding, Keep Smiling”.
See Tony’s website www.smiley-origami.me.uk or his Facebook page www.facebook.com/smileyorigami for more information.