Old Bank workshops

Do you like vintage china? pattern? painting? Want a lovely day out with a scrummy home-cooked lunch?

Then this could be just for you –  the lovely Bev and Nigel of Old Bank Studios have booked me to teach a Pattern on Pattern Teacups watercolour (gouache) class on Saturday 5th March. 

All abilities are welcome. We will work from a still-life set up and approach the painting in stages.

Or you can go at your own pace and follow your own creative leading. Either way Bev will still cook a lovely lunch for us to eat together 😛 Booking details are here.

Then on Sunday 6th March I’m teaching All Things Bright and Beautiful (Mixed Media) again at Old Bank Studios so why not make a weekend of it? It is the Mothers Day weekend – treat yourself or come together and treat your mum!

This is a fun way of working: layering up collaged papers and paint layers, starting out loose and experimentally and then adding increasing levels of detail. I’ll be bringing bird and butterfly reference material but you can make your canvas of any image you want.

If you want to make a weekend of it I’m sure Bev will happily suggest local accommodation – email her here or phone her on 01255 242930. You can book onto the course here.

Harwich is a bit of a drive but don’t let that put you off! (all the more reason to come for the weekend…) Bev and Nigel are two of the loveliest, most genuine people I’ve met and Old Bank Studios is a lovely setting to learn and create in. Oh and did I mention the delicious lunches…

Old Bank Studios workshop day

On Friday night I packed up my materials and my travel bag and set off for a mini adventure to Harwich in Essex in order to be ready to teach on Saturday at the Old Bank Studios.

I was running a one-day mixed media course called All things Bright and Beautiful based on my mixed media bird paintings.

We spent the day letting loose with some paint and papers building layers of paint, print and collage onto which we could paint a bird.

With everyone’s creativity flowing, imaginations let loose and we saw an underwater landscape, a couple of coastal scenes, a castle hidden in the trees, a blossom tree as well as floral still lifes and bird scenes come to life.

They were a lovely group of ladies from near and far and we had fun working alongside each other.

In fact, if I lived closer I wouldn’t hesitate to join the Quilting group or a textile course as the studios are a lovely environment to work in, the people are so friendly and I haven’t even mentioned the home cooked lunch yet!

Look at this beautiful room bathed in sunlight.

I’ve not been on a course that can accommodate a delicious sit down lunch like this with beautiful home cooked food like these amazingly clever apple roses made by Bev. It was a lovely way to take a break and to chat to people more.

After lunch a hush fell on the room for about an hour while everyone got serious about finishing off their pieces and then sadly the day was over.

I’ve been really lucky so far this year to have run some really fun workshops and met some super lovely people; Old Bank Studios is run by Bev and Nigel who are genuinely two of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

And to finish, here we all are with our art.