5 Courses

jan sweeney

Jan Sweeney divides her time between Somerset, England where she teaches ceramic sculpture and her casting workshop in Zimbabwe.

birchwood art studio

sue tildesley craft & design

Hi, my name is Sue and I originally studied botanical illustration, but found it too exacting. Now I enjoy creating characters, and giving them their own lives and adventures. I come from a family of happy campers and I enjoy drawing them too, especially ones that are really part of a family with their own original name. I love plants and small intricate objects like shells and starfish. I like fine details, and I’m especially into ‘shadows’ a botanical illustrative discipline, showing what’s in front. I work in ink and watercolours, and occasionally pencil. I always try and see the funny side of everyhing. There’s always plenty to laugh about if you know where to look, the mirror’s usually a good start. I am a company director and accounts administrator for our family business. But in my dreams, I’m an illustrator. I love creating characters and giving them life on the page. So much so that I’m thinking of giving up the day job and taking early retirement, allowing me more time to travel and draw. I studied botanical illustration at Leicester college and took a certificate at Sheffield University, but now after a serious illness, I’d rather concentrate on things that I really enjoy, as botanical illustration is so exacting. The flowers that I paint now are simplified and I like to give them an outline in ink. I have a bit of a thing about shells and starfish, so there will be more of them on the way. My characters grew out of my illustrated diaries. They make me happy, and I hope that you like them too.

field breaks art

Field Breaks started out in the Autumn of 2007 to provide a selection of professionally tutored illustration workshops in the Peak District. This followed the demise of similar workshops in the area and filled a much needed gap for people wanting short affordable art breaks in botanical illustration and landscape painting. Such was the demand for this provision that over the following years the programme has been extended to include a greater selection of courses and venues, along with a growing number of specialist professional tutors. 2020 and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic saw great challenges to all small businesses, including Field Breaks, with courses rescheduled for safer times. This was an opportunity however for founder member Sue to think seriously about her achievements, goals and ambitions, and after some deliberation decided to pass the business on to fellow artist Hazel. Along with many happy memories of running Field Breaks, Sue is enjoying the opportunity to start new projects. With the handover, Hazel decided to revitalise the old website - "I'm re-dressing the shop window while it's quiet!" Following suggestions from her peers, this also gave her the opportunity to re-think and amend the name from "Field Breaks" to "Field Breaks Art", which lends more focus under the artwork umbrella. We hope you like it! After the extended lockdown, Hazel added a new range of on-line mini workshops in the Spring of 2021, which were a lovely way to keep connected with other artists and share ideas. From July 2021 we were once again able to offer in-person workshops so the focus was to deliver quality tutor-led courses while maintaining a level of safety, including reduced class numbers to enable social distancing. In 2022 we are pleased to be able to offer another full programme of workshops in drawing, painting, botanical illustration, natural history, landscape, abstract, and mixed media including textiles and craft workshops in batik, jewellery making, lacemaking and felting. Please click on the Courses button to see a listing of all our 2022 workshops. Materials are provided for many of the workshops with a list of what to bring to workshops under the course details. We look forward to meeting you for a wonderful year of art and crafts in 2022.

the arienas collective

The Arienas Collective is a creative workshop hub based in a beautiful, Georgian mews home in Edinburgh's historic New Town. The Collective was set up to help local artists and makers earn a living through sharing their creative skills and passions with others. Its name comes from Loch Arienas, a beautiful and remote spot in the Morvern area of the Scottish Highlands. We believe that engaging in creative activity is good for our health and wellbeing. Our workshops suit beginners, returners and those who want to challenge their own creative practice. Group sizes are kept small, so that our artists and makers can give you the help and support you need to get the most from your experience. Join us to release your inner creative and you will leave having learned new skills, made new friends, and with a finished piece we hope you will feel proud of. We look forward to welcoming you to our home.

yirdlins

Hey, I am Nisi, and for those that are wondering ‘Yirdlins’ is Scots for ‘Earthwards’ or to ‘the Earth.’ I teach Hatha Yoga – the union of the Sun (Ha) and the Moon (tha). The aim of Hatha Yoga is to still the mind through postures, pranayama and meditation. But I also find stillness of mind when working with the natural flow of the seasons and being out in nature, hence the name Yirldins. I was first introduced to yoga in 1994. But it wasn’t until 2014, when I started working with a yoga teacher one to one, that my practice developed into something deeper. I began to feel the benefits of doing yoga on and off the mat, developing an innate awareness of emotions in my body. This has allowed me to manage them more effectively to create a sense of calm, both in body and mind. In 2018, I committed to becoming a yoga teacher and signed up for Yoga Scotland‘s Foundation Course (a pre requisite to their teacher training) and in 2019, their 500-hour teacher training course, becoming fully qualified in 2021. I am a qualified Forest School & Outdoor Leader which allows me to take yoga out into mither nature to complement and enrich your yoga experience. I also have an extensive ten-year practice in Further and Higher education leading, developing and delivering courses to both young people and adults. A mental health activist, I have been advocating to change the negative narratives and stigma around mental health for the last decade by combining different disciplines in botanical illustration, photography and woodcraft to highlight the relationship that exists between creativity, nature and mental health. Yoga is another way for me to continue to do so. I hope I can share the beautiful tradition of Hatha Yoga with you, whether that be in a studio setting or out in mither nature. Namaste

chelsea school of botanical art limited

south london botanical institute

Discovering Plants, Enriching Lives, Sustaining the Future Founded in 1910 in Tulse Hill, the South London Botanical Institute has a beautiful botanical garden and runs a wide range of courses, workshops, school visits and events for all ages. See short films about our activities on YouTube and find out more about us.

crop the botanical florist

I am an artisan flower farmer and city and guilds trained florist based in near York. I am a huge advocate for sustainable British flowers and love to use my own flowers where possible. Having a PhD in plant pathology I am interested in sustainable growing methods and I don’t use pesticides or fungicides on my flower farm. I grow my flowers on the family farm which is 8 miles from the centre of York and create floral arrangements for events and special occasions with an emphasis on scent, colour and seasonality that are inspired by nature and the changing seasons. I love running workshops and teaching about my sustainable methods and the science behind the growing.

bristol folk house

An adult education centre providing a variety of part-time day and evening courses and workshops. The Folk House offers a welcoming place in the city to engage your creativity and learn new skills. We have three terms a year and lots of courses to explore.