A studio wishlist
There’s more on a studio wishlist than just paint and supports – those are the obvious things. But they aren’t the only useful items for a studio. Some of the indispensable items in my studio are a bit less obvious. Because of this, I keep…
How to Loosen Up Watercolours
The advice I am asked for most often at my Open Studios is how to loosen up watercolours. This year’s Cambridge Open Studios was no exception. ‘Do you teach?’, and ‘I wish I could paint looser watercolours’: the theme was repeated in so many questions….
How limits improve your painting
It may seem contradictory to say that limits improve your painting. But in my experience, it is a good learning tactic that has worked for me. Limits make you stretch in different ways. For obvious reasons, we call it thinking inside the box. With limits,…
Creative Loosening-up Exercises
I always start my watercolour tutoring sessions with some creative loosening-up exercises. I did just that yesterday during the first workshop of the year. It was even more valuable than usual, given that we had all been without access to in-person workshops for so long….
Painting Together
When can we start painting together again? Online workshops have been wonderful. There has been so much generosity from artists who have created free content that our lockdown period has certainly not been boring. But it has been a long haul. It feels like so long…
Art Societies – are they for you?
Art Societies in various forms have been a significant part of my life for more than half my time as an artist. Last Sunday, I stepped down from the committee of the Society of East Anglian Watercolourists after five years of continuous voluntary service to…
Why take a painting workshop
You may be thinking you might want to take a painting workshop. Or you’ve done an online workshop and are thinking about what to do next. You may even be deciding whether to take your first painting workshop. Perhaps you’re torn between wanting to take…
How to Find Joy in Art
How do we find joy in art? Through a process of exploration and discovery.
What I learned from a watercolour workshop with David Poxon
In August 2019 I organised a watercolour workshop with David Poxon R.I. N.W.S. David is the moving force behind the International Watercolour Masters Exhibition, held in Shropshire. It was here that we first talked about a workshop in Cambridge. He has taught his special watercolour…
5 things to consider when choosing a painting workshop
If your head spins when you think about which workshops to book, here are 5 things to consider which may help you with choosing a painting workshop. These days there are so many art workshops available, it can be difficult to select the right one…