Life Drawing in Bollington

Phew - I think our life model was the only person in the room at the right temperature tonight!  Not complaining, though - we don't get enough of the sun.

Thank goodness I got a fresh bottle of water in for the cooler - we ran out half way through the class (as I thought we might!) and our model very kindly lifted it on as it was very heavy!

A nice easy, relaxed session, we started with four 'north, south, west, east' poses and then we decided on which medium to use before a 15 minute then a 40 minute pose.

It is great to see beginners get to grips with different materials, experimenting to find which suits them best.

As I always say - there are only two rules in art to consider and that is 'is it safe?' and 'is it legal?' apart from that, try anything new.

We do have places left on our course but only one or two.  

I run small groups for beginners only and we have some sessions with a model (alternating between male and female) and then without so we can look more in depth at what you want to learn.

Just £15 a session plus £5 to the model when we have one.

I run relaxed, friendly yet informative classes where you go at your speed without having to do an exam.  

There are progression routes to move onto.

Life Drawing at Adelphi Mill

Phew - you wouldn't believe how full this room was of tables and broken glass between the recycled bunting making at The Bridgend Centre this afternoon then my life drawing class!

Thank Goodness for hoovers!

Hannah is a fabulous model - she produces some lovely poses.

A VERY challenging pose but this beginner's group did very well. Our new student was really thrown in at the deep end but I was very impressed with the confident marks he made.

Our informal life studies class will continue throughout the year.  £45 for three weeks with £5 payable to the model when we have one (1 or 2 times per three weeks, negotiable with the group).

Tuesdays 7pm - 9pm. 

Booking essential.

Next session there will be no model but I have booked a male model for 15th and 22nd May.

Painting and Drawing Course

I am so proud of my ladies!  We had such a chilled out session and we are planning a

trip to the Lucian Freud Exhibition!

Mosaic, Butternut Squash Soup and Diamond Jubilee Crowns!

I've had a FABULOUS day!


The sun is making me a little bit giddy, I think.  It's been great this week.  Yesterday I worked with a lovely group of people at Bridge's Day Unit in Manchester making Birthday cards and they did incredibly well.  Then I drove over to Ash Grove Primary School in Macclesfield. This school did work on the Macclesfield Town FC Community Mosaic Mural and  I remembered how lovely it was to work with the children on that project. After that I hot-wheeled it over to the studio to prepare for the new Figure Studies course which started last night.  A very tiring but productive day!


Today was SO busy - the bars in the studio have been measured out ready to go up, had to make the soup for lunch and do more prep for this afternoon, see to the water cooler sanitiser and say a quick good bye to Rachael and Jimi before going back to Ash Grove!


I LOVE Ash Grove - the staff and pupils are wonderful.  We worked together to research the 70s and 80s before making crowns outside in the sun.  Lovely, lovely, lovely.


The soup today was rather nice, though a bit tricky to make as someone had 'borrowed' my paring knife. It was exhausting peeling and chopping butternut squash with a butter knife!


Please note that I would put the slow cooker on medium if I was to leave for the morning then put it on high and add the pasta when I got in.

Butternut Squash, Chick Pea and Pasta Soup

1 x 1/2 butternush squash
2 x sticks celery
1 x carton organic chick peas
1 x red pepper
1 x handful cherry tomatoes
1 x litre hot vegetable stock
1 x cup tiny pasta shells
1 x teaspoon grated ginger (or powdered ginger)
1 x large pinch of Herbes de Provence
salt to taste


Peel squash, wash and chop with remaining vegetables, place in slow cooker. Add the carton of chick peas and the remaining ingredients apart from the pasta. Stir well.


Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally if possible.  With hand blender, blend half of the soup  to own preference (or not if you prefer). Taste - adjust seasoning if required and add pasta.  Cook for a further 1 hour on medium.  


We all really enjoyed this soup.  I felt it would have benefited from some fresh coriander leaves thrown in at the end so I may try that next time.

Our New Spring Timetable

Well, it is here! Our popular mosaic workshops plus a new glass fusing course. Exciting! I am really looking forward to meeting new students this year, so why not book with a friend.  Our morning workshops and full day courses include lunch.

 

Please click on the link to go straight to our workshops page:

 

SPRING COURSES FOR ADULTS

I have really enjoyed planning the fused glass course - participants will create lots of lovely fused glass items for use completely separate from mosaic but there are also opportunities for the mosaic artist to benefit from this wondrous course!

Our range of Dynasty Smnalti is now in stock and until such time as our mosaicsandmore webiste it up and running, we will be selling the tesserae through our ebay shop.  It's easy to access, just click here:  ebay

We have models!

Wow! How exciting is this! Not only is my ankle a lot better, I have had three replies to my search for life models.

I have yet to do interviews and check references but am positive I can get some classes going soon!

The studio is looking so organised now. Waiting for the gallery fixings to get the mosaics on the wall and the tables and chairs but feeling confident.

Classes will start the first week in March!

Please let me know if you have any particular requirements for workshops.

:-)

stock!

I don't EVER have to buy any more paint. I am so stocked up for my students, it's actually quite scary. I think if I held oil painting classes for the next 4 years I'd still have some left.

I feel the studio is getting together now - the kiln is unwrapped and is shining at me from the corner of the room.

Still waiting for the gallery fixings to be sorted, the sign for outside and the tables and chairs. As soon as I have them sorted and the shelves organised, it'll be 'let the classes commence!'

Hmm, still looking for life models, though...

:-)

Bookcases

Who would have thought one could get SO excited about bookcases! They are in and once I have filled them I may just reward myself by breaking some glass.

The studio is taking shape - I am snuggling into it and finding my 'space'.

I have decided to hold some life drawing workshops in the studio. I imagine I will only be able to fit a maximum of 6 people in but I think it will be a good service to local artists plus it will make ME do some drawing.

Details coming soon.