baking

business skills

calligraphy

candle making

cooking

crafts

dance

drawing

drinks and tastings

floristry

gardening

health and beauty

kids

languages

leather

mindfulness and wellbeing

music

painting

photography

pizza making

pottery-and-mosaics

sculpture

sewing

terrarium

upholstery

woodworking

Why not to enjoy a beautiful sunny summer weather in London and take your creativity outdoors. We have been cooped up for a long time during the lockdown , why not to enjoy a beautiful day being creative , sharing your creativity with like minded people  and learning something  new in a beautiful setting of one of the most wonderful parks in London. We can appreciate and capture on canvas the most beautiful flower arrangements on canvas .
Join Katerina Kovalova, international artist and art teacher for this wonderful opportunity to paint en Plein Air, in the orchard and gardens of the most iconic and inspirational park in London, Hyde Park.
The workshop will begin with Katerina giving a brief talk about outdoor painting, followed by a demonstration of painting in the garden.
Participants will then find their own spot to paint autonomously whilst Katerina circulates offering help and advice where required.
 Working in an intimate part of the park, the aim of this workshop is to produce a series of  'plain air' sketches that simplify the varied and complex views seen. Distilling the subjects through mark - making and colour to capture your experience of the day.
Meeting at the Dolphin and Boy fountain for initial briefing , students will then walk to a park where easels and picnic will be set up.
Students will produce a series of paintings by the end of the day.
These sessions can be attended using whatever medium you choose to work - oils, charcoals, watercolours and pastels
All materials provided
Refunds and options for rescheduling will be given in case of bad rainy whether

Outdoor painting workshop in Hyde Park with picnic lunch and wine . All materials provided 

At the London Greenwood workshop you will use a foot powered "pole lathe" to turn your own wooden bowl from locally grown green wood.
Starting with some axe work to prepare your blank and learning how to set up a pole lathe you will move on to use two simple turning tools and powering your lathe by foot you will create a functional wooden bowl to take home with you.
We will also talk about drying, oiling and caring for your bowl as well as selecting materials and how to continue.
We will be working outdoors in all weather but we'll stay dry and there will be a fire if gets it chilly.

Although it's not essential you will benefit from some previous experience carving with an axe, for example having taken our spoon carving, bowl carving or induction to the workshop course.

We offer low income spaces on weekday course dates, please contact us for details.

Turn a wooden bowl outdoors on a foot powered pole lathe

You will make your spoon from locally sourced green wood using an axe and two types of knife, which we will teach you to use safely and effectively. The course is suitable for both complete beginners, and those who’ve made spoons before and would like to hone their skills and develop their designs.


Spoon Carving - Full Day

Looking at a landscape can seems daunting to tackle in paint, there is so much to see, so many leaves especially in the summer.
On this course you will learn to simplify the landscape into lights and darks, shapes and simple colours to begin with then bringing in relevant mark making, colour mixing and drawing for the different elements of the natural world. Working from a view local to Richmond, you will learn how to choose your 'scene' and begin with a drawing looking at foreground, middle ground and background then move step by step into painting.

(Location to be confirmed. We will choose a place with toilet facilities that are close by and a place to have lunch)
Let us know if you need a folding easel.

The School provides Painting and Drawing classes for adults in Ham, Richmond.
The focus of the school is on painting from observation, and students are encouraged to try out various media and approaches. The class size is up to 15 students and every student gets individual attention and guidance.

Outdoor Painting in Richmond

Set in the peaceful grounds of the Ecology Centre this workshops introduces you to the start of the basketweaving process using the 'stake and strand method'.  We will be working under shelter using English willow to learn about base construction, allowing you time to get into the rhythm of willow weaving.

At the end of the session you will have produced a basket base which you can either leave as a trivet or flower wall decoration.

I am also running a second workshop that helps to develop the technique learnt in this workshop and allows you to create a full basket. It uses cane instead of willow, an easier material to work with when creating a full basket allowing you to concentrate on perfecting your technique. See Basketmaking - Part 2 in my listings if you would like to attend - you don't need to have attended this workshop.

We will  meet on the lawn next to the Old Rectory building, The Old Rectory, Festival Walk, Carshalton, SM5 3NY

Covid guidelines
The session will take place outdoors but will remain socially distanced and I will wear a mask if in close contact with you.
Please bring a towel and your own pair of secateurs to minimise sharing of tools.
There is a toilet on site but please bring your own sanitiser.
There is no access to refreshments on site however we are near Honeywood Museum Cafe or you're welcome to bring a flask.

Willow Baskets Part 1 - Basket Bases

Catalan Trays, also known as Tension trays are a nice introduction into the world of basketweaving and produce effective results with the use of hoop making and a simple weaving technique.

Set in the peaceful grounds of the Ecology Centre we will be working under shelter using English willow to produce a tray ideal for serving fruit or bread at a table or for display on the wall.

We will  meet on the lawn next to the Old Rectory building, The Old Rectory, Festival Walk, Carshalton, SM5 3NY


Basketweaving - Catalan Trays

The soft, tactile quailty of clay is the perfect material for capturing the beauty of nature. In this two hour workshop you will have the chance to create your own natural patterns and produce a set of tiles or a dish.

Set in the peaceful grounds of the Ecology Centre the workshop begins with a walk around the grounds collecting foraged natural mateirals to create textures with. We will then be working under shelter to experiment with printing into the clay surface to create beautiful pieces of natural art.

Your work will be taken away to be glazed and fired and will be ready to collect 2 weeks after the workshop. I'm afraid I'm not able to post items for risk of breakages so your items will need to be collected from me.

We will meet at the Ecology Centre entrance on Festival Walk by Carshalton Ponds

Covid guidelines
The session will take place outdoors but will remain socially distanced and I will wear a mask if in close contact with you.
Please bring a towel for drying hands.
There is a toilet on site but please bring your own sanitiser.
There is no access to refreshments on site however we are near Honeywood Museum Cafe or you're welcome to bring a flask.

Nature Printing in Clay 

However adventurous you are and whatever type of outdoor event you want to participate in, our outdoor games and activity scheme will suit you. EAch activity has its own body of work and workshop taking you through the basics of each exercise.