Led by Jo Hall

Choosing a different coloured paper for each session we explore how paper colour can be exploited as part of the composition. Within this we will look at line, tone, form, mark making, texture and pattern using a variety of drawing media. Initially working from still life objects, the first week from natural forms e.g. a sea shell or fruit, later in the course there will be an opportunity to draw a landscape in colour or make a portrait study using the three-crayon technique.

Some objects will be supplied for the first session or bring a natural form you would like to draw.

Please bring your own materials and scroll down for detailed info on what you will need.

Some papers will be available from the tutor at cost.

Tues 28 Feb - 4 Apr
12.30pm - 3.30pm

£120 per 6-week course

Suitable for 18+ years

Materials Info

We will experiment with coloured pastel papers and some smoother coloured drawing papers suitable for other drawing media. A small sample pack of papers for the first session (cost about £2.00) will be available from the tutor for the first session. Other coloured papers will also be available at cost.

Please bring: drawing board and clips or tape to hold your paper, putty eraser, plastic eraser, paper towel, spray fixative for chalky media (to be used outside only), craft knife or pencil sharpener, small piece of sandpaper, water pots if using pen and ink (plus brush for brush drawing with ink)

Drawing media: you will only need black and white for the first week

Choose from the following suggestions;

Dry media: charcoal and white chalk pastel, pastel pencil, conté crayon in black white and sanguine, any coloured pencil, or graphite pencil or block

Wet media: e.g. pen/stick/brush and ink, paint pen, black fine liner and brush pens

It would be good to have something from each list above. The different kinds of drawing media will be discussed at the first session. Don’t bring large tins and boxes of colour as we will be working in an almost monochrome way first of all gradually introducing more colour in the following weeks.

•  28 Mar
•   4 Apr

Share your thoughts on contemporary fiction with other readers in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

This season our Book Club will be reading

Thur 20 Apr

The Promise by Damon Galgut
293 Pages

The Promise charts the crash and burn of a white South African family. The Swarts are gathering for Ma's funeral. The younger generation, detest everything the family stand for, not least the failed promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. After years of service, Salome was promised her own house, her own land... yet somehow, as each decade passes, that promise remains unfulfilled.

The narrator's eye shifts and blinks: moving fluidly between characters, flying into their dreams; deliciously lethal in its observation. And as the country moves from old deep divisions to its new so-called fairer society, the lost promise of more than just one family hovers behind the novel's title.

Thur 11 May - The love songs of W.E.B du Bois by Honoré Fanone Jeffers
Thur 15 June - Half of a yellow sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Thur 13 July - The power and the glory by Graham Greene
Thur 10 Aug - The God of small things by Arundhati Roy

Suitable for 18+ years.

Spaces are limited, early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

Spring
Thur 19 Jan, 16 Feb, 16 Mar, 20 Apr

Summer
Thur 11 May, 15 Jun, 13 Jul, 10 Aug

7.30pm – 9.30pm
£5 per session (includes a glass of wine or soft drink from the bar)

•  20 Apr from £5
•  11 May from £5
• 3 more dates...

Led by Jo Hall

A colour mixing workshop to help you mix colours for rocky landscapes, stone walls, weathered surfaces and shadows etc. These are also invaluable for still life studies involving neutral stoneware or dried seed heads. These coloured greys mixed from primary colours, complementary colours or as the title suggests from blue and brown can give a painting unity where the pigments used appear elsewhere in the work. Colour mixing exercises will be followed by painting a rocky landscape or grey still life object.

Landscape reference supplied or bring your own. Some watercolour paper will be available at cost.

Please bring your own materials and scroll down to find more detailed info.

Sat 22 Apr
11am - 4pm

£40

Suitable for 18+ years

Materials info

Watercolour or gouache paints; just bring your existing box of tubes or pans.

A few notes on useful colours;

Blues like Cobalt or Ultramarine, also if you have it, a very dark blue like Prussian Blue.

Browns like Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber will be very useful and also less essential; Red Iron Oxide, a reddish brown in all its forms which you may find in your box as Light Red, English Red and Venetian Red.

A good sized palette to mix your paint, plastic pipette of you have one.

Paper and equipment: cold pressed watercolour paper 300gsm, drawing board, tape or clips to fix paper to the board, block of wood about 2x2x6 inches or table easel to incline your board. Watercolour brushes, water pots, paper towel, small natural sponge, pencil

Some paper will be available at cost. Photo reference will be supplied or bring your own of a rocky outcrop, stone wall or weathered surfacegrey castle wall or even a grey stoneother grey still life object.

•  22 Apr from £40

Led by Kim Wright

This floral design course is for those who are new to floral design as well as those with some experience. I will guide the learners with demonstrations followed by practical work which will give them the confidence to develop their own floral designs each week. They will be shown how to prepare flowers and foliage, how to create gifts and how to decorate a party, home or just for a pleasure.

Additional Information

Please note that the materials are not provided. Learners will need to bring their own Floristry materials such as flowers, foliage, scissors, containers and some other materials each session to be able to create their own floral design. I will advise them each month.

Spring
Wed 25 Jan, Wed 22 Feb, Wed 22 Mar, Wed 26 Apr
11am - 1pm

£32 per session

•  26 Apr from £32

Led by Helen Ridley

Every two weeks on Thursday from 11am - 2pm you will join local artist Helen Ridley to explore your inner artist.

Helen will demonstrate a range of techniques and materials, from watercolour and gouache to pencils and pastels.

Each session will explore a different theme with a range of references to choose from, giving you the opportunity to explore and experiment.

The Studio is open to all abilities and you will need to bring your own materials, please see details listed below:

Materials
● Watercolour paints
● Watercolour brushes
● Gouache paints
● Coloured pencils
● Coloured Pastels
● Watercolour paper
● Sketchbook to plan compositions and colour palettes

Mixed media paper will be available

The Studio Art Club runs from Thur 8 Sept every 2 weeks on the dates below.

Spring
Thur 19 Jan, 2 Feb, 16 Feb, 2 Mar, 16 Mar, 30 Mar, 13 Apr, 27 Apr
11am - 2pm
£28 per session | £184 per 8 week term

•  30 Mar from £28
•  13 Apr from £28
• 9 more dates...

Led by Berkshire Printmakers

Be summer ready with our "have a go" at silkscreen printing your own t-shirt design.

Join Berkshire Printmakers and design and print your own t-shirt design in two colours. Learn how to create paper stencils and combine these with our own patterned screens to print your own unique designs ready for the beach.

Including white organic t-shirt - please see image below for dimensions and add in your size when booking a ticket.

Thur 6 Apr
11am - 1pm

£37

Suitable for 18+ years

•   6 Apr from £37

Led by Rob Castell

Singing is joyous and fun. It's also very good for your health, but it does require some training and understanding of what's going in your body to make that glorious sound! Rob Castell has been working professionally as a singer, musician and teacher for almost 20 years, having sung with his own award winning vocal group Barbershopera, as a lead in We Will Rock You and even in the official band for the Royal Wedding in 2011! If you want to get some tips on how to belt those top notes, control your breath and keep singing all night long, this session will be perfect.

Tues 18 Apr
7.30pm - 9pm

£11

Suitable for 18+ years

•  18 Apr from £11

Led by Mick McNicholas

Explore the complexities of the human form by working from a professional life model. With a variety of short and long poses. Learn both traditional charcoal drawing methods and new experimental techniques.

Half day sessions comprise of a variety of short and long poses.

Any mediums can be used in these sessions. Materials will be provided, although participants are very welcome to bring their own if you have something you like to work with.

Spring
Sat 21 Jan & Sat 22 Apr
11am - 2pm
£25 per session

Suitable for 18+ years

•  22 Apr from £25