Our next courses

Beautiful botanicals! Join us to explore and discover ways of representing plants, vegetables and nature using a variety of media.

On this course you will have the opportunity to learn:
• Choice of subject matter
• Skills and techniques in watercolour, gouache, pencil, pen, ink, conte, pastel and charcoal
• Working from poetry and prose to add meaning to your work
• Composition techniques
• Constructive analysis from gallery sessions
• Working from examples of other artists’ works
• Finding success in our own work and that of others

Tutor: Jane McDonald
Tuesdays, 10am-12noon, 10 weeks, starting 29th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Study the representation of the figure and the figure in motion on this course.

This course is suitable for beginners and those who would like to develop their drawing practice. All materials provided. On this course you will:
• Learn skills in drawing including measured drawing, line and tone, and composition.
• Learn skills in drawing the moving figure and recording movement.
• Explore techniques in charcoal, pastel, pencil, paints and inks.
• Work from a variety of lengths of pose.
• Learn through demonstration and receive individual and group feedback.
• Learn how to see success in your work and that of others.

Tutor: Jane McDonald
Thursdays, 6-8pm, 10 weeks, starting 1st May 2025
£134.12 (£114 for members)

Join us on this relaxed and no pressure course to explore wellbeing through creative activity. A variety of craft activities will be offered. They are all designed so that participants can explore the connections between creative activity and wellbeing using the nationally recognised “5 Ways to Wellbeing”, are easily achievable and produce works you can take home or gift to others.

Activities will include:
• Dry felted landscapes
• Working with air-dry clay to produce a “family” of creatures/vegetables
• Papier Mache
• Simple book making
• Glass painting

and more…

Tutor: Jane McDonald
Mondays, 10am-12.30pm, 8 weeks, starting 28th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Join us in making fun, achievable and exciting small sculptures. Explore and develop skills in a variety of small sculpture projects.

Suitable for newcomers as well as those wanting to refine techniques and learn new skills. Projects include:
• Create a “family” of objects using air dry clay and acrylic paints
• Work with dry felting techniques to make a 3D object
• Build with wood and wet strength tissue to create a structure
• Use wire as a sculptural medium
• Make a Papier Mache object

All materials provided.

Tutor: Jane McDonald
Mondays, 1-3.30pm, 8 weeks, starts 28th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Creative journaling is a fantastic way to enhance wellbeing, replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and reconnect with your true self. This course provides a space for women to reflect through art, poetry, and hands-on creativity like cutting and sticking!

The course focuses on the seasons and runs for 10 weeks during Spring/Summer. Each participant will receive a journal and art materials such as pastels, paints, pencils, stamps, and collage supplies.

Sessions will explore different mediums for journaling, and participants are encouraged to make their journal unique and personal – there’s no pressure to follow a set format or style.

Tutor: Claire Rookes
Wednesdays, 1-3pm, 10 weeks, starting 30th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Learn the art of printmaking and create your own personalised zine! This hands-on course encourages creativity and self-expression through various printmaking techniques. It’s an inspiring and supportive space for participants to craft a unique zine that reflects their personal stories or interests.

Course Overview:

Over 10 weeks, participants will explore the exciting process of designing and producing a zine through printmaking. Techniques covered will include linocut, mono-printing, and stamp making. All participants will use materials such as inks, rollers, carving tools, and high-quality paper for their creations.

Each week will focus on a specific printmaking technique, guiding participants step-by-step in designing and printing pages for their zine. The final session will bring it all together, assembling the pages into a unique, handmade publication.

This course is perfect for beginners as well as those with some experience—there’s no pressure, just a chance to enjoy the process of creating something truly original!

Tutor: Claire Rookes
Wednesdays, 10am-12noon, 10 weeks, starting 30th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

A flexible knitting and crochet course, suitable for all levels, from complete beginners to stitching ninjas. The tutor intends to tailor the course content to reflect the aims and interests of students and to challenge the class to explore their creativity whilst expanding their technical skills.

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to try amigurumi crochet, circular knitting, fairisle, socks, or do you have an unfinished project you need help to continue or revamp? Join us to explore how to craft more sustainably by: reusing yarns, creating and using recycled yarns or scrap materials, and mending existing knitwear. Learn how to reduce your household plastic use by crafting dish scrubs, wash cloths, facial cleansing pads etc.

Over 10 weeks you will:
• Experiment and have the courage to ‘take your yarn for a walk’
• Gain an understanding of different yarns, their properties and how these can affect your projects
• Have an introduction to crochet and knitting charts
• Be introduced to common knitting and crochet terms and abbreviations
• Explore a variety of cast on and cast off methods.
• Be introduced to different blocking and making up techniques to give a professional finish
• Gain understanding of yarn weights and substituting yarns
• Work with different yarns to produce decorative effects
• Gain an understanding of ‘gauge’, why and how to swatch

Tutor: Sharon Roscoe
Tuesdays, 10am-12noon, 10 weeks, starting 6th May 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Transform thread, fabric scraps, ribbons, buttons, lace into pieces that delight in their own right, but that can also be made into wearable art, jewellery, framed art, bags, wall hangings, decorative patches for clothes and much more.
Over 10 weeks you will be introduced to:
• A range of decorative hand stitches to build your own library
• Making fabric from scraps
• Using embellishing and sewing machines to enhance and create fabrics
• How to produce objects from fabrics and threads
• A range of techniques to produce textured and 3d pieces

Tutor: Sharon Roscoe
Fridays, 10am-12noon, 10 weeks, starting 9th May 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Sewing and dressmaking skills for beginners and intermediate skills – to make garments and projects you can be proud of. Learn basic and intermediate sewing and dressmaking skills by making a garment or project your choice.
• Making garments that fit well and that you want to wear
• Basic pattern alterations
• Handmade not homemade
• Choosing, using and preparing patterns and fabric
• How to use a sewing machine and basic maintenance
• Appropriate seam making and finishing
• Zip insertions, buttonholes, plackets and fabric manipulation
• Bring your own projects – garments or accessories

Teaching is student-informed – learn the techniques you need to start and complete your projects.

Tutor: Sharon Roscoe
Fridays, 1-3pm, 10 weeks, starting 9th May 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

Join us on a wet and dry felt making course where you can learn new skills and develop existing ones. On this course you will have the opportunity to explore:
• Wet felting using a resist and hand rolling techniques
• Dry felting working on small sculptural pieces
• Demonstration throughout
• Use of colour and design
• Making several items to take home or gift to others
• Gallery sessions where you can learn from others on the course and share skills and ideas

All materials provided

Tutor: Jane McDonald
Tuesdays, 1-3pm, 10 weeks, starting 22nd April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

A ten-week course for people new to clay or anyone returning to clay work who would like a refresher. Students will be supported in designing and making their work using a variety of hand building techniques.

You will be guided through a range of hand-building techniques such as slab work, coiling, sculpting, exploring different surface patterns and textures. You will be shown how to use slips and glazes to create different decorative effects on your pots. For the more experienced potter you will be guided and supported to follow your own project if you wish, with a focus on building on your existing skills.

No experience necessary, this course is suitable for both complete beginners and those with more experience.

Please note that materials are provided, but will need to be paid for separately based on the weight of clay used. Tutors will give details at the start of the course.

Tutor: Sally Storr
Tuesdays, 1-3pm, 10 weeks, starting 28th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

In this course you’ll be supported in designing and making your own ceramic pieces, using a variety of techniques as appropriate to your previous experience.

You will be guided through a range of hand-building techniques such as slab work, coiling, sculpting, exploring different surface patterns and textures. You will be shown how to use slips and glazes to create different decorative effects on your pots. For the more experienced potter you will be guided and supported to follow your own project if you wish, with a focus on building on your existing skills.

No experience necessary, this course is suitable for both complete beginners and those with more experience.

Please note that materials are provided, but will need to be paid for separately based on the weight of clay used. Tutors will give details at the start of the course.

Tutor: Jane Hurford (Tuesdays) or Liz Danby (Wednesdays)
Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 10am-12noon, 10 weeks, starting 29th or 30th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members) plus materials

Details coming soon.

Tutor: Gwenda van damme
Mondays, 10am-12noon, 6 weeks, starting 2nd June 2025

In this course you’ll be supported in designing and making your own ceramic pieces, using a variety of techniques as appropriate to your previous experience.

You will be guided through a range of hand-building techniques such as slab work, coiling, sculpting, exploring different surface patterns and textures. You will be shown how to use slips and glazes to create different decorative effects on your pots. For the more experienced potter you will be guided and supported to follow your own project if you wish, with a focus on building on your existing skills.

No experience necessary, this course is suitable for both complete beginners and those with more experience.

Please note that materials are provided, but will need to be paid for separately based on the weight of clay used. Tutors will give details at the start of the course.

Tutor: Jane Hurford (Mondays) or Sally Storr (Tuesdays)
Mondays 7-9pm or Tuesdays 6.30-8.30pm, 10 weeks, starting 28th or 29th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members) plus materials

“I’m an artist working with ceramics and use lots of different techniques to create work. I love sharing skills, experience and enthusiasm for all clay things.”

In this course you will be supported in designing and making your own ceramic pieces, using handbuilding techniques. No previous ceramics experience is required as each student will be taught according to their requirements. Beginners are taught basic techniques to begin with so that they quickly go on to develop their own individual skills. More advanced students are shown new techniques to stretch their experience further.

Tutor: Jo Woffinden
Wednesdays, 4-6pm or 7-9pm, 10 weeks, starting 30th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members)

This course is for both beginners and people with experience.

Beginners will learn all the stages of traditional stained glass making including designing a panel, cutting/grinding the glass and assembling it into a completed panel, using lead came, solder and cement. You will also learn how to handle the materials and use the various tools safely. 

As a returning or more experienced student, you will be encouraged to work on your own ideas, but also to take on more complex projects, and to broaden your skills set. This might mean developing more complex designs and/or learning new techniques such as copper foiling, glass painting, and etching. There will also be scope for larger projects and constructing 3D items.

All students will be encouraged to learn about the history of stained glass, including both its secular and religious development. There will be regular trips to local sites housing significant examples of stained glass.

You should wear sensible clothing and closed footwear (not sandals). Also, bring a notepad, ruler and coloured pencils if you have them.

Please be aware the course fee does not cover materials. You will need to pay a small termly fee for consumables, such as flux and patina. In addition, you will need to purchase glass, lead and any framing materials. Tutors will provide information about this at the beginning of the course.

Tutor: Tony Ovenell
Tuesdays, 1-3pm or 3.30-5.30pm, 10 weeks, starting 29th April 2025
£117.65 (£100 for members) plus materials used