EXMOUTH ART GROUP

About the event

An all-day workshop with local artist Julie Dunster, exploring techniques to create different atmospheres in your artwork.

Cost £38 per EAG member.  SPACES LIMITED, EARLY BOOKING ESSENTIAL. To book, please contact bookings.exmouthartgroup@gmail.com.  PLEASE PAY WHEN BOOKING TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE.

https://www.seaglassgallery.co.uk/julie-dunster

Join one of our favourite local artists as he takes us on a voyage of discovery...

Recent Paintings and Assemblages by Ray Balkwill

The Exe Estuary is a place that Ray has a deep and personal connection with and for more than three decades it has provided a visual stimulus for his art in a variety of media. To prevent work from becoming repetitive Ray is continually exploring new ways of looking at a familiar subject. Perhaps none more so than with his recent mixed media paintings and assemblages. This talk will not only investigate his working methods, but also look at other artists who have inspired him.

Open to all members.

Liese will introduce her approach to abstraction and how she uses it in her own art practice. Gathering source material and using it for a starting point for creating abstract sketches and using colour and composition.

This course is aimed at those wishing to explore a more abstract way of working and will draw on the images and memories that inspire you. Artist Liese Webley will guide you through a series of exercises designed to give you the confidence to develop your own abstract painting style.

· What do we understand when we hear the term ‘Abstraction’?

· Liese will introduce her approach to abstraction and how she uses it in her own art practice.

· We will take a Look at our gathered source material and use it as a starting point for creating abstract sketches, moving on to exercises that focus on different ways of looking at a subject/scene differently.

· We will also explore colour and composition

Aiming to produce a more finished painting bringing together elements learnt in the day.

Workshop Liese Webley

Materials List

Sketch book – A3 or A4

Paints, acrylic or water-based oils for ease of drying.

Brushes and pallet knife.

Old rags / cloths / kitchen paper for wiping brushes.

Apron if needed.

Pencils & oil pastels for sketching. (I tend to use oil pastels)

Canvas or canvas board

Feel free to bring along any other materials you enjoy working with.

If the weather allows, we will start the day by going out and warming up with some on location sketches and blind drawings. We won’t be out long, just enough time to collect some images to get going with.

If the weather is too wet to sketch outside, and if you like to please bring along - Photographs of inspiration, these could be seaside, countryside, buildings inspired images you have taken yourself or found images. In fact, anything that you are drawn to and fascinated by! These are Images you will use as a starting point for your abstract work.

All the best,

After a meet and greet I will talk through my process showing examples from work I will bring and sketchbooks.  I will also proceed to do a practical demo which should illustrate this process. I will encourage questions throughout

Rod was born and raised in the West Midlands where he attended Wolverhampton Art College. He spent his working life teaching in Cheltenham and gained his Post-Graduate in Art from Birmingham. He has recently moved to Exeter where he continues passing on his knowledge and experience through workshops and tutorials in his studio. Rod’s painting is always evolving, not only in its subject matter but also through constant experimentation with media. He continues to work both on location where initial responses are recorded which later serve to feed larger and more considered studio work. At all times, he makes his work expressive both in interpretation of the subject, and in the application of whatever media or mixture of media that he uses.

As a group we will be concentrating on deconstructing a given scene and reconstructing it giving it a new dynamic. I will be giving out a selection of images which the group can use to work from.

I am not giving any more detail than that before the day as I do not want the group to have any preconceived ideas.


Things for group to bring to the workshop on WED 19th FEB

You will need to bring Acrylic paints, brushes, palette knives, palettes, glue sticks, watercolour paper 200 lb weight A3 size. A2 drawing boards.
I will also bring Heavy watercolour paper 200 lb and other surfaces for people to use.

Workbook/ sketchbook

I will be bringing a range of these tools and materials that the group can use.

I will also be bringing heavy duty watercolour paper for the group to use for their final work.

Jenny and Geoff Pinn of Pinnacle Icing

I ( Jenny ) make Handmade Royal Iced Biscuits.

I will tell you how I came to be making Royal Iced Biscuits. We will talk about the business . Geoffs roles.  And show pictures of different aspects.   I will talk about preparations and  equipment etc. Teach you how to make a piping bag . Which you can all have a go at doing too. I will demonstrate Icing a biscuit ,showing working practices, tips, techniques etc. And answer any questions you may have.  We will bring some biscuits and icing so that a few members will be able to have a go at Icing and take home the biscuits they've iced. We will bring biscuits for you to see and to show different techniques used. You will have a chance to purchase some should you wish to.

"My work explores the people, places, landscapes and seascapes of the southwest of England, Europe and the East Coast of America. I often paint en plein air, on the beach or in the landscape, while undertaking more considered works in gouache, oil and larger acrylic paintings in my studio."

Phil Creek gained a BA Degree in Fine Art from Manchester University and a Post-graduate Degree in The History of Art from Birmingham University. He was Head of Creative Arts at Honiton Community College, Director of Course at The Beaford Art Centre, and County Art Adviser for Devon. He is now a full-time painter living in East Devon.

He has exhibited at The Mall Galleries, London, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter and The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol. He is Chair, Trustee and Honorary Member of The South West Academy and President of Otter Vale Art Society.

Based in Newlyn, Cornwall, Vicki Norman received her BA in Fine Art in 2000 working initially as an illustrator and then a full time fine artist represented by established galleries around the UK. A naturally gifted teacher, Vicki began her classes in 2005, gaining her post graduate certificate specialising in post-16 education in 2009 she greatly values teaching as an integral part of her creative practice.

A lifelong student herself, she has studied with master painters and sculptors around the globe, all the time searching for traditional skills and methods which can be applied to paintings of a modern world.

Inspired by both contemporary and past masters, Vicki’s paintings employ an historical skill set with a fresh, personal approach.

“My fondness for travelling and painting has naturally led me into the world of Plein Air painting. Working quickly on location to capture the essence of a time and place encourages a looser, more impressionist style of painting. This puts an emphasis on atmosphere rather than detail, and colour is the vehicle through which I seek to capture light.”

Her works have won awards in the Europe and the USA, she is a regular contributor to plein air events and competitions on both sides of the Atlantic. Vicki has exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London and been awarded a prize from the Oil Painters of America.

Her growing reputation as a master of colour has led naturally to a role as ambassador for Michael Harding Paints which allows Vicki indulge her love of colour and ‘nerd out’ about pigments, binders and all things technical with one of the world’s most respected Colourmen.

A popular tutor and demonstrator, Vicki is recognised for her clear communication and boundless enthusiasm.
She has won awards and recognition for both teaching and painting.

Getting creative on Laundry Day in Mousehole!

We’ll tackle a scene from the lovely Cornish fishing village of Mousehole during our workshop. It

will include some characterful old granite buildings with a colourful washing line.

We will learn to simplify details and leave out things that are not aesthetically pleasing

(such as parked cars). We’ll discuss which design principles to consider when cropping the

scene to suit our taste and altering the colours of buildings and laundry. In essence we will

customise the image to suit ourselves.

Please note: This will be a SOLVENT FREE workshop. Please leave your spirits at home!

I’ll supply diluents as/if required.

I’ll work on a 12 x 16” canvas board, I would recommend you work on a scale somewhere

between a 9 x 12 “ (roughly A4 size) and 16 x 20” . Stick to a size you’re comfortable with.

You may choose to paint on canvas board, stretched canvas or canvas /oil paper. Please make

sure the surface you use is correctly primed for your choice of paint.

Brushes should be stiff, hog hair if possible, bring a variety of shapes and sizes, including the

largest ones you have!

Bring whatever oil/acrylic colours you like to use/already have – I will use the following colours

from Michael Harding Oil Paints:

Cadmium Lemon or any other greenish yellow

Indian Yellow red shade or any other orangey yellow

Cadmium red LIGHT or any other orangey red

Alizarin Crimson OR quinacridone rose* or alizarin claret or magenta or another purplish red

Phthalocyanine blue or cerulean blue or viridian green

Ultramarine blue or cobalt blue or both

Transparent oxide yellow ( like yellow ochre but transparent)

Cobalt violet dark

Titanium white and /or Warm white

Plenty of rags or kitchen roll

Bring a flat palette, if it is wooden, be sure that it is well oiled/sealed before use!

A palette knife will also be useful.

A printed copy of the reference image or a tablet/ipad with charger on which to view it all day.

There is no need to go shopping, I’ll bring spare paint, paper/brushes for

you to use/purchase as required.

1) A brief explanation of who we are and what we do

2) Creating image files with high quality content:

- What we mean by 'file' and how an image can be contained in a file

- Layout and bleed - positioning your work for best results

- Photographing/scanning work into files

- Understanding colour

- Types of image file and what they all mean (jpegs, tiffs, PDFs etc.)

- Image resolution

3) A quick note about naming your files for use in an online systemHelping to keep visual arts and artists in our communities

LFTA in brief:

LoveFromTheArtist (LFTA) is the invention of, and is managed by, social entrepreneurs Ian Lacey and Lynda Harvey. It is intended as a means to contribute to the visual arts in Britain and the UK through the development of a mini “economy” that allows artists to trade with the public and earn income to support their artistic works.

LFTA is based on fair trade, is non profit making, supports a wide range of artists and artistic styles and provides an open and fair opportunity for British artists, photographers and illustrators, for whom it is free to use.

LFTA focuses on helping small shops, often community organised ventures, to find and support artists in their local communities as well as allowing artists to sell work directly to the wider public through their pages on this website.

Ian Lacey and Lynda Harvey are both Fellows of The Royal Society of Arts (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

Supporting British arts and crafts

Enabling the business of being an artist

LFTA aims to help visual artists in practical ways by providing access to products and technologies that help them make a living. Indeed, several contributing artists on this programme have stated that LFTA is the key factor in their ability to operate and develop as artists, and to make a living from their work.

LFTA enables artists to create saleable products, greetings cards, art prints, calendars and gift wrap, at cost price, so that they can sell these things at retail price and earn the full margin for their effort.

Artists starting out on their commercial enterprise are helped enormously by the very low minimum quantities of product they can buy through their LFTA membership, which enables them, in turn, to develop new business without high risk or large investment.

Shops subscribing to LFTA also benefit from our low minimum quantities – as low as just ten cards of any mix of designs they desire. This helps everyone by opening the fantastic LFTA content to even the smallest shops to stock, and by allowing shops to ‘test the water’ with small amounts of work they might not otherwise have tried out on their customers.

LFTA is a community company, serving an invited community of artist contributors. It is not and does not offer a ‘printing service’ and its creative facilities are solely for the use of its members. LFTA is a programme you should consider if you are a visual artist, illustrator or photographer and you are serious about developing your commercial presence through print based products.

Wild Thoughts Presentation Description

Welcome to Wild Thoughts, a stylish wedding and event florist based in the South West of England. We create romantic, elegant and whimsical floral designs with a wild streak, bringing the beauty of nature inside in an organically grown and eco-conscious way whilst encapsulating the magic of our English country gardens. We absolutely love to create floral immersive experiences, being sure that you remember the heavenly rose scents and abundantly textural displays for years to come.

A Journey Through Sustainable Floristry 🌸

An Inspirational Talk & Floral Demonstration with Lottie Mills

Join me for an inspiring and hands-on session where I’ll be sharing the story behind my floristry business—from the moment it bloomed into life, to the flourishing, flower-filled journey we’ve had so far. Learn about how it all began, the challenges we’ve overcome, and what drives our passion for natural beauty and sustainability.

At the heart of my business is a commitment to using locally grown British flowers and eco-friendly techniques that celebrate nature while protecting it. I’ll talk through the importance of sustainable mechanics, our ethos as a business, and how you can incorporate similar values into your own floral creations.

🌿 What to Expect:

• The story behind starting my floristry business and how it has grown
• Insights into sourcing seasonal, British-grown blooms and why it matters
• Sustainable floral mechanics: what they are and how to use them
• Tips on the best flowers to grow in your own garden for arranging
• Where to buy locally grown flowers if you don’t grow your own

💐 Plus: Two Live Floral Demonstrations

I’ll create two beautiful arrangements you can replicate at home  to bring more seasonal, sustainable beauty into your space.

Come along for an evening of creativity, inspiration, and connection. You’ll leave with practical knowledge, fresh ideas, and a renewed appreciation for flowers that don’t cost the Earth.

An illustrated talk in the first half, which covers my art practice, with examples of my prints and methods of working. I also describe my background and upbringing with my father John Dyke who was a Ladybird Books illustrator and children's book author.

The second half is a practical demonstration -

Either relief block cutting and printing with wood or lino.

Or intaglio printmaking using drypoint, or collagraph method.

Wood and linocut relief printing workshop.

Create your own wood or linocut block to print onto paper.

Learn how to design an image, render it onto a wood or lino block, and use cutting tools to carve your design. You will then ink and print your block by hand onto a selection of papers.

Your design can be original, a found image of your choosing, or based on images and prints from the selection provided.

Helpful guidance on creating an image is given. Simple methods of introducing more colours into your prints will be covered.

You can take your block away after the workshop to print more at home. It will be possible to buy extra materials.

10am - 4pm with a break for lunch.

Notes on materials:

Participants will work on an image size A6 (10x15cm) or similar. There will also be a practice session using a test piece.

On this course it will be possible to use japanese (shina) plywood, or traditional hessian backed lino from ‘Esdee’, which is made from natural ingredients including linseed oil, wood flour, and limestone powder.

A selection of papers including ‘Khadi’ artists’ handmade papers from India, 100% cotton rag, which is sourced from recycled T shirt cuttings.

We will be using Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash Relief Ink; Linseed oil-based artist quality printing inks made for non toxic printmaking, they can be cleaned up using liquid soap, water, and vegetable oil.

Participants are recommended to bring an apron, any image ideas they would like to create as prints, pen/pencil and notebook if wanting to take notes. We use a watered down solution of fairy liquid for cleaning blocks and hands.

Room requirements:

Tables to accommodate participants to sit and work at (max 12 participants as agreed).

3 - 4 tables for printing, whilst standing.

1 - 2 tables for demonstrating and display.

Any extra table space for drying prints.

Will arrange to suit the space.Will Dyke - Profile - more info to follow plus a materials list

I studied illustration and printmaking at Harrow College, University of Westminster. After an early career in bookselling, I became a full time printmaker and tutor.

I specialise in woodcut prints; I create limited edition prints, and greetings cards. Much of my work is inspired by rural life and history. My background in illustration continues to guide my design method. I also teach regular print workshops, and give demo's and talks.

A Sussex based artist; regular tutor for the Weald & Downland Living Museum. I have taught for the National Trust, Pallant House Gallery, West Horsley Place, and for art groups and societies across the South.

Demonstration: Nature journaling is the act of creatively recording your relationship with nature. In this demo, nature journaling artist Alex Boon will show you through 8 years of nature journals and sketchbooks and describe how he started this rewarding activity. He will also explain his techniques for sketchbooking in coloured pencil and painting in Derwent Inktense, including some Inktense demonstrations.

In this one-day introduction to nature journaling, Alex will show you some fundamentals of nature journaling with fun prompts and exercises that are suitable for any artistic/naturalist/writing skill level. We will begin with a simple sketchbook and pencil with some time sketching  and writing outdoors (weather permitting). After lunch, we will return to the studio to work the morning’s observations into a page (or more!) of paintings and writing. A pool of art materials will be available for you to use, though you are welcome to bring your own. Tuition will focus on the use of Derwent Inktense pencils (provided for you to try).

Materials needed for the workshop

For the workshop, I will bring all materials but if anyone has their own Derwent Inktense and/or waterbrushes, that would be useful. They can also bring any autumnal things they'd especially like to paint, depending on what we do in the morning outdoor part of the day, we may or may not find samples to use.

James Tatum, SWAc*

I have been drawing and painting since my

very early years.  In 2007, I moved to Devon

in order to paint full-time.  All of my paintings

begin en plein air and then the larger works

are completed in my studio in Exeter.

I conduct painting workshops and courses

through out the year.  In March 2014, I was

elected Academician, The South West Academy,

* SWAc.  In March 2017, I was awarded

“Landscape Painter of the Year” by Devon

Life magazine.

Reverse:  Primal Seeing, A Personal View.

Book available:  email: jtatum@btconnect.com

My demos and workshops are about how to see like an artist

i.e. not seeing objects, but seeing shapes, tones and relationships.  It is all

about learning to see reality abstractly.  I will be demonstrating with mostly

acrylics.....with some mixed media.

My bio:

Belinda is an acclaimed contemporary landscape artist who lives and works in Devon. She immerses herself in the landscape where she finds freedom and a love of space. Subsequently she works in her studio employing her sentiments and a sense of the place to create her art. She holds a BA Honours degree in Illustration from Chelsea School of Art and an MA in Narrative Illustration and Editorial Design from Brighton University. Belinda has previously won Devon Life's Landscape Artist of the Year and was longlisted for the Jackson's Open Oil painting competition. In 2019, she held her first London solo exhibition. Her work has been exhibited in London on the Southbank and at Green and Stone Gallery in Fulham. In 2021 and 2022, she was shortlisted for the British Art Prize run by Artists and Illustrators and in 2025 reached the Extended Longlist of the Jackson’s Art Prize.

Belinda’s landscapes are a reflection of herself. Every painting is a result of several days of work, with layers of texture and colour added to create a finished piece that seeks to engage the viewer and evoke their individual thoughts and emotions.

Woodland Painting with Palette Knives and Scrapers -

For the workshop we’ll be looking at working on woodlands on paper. I’ll use water mixable oils to demo. The materials list is as follows:

Water mixable oils or acrylics or traditional oils. Favourite colours I use are titanium white, Prussian blue, burnt Sienna, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, crimson alizarin, burnt umber. Cotton rags (lots) palette knives, metal scrapers (used for plastering at diy shops) I’ll bring some of these in case you can’t get them, a couple of brushes, heavyweight paper, (or canvas if you like) low tack tape, quick drying medium for water mixable oils if you have it but not essential, palette, jar of water, board to work on if using paper.  I’ll bring lots of photo reference, but if you have personal woodland photos you’d like to bring that’s great.

I will demonstrate how to create a portrait from life using some tools such as:

• A model from the audience
• Your fingers and thumbs
• Proportional dividers
• Zorn palette - only 4 colours
• Plus how I use:
• Chroma Magic Ap
• Grid painter Ap
• Value Ap

The result should be a quick but recognisable portrait.

Although I was born in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1955 I have both a rich Celtic heritage, through my Irish and Scottish roots, and a strong independent streak that I take from my Yorkshire ancestors. I had the pleasure of living in Canada and all over the UK before finally settling next to the sea in Paignton, Devon.

I originally had a forty-year corporate career as a Chartered Accountant and Business Psychologist (working mainly in the creative sectors) before I gave it all up to pursue my dream of being a full-time artist in 2020.

I have been lucky enough to have travelled to some remote parts of the world to have experienced other cultures, artistic styles and visited amazing art galleries and many museums. My paintings incorporate some of the colours and designs that I have encountered on those travels.

My creative journey began with watercolours and dry mediums before transitioning to oils in 2020. I’ve since studied under some incredibly talented international artists such as Martin Kinnear RCA, David Grey, Cesar Santos, Danny Ferland, Louis Smith, Tina Garrett and Teresa Oaxaca.

I have been lucky to have lived in beautiful countryside all my life from the coastlines of Count Antrim, the hills of the Cotswolds and finally the dramatic countryside of Devon. These natural landscapes have allowed me to commune with nature, to feel at one with the land and the skies, to see how people interact with the land, to find peace and listen to the mood music that nature creates. My paintings try to capture the music and beauty of the landscapes and of the people I live amongst. Devon, and especially Teignmouth, has provided me with friendships which I have reflected in paintings of people from the area and allows me to suggest the powerful emotions that these people, landscapes and local scenes evoke in me.

I recently completed an 18 month Diploma in Oil Painting with the amazing contemporary artist Martin Kinnear RCA. Martin taught me studio craft and encouraged me to look at the many different genres of paintings. The course allowed me to develop my artistic practice, to use my imagination and be braver with my paintings both in colour, composition and in all technical aspects. This exhibition effective reflects learnings from my course.

My favourite artists include Bouguereau,  Sargent, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Degas, Sorolla, Van Gogh, Klimt, Schiele and Monet yet, as each month goes by I discover another!

All these influences have encouraged me to paint in a contemporary style with an emphasis on modern realism with supporting abstraction. I like bold, colourful compositions and where applicable I try to link them to how we as humans interact with others and nature.

You can see some of my latest work and some work in progress shots on Instagram IG:mcsparron_artist.

Workshop

Providing they are each paying the £5 mentioned in my original email for the workshop I will supply:

• Charcoal
• Oil paints - I will be demonstrating using oil paints
• Brush cleaning fluid
• Artist paper on which to create and record their Zorn pallets
• Some notes
• If they would prefer, they can bring their acrylic paints instead. They would need the following colours:
• IVORY BLACK
• TITANIUM WHITE
• A strong red like CADMIUM RED
• A strong yellow like YELLOW OCHRE
• A clean canvas or a canvas board approximately 40 x 50cms in size. Please tell them not to bring one with a very coarse weave as it is harder to paint portraits on. If they have no canvas or boards then they could use quality canvas paper that can be used for oils.
• Brushes e.g. a couple of medium sized brushes e.g. a 1 inch, a 1/2 inch, a 1/4 inch flats and one small round brush for the occasional detail.
• A pallet knife for mixing paint
• Some rags or paper to clean brushes
• A smart phone or an ipad if they have one so I can help them load some aps
• Some newspaper to cover the floor or tables and a carrier bag to take the rubbish home at the end of the day
• A ruler
• A jam jar to clean their brushes in
• A table easel if they have one - it really helps to create a good portrait

In the longer session I will help the attendees to:

• Explain why using Aps can speed up your ability to create a more accurate portrait whilst still allowing you to be creative
• Understand the use of value and lighting
• Create your very own Zorn palette
• Establish the structure of your portrait
• Explain blocking-in
• Explain underpainting
• Add crucial details to bring your portrait to life

Bio:

Tricia describes herself as an artist/maker.  She is passionate about creating, whether it is with recycled materials to build garden sculptures, upcycling otherwise redundant pieces of metal to produce something beautiful, or using brand new paint and paper to produce something for the indoors.  Tricia currently runs workshops to teach how to make art journals, sketchbooks, etc, from materials in our recycling boxes, stamp making from unusual sources, making Christmas decorations using Mexican tin art technique, and she hosts the monthly Mixed Media Art Club at the Cuppa Cabin where she encourages others to try out new techniques and to discover more of their own potential. In her professional life as a psychotherapist, Tricia is very keen to encourage the same with her clients:  for them to discover their potential and if that can include a creative life, all the better.

Neurographic Art:  I like to think about neurographic art as Simple, Mindful, Elegant Doodling.

In the demo, I will discuss the positive impact on the brain that comes from using a mindful practise, especially one that includes art.  We will look at how artists going back in history have used doodling to enhance their work. Time allowing, I will begin the process of showing the techniques and, for any who wish to, members of the group can follow along with me.

The workshop:   We will mindfully explore the techniques to create some beautiful pieces that will be worth framing or repeating as cards.

Watercolours, black Sharpie markers, black fine liners, and white ink pens will be used. If you have any or all, please bring them.  I will also have some that can be used.  In the workshop you will all be given various sizes of plain paper to practise the techniques, once those techniques feel comfortable, the same processes can be repeated on watercolour paper that I will have already painted for use. Everyone will be given examples of typical doodling styles that can be added into the art pieces.

Stamping With A Difference:

In the demo I will show examples of the uses of stamping and pattern creation.

The workshop:  My fascination with using unusual and unexpected objects to create pattern in combination with colour will be in full flow in this workshop.  There will be an opportunity to test out some unique objects as well as to make stamps to take home for further use. The patterned papers that are created can be used to create collages or enhance other art pieces.

We will use acrylic paints which I will bring.  If you have a brayer or brushes that you are happy to use for acrylics, please bring them.  I will also have some that can be used. There will be an opportunity to carve small stamps.

I followed a foundation course at Bourneville School of Arts and Crafts then took a degree in Landscape and Literature at Birmingham University before becoming a teacher. My own time was full of sewing and drawing and I earned a living from dressmaking skills- bridal gowns, re-upholstery, ball gowns-anything and everything before my 32 years teaching textiles up to A level and adult education. As soon as I retired I reached for the art materials to catch up on my journey. I always work from something I have seen, creating a felt background then stitching back into it with a great variety of other materials- textiles and other. I also paint, print and make papier mache items large and small. Attached a textiles picture "The One That Got Away"

Brief intro , explaining different materials that can be used, wool, silk and other fibres.

Quick look at needle felting equipment and methods.

Wet felting:

Demonstrations

1)Making a floral corsage- with a central ball. This is a bit girly but is a very good way to show basic techniques. An alternative is to make a larger piece of flat felt for a mat or spectacles case. Slippers and boots can be made from flat felt, stitched together, stuffed with bubble wrap and finished in the washing machine.

2)Making the ball or bead. Perfect cat toy ! Or key fob.

3)Making a piece of nuno felt for a scarf or other item.

Probably time for a tea break then people can have a go at making a ball or buy wool fleece and felting needles from me if they wish to.

Workshop

Make a floral corsage , bowl or bag using a calico resist and a scarf felted onto cotton cheesecloth.

Maximum 12 people . We will need to spread out and use quite a lot of equipment.

Cost £28 inc. materials- wool, calico resist, fabric for scarf.

All other equipment will be provided apart from an old towel and rubber gloves should you wish to protect your hands- and an apron if you wish to avoid getting splashed with soapy water.

Please note, felt making is very physical and full on- it may not be suitable for people with arthritis in hands . A certain amount of stamina is required to get to the end. Some processes can be finished off at home in a washing machine !

1. Make a corsage.
2. Make a bowl or bag using a calico resist.

Break.

1. Make more beads/balls as desired for decoration.
2. Make a nuno felted scarf.

David lives in Topsham and has had a successful career in a variety of artistic disciplines and works in a variety of media. For several years he was a portrait sketch artist on the Greek island of Corfu before becoming a signwriter and developing a reputation as a pictorial, fairground and mural artist.

In 2000 he moved to Sydney for 10 years and earned a living as a full-time artist concentrating on his own work. He is a member of the Australian Society of Marine Artists and was a finalist and highly commended at various art shows and competitions in Australia. He also illustrated books, one of which was shortlisted for an award.

As well as exhibiting and selling original paintings, David publishes his own art prints and greetings cards and is regularly asked to do commissions. He also does painting demonstrations and workshops for art groups.

He has been selected for various exhibitions including: South West Academy (SWAC), Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI), Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) and the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA)

5. For the demo:

I’ll be doing a complete painting of flowers from preparing the canvas through to the finished painting. I will be painting in acrylics in a classic, slightly impressionistic style and I will put the painting in a frame to complete the demo. I will introduce myself and give a little of my background, explain what materials I like to use, the process I go through when painting and encourage people to ask questions as I’m painting.

. Alex will be guiding us in capturing birds in motion. We will need to bring our own drawing materials. We can then have some time drawing the birds and landscape and then go into Lyme Regis to see Alex Boons exhibition at the Town Mill .We can car share. There will be a small fee but details to follow.

SHORT BIO

Born in Bermuda and lived there until seven years old. Whilst working in London as an 18 year old, Melissa attended St Martins School of Art part-time and attended part-time at Edinburgh College of Art whilst studying for her honours degree at Edinburgh University.

Melissa's early career was as a documentary film-maker for television. She was then commissioned to create large scale video projections in theatre and site specific settings for artists, dancers and actors. The life drawing continued throughout these years. As success grew for her paintings through group exhibitions, her time became more focussed around oil painting, further strengthened recently through explorations of the life form in clay.

Melissa loves light, water and life as matter. Seas, in all moods, skies, landscapes, light and the human body including portraiture provide subject matter to explore different emotions, energies, atmospheres and elements.

Oil paint allows for a richness and translucency and an ability to layer and move paint around keeping it fluid on the canvas. The approach is fairly loose and the method explorative, though a strong drawing background underlies it. Rags are used to lift paint and move it around creating a freedom for things to emerge. Harder implements can sometimes be used to scrape away paint and to scratch into it. Time can be used to allow some things to dry and harden whilst mediums can, at the other end of the spectrum, be added to the paint to create a more fluid, textural feel in other areas. A connection is made with the subject matter and therefore working from life or plein air can often prove most fruitful and incisive as the observation and connection is direct.

In the spirit of exploration, experiments are delighted in, for example, recently using oil paint on plaster. Other surfaces such as scrim, sand, paper, or canvas and fired clay are used. There has to be an element of embracing triumph and disaster, those two imposters, just the same! That way, one is free to go on and make discoveries.

Some of Melissa's sources of inspiration are the works of Turner, Rembrandt, Seago, Singer-Sergeant, the Scottish Colourists, Rothko, Janette Kerr, David Cobley, Ian Mckeever, Gehard Richter and artists from other mediums, Olafur Eliasson and James Turrell.

Melissa is a cross -disciplinary artist with a strong oil painting track record. She now, alongside paint in all its forms, works in the mediums of photography, moving image, sound and clay and increasingly welcomes collaborative projects particularly in the environmental field.

Melissa is passionate about creativity and co-organised TedxBradfordonAvon 'Crafting the Unexpected' in 2012.

More details to follow.

NIC GEORGE -

PROFESSIONAL ART EDUCATION CONSULTANT AND ARTIST

Talk and Demonstration


Nic originally hails from the village of Cil-ffriw near Neath, in the South Wales valleys and comes from a family of artists, inventors and stone masons. He moved to Exmouth in 1987 to study Primary Art Education at Rolle College and quickly fell in love with the sea and surrounding areas.

On the most dramatic of days, Nic can be found windsurfing off Exmouth or exploring the coast around Exmouth or the Devon hills with his lurcher Betty. These are the times that inspire him the most and provide the influence for his dramatic work which captures the relationship and movement between the land, sea and sky.  

Nic’s work is predominantly in acrylic and he uses a process of layering to create paintings with atmosphere and emotion. The titles of his paintings are linked to the poems of Dylan Thomas who is one his personal heroes and inspirations.

In 2021, Nic set up his art education consultancy which has gone from strength to strength. He trains both qualifying and experienced teachers in primary art education primary, regularly works as an artist in residence and leads a variety of art workshops both in schools and community settings.

Nic is also the Art Education Officer for the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts (SWAc) which is dedicated to advancing the creation and appreciation of art in the South West of Britain.

Nic’s talk and demo will give a fascinating and lively insight into his professional work as an art consultant as the various elements he incorporates that form art education. After our break, Nic will give us an insight and practical demonstration into the process of how he creates his latest seascapes painting which incorporate bold colours and exaggerated form.

Instagram – nicgeorgeart

www.nicgeorgeart.com