art in the woods
Ruth and Lorraine are excited to welcome you to spend time tapping into your inner creativity and learning new skills in our mindful, relaxing and welcoming taster workshops at Birtley Woodland Art Space! We are delighted to invite you to join us together with other Surrey Artists Open Studio members. The workshops take place during our Open Studio event so you wish to also plan time in visiting all of our artists (10 in total) stands and viewing their work, some of which will also be for sale.
In the taster workshops, we include a selection of seasonal activities for you to participate in on the day, you can join us for either a morning or afternoon workshop or for the full day.
​
We offer you the opportunity to try your hand at a choice of Willow Art & Craft, Wood Carving or Pyrography, Botanical Cyanotype Printing, Abstract Painting, creating Coasters from recycled window glass and Wall Hangings from a textured mosaic.
​
Our woodland art space is nestled within the woodland beyond the lake on the Birtley Estate in Bramley, a beautiful Surrey Hills location, so picturesque with its lakes and gardens and woodland walks and not surprisingly it is classified as an "AONB" an area of outstanding natural beauty!
​
How does a taster workshop work?
​
We have a total of 6 artists delivering workshops on three Saturday's in June. Not all artists are available every week, you can see their availability in the taster workshop description below. Each artist tutor will run a one hour workshop with a change over time of 15 minutes between workshops. This will allow you to participate in two workshops in the morning session and two workshops in the afternoon session so that you get a 'taster' of up to four different artists specialities! We have also scheduled a lunch break for those spending the day with us.
​
The schedule for the four consecutive workshops will be as follows:
​
Schedule
​
Morning Workshop
​
A) 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 o’clock
​
12:00 to 12:15 change over
​
B) 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.
​
1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch break
​
Afternoon Workshop
​
C) 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
​
3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. change over
​
D) 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
​
Artists Availability
​
Workshop 1. Ruth Wheeler - Wood Carving & Pyrography (5th & 19th June)
​
Workshop 2. Lorraine Ellery Matthews - Willow Art & Craft (12th & 19th June)
​
Workshop 3. Caroline Rutter - Coasters From Recycled Window Glass (5th & 12th June)
​
Workshop 4. Kirsty Furgeson - Botanical Cyanotype Printing (5th & 12th June)
​
Workshop 5. Denise Jacques - Wall Hangings from Textured Mosaic (12th June)
​
Workshop 6. Denise Blackburn - Wall Hangings from Textured Mosaic (5th & 19th June - a.m. workshop only)
​
Cost
£45 per person (morning or afternoon workshop)
​
What's included
​
All materials
Tea, Coffee and cold drinks
​
Suitability
The taster workshops are suitable for adults, teenagers and children aged 8 yrs and over. The size of the workshop is small, between 5 and 10 people at any one time. All children must be supervised by a paying adult.
1. Wood Carving & Pyrography
​
Join Ruth for a Summer themed Wood Pyrography or Carving Workshop. Be inspired by Spring flowers and Woodland Scenes and draw, burn and paint onto Wood planks, boards of various shapes and sizes.
Dates: 5th and 19th June
2. Willow Art & Craft
​
Lorraine will have a selection of Willow Crafts for you to choose from, activities that can comfortably be completed within an hour including Bird Feeders, Willow Fish, Dream Catchers, Mini-Obelisk and Willow or Birch Hearts.
Dates: 12th and 19th June
3. Coasters from recycled window glass​
​
Join Caroline Rutter and use re-cycled window glass to make a square coaster. These will be decorated using found leaves, stems and seed heads or with redundant electronic components to capture the beauty and ecological diversity of the woodland. The interaction of glass and light will be enhanced with iridescence from powdered Mica fused between layers of glass.
​
Dates: 5th and 12th June
4. Botanical Cyanotype Printing​
​
Learn how to create and the history behind beautiful cyanotype or blueprints with Kirsty Furgeson. Cyanotype printing is a type of camera-less photographic printing technique, which uses sunlight to capture the silhouettes of plants and objects on paper and textiles. Taking inspiration from and using natural objects, seasonal plants and foliage from around the Birtley Woodland Art space, participants will create their own original prints on card and fabric.
Please bring an apron and wear old clothes as the chemicals used can stain fabric. All equipment and materials are provided. Participants may wish to bring their own interesting shaped leaves, flowers, objects or stencils but this is not required.
​
Dates: 5th and 12th June
5. Wall hangings from textured mosaic​
​
Join award-winning mosaic artist Denise Jaques to explore texture with mosaic. Using a range of natural and found materials, take inspiration from the surrounding environment to create a wall hanging suitable for the home or garden.
Dates: 5th and 12th June
6. Abstract Painting
Come and do a taster workshop in abstract painting with Denise Blackburn, using all of our senses and taking advantage of the sights, smells and tactile feel of the woods. Leave your intellect behind and get a felt-sense of the process. No experience necessary!
​
Dates: 5th and 19th June (available during a.m. workshop only)
