News
Last year we held a small celebration to commemorate our 10th anniversary. I am not sure where those years have gone but it has been a very happy decade in which time we have met loads of wonderful people and made some very good friends! Many thanks to all of you who have supported us throughout this time – we couldn't have done it without you!
Old Grey Fergie – alas the old tractor that has been with us for many years has gone to be renovated and recent reports indicate this process is going well with plenty of life amazingly still in the old thing yet! The engine has even been running. I hope to have the odd visit from Fergie and I am sure you will be amazed at the transformation. In its place we now have another suitably derelict tractor, a Fordson Super Dexter – a Rolls Royce of tractors in its time - honest. I am sure everyone will have as much fun painting this as they did Fergie!
New Tutors
Marilyn Allis will be joining our team of Watershed Studio in 2012. Marilyn is a watercolour artist who works in a loose and impressionistic style, using strong vibrant colours and capturing movement and the energy of a scene. She works mainly in watercolour, but also acrylic inks & mixed media. Marilyn won the SAA artist of the year in 1999.
Halima Washington-Dixon is another brand new face for us – she has recently moved to the UK from the USA where she has been teaching for many years. Her work is very exciting and quite different from anything else we offer so I am delighted she has agreed to come and teach here – but not until the end of November!
Plus Richard Taylor is back again but in 2012 he will be departing from his usual watercolour courses to explore Oil Painting with the Masters: Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso!
Nature of Farming Award 2009 – Eastern England
Last year we won the Nature of Farming Award for the East of England for the work we are doing here on the farm for wildlife. The competition is run by the RSPB, Countryfile, Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife and we were delighted to win for our area.
In 2010 we hosted several bird watching courses with the RSPB and also took groups of farmers and other interested parties around the farm to see the various schemes and improvements we have made to help benefit our local flora and fauna. This includes grass and wildflower strips around most of our fields, a lapwing plot, certain fields left fallow or over-wintered, more bird boxes being erected and hedgerow management schemes etc.