This is our Programme for 2027 - it's a slightly smaller programme than usual due to other family commitments but there are plenty of art and craft workshops to choose from, some favourites and some completely new, and I hope you find the list of courses as exciting as we do.
Booking - please use the form under each workshop description below - we will confirm by email and then send an invoice within a few days to you for the non-refundable deposit of £30/day. This will secure your place with the balance due a month before the course. We will send out invoices so you don't have to worry about remembering!
Materials - the materials for all crafts are supplied and included in the price - along with Trevor Osborne painting courses. For the other courses there will be a list of all the materials you will need to bring with you included on the course sheets. We send these out, as attachments, with every invoice, and again a week before the course as a reminder. Incidentally, we do have spare easels, boards and water pots here if required.
Lunch - we provide a complimentary lunch for students who attend our courses. We find that eating together at lunchtime makes the day a much more sociable occasion. We provide a simple, single choice of main meal, with a vegetarian option, and try to cater for some dietary needs within that remit, provided you inform us well in advance. However, you will need to provide your own lunch if we find we have too many diet variations to cope with, or your requirements are more complex, or you have severe allergies as regretfully we are unable to cater for these types of diet.
Refreshments - tea, coffee, decaf, herbal teas etc are on tap all day, included in the price of the course. Homemade cake/biscuits are also provided and included in the price.
There is no printed brochure so it's all here. Just scroll down, past the gift vouchers, to find out who is coming to teach, and when!! Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you want any more information.
Why not give Watershed Gift Vouchers as an ideal present for Christmas or for a Birthday?
We can do email vouchers for any amount you wish.
Fill in the form below, or give us a ring, and we will get an invoice out to you which will include payment details. Once we have received payment we will email the voucher back to you, or to the recipient, which can be redeemed up to the end of 2026/27.
Fill in the form below, or give us a ring, and we can get it sorted!
Watershed Studio Gift Voucher Booking Form
Cost: £105 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
Learn how to create a bird structure which can be transformed by manipulation and technique into various types of feathered creatures. Once the base is constructed you will be learning how to random weave and how to manipulate this amazing natural material to create what you require.
Deb will bring geese and Pheasant pics with her but if you wish to create other types birds please bring a picture to work from - here is a picture of a hen that I did!
Deb is an Essex based willow artist who undertakes commissions creating living outdoor rooms, garden structures, fences and sculptural work.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
This painting is stunning isn't it? Don't be daunted by the subject matter!! This is the perfect day of painting for anyone who hasn't tacked oils, or used a palette knife before and is rather nervous. Because the materials are also included you don't have to invest in any equipment either before trying this medium for the first time?
These can all seem daunting but Trevor will help you every step of the way and dispel any concerns you might have.
Trevor is a fabulous teacher - you are in very safe hands as you learn about wonderful oil painting is and how to come to grips with it all. He will cover all the basics you need to give you the confidence to go further with this subject, and medium in the future.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
In this one day class we will be painting outside with a choice of locations across the studio and grounds. The course will introduce you to the principles of plein-air painting, taking you through the steps of choosing your initial composition, blocking-in shapes and light, colour mixing and building up the painting in simple steps. Should the weather be against us we will have reference material to use in the studio!
You are welcome to paint whatever subject matter you prefer, whether it be pond, trees, fields, wild flowers or even the studio itself.
Through learning the fundamentals in this way you can develop a reliable method for approaching painting from life which should yield consistent results for your future paintings.
The workshop is suitable for all levels of painting ability and you can expect multiple critiques tailored to your individual requirements
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £210
10am to 4.30
We are delighted to welcome Tom to the studio for the first time this summer. Tom is a well known and very popular artist across the UK and I am so pleased he's found the time to include Watershed in his busy schedule.
Watercolour is perfect for capturing the character, movement, and energy of birds and animals.
The free-flowing nature of the medium and its wonderful immediacy is where the real joy lies. Yes, it can sometimes feel a little out of control… but that’s exactly where the magic happens!
Tom will show you how to embrace the natural characteristics of watercolour to create loose, lively, and exciting paintings full of life and expression.
Perfect for all experience levels, the workshop includes demonstrations and plenty of one-to-one guidance to help you with your individual needs.
Over two days, you’ll learn how to:
• Loosen up your approach by painting shapes, not “things"
• See and simplify light and shadow to build form and depth
• Understand some basic comparative anatomy that helps when painting any animal
• Master the absolute key to watercolour: paint consistency
• Create flowing washes that bring freshness and life to your work
• Use bold, confident brushstrokes for impact and energy
• Handle backgrounds in a simple, effective way
• Capture light, depth, and movement with ease
• Keep your paintings simple but powerful
Tom has also become a highly regarded, and much sought after tutor. As well as running his own workshops, he travels all over the UK teaching and demonstration for Art Groups & Societies. He also leads painting holidays in beautiful rural France.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
We are delighted to welcome Janie Pirie SBA to the studio in 2026. She specialises in floral and botanical art using coloured pencils. Her meticulously drawn and striking compositions have immensely accurate detail together with great depth and a rich intensity of colour.
This one-day course is for absolute beginners and those who have a little knowledge of coloured pencil illustration and/or botanical illustration. Janie will show you all the basic techniques to make your work look painterly and realistic. She will demonstrate each technique in detail and give you time to practise before moving on to the next. There are lots of ‘tricks of the trade’ and these will also be demonstrated during the day. You will need some drawing skills, but Janie will show you how much easier it is to draw than most people believe. It’s easy when you are shown how. You will also need a few other items but a list will be sent several weeks before the course, so you’ll have plenty of time to get them together. Janie also sells coloured pencils and a limited amount of the other equipment required.
The subject for the day will depend on what is available but it will be a simple subject so not all the day is taken up with drawing something before you can colour.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
It's always a joy to have Carole here and these Watershed Sketchbook courses have been very popular using the grounds around the studio as inspiration.
Pen & wash (an ink drawing with watercolours added) is a delightful medium for quick, loose sketchbook studies or for paintings that require a lot more detail. In this two day course, Carole will start by demonstrating the range of pens available and show you a variety of options for whatever style you favour. You will be able to spend some time “experimenting” before starting on your sketches or painting/s.
There are many interesting things in and around the studio to paint – the old tractor, the garden with its pretty flowers and interesting nick knacks or the views across the fields with the horses, ducks and wildlife. We hope to have a new pond dug below the studio by then - fingers crossed!! On the other hand, you may prefer to work from photographs in the studio to create your pen & wash masterpiece!
In the event of too much sun, or rain, we will work from photographs in the studio
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30 pm approx
Make a beautiful picture to hang, of beach huts, sea, sand etc!! Something different again from the lovely Mona!!
Mona will show you how to cut and grind glass to shape and then apply copper foil and solder the piece together. This is suitable for beginners but also those who have attended a stained glass class before and want to develop their 3D stained glass skills.
Please wear old clothes or bring an apron as glass is great fun but it can get messy.
You will be in a small group so you have plenty of one to one help and advice.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30 pm approx
Make a beautiful picture to hang, of beach huts, sea, sand etc!! Something different again from the lovely Mona!!
Mona will show you how to cut and grind glass to shape and then apply copper foil and solder the piece together. This is suitable for beginners but also those who have attended a stained glass class before and want to develop their 3D stained glass skills.
Please wear old clothes or bring an apron as glass is great fun but it can get messy.
You will be in a small group so you have plenty of one to one help and advice.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
On this course you would begin by exploring mark making using lino tools to describe textures, depth and distance in landscapes. You would use this knowledge to develop a lino print idea working from an image of your choosing.
We will be using the ‘jigsaw’ printing method to allow the design to be printed easily in several colours. This involves cutting the lino into pieces and applying different colours to each section before ‘jigsawing’ them back together to print.
You would end the course with a number of printed editions of your design.
This course is suitable for Lino printing beginners or those looking to develop their skills further.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
A fabulous new course! A wire card making day course where you will create a personalised celebratory card for that special occasion or someone, or a picture frame for memories, laugh a lot and learn new skills.
Any card can be made, whether birthday, anniversaries or just a card for someone special, the choice is up to you. The picture frames can also be personalised with wording or maybe just a little paw print.
You can choose from a wide selection of designs for many occasions all created using continuous line which is essential for wire working in this way. Adaptions can be made to some of the designs so a plan of the image etc will be needed so you can truly personalise your creation.
You will learn how to manipulate the wire using pliers and your fingers into an image for the front of your card or frame. And then onto lettering for your card greeting or a name of friends for the frame. You can personalise your card greeting to make this a unique creation, including names or a special message and signed with your name – all made in wire by you!
Please note:
This workshop would ruin manicured nails as you will be using your fingers to bend and move wire, there is no other way, sorry.
Some close work is required and so if you wear glasses, please bring them.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
Another gorgeous course with Deb, outside in the fresh air surrounded by fields and wildlife - another theraputic day!!!
This small Berry Basket is perfect as it introduces different traditional weaves, and is achievable in a day!! You will learn how to achieve a simple round base then finish the sides with an English Ran, a wale and a simple trac border. It is suitable for beginners and improvers.
Deb is an Essex based willow artist who undertakes commissions creating living outdoor rooms, garden structures, fences and sculptural work.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
'David will use an underpainting technique with acrylics to apply a first impression painting followed by a texture build-up using a palette knife with heavy body acrylics/gel in an impasto style. He will demonstrate step by step and give lots of advice and encouragement for students to achieve a finished painting at the end of the day'.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105/day
10am to 4.30pm approx
Painting Italian and Parisian balconies abundant with foliage and florals and brought to life so they sing from the page as we capture the play of light, and warm dappled shadows.
Simplify the details of the ironwork and architectural elements with a mixtures of sketching with the brush and plenty of free brushwork with fluid watercolours to help loosen up your artworks and create expressive pieces of artwork. use a limited colour palate and explore how to mix a range of greens to keeps your colour transparent and vibrant.
An opportunity to paint a series of 2 or more paintings of this enchanted subjects through this enjoyable 1 day workshop with watercolour specialist Nicky Hunter who has a an enthusiastic and well structured way of teaching and helping students get the best out watercolours and learn successful application and techniques with this tricky yet beautiful medium.Give your watercolours a boost of light and radiance! Join Nicky for a super watercolour day where you'll have plenty of individual help and guidance.
Nicky is an experienced tutor specialising in watercolour, her work is inspired by nature and ignited by colour and light, though she specialising in floral painting animals and birds offer a wonderful source of inspiration too. Many of the methods and tips you will learn through Nicky’s well explained demonstrations and enthusiastic tuition are transferable to other subject matter; allowing you to improve your understanding of how to handle this challenging yet magical medium to make more successful watercolour artworks in general.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105/day
10am to 4.30pm approx
Watercolour is the perfect medium to paint this delightful vibrant subject. Enjoy creating loose and expressive artworks of these sensational blooms that call for attention with their pure intense colour and offer us the opportunity to work large scale and use confident fluid brush work. Enjoy adding the leaves which are delightfully twisted and veined to extra interest to this subject which are a joy to paint.
Bring your big brushes, larger paper ( ½ imperial or A3 minimum size) to enjoy painting at larger scale to achieve bold yet beautiful artworks.
Nicky is an experienced tutor specialising in watercolour, many of the methods and tips you will learn through Nicky’s well explained demonstrations and enthusiastic tuition are transferable to other subject matter; allowing you to improve your understanding of how to handle this challenging yet magical medium to make more successful watercolour artworks in general.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 includes all materials
10am to 4.30pm
Trevor always makes these days such a wonderful experience - and you get to take away an amazing sculpture too!!
Students will be working with polymer clay. This is a great product that dries and hardens without the use of a kiln and can be fired in a domestic oven.
Super Sculpey Polymer Clay
Super Sculpey is a polymer clay which is easy to model and stays soft until baking. Super Sculpey is a very unique polymer clay, loved by artists & animation studios alike. With a ceramic-like feel, Super Sculpey is available in a semi-translucent beige that, once baked, captures the glow of real skin. It is great for larger models as it can be painted with acrylic paints after baking. It can be fired (baked) in a domestic oven at home. Once baked it is totally impervious to the elements.
On this course we will build a wire armature which will be fixed to a base allowing us to pose the sculpture in an action pose. Students will learn clay modelling techniques including preparatory sketching, forming an armature, joining clay sections, fine modelling and finishing. A variety of finishes will then be explored to ensure long term preservation of the work.
Trevor will bring lots of pictures for reference as well as lots of advice and encouragement.
Please note - you will be taking these home to cook in your own ovens (it doesn't take long!) but you will need to know the size of your oven before you come to ensure your model will fit in it!!!
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 includes all materials
10am to 4.30pm
Trevor always makes these days such a wonderful experience - and you get to take away an amazing sculpture too!! Students will be working with polymer clay. This is a great product that dries and hardens without the use of a kiln and can be fired in a domestic oven.
Super Sculpey Polymer Clay
Super Sculpey is a polymer clay which is easy to model and stays soft until baking. Super Sculpey is a very unique polymer clay, loved by artists & animation studios alike. With a ceramic-like feel, Super Sculpey is available in a semi-translucent beige that, once baked, captures the glow of real skin. It is great for larger models as it can be painted with acrylic paints after baking. It can be fired (baked) in a domestic oven at home. Once baked it is totally impervious to the elements.
On this course we will build a wire armature which will be fixed to a base. Students will learn clay modelling techniques including preparatory sketching, forming an armature, joining clay sections, fine modelling and finishing. A variety of finishes will then be explored to ensure long term preservation of the work.
Trevor will bring lots of pictures for reference as well as lots of advice and encouragement.
Please note - you will be taking these home to cook in your own ovens (it doesn't take long!) but you will need to know the size of your oven before you come to ensure your model will fit in it!!!
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105 including materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
Yes, we know it’s a bit early to be mentioning the C word, but sometimes it’s good to get a bit ahead?? Well that’s what we think so come and join in a festive and creative Christmas Calligraphy workshop, making beautiful cards and gift tags by blending vivid colours with gold and other metals, and finishing off in style with your personalised messages in elegant Copperplate script.
Ample time will be given to learning how to use a pointed pen and practicing the delicate, flowing strokes and looping letterforms of Copperplate. The focus will be on writing a selection of seasonal sayings before trying out some words or names of your own, all designed to add a touch of sophistication to your festive creations. You will explore different decorative processes using a variety of materials including vibrant Brusho, and a sgraffito technique using oil pastels with gold leaf that produces fabulous patterns and designs. Watercolour paper and blank cards and tags will be supplied, plus stamps, metallic paint and pens, plenty of ribbons and other materials for those final special touches.
This workshop is perfect for all skill levels.
Julie Chaney is a professional calligrapher, lettering artist and illuminator who lives in Mistley, near Manningtree. She teaches regularly, works to commission and creates pieces for exhibition.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105 including materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
Another new exciting new workshop here at Watershed with the lovely Marta!
Step into the expressive world of experimental monoprinting — where every print is a one-off and no two results are ever the same. In this session, you’ll explore the magic of the single pull: using ink, texture, and gesture to create spontaneous, energetic prints. Working in black and white, you’ll experiment with techniques like negative and positive printing, masking, and blind embossing to reveal tone, texture, and depth. Expect to work intuitively — rolling, wiping, scratching, and layering ink on plastic plates before pulling each print by hand or on a press. The focus is freedom: embracing the unexpected, celebrating imperfections, and letting each mark lead to something new.
Here is a video on the process to give you an idea:
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £210
10am to 4.30pm approx
Margaret is a past master of pastel and her infectious approach to using this medium will encourage and stimulate your own enthusiasm.
With her unrivalled use of pastels and skilful application of oil paint, Suffolk-based Margaret Glass is known particularly for her stunning landscapes as well as depictions of boats, barges and waterside scenes.
We live in an area famous for it's low horizon and large skies. The small sky sketches of Constable are well know and the artist Edward Seago was, as a child, an invalid and spent a lot of time lying on his back and therefore studied and sketched the skies. We will be considering the structure of the clouds at various times of day.
Margaret will lead by a mix of ongoing demonstrations and one to one tuition throughout the two days - this is a course not to be missed if pastels are your medium! It's always a joy to have Margaret here!
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £210
10am to 4.30pm approx
These portraits from Stephanie are stunning aren't they!!
For this workshop we will work on one drawing for the two days, starting with a 2D block-in and working this through to a fully rendered portrait either in pencil and/or charcoal. We will cover gesture, proportions, the importance of shapes in capturing a likeness, value arrangement, form modelling and how to finish a drawing.
We will be working on paper toned with charcoal powder as having an established half-tone is useful for creating a more finished drawing when time is limited.
The workshop is suitable for all levels of drawing ability and you can expect multiple critiques tailored to your individual requirements. You should expect and enjoyable and informative weekend and to come away from the course with the know-how to develop your drawings further when working on future pieces.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
This is an exciting new workshop for us - and I think you will love it - so mindful, and useful too!! Fay was here last year making spoons but these items are just gorgeous and tactile, especially if you love beautiful natural wood!!
It's a workshop to make your own wooden haberdashery items. Choose from crochet hooks, buttons, lucets, spools, braiding wheels, flat needles and shuttles. Get confident with using hand tools to make and shape seasoned wood.Using local seasoned wood means that you can sand and finish pieces in the class and they will be ready to use straight away. Make creations in apple, pear, blackthorn, hazel and hawthorn woods.The ideal workshop to make yourself the perfect finishing touch for a special project. Suitable for beginners.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105 includes all materials
10am to 4.30pm daily
In this workshop, Trevor will demonstrate and teach how to let go and let loose using water based media. By using a simple drawing and a clear understanding of the importance of tone and colour he will show how to achieve works that are fun, expressive and have impact and maybe even working outside the lines.
In the course of the day you will produce several pieces of work. You will work with a variety of media. If you are used to watercolour lacking strong colour and wish for the fluidity but with brighter colour you will love the way inks and watercolour can work together.
Minimal drawing skills are required in order to enjoy this workshop and the emphasis is upon capturing the essential features and having fun with them..
Trevor has been working in watercolour for over 50 years. He was fortunate early in his career to work with John Blockley, the father of Ann Blockley and the leader in a new approach to watercolour. From John he learned that watercolour can go way beyond its traditional use and be equal to any medium as an exciting experimental form of art.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm approx
Spend a fun day learning a new skill and creating your own beautiful stained glass Christmas decorations. The day starts with Mona teaching you how to cut glass safely. Then, having picked your patterns and the glass you want to use, Mona will guide you through the cutting, copperfoiling and soldering processes so by the end of the day you will take home heirloom decorations which you will enjoy every Christmas.
Do wear old clothing, or bring an apron - and do feel free to bring a friend - this is a lovely way to start getting into the Christmas Spirit!!
You will be in a small group so there will be plenty of one to one help and advice.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £105
10am to 4.30pm approx
A workshop aimed at you learning to produce hand painted Seasonal/ Christmas cards. Using pen and ink techniques with watercolours you will produce a range of different styles of cards to send to friends and family - abstract, naive and graphic styles. The cards can be embellished with Christmas sparkle as simply or as much as you wish !
Very popular workshop with the aim of completing at least 10 cards.
John will be on hand to teach and guide as we as having lots of his own cards and pictures here to inspire and encourage - I think I might have to join in with this one!!
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Cost: £120 including all materials
10am to 4.30pm
Once again, Toni returns to share her skills and experience of jewellery making with silver clay, which once fired is of hallmarkable fine silver quaility. This class is suitable for beginners and those that have worked with silver clay jewellery before. Toni will start with the basics but will also be there to provide support to those who wish to build on their skills, demonstrating additional techniques such as carving and making designer bails.
You will have 10 g of silver clay to work with in the class which will make 1 - 2 items of jewellery, Toni will bring a limited amount of additional clay which will be available to purchase on the day, if needed.
Watershed Studio Booking Form
Monday 30th November - morning - 10am - 12 noon approx
Monday 30th November - evening - 7pm - 9pm approx
Tuesday 1st December - morning - 10am - 12 noon approx
Tuesday 1stDecember - evening - 7pm - 9pm approx
Wedneday 2nd December - evening 7pm - 9pm approx
Cost £45/session including materials and mulled wine/refreshments
Join us for a fun workshop making your own unique festive door wreath. Allison will take you through the process of mossing and wiring up your base before you help yourselves to the abundance of foliage available and start creating your masterpiece. Allison will lead by demonstration and you will get plenty of one to one help. You will also be guided and given practical advice on how to add decorations and personalise your wreath.
All foliage will be provided, as well as wires and frames, plus inspiration and a very friendly atmosphere.
Please bring seccateurs and/or any other Christmassy bits like baubles, berries, fat ribbon and glitzy bits to personalise your creation. Some people like to add battery lights and bows too!
You will be using wires, moss and lots of natural greenery so please do dress accordingly.
These are fun sessions and suitable for everyone including complete novices.
Watershed Studio Booking Form