Art Class Bookings & Events
Watercolour Studio – Painting on paper with Gail Astbury @ Soanes Garden Room
Course Overview 6 sessions 10am- 12.30pm or 1pm-3.30pm
Wednesday January 7th – ever Tuesday after that finishing on 10th February 2026
Full course - £125 or £25 per individually booked session
In this 6-week term, we will be delving a little deeper into the traditions of artists who work on paper. Whilst we are still in the festive spirit, we will start with Wayne Thibaud’s American Still Life who is having his first solo show in the UK at the Courtauld institute until 18th January 2026. Then we head to the British Museum’s Nordic Noir themed Exhibition, Works on Paper for more inspiration into how artists work creatively with paper. This free display is on show in room 90 Featuring over 150 works by 100 artists from the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). The dominant theme is nature and ways in which to depict our emotional responses to the world we live in.
Wk 1 Wednesday 7th &
Wk 2 Tuesday 13th January
Wk. 3 & 4 Tuesday 20th & 27th January
Wk 5 & 6 Tuesday 3rd & 10th February
Wayne Thiebaud b1920 - 2021
Wayne believed in the importance of commonplace objects that might otherwise be overlooked or considered kitsch for his subjects to paint and draw. His work turns hot dogs, lemon meringue pies and glossy cream cakes into some of the most enticing in modern painting.
Wk1 Please note this first session only is on Wednesday instead of Tuesday we will start with mark making and drawing, taking inspiration from his prints, where he builds tone through cross hatching. Using favourite objects from your home to observe and immortalise.
Wk2 Rendering in colour we will continue to build on the tonal drawings through to layering and glazing with watercolours to achieve lush and enticing effects. We will also take a quick look at the William Nicholson’s ravishing still life paintings that are at the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester
Mama Andersson b 1962
Wk. 3 We will look at the evocative power and haunting beauty of contemporary Nordic art, and how the region's artists continue to develop the legacy of Edvard Munch's expressiveness and creative inventiveness.
Yuichiro Sato b 1979
Wk. 4 Taking a technical look at some of the graphic techniques in the exhibition we will explore how we can use watercolour alongside other drawing media for dramatic effect. This week we will make use of backwashes then drawing or fine painting overlays like Finish artist Sato.
Anna Ancher b1859 – 1839 anna-ancher-painting-light
Wk. 5 As we head into February we will brighten our palettes first with Anna Ancher, a Danish artist drawn to the light at Dulwich Picture gallery.
Wk. 6 Then to round off, we will take a look at some of the exquisite works on paper and the fine techniques from the Story of South Asian Art Exhibition at the RA until 24th February mrinalini-mukherjee
Materials to bring:
Supplied:
Drawing boards
Paper
Waterpots
Masking tape
What you need to bring:
Watercolours
Brushes
Courses take place at:
Soane’s Garden Room,
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery,
Ealing Green,
London,
W5 5EQ
For information on previous classes click here
FAQs
-
I have space for up to 18 students at each session. Let me know if you want to be informed about openings from cancellations.
-
Yes if you contact me beforehand to ensure availability and pay on the door. However, availability is often not guaranteed so booking in advance is recommended.
-
Yes so long as you have made an arrangement to ensure there is space available. To guarantee your spot I would recommend booking prior to all classes.
-
We must use water based materials due to the nature of the venue facilities used. Oils and other materials will not be allowed on the premises.
-
Yes, there will be the opportunity to feedback about the facilities to fine tune things for the autumn term. If you have any recommendations in the meantime please post them below.
-
Cancellations for drop-in bookings made 7 days or more in advance are eligible for a 50% refund.
Cancellations with less than 7 days’ notice are non-refundable, as it’s unlikely we can fill your spot on short notice.
If you're cancelling your full course up to 14 days before the first session a full refund is available or you may wish to carry it to the next turn, please reach out so we can discuss the best way forward.
Thank you.