Art Class Bookings & Events
‘Introduction to the work of Alison Watt and Hiroshige’
A 4-week art course with artist Gail Astbury
at Pitzhanger Manor Garden Room, Ealing
Course Overview 4 x Tuesdays from Tuesday 10th of June 2025 until July 1st, 10am - 12.30pm
or 4 x Wednesday mornings from Wed 11th of June 2025 until July 2nd, 10am - 12.30pm
Course Fee - £85
Gail Astbury is launching a new, 4-week watercolour art class in Ealing beginning in June 2025.
In weeks 1 and 2 we will be taking our ideas and inspiration from The Pitzhanger Manor Gallery’s current exhibition by painter Alison Watt which you can visit until June 15th. Check their website for opening hours and prices as they have some scheduled closures as well as discounts for residents. https://www.pitzhanger.org.uk/whatson/alison-watt/
In weeks 3 and 4 we will take a lyrical journey through the open roads of Edo Japan, with master printmaker Hiroshige. Here we will uncover some of the hidden meanings behind the symbolism, and explore new watercolour techniques to describe the natural beauty of nature, landscape, and urban living. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/introduction-hiroshige-artist-open-road
Pitzhanger address at bottom of the page.
Alison Watt (born 1965 - ) Into the Light
Alison’s paintings are an act of intense looking to extract an essence or reveal a thing’s uniqueness and history. Her still lives become as inquiring as her portraits
Week 1: How to position natural forms for still life painting
Week 2: How to create harmony through unified values. We will explore the higher “key” that Alison employs with her use of light tones.
If the weather is kind, we will be able to work ‘en plein air’ in the garden or gather cuttings.
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) Artist of the open road
Utagawa is one of Japan’s most celebrated artists and a technically gifted woodblock painter.
Week 3: Exploring the symbolism and storytelling in Hiroshige’s dynamic compositions. We will also examine the use high vantage points and the omitting of unnecessary detail in his editing process.
Starting with some pencil sketches and colour studies
Week 4: Revising how to make graded washes in watercolour to imitate Hiroshige’s bokashi style - subtle colour shifts. These will be applied to the previous week’s sketches.
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
FAQs
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I have space for up to 18 students at each session. Let me know if you want to be informed about openings from cancellations.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.