The Creative Mix is an ideal way to explore a variety of artistic methods. Over the five days, students will work through various exercises in drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. This is a great ‘taster’ course and an excellent opportunity to both develop skills and get creative with your own ideas.

This one-week course offers the opportunity to delve into the extraordinary and intriguing subject of the human figure in sculpture. Offering an opportunity to work in clay to make sketches and more established works from a life model, learning techniques to begin your journey into sculpture. Have you ever wondered how Rodin, Giacometti, Picasso, Degas made their work? You will be sculpting the human body, developing techniques of mapping the structure through key points of the skeleton, understanding the anatomy of the body and representing it in clay. How do we sit, where is the weight, how do we twist and turn? Through observation of a variety of poses you will learn how to capture the human form, how to interpret a pose and how to create expression and drama. This intensive week will provide useful practical and theoretical information, examining rich and diverse cultural artistic references. Your final sculpture will measure roughly 30-45cms and will be made from clay and available to fire at extra cost.

This practical course is suitable for beginners and experienced artists who want to experiment with metal cast sculpture. Pewter is a metal that can be cast and finished in your own studio, with relatively basic equipment, and without the need of a foundry. Pewter is a silver coloured tin metal alloy which melts at low temperatures. During the course you will model a sculpture in wax, learn how to cast in pewter using plaster waste moulds and the ‘lost wax’ casting technique. Bring your own ideas or come with an open mind and be inspired to work with new materials and sculpture techniques. This is a practical workshop based course with one to one and group guidance from the tutor.

Portrait sculpture is an immensely absorbing and enjoyable discovery with every new sitter. This week-long course aims to introduce you to the process; to observe and translate your observation into a clay portrait sculpture from a life model.Whether setting out a portrait head from a structural point of view with a clear path of constructive method and/or searching for a more expressive manner of approach, you will benefit from exploring with a professional sculptor to help build upon your own sculptural experience.

Portrait sculpture is an immensely absorbing and enjoyable discovery with every new sitter. This course aims to build upon your previous experience [Intermediate/Advanced] to further how to observe and translate your observation into a clay portrait sculpture from a life model. Refresh, renew or find alternative ways of looking through group and individual discussion with your experienced tutor, Ellen Christiansen, member of Society of Portrait Sculptors, winner of the 2014/15 Founders’ Sculpture Prize and winner of Heatherley's Prize 2018. Setting out a head from a structural point of view with a clear path of constructive method of approach, you will benefit from exploring with a professional sculptor to help build upon your own sculptural progression.

Sculpting a fully reclined figure can be a complex task due to the angle with which we are able to view the model from, but it can result in a beautifully relaxed pose full of twists and rotation or a tense pose full of strength and support. Looking at how a person interacts with an object such as a bed or cushions to support their own weight, we will be able to look at compressions of flesh, relaxed muscles and dependent on the pose, tensed muscles where the model may be propping up their own weight. We will aim to make the piece suitable for hollowing and firing at the end of the class, which will be at an additional cost.

This course ideal for anyone wishing to learn about or wanting to develop further skills in making metal sculpture. ‘Sculpting in Metal’ is an opportunity to explore the various practical processes involved in making metal sculptures. You will receive tailored guidance from your tutor, theoretical and technical assistance throughout the duration of the course. The course provides the required knowledge, practical skills, and Health and Safety guidance to work with welders, angle grinders and other specialist metal working machinery. You will receive individual feedback on your work from the tutor. The course is open to students who have no experience in metalwork, as well as those who wish to refine their skill set.

‘Sculpting in Metal’ is an opportunity to explore the various practical processes involved in making metal sculptures. This course is an excellent opportunity to work on an individual project in a workshop with an experienced tutor. You will receive tailored guidance from your tutor, theoretical and technical assistance throughout the duration of the course. The course provides the required knowledge, practical skills, and Health and Safety guidance to work with welders, angle grinders and other specialist metal working machinery. You will gain the skills to develop your own sculpture, or series of sculptures within your practice. You will receive individual feedback on your work from the tutor. The course is open to students who have no experience in metalwork, as well as those who wish to refine their skills set.