WORKSHOPS & COURSES
A wide choice of workshops and courses is offered for people aged 18 or older. Classes include landscape, watercolour techniques, speed drawing, abstract, textile art, linocut/woodcut printing and ceramics.
Sessions take place at the Willow Gallery's Dunbabin Room - and all our tutors, artists themselves, are experienced in teaching. Some courses are suitable for beginners, others for those with more expertise. Class sizes are limited, to allow plenty of individual attention.
Book online, by 'phone (01691 657575) or in person. For Lifelong Learning courses, please book through Aberystwyth University Lifelong Learning (01970 621580 : learning@aber.ac.uk). Some courses are very popular, and early booking is recommended. Please also see Terms & Conditions below, and check our website for further details plus any materials you may be asked to bring. | | | Insects & Spring Plants: Chinese Brush Painting with Leo Donaghy | | |
Paint highly-charged colours of spring flowers and delicate dragonflies in freestyle form using traditional Chinese techniques
Wednesdays 24 Jan, 31 Jan, 7 Feb & 14 Feb
10am-1.30pm : £85 | | | | Loose Oil Painting 2 with Leo Donaghy | | |
Continue to explore a loose, more fluid style - guidance given at all stages on contrast, colour and composition
Thursdays 25 Jan, 1 Feb, 8 Feb & 15 Feb
10am-1.30pm : £85
| | | | Gardens & Allotments: Batik with Jenny O'Leary | | |
Use the technique of batik (wax-resist dyeing) on tissue and fabric to create a piece of work exploring the theme of gardens and allotments
Saturday 3 Feb
10am-4pm : £40 including materials
| | | | Shells: Natural History Illustration [CF206] with Tereska Shepherd
[Lifelong Learning] | |  | | Use a variety of drawing and watercolour techniques and materials to depict a range of shell types, their forms, textures, patterns and colours
Saturday 10 Feb & Saturday 10 March (2 sessions)
10am-3.30pm : £55 (£45 concessions) | | Painting Gardens [CF207] with Tereska Shepherd
[Lifelong Learning] | |  | Visit inspiring local gardens, gaining observational and recording skills; back in the studio, experiment with a range of materials and techniques for capturing the atmosphere, colours and textures of gardens Mondays 12 Feb, 26 Feb, 12 March, 26 March,
11 June, 25 June & 9 July (7 sessions) 10am-4 pm : £220 (£180 concessions) | | | Speed Painting & Drawing [1] with David Bannister | | | In a fast-moving workshop, sharpen your observational drawing skills and see what you can create in 3, 30 or 60 minutes
Saturday 24 March
10am-4pm : £45 | | | | Speed Painting & Drawing [2] with David Bannister | | | Adding to the observational skills you have already learned, we'll aim to get outside to sketch and paint in the natural light - gaining confidence about working in public spaces
Saturday 28 April
10am-4pm : £45 | | | | Batik for Collage with Jenny O'Leary | | |
Learn the art of batik - hot wax resist - on paper and tissue paper, creating interesting marks and textures; then cut and tear to create collages, suitable for stitching into at a later date
Saturday 31 March
10am-4pm : £40
| | | | Feltmaking: Spring Woodlands with Susan Mulcock | | Experiment with various fibres and inlays to create your own felted spring woodland landscape
Saturday 7 April
10am-4.30pm : £45 : Bring apron &, rubber gloves and an image to inspire you | | | | Linocut with Ian Phillips | | | Explore a variety of linocut techniques and hand-burnishing printing with this professional and experienced printmaker known all over the globe
Saturday 14 April
10am-5pm : £55 : Bring image to work from | | | | Mixed-Media Textile Book Workshop with Suzette Smart | | |
Take inspiration from nature to create a textile book using mixed media, fabric collage and free machine embroidery
Saturday 21 April
10am-4pm : £45
| | | Please check our website for other upcoming courses May-July 2017 Evaluation feedback on Leo's CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING course (Oct/Nov 2017) 'I had been aware of Chinese painting for quite a while, through cards, calendars, books, TV programmes, Chinese takeaways and also seeing the real thing. How did the artists achieve such clarity, beauty and sense of form with so few brushstrokes? The paintings seemed uncomplicated, balanced and calm. So imagine my surprise when I discovered you can learn how to do it at the Willow Gallery. | | | 'Leo teaches with knowledge, skill, patience and a sense of humour. He is remarkably capable, inspired by our complex human connection with nature and the essence of a scene. I highly recommend his courses.' RIGHT: Margo Jolley gained the skills to paint the soft forms of flowers at Leo Donaghy's Chinese Brush Painting course | | | David Bannister
Leo Donaghy
Susan Mulcock
Jenny O'Leary
Ian Phillips
Tereska Shepherd
Suzette Smart
| An accomplished artist, illustrator and graphic designer, David divides his talent between glistening abstractions, landscapes, portraiture, and has a varied portfolio of drawings. He also practises and teaches Tai Chi.
Leo mixes traditional paint with other media, and has always been inspired by nature and the natural world. Experiment with different art techniques to help unleash your creativity.
Susan 'paints with wool' to make felted landscape pictures. She takes her inspiration from local landscapes: woodlands, waterfalls, wild moors and mountains.
Textile artist Jenny's particular specialisms are batik, machine embroidery, felting and applique - all with a modern twist. She creates wall art, cushions, bags, scarves and jewellery.
Ian has been working with lino for over 20 years, catching the subtleties of weather and the natural drama of the landscape. He has exhibited widely across the country and overseas.
Engaging and talented Tereska encourages everyone to pick up a paint brush and get stuck into a range of media and subject matter - but is particularly dedicated to wildlife and habitat conservation.
Inspired by the natural world, textile artist Suzette combines fabric collage with intricate machine-embroidery, producing vibrant and sumptuous effects. | | COURSE BOOKINGS, TERMS & CONDITIONS
Payment is required in advance, to be made at the time of booking. Places on courses cannot be reserved without pre-payment.
If you cancel at least 14 days prior to the start of your course, you will receive a full refund. If you give less than 14 days' notice and we are able to offer your place to someone else, your course fee will be returned. If we cannot re-fill your place, we will retain the full fee. If you have to withdraw due to exceptional circumstances, you will be fully refunded. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Gallery has no obligation to give a refund once the course has started. | | | HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017
Three cheers for all the artists who exhibited with us over the year, for our dedicated tutors and for all the musicians who entertained us. And a big thank you to everyone who visited the Gallery and to all our supporters.
In Spring 2017, we were enthralled by a diversity of artworks inspired by the Mabinogi, the great myth cycle of Wales. We have also welcomed renowned artists Ronald Moore and Harry Brioche, and have enjoyed an exhibition of Kay Boyce's intricate pen-and-ink drawings inspired by trees and architecture (whilst still admiring her exquisite dance art). At our Autumn Exhibition, Daniel Yeomans showed how he now ranks amongst the best as a painter of both portraits and landscapes.
For two weekends in June, members of Borderland Visual Arts held their annual Open Studios, an opportunity for visitors to chat with local artists and craftspeople and view their work in the environment in which it was created.
On show at our Summer Exhibition were all 26 original artworks that make up the A to Z Project for Oswestry, each by a different artist and depicting a different place or person special to the area. We also saw the launch of a special map to complement the series - now on sale at the Gallery along with postcards and a 2018 calendar.
Workshops and courses have included Chinese brush painting and woodcut printmaking through to oil painting, watercolour, ceramics and textiles. Classes, led by experienced and encouraging tutors, are ideal for adults seeking to express themselves through new materials and creative methods.
We have welcomed two new artists-in-residence - artist/illustrator David Bannister and sculptor Hilary Cowley Greer joining oil and portrait artist Karl Robinson-Bray and mixed-media artist Leo Donaghy. It is certain that Gallery founder Peter Vidal would have approved the purposeful, creative buzz all four artists bring to 56 Willow Street!
We continued to host live music, including guitar wizardry from internationally-acclaimed Chris Quinn and Remi Harris, masterly performances from violinists Sarah Barnwell and Ben Holder, vibrant jazz from Southampton-based FB Pocket Orchestra, and brilliant song choices from our own local, lovable 4-piece band, Café Lola, who are fast acquiring a devoted following. | | | John Vidal, Director of the Willow Not-For-Profit Company, would personally like to thank the dedicated team, consisting mainly of volunteers, who individually bring their diversity of skills and knowledge to further develop and promote the Gallery, keeping its purpose alive and viable in supporting the community and the arts. | | | | 2018 promises another great year for both art and music lovers and, now on exhibition in the main gallery, Wilf Thust's Tree Structures draws attention to their wonderful surface textures and forms beneath - inviting the viewer to look closer. | | | | We also look forward to the opening of our New Year Exhibition on 13 January, while our diverse concert programme kicks off on 27 January with the return of magnificent songwriter/instrumentalist Vera Van Heeringen, accompanied by Dave Luke (guitar) and Andy Seward (bass). | | | CONTACT US
To contact the Willow Gallery:
Tel: 01691 657575
email: willowgalleryoswestry@gmail.com
Website: www.willowgalleryoswestry.org
Facebook: Willow
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
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To contact the Willow Eatery:
Tel: 07773 720425
email: willoweatery@gmail.com
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
Gallery open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm
Eatery open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm
Closed Sundays/bank holidays | | |
