Art Workshops for Confidence

I've been arting about this week and there's more to come.
So I've been asking myself "How do we gain confidence from our art?".

Every now and again I seem to do a flurry of workshops. And then won't to do any for a couple of months. This tends to be because of other demands on my time. Art fairs are absolutely exhausting and I have realised that the secret is definitely to be well-rested and well-prepared. So I tend not to do many workshops leading up to fairs.

September though, always seems like a jolly good time to do some workshops.
20 years of being a teacher means I'm always in back-to-school mode in September despite the fact that I haven't been a teacher now for four years. In addition the demands on some people's time  have lessened once the kids go back to school. And lastly Autumn is such a beautiful month with the changing colour and light but actually I think I'm always a little bit inspired and I want to pass it on.

Last week  I did my favourite, and most popular workshop "Art for pleasure". This pic-and-mix workshop covers loads of techniques and is great for people who want to make a start getting back to their art. Every time I run it it sells out. It went so well, we had a lovely day, and what was wonderful for me was seeing the beaming smiles from my participants. Hearing the words "You've given me such confidence"  is an absolute joy for me. 

On Tuesday I was in the cathedral teaching more people how to draw. The cathedral course is hugely intimidating but I still aim it at beginners and improvers. And again it's extraordinary the progress you can make when someone gives you a few tips and gives you the confidence to go out and sketch in public. Again, the focus for the day was about gaining confidence to draw - doing art with others and with help definitely seems to develop that confidence.

I'm back in Salisbury Cathedral again tomorrow. This is for Salisbury paint-off; a hugely enjoyable event. All you need to do is rock up to the cloisters and get painting. I'll be taking all my own gear because I want to paint in oil, but even if you haven't got any gear at all you can turn up and paint . It's organised by Plain Arts Salisbury which is an excellent group full of professional and amateur painters alike. But you can come along and join in even if you're not a member.

Then next week I'll be doing another course on how to create beautiful sketchbooks. This is designed for folks who want to start taking their drawing and observation up a notch. And especially if you've ever watched somebody sitting in the Parisien cafe, with envious eyes, while they sketch; I'll be teaching how to do that! It's also been a great excuse for me to dig out sketchbooks old and new to show to the participants. And indeed to experiment myself a little bit more today, playing with paint and thoroughly enjoying myself.

In the next couple of weeks I will be designing my program of art classes and workshops for 2019. My old favourites will definitely feature again, however I'm really interested to find out what you'd like. Feel free to put a comment in the comments here, or alternatively message me on Facebook or even pop me an email. If this is something you wish I could teach you let me know I'm sure I'll be able to create something wonderful. 
So if your art confidence could do with a boost; come back in the middle of October to see which workshops are available next year.

Workshop info