Returning to the same space throughout the year, we will observe the changing seasons through our colourful and expressive sketches.

Working in the beautiful landscape of Sunny Bank Mills, we will use watercolour and mixed media to document our surroundings and connect with the environment.

Watercolour will be provided on the day, but please feel free to bring your own or any other media you like to use, such as: graphite, coloured pencils, ink or pastels. The class is a time to be experimental with your favourite tools and media, and to become more familiar with how you like to use it.

Amy works predominantly in sketchbooks and recommends bringing your own if you have a favourite one to use. Alternatively, there are sketchbooks available to purchase in the gallery store and paper will be provided as part of the class.

Winter

Responding to the change from autumn to winter, and the loss of foliage, we'll explore softer watercolour textures, expressive linework and negative space. Working on smaller paintings, we will adapt our painting technique to the slower drying times of the colder season.

Observing The Seasons will occur once every 3 months. We hope that the sessions become a great way to asses development and pier review.

Artist bio:

Amy McGurk is a Leeds based travel and nature illustrator documenting her travels throughout her detailed and colourful sketchbooks. Painting while travelling, using watercolour and mixed media, she creates lasting impressions of the places she visits. With a particular focus on the nuances of local wildlife and nature, she uses reference photographs from her hikes through unfamiliar landscapes. As well as being inspired by nature, she also aims to capture and illustrate an array of cultural experiences and landscapes.

Whilst travelling (or in Leeds!), she often has limited time at each stop and only a small amount of art supplies. By limiting the amount of time, the materials, and stepping out of her comfort zone, she can create some interesting textures, marks, and composition ideas that reflect the uniqueness of each place. These scribbly, messy, imperfect pages become beautiful memories or can be developed into finished paintings when she returns home.

Amy has taught workshops and classes across Leeds and online and is an exhibiting artist.

When attending a workshop you can receive 10% off within the Gallery Shop on the day of your session.

About the venue

Sunny Bank Mills is an inspirational cultural destination in the heart of the local community of Farsley, Leeds. Founded in 1829, these glorious Mills are being regenerated by the sixth generation of the family owners, creating a wonderful blend of work, leisure and culture.

Course terms and booking conditions

Workshop and course bookings can be cancelled and refunded up until 7 days before the scheduled start date. As materials and equipment are ordered in advance, we regret that refunds cannot be offered less than 7 days before the workshop date. Please note that Eventbrite’s booking fee is non-refundable.

If we need to cancel the course for any reason your ticket will be fully refunded.

Description supplied by the event organiser.