Arts & crafts

We will learn how to paint chosen animal portraits (students can get to paint their own pets, or those of friends) using line, tone, colour and perspective in coloured chalk pastel, acrylic and watercolour. Advice on buying art materials will be given, but please have chalk pastels and coloured pastel paper (can be brown wrapping paper, or scrap book) available for the first lesson. If buying from new I recommend Inscribe half sticks as they are good value. Artists studied will be Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Holman Hunt, Lucian Freud and countless other contemporary examples. Learn the rewarding skill of painting animal portraits - achieve an ability to create a likeness, while developing your own style in a friendly supportive atmosphere.

We will learn how to make abstract art that is unique and experimental, using chalk pastels, watercolour, acrylics, mixed media, and collage. Develop skills in all these media including brushwork and colour mixing. Artists studied will include JMW Turner, Kandinsky, Klee, Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Hilma af Klint, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and countless contemporary artists. You will also be introduced to some lesser-known female artists who have been formerly neglected by the art establishment. A stimulating course which will help you will develop/improve your skills and creative thinking. Have fun and make art in a friendly like-minded group.

We will learn how to make abstract summer landscape art inspired by the world around you (and weather!), that is unique and experimental, using chalk pastels, watercolour, acrylics, mixed media and collage, developing drawing and painting techniques. Artists studied will include JMW Turner, Monet, Kandinsky, Klee, Matisse, Mondrian, Hilma af Klint, Georgia O’Keeffe, Lee Krasner and countless contemporary artists. This course will also introduce you to some lesser-known female artists who have been formerly neglected by the art establishment. Have fun, develop your skills, and make art in a friendly like-minded group, inspired by this wonderful time of year.

This advanced course is designed for experienced textile and fashion learners who want to push their creative practice by exploring sophisticated embellishment techniques. Focusing on both traditional and contemporary methods, the course teaches how to design, construct, and apply a wide range of decorative elements to enhance garments, accessories, or textile artworks. Learners will experiment with advanced surface-decoration processes such as beadwork, hand embroidery, appliqué, fabric manipulation, 3D textile structures, couture embellishment techniques, and mixed-media detailing. They will investigate how embellishments can elevate a design concept, add texture, create focal points, and communicate personal style. Students will work through idea development, sampling, and refinement, creating a series of high-quality embellishment tests before applying selected techniques to a final project. The course also explores professional considerations, including design cohesion, durability, placement, and how to integrate embellishment into finished pieces without overwhelming the form or construction. With tutor guidance, learners will develop their own creative direction while strengthening precision, craftsmanship, and problem-solving skills. By the end of the course, participants will have a collection of advanced embellishment samples and a fully embellished piece that showcases technical expertise and a strong design identity—ideal for portfolio building or progressing towards professional work.

This intermediate course is designed for learners who already have some experience in textiles and are ready to explore the creative and sustainable practice of natural dyeing. Focusing on both technique and experimentation, the course introduces students to a wide range of plant-based and kitchen-source dyes and teaches how these can be used to create rich, organic colours for textile projects. Learners will investigate the full dyeing process—from fibre preparation and mordanting to dye extraction, colour development, and finishing. The course covers a variety of methods such as immersion dyeing, bundle dyeing, resist techniques, and creating multi-tonal effects. Students will experiment with natural materials like leaves, bark, fruit skins, and flowers to produce swatches, samples, and small dyed pieces suitable for incorporation into personal textile work. Emphasis is placed on understanding how different fibres react to natural dyes, how to achieve consistent results, and how to log processes through sampling and note-taking. Environmental responsibility and sustainable sourcing are explored throughout. By the end of the course, learners will have developed a broad palette of naturally dyed textiles, improved their technical confidence, and gained the knowledge needed to integrate natural dyeing into future creative projects. This course is ideal for anyone wishing to expand their textile practice through sustainable colour-making.

This course is an online talk (first session) followed by a guided walk on the second session. The online talk on Art in Olympic (South) Park will cover the design of Olympic Park as the first to integrate artworks into the landscape right from the start by established and emerging artists, international and local, which reflects the Park’s identity. And how the Olympic Stadium became home to West Ham’s Football Stadium and its players. The walking tour focuses on the artworks that are both large and striking, whilst others are smaller and harder to find, inspired by the undulating landscape, riverside, buried histories, community memories, and Olympic glory. The meeting point is the ArcelorMittal Orbit by Sir Anish Kapoor.

This beginner-level course introduces learners to the essential fastening techniques used in textile and fashion projects. Ideal for those new to sewing or looking to build core construction skills, the course focuses on understanding and applying three key types of closures: zips, buttons, and flaps. Students will learn how to prepare fabrics, mark placements, and use sewing tools confidently while practising a range of simple methods. The course covers inserting standard zips, sewing on buttons securely, creating buttonholes, and constructing basic flaps suitable for bags, cushions, and garments. Clear demonstrations and step-by-step guidance support learners through each technique, helping them build accuracy and good sewing habits from the start. Through hands-on practice, participants will produce a set of samples that demonstrate their developing skills, with opportunities to personalise details such as stitching, fabric choices, and finishing touches. The course emphasises building confidence, improving precision, and understanding how closures contribute to both function and design. By the end of the course, learners will have a strong foundation in using simple closures and the confidence to incorporate them into future sewing projects. This course is perfect for beginners who want to enhance their making skills and gain practical experience with essential textile techniques.

This course is funded by the East Midlands Combined County Authority and only available to residents living within the East Midlands Combined County Authority area. This one-day mosaic course offers existing students the opportunity to either complete and refine a current project to a high standard of finish, or to develop and explore a new idea using found or natural materials.

This course is funded by the East Midlands Combined County Authority and only available to residents living within the East Midlands Combined County Authority area. This one-day mosaic course offers existing students the opportunity to either complete and refine a current project to a high standard of finish, or to develop and explore a new idea inspired by landscapes or seascapes. Designed as a flexible studio day, the course encourages experimentation, problem solving, and creative development in a supportive environment. 

This welcoming course introduces the art of Mehndi while creating a relaxed space for conversation, connection and wellbeing. You will learn simple, traditional and contemporary Mehndi designs, explore patterns step‑by‑step, and practise techniques in a supportive group environment. Alongside the creative activity, you’ll take part in friendly discussions that encourage confidence, mindfulness and community. No prior experience is needed — just curiosity and a willingness to try something new. By the end of the course, you’ll have developed your Mehndi skills, met new people, and discovered how creative expression can support calm, focus and personal wellbeing.