Christmas Aga 2011 with Sarah Whitaker

We enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch today at Treetops.

Sarah was back to guide us through a variety of festive recipes using the Aga, there were plenty of tips for cooking and preparing ahead, help on how to ensure you don't lose the heat during cooking and how to give everything that "home-made" touch.

This year we cooked a Beef Wellington and Baked Ham, next year we will return to Turkey.

Sarah is back with us at Treetops in the Spring:

Friday 3 February - Aga Roasts and Puddings  9.45am - 1.30pm

Friday 23 March - Aga Casual & Comfort Cooking  9.45am - 1.30pm

Both classes cost £65 and include a tasting lunch with a glass of wine and a recipe booklet to take home.

Winter Scene 2 Watercolour Class

We had another group at Treetops today for a Winter Scene Watercolour Class.

We had a farmhouse with barns from a photograph taken in the Cotswolds. 

The morning involved drawing, masking the roofs and fences, and then we had the fun part of splattering the masking fluid with an old toothbrush to create a snowy effect.

The paintings were great, wintery trees, lots of golden light coming through the seasonal sky, and even some smoke rising from the farmhouse chimney. 

As the afternoon wore on, the Cotswolds farm soon became a Scottish farm, as some mountains and forests were painted behind the buildings!

Bookings are now being taken for Spring 2012 Watercolour classes.

Winter Scene Watercolour Class

Today we started to get Wintery!

We painted Lowther Church, which is in Cumbria near Lake Ullswater.

We had a lovely palette of colours to create different blues, mauves and browns.

We used some masking fluid on the roof of the church and used a toothbrush to splatter it over the tree areas, to help us create our leaves/branches for later on.

All the paintings look very different with the chosen colours.

We did some "glistening" to help create the leaves in the trees, this is when we spray the paper, and then drop the paint in and let it mix whilst gently dotting around the area with the paintbrush.

The 2012 dates are further down in the blog.

Places are going quickly, so please book soon.

NEW! 2012 Watercolour Classes with Claire Warner

Claire and I have put together the Spring Term dates for Watercolour, and I think we have created a great mix of classes; we are covering landscapes, water, movement, acrylics, pen/ink and washes, so we hope there is something to suit you.  We also have our popular Beginners Class, so if you know someone who would like to start the New Year with a new skill, perhaps you could buy them a Gift Voucher for Christmas!

Thursday 26 January - Downton Abbey

Come for a Downton Fix!  Our very own local castle Highclere is a magnificent building, set in beautiful grounds.  We will simplify the drawing of the Castle and set it amongst some of the imposing trees.

Wednesday 22 February - Beginners

Come and learn how to get started with watercolour paints.  This foundation class will cover all the important information about the paints, brushes, papers, techniques and colour mixing needed to create your painting.  You will finish a painting to take home with you.  Claire teaches in a step by step style, so it is a calm and relaxing introduction to Watercolour.

Thursday 23 February - Reflections

A very popular topic, exciting to paint and Claire tells me it's a very firm favourite with art buyers!

(Also running Reflections on Wednesday 28 March)

Thursday 8 March - Fun with Acrylics!

I really enjoyed this class last time we ran it.  Bright colours, tissue paper, rolling pins, memories of playschool I think!

Friday 16 March - A Day at The Races

An action packed class, we will depict speed and excitement in an impressionistic style to create an energetic picture of horses racing.

Wednesday 28 March - Reflections

Such a popular class we are holding it again.

Thursday 29 March - Pen & Wash - Pen & Coloured Pencils

We have had alot of requests to run this class again.  It's an opportunity to be shown how to get the best of the various pens, inks and pencils on the market.  Claire will be demonstrating a variety of different of techniques and subjects during the day.  Well worth booking.

All of the classes run from 9.30am until approximately 3pm.

It costs £70, this includes all of your materials, a 2 course home-cooked lunch with a glass of wine, tea/coffee and home made biscuits throughout the day.

To book please contact me at Treetops.  

NEW! 2012 Cupcake Class Dates

Saturday 21 January: Cupcakes Stage 2  10am - 12 noon

Monday 30 January: Cupcakes Stage 1  11am - 1pm

Saturday 11 February: Cupcakes Stage 1  2pm - 4pm

Wednesday 29 February: Cupcakes Stage 1  10.30am -12.30pm

Saturday 24 March: Cupcakes Stage 2  10am - 12 noon

Saturday 24 March: Easter Cupcakes 3pm - 5pm

(Please note that you must have attended a Stage 1 class at Treetops before booking a Stage 2 class).

All classes cost £50 and include all materials, ingredients, a top tips/recipe booklet to take home, along with 6 of your beautifully created cupcakes!)

Autumn Glow Watercolour Class 11.11.11

Claire was back today for another Watercolour Class.

This was our second Autumnal one this term and it was great fun.

Lots of "glistening"; creating leaves, shapes and colours.

The paintings looked fantastic in our exhibition at the end of the class, beautiful, colourful woodlands all very different.   

Venice Watercolour 10 November 2011

We held another Venice Watercolour class today, it's always a popular subject.

We used a different image today, and worked in a new palette of colours and really worked on our tonal values.

We did a small amount of drawing at the beginning, working out the outlines of the buildings behind, so iconic and famous we had to get them right!

Below are the finished paintings: