Spring Flowers Watercolour

A really colourful day surrounded by very pretty Spring Flowers

We were painting Flowers from still life today, there were an assortment of pretty jugs and pots filled with daffodils, tulips, roses and foliage.

Claire explained about the various shapes of flowers such as trumpets, cups and saucer, and let us play with the flowers to help create our perfect little arrangement.  Top tips were to angle the daffodil and to show the centre of the rose. 

We sketched with pencil first, and then used some masking fluid to protect some of our defined edges before painting our first background wash.

After lunch we painted the flowers and foliage.  We then had a subtle background and a bright and beautiful foreground, so we had to work on our mid-tones and add some colour to blend the two together.

To finish we painted the jugs and added our shadows.

Here are our paintings:

At the end of the day, Claire puts the paintings into mounts and we have a small gallery, they looked great!

Making the Most of Your Aga Class

We recently held a very popular Aga class with Sarah Whitaker:

Making the Most of Your Aga

A great refresher class or introduction to your Aga.

As Sarah demonstrates how to use the various ovens and plates she is also grilling, roasting, baking, frying and simmering, and endless food just keeps appearing!

Today's delicious recipes included this Leek and Blue Cheese Risotto

A Hot Prawn and Mango stir fry

A Spinach and Tomato tart on a wholemeal pastry base

And this yummy Chocolate Fudge Cake, a very useful recipe for baking in the Aga half-roaster tin, or two round cake tins or 12 muffin cases.

Sarah returns to Treetops 

Friday 15 May - Relaxed Dinner Parties

Tuesday 10 September - One Pot Wonders

Tuesday 17 November - Christmas Turkey Aga

To book your place please get in touch.

(Aga Gift Vouchers are available).

A Frosty Morning Watercolour Class & World Cancer Day

Today was World Cancer Day, we all wore our Unity Bands and marked the day through painting and friendship.

A small group but yet many all too aware of the impact of cancer.

Claire spoke about the therapeutic effects of painting, and in particular her theme today was about being in the moment, and when you are painting try and be 'in' the painting, use your senses to help you with the creative process.

A few years ago Claire won first prize in a national competition (run by the SAA, Society for All Artists) for her teaching, the theme was 'Art Therapy'.

Claire believes that we are all born with a creative side, which can benefit anyone going through a difficult time, ie bereavement, illness, stress and has found the therapeutic effects of painting have helped many of her students all over the country.

For those that have been to Treetops before, Claire certainly creates a calm and fun environment, aided by the small groups and quiet Treetops setting.

Claire's work area was set up to show us lots of techniques today, with masking fluid, spray bottles and salt!

Then it was time to paint!

The paintings were great, very frosty, wintery and atmospheric.

Our next class is a loose and free Flowers Watercolour class on Thursday 26 February.

There are a few spaces left if you would like to join us.

Latest News from Treetops

We had some lovely snow this morning, enough to look pretty but not to cause chaos.

I am busy setting up for tomorrow's Watercolour Class, aptly titled Frosty Mornings!

On Friday, Sarah Whitaker joins us for Making the Most of Your Aga, which will be a really fun and interesting class.  Lots of new Aga owners and our regular Aga friends are coming.

Coming up we have a few Watercolour Classes with spaces:

Fresh Flowers - Still Life

Thursday 26 February

Rugged Scotland - A Landscape

Tuesday 3 March

Seascapes - Acrylics, Inks, Tissues

Thursday 12 March

The art days run from 9.30am to approximately 3pm and include all of your materials and lunch, it's a real treat of a day.  Small groups with a fun and attentive tutor called Claire.   Suitable for any levels of artist, so even if you haven't painted for a while, come and give it a go.  It costs £70 for a class and you will take home a finished painting.