By s.fenn • 8th March 2023
During March 2023, we will be taking part in #MarchMeetTheMaker. It’s an initiative that started on Instagram back in 2016 to encourage the creative community to come together to show people what they can do.
We will be celebrating our expert art tutors through a series of features showcasing their talents and the work they create.
This blog will be updated weekly with the artists and artwork we feature through the #MeetTheMaker campaign.
Carole Massey
Carole is a popular tutor with our creative students and has taught at Flatford Mill for nearly 20 years.
Carole teaches painting and drawing workshops here for beginners and those who are more experienced. She’s an encouraging and supportive tutor with many years of experience as a self-employed artist.
Her day-to-day working life currently involves a combination of tutoring, demonstrations, private commissions, exhibitions and even TV appearances.
Carole is based in Suffolk and you can find out more about her and her artwork on her website.
Carole’s Workshops at Flatford Mill
How to Draw a Portrait with Carole Massey
Andrew Pitt
Andrew has been painting landscapes since he was 11 years old, so as you can imagine, he’s well-versed in drawing and painting techniques.
He hosts popular watercolour painting workshops at Flatford Mill and participants have often remarked on his direct teaching methods and clarity of explanation.
Andrew has had over twenty one-man exhibitions and is a very proactive artist. He regularly updates his website, social media and youtube channel with his most recent paintings, useful hints and tips and step-by-step video tutorials.
We love his most recent series, which shows a step-by-step tutorial titled “From Sketch to Finished Painting.”
Andrew’s Watercolour Workshops
Toni Peers
Toni Peers has been teaching crafts at a variety of venues for over 15 years as part of her craft business called CG Crafts
Toni has vast experience in running a variety of classes including, Encaustic Art, Enamelling, Felt Making, Flamework (making glass beads) and Silver Clay. Toni enjoys teaching tailored classes at her home studio as well as working with larger groups at venues such as Flatford Mill where students can take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings.
Toni’s Jewellery Making Workshops
Steve Hedges
Steve has been teaching in Essex, London, Suffolk and Kent for many years now and currently hosts photography workshops at Flatford Mill in Suffolk. Steve’s helped many students perfect their photography skills over the years with his ability to improve creativity and develop the photographers eye.
His enthusiasm for the natural world and photography comes across well on his youtube channel, where Steve regularly uplaods ‘vlogs’ of his photography adventures throughout the UK.
Watch Steve capture the action here
Steve’s Photography Workshops
Michael Roberts
Michael has been painting at Flatford Mill for over 10 years and initially started teaching with us as a supporting art tutor for 6th form students. Now he runs popular ‘En Plien Air’ workshops, showing participants how to explore ‘Constable Country’ through acrylic, oil and mixed media painting.
Mike studied fine art at North East London Polytechnic in the 1980’s and went on to complete a postgraduate course in fine art film making at St Martin’s School of Art.
He’s also worked across the globe as a designer for film, theatre and dance, before he discovered a passion for landscape painting.
Take a look at these photos showing you the piece Michael’s currently working on and for a sneak peak inside his studio.
By joining one of Michael’s workshops at Flatford Mill, you can expect to learn skills in colour temperature, aerial perspective and key focal points in the style of abstract realism painting.
Want to know more? With courses this April and August this year, now’s your chance to grab the opportunity to develop your painting skills with Michael.
Michael’s Painting Workshops
Laura Hoy
Laura Hoy is an Essential Oil Consultant and completed her training in Holistic Aromatherapy & Essential Oil Science with Neal’s Yard Remedies in 2009 and there began her ongoing adventure with nature and nurturing and a renewed awareness of her sense of smell.
Laura runs her Botanical Alchemy Workshop at Slapton Ley Field Centre, which focuses on aromatherapy & natural skin care making.
We asked Laura what she loves most about what she does.
“I love designing and making products to support people’s personal health and wellness, using plant-derived ingredients and usually essential oils. It makes for a very fragrant workspace. Running workshops is pure magic, as I get to support other people to do the same thing, coming up with different recipes with their own natural style – it’s very beautiful.”
Find out more about Laura on her website.
Laura’s Workshop
Stephen Joyce
Stephen offers mixed media workshops at Flatford Mill and he has a wealth of experience from his diverse practice and teaching. Stephen completed a Masters Degree at the Colchester Institute and has developed his practice through artists’ residences at the University of Suffolk and Asylum Studios.
Here’s a little more from Stephen.
“I am a multi-media artist, currently focusing on drawing, painting and mixed media, after exploring other methods, including collage with printmaking.
Mixed media, for me, is about investigating the properties of the media. When different media are combined, the potential and limitations are revealed.
In my teaching, I seek to inform and guide but also to ‘open doors’ for the student’s imagination and help them build and develop their own creativity. As students respond to the initial tasks with each different media, their understanding of the properties increases, allowing them to move on to different options and combinations, leading them to follow their own creative interests.”
If you’d like to give mixed media a go, Stephen is the perfect guide to join you on your creative journey.
To learn more about Stephen’s workshops at Flatford Mill visit our website.
Stephen’s Mixed Media Workshops
Jeremy Ford
Jeremy is undoubtedly a versatile painter when it comes to watercolour and gouache. His style is so varied and refreshing.
He hosts workshops at both Flatford Mill and Slapton Ley, offering even more students the opportunity to learn from his experience as an artist.
“I have been an artist all my life, having studied Graphic Design in the North-West and Illustration in London. I have worked as an illustrator of books, magazines, greetings cards, and advertising.
I have taught my own private art classes for nearly 40 years. The courses I teach at Field Studies Council are watercolour and Gouache. These range from observational and photographic studies to abstract and experimental.
The way I like to work with people is to show possibilities by demonstration, which people can then follow step-by-step. We often go out looking for ideas and references that we can then use and adapt, modify and exaggerate to our satisfaction. There is much experimentation and demonstration, Q’s and A’s, critiques and advice for students work when required.”
If you have ever wanted to try painting, Jeremy’s courses are a fantastic place to start or to improve. Beginners and experienced painters can gain so much from his guidance.
Jeremy’s Painting Workshops
Sue Wieck
Sue originally trained as a textile designer but began watercolour painting over 20 years ago.
She continued to develop her own distinctive style working directly from the landscape.
Sue’s career took her down the teaching route and she was an Art and Design teacher for 36 years.
Sue works directly from life to produce paintings expressing the landscape’s light and shade. Her work is mainly on full-size heavy watercolour paper, as she enjoys using a variety of large brushes.
Her enthusiasm for teaching art has led her to offer printmaking workshops for beginners at Flatford Mill. The course covers a wide range of simple printmaking techniques. Starting with experimental approaches, you can explore using everyday items and those found in nature. Discover collagraphy, mono-printing, and press printing. You will also get the chance to explore block and relief printing methods, including rainbow inking, reduction and jigsaw lino cutting to create multi-colour prints.
Sue’s printmaking course is taking place at Flatford Mill from 26th – 28th May 2023. There are only a few spaces left!
Simple Printmaking
Throughout the month of March, this blog will be updated. Check back here to see the latest and meet our experts during #MarchMeetTheMaker.