Medieval Lettering

The art of Embellishing capital letters at the beginning of a script has been practised for hundreds of years and are exquisite pieces of art.  This is your chance to learn the basics of this art and create something unique to you.  It could be the initial of a child or grandchild, or just a letter you like.  A ‘B’ could be used with bluebells, bumble bees, butterflies, birds, the colour blue, berries, blackberries etc. or an ‘M’ could be accompanied by marigolds, mauve, magnolia, morning glory, monarda, magpie, monarch butterfly, meadow brown, moths – I’m sure you’ve got the drift by now.  The designs are endless.  Each will be a ‘one-off’ and very personal.  You will be able to complete the project during the course as your work will not measure more than 4 inches square approx.

Janie Pirie

Janie Pirie has had a life-long interest in painting and drawing, beginning with painting pictures of the family garden at the tender age of four. She has studied at both the Northampton School of Art and the Colchester School of Art, where she specialised in illustration. Janie became a full-time artist in 2002 and now concentrates on floral/botanical subjects as well as portraits using, in the main, coloured pencils.
Janie’s meticulous and striking compositions are given a noticeably subtle touch with her deft coloured pencil work. It is this attribute that gives the pictures the composition, detail and depth of colour that has made her originals, limited edition prints and art workshops so popular.
Janie is a Fellow member of the Society of Botanical Artists and a Fellow of The Linnean Society.  In 2008 she was awarded a silver-gilt medal at the Royal Horticultural Society’s floral art exhibition at BBC Gardeners World Live. She followed that with a gold medal at the same show the following year and was awarded ‘Best Botanical Artist in Show 2009’.  A second RHS gold medal was awarded to Janie in May 2014 for her studies of roses. In 2010 her picture of grapes (All Is Safely Gathered In) won ‘Best in Show’ at the UKCPS Annual Open Exhibition and in 2011 her amazingly detailed drawing of a Savoy Cabbage won her Runner-up ‘Best in Show’ as well as ‘Best Botanical’ in show. Her drawing of Blueberries won her Runner-up ‘Best Botanical’ in the same show. Following her success at UKCPS shows have seen Janie awarded ‘Best Portrait’ for ‘Clare’ and ‘Best Still Life’ for her depiction of cherries in a bowl with the apt title ‘Life Is Just…..’. Janie has also been awarded two Certificates of Botanical Merit by the SBA. She regularly runs courses at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, and, residential courses in the Lake District at Higham Hall, Bassenthwaite.  Her work has also been featured many time in Artists & Illustrators magazine and she has produced three In-Depth books for Ann Kullberg in the USA.
In 2025 one of her pictures was entered into the SAA/Artist of the Year 2025 competition and is currently on the final shortlist, decided by a committee of judges from thousands of entries.  The winners will be announced in late October 2025.
Janie lives in the beautiful surroundings of the Dedham Vale on the Essex/Suffolk border. She runs art workshops at other venues around the country and exhibits both locally and nationally.

We have four buildings that are used for visitor accommodation. Whilst most rooms are either en-suite or have a dedicated bathroom, there are some
rooms in The Mill that share showers and toilets at the end of the hall. If this is
un-suitable for you please make the office staff aware upon booking or as soon as possible.

Please be aware that you are visiting a Field Centre that caters in the main for school parties; the accommodation is basic and dormitory style, but warm and comfortable.

Arrival day

Check-in is between 1600 -1800. If you are arriving after 1800, please advise us so we can arrange a self-check-in.

You will meet the tutor at dinner, following which you will have your first session.

• 
  Expert Tuition
• 
  Free Wi-Fi
• 
  Full Board Accommodation
• 
  Hot and Cold Drinks
• 
  Picnic Lunch

What to bring

• HB pencil
• Plastic eraser
• Putty rubber
• Watercolour brush (to be used for applying glue – this needs to be a good one, but not a very expensive one – no bigger than a 2 and with a fine point)
• Small palette (four to six wells will be plenty)
• Watercolours and brushes for painting OR coloured pencils – your choice.