Relaxing Watercolour Workshop

 Relaxing Watercolour Workshop – Bullfinch on Blossom 

Join me at Art in the Park Derbyshire, set within the beautiful surroundings of Markeaton Park, for a calm and creative 3-hour watercolour workshop.

Date: 18/02/2026

Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm

Venue: Art in the Park, Markeaton Craft Village, Markeaton Park Derby, Derbyshire DE22 3BG

Price: £36 (All materials included & free parking pass)

Book a place via Art in the Park website www.artintheparkderby.co.uk/adults-art-classes

We’ll paint a goldfinch perched on soft pink blossom, working step by step through colour mixing and layering techniques.

✨ Suitable for all abilities

✨ Relaxed adult class

✨ All materials provided

✨ Step-by-step instruction sheets included

This workshop offers a chance to unwind, connect with nature, and enjoy the simple pleasure of painting in a welcoming creative space. Perfect for beginners and experienced painters alike.

Come and enjoy a peaceful creative escape in the park. 

Watercolour bird illustration - Wren

 Really happy and grateful to be able to enjoy the birdsong of Robins and Wrens in the bleak month of January in the UK.

Hope you enjoy my illustration of a beautiful little Wren singing away. This illustration was for Homecoming, the nature journal written by Melissa Harrison and fully illustrated in watercolour by me. 

Watercolour illustration of a Song Thrush

Hand painted watercolour illustration of a Song Thrush added to my portfolio. I love their warm brown colours and beautiful chest markings 😍

British Wild Birds Watercolour illustrations for Nature journal

Some more of my illustrations from "Homecoming." The nature journal written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

I'm a bit of a bird nerd, so very happy to get to illustrate lots of my feathered friends for this book.

This is a selection of some of the birds featured throughout the book. On the left are the rough pencil sketches which get approved by my client before I begin the final watercolour paintings

Watercolour Bird Illustrations - Teeny Tiny Wren

Say hi to my teeny tiny wren 😍 I had to paint this beautiful little visitor to my garden. I really love observing nature and wildlife. 

This Watercolour painting is now available to buy as various sized prints in my Etsy Shop Here

Watercolour bird illustrations for Active Minds nature observer bird book

I have recently had the pleasure of collaborating on a project for Active Minds, a London based company who create amazing, mindfully designed activity products for people with Dementia.

Ben Atkinson-Willes is the founder of Active Minds and shares in the video below his own experiences with his grandfather when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It was the desire to find more creative, less patronizing solutions to help improve the quality of life for people living with dementia that led to Ben founding creative Minds.

"There are approximately 800,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and an estimated 36 million people worldwide. The UK’s rapidly aging population will only continue to increase pressures on the care sector, and families and society more widely. Active Minds hopes that by providing meaningful and engaging activities for nursing and residential homes it will help reduce problems of depression, boredom and isolation so commonly associated with dementia. Our recent social impact report showed that 100% of professional carers and 80% of family members felt the activities improved the quality of life of people with dementia." - active minds

A selection of some of the sketches sent to Active minds before they are signed off and I begin to paint them.

Some of the commissioned watercolour artwork coming together...

I am definitely a strong believer in the therapeutic benefits of connecting with nature, providing positive effects on wellbeing and mental health. 

The Active Minds bird book is an engaging and mindful visual guide. Carefully designed to support and encourage people to recognise, observe and identify birds in the garden, on walks, or in the park or countryside. Each bird has been selected because they are visually bold and clear and can also be found in most gardens.

Active Minds have also got a Build and Feed product so you can make your own bird feeders to attract the birds to spot from the book.

Watercolour Bird illustrations

Just a little taster of a commission I am looking forward to sharing with you, hopefully in the next couple of weeks!