Inspired by gardens courses and workshops are held at the The Byre studio, a converted stone farm building which is the workplace of Northumberland artist Catherine Stott. The workshop is spacious with a seating area and workspaces for up to 15 participants.

The studio is close to Hexham, a market town with a historic Abbey and old gaol, to Roman sites along Hadrian's Wall and near Corbridge, and to the Northumberland National Park.

Gardens regularly open to the public in the area include National Trust and English Heritage gardens at Wallington and Belsay.

Use of the countryside around the studio and arranged visits to nearby private gardens can be part of a workshop experience.

Workshops/courses are arranged normally for full days; these may be grouped to form a longer break. Joint workshops/courses with another artist are also offered so that participants can try a range of artistic activities.

Teaching ratios are kept small, and the studio can accommodate small groups with one tutor or a larger group with two tutors.

In the studio
Skills for garden painting - including drawing skills, tuition in watercolour, pastel and mixed media and choosing and composing subjects.

Painting development from outdoor studies - Indoor art sessions
using as inspiration
• material collected on garden visits
• the written word; e.g. nature poetry, Shakespeare

In gardens and landscape
Sketching and recording
Choice of subject and viewpoint for painting
Gathering information and materials for studio sessions

Media
Watercolour, pastel, mixed media and collage, monoprint.
NB Joint workshops with two artists may also include maskmaking, felt art, mosaic

See the workshop programme

Workshops are held at The Byre Studio
No 3 Ochrelands Courtyard, Hexham NE46 1SB.

Ochrelands is a group of former farm buildings in the countryside, 1 mile south of the historic market town of Hexham. Workshops make use of the studio, the surrounding landscape and local gardens. The private garden of Ochrelands House next door to the studio opens periodically for the National Gardens Scheme or other charities. Some workshops use the grounds of Ochrelands garden for inspiration, sketching practice or more extended painting sessions.

Contact Catherine Stott

Artist Catherine Stott lives and works in Northunberland, painting the area’s beautiful gardens, landscape, local festivals and events.

She has been artist in residence at Hexham Abbey and at the Morpeth Folk Gathering, taken part in art events at Crook Hall and Alnwick Gardens, and has exhibited paintings inspired by gardens poetry and music in the north of England and Scottish borders.

Catherine has taught day workshops in gardens, and worked with adult art club groups, schoolchildren and families.

Visit Catherine's web site