Language of Flowers at Llanidloes

Last week I was in sunny Llanidloes (the sun always seems to come out for us) teaching the Language of Flowers workshop for 3 happy days. Most of the students came on last years retreat as well - and 8 of us booked some holiday cottages together so we could extends the days happiness into the evenings

The cottages are surrounded by hills and have residents ducks, chickens and dog .. total perfection

So - day 1 was the one they were worried about - the drawing word. I never do anything scary, and I knew they were nervous - so we got stuck in and spent the morning following through simple exercises, designed to gently ease the students into drawing without them really realising it. The afternoon was then spent drawing flower images. Most of this group were determined they simply 'could not draw' - and yet ... this is what day 1 produced ...

No apologies for the number of images - I had 14 students - and they were all so excited about their new found ability to draw(!) that they did LOTS of drawings. We also carried on in the evening after sharing a meal in a large barn at the cottage site (and feeding ducks and chickens)

Day 2 dawned sunny and glorious and we were into making collage backgrounds for the flower drawings. All nerves had gone by now - told them they should have trusted me! And then on day 3 we looked at how to transfer the drawings onto their collaged backgrounds and thread stitch them. As ever with me it was a very full and full on 3 days ... and also as ever, the students rose to the challange magnificently. A few actually finsihed their thread sketches and lovely Brenda both mounted and sealed her peiece .. which was quite beautiful. So heres the work on day 3 ...

Beautiful aren't they?

I love it when I can give someone a belief and knowledge that they can do something they are convinced they can't - so this was a lovely workshop for me too. I could pick up the excitement as students realised that they could draw - and then realised what a wonderful thing to do it is .. very relaxing. I think I have sent 14 drawers out to draw their worlds now. Good job

I am tewachiuhng the Language of Flowers twice at the Bramble Patch in Weedon this year as well. Both are fully booked - but Anne does run a waiting list. I am also teaching it here in Newport next March (14,15,16) - and there are still spaces on that one. Visit the online shop and look under ';workshops' for more information.

I'm also going to teach a 2 day drawing course - for all of you who think you cant draw! We will start with simple exercises and you will gently move into drawing. We will then  move onto drawing from photos and life, together with adding elements of colour to our drawings. Theses are new on the programme and the first one is on 10th and 11th July. Again look under workshops in the shop. In fact - here is a link

http://www.hilarybshop.co.uk/ourshop/cat_1405774-Workshops.html

It was a magical few days - and the students want a repeat next year .. they didn't have to twist my arm much at all!

Hope to see some of you in Newport - back to decorating the studio now! - tanks for reading .. Hilary xx