Sketchbook Circle Residential - Cambridge 2023

Sketchbook Circle Residential - Margate 2022

This was an action-packed three days or creative activities organised by Georgia and Elinor.  With 28 artist educators from all over the UK attending, there were a range of ways to respond to the town through the challenges set.  The first day began with a creative treasure hunt set by Ollie Briggs from Arts Education Exchange, which is based in Margate.  This was a costal walk with some collaborative drawing activities, performative challenges and chance for everyone to connect to the place.  Jo Ursell, from Turner Contemporary led a wonderful afternoon of drawing around the bay inspiring us with stories about artists who were associated with Margate and encouraging us to play with different scales of work as well as creating drawings that were much more a personal response to what if felt like being in Margate.  The evening was filled with a relaxed life drawing session led by Ruby Rare at the Margate Art Club. 

Day two was based at Turner Contemporary.  After exploring the dynamic Larry Achiampong show, everyone settled into a lovely studio space with views out to the sea to have a creative day of making.  There were lots of interesting materials to play with and the opportunity to develop ideas from the previous day.  It was such a treat to have a day working alongside other creatives, sharing ideas and experiences.

On the final day of the course, the participants headed to Whitstable and to the studio of Keith Brymer Jones.  This was a highlight of the trip, with a chance to hear Keith talk about his work and inspirations as well as doing a demonstration on the wheel.  After time exploring Whitstable the group came together for a final meal in Margate before going their separate ways home. 

It was a privilege to spend three days which such creative, positive members of the Sketchbook Circle community.

Connecting & Creating from Home: March 2021

Collaborating with Charley Peters, Sam Hobbs and Roz Edenbrow

Image Credits: Charley Peters, Sam Hobbs and Roz Edenbrow

Participants’ Responses, Image Credits: Harriet Poole, Sarah Powell, Yvette Hughes, Ro Teeuw, Mary Fitzgerald Warden, Jill Piddock, Caroline Dunbar.

Connecting & Creating from Home: November 2020

Collaborating with Stephen Fowler & Lee John Phillips

Image Credit: Lee John Phillips, Stephen Fowler

Participants’ Responses. Image credits: Amy Lee, Caroline Dunbar, Elaine Humpleby, Elisa Irwin, Jean Edwards, Jessica Austin Burdett.

(Be)Longing: A Collaboration with Harriet Poole

Image Credits: Cherrie Trelogan, Gwen Amey, Georgia Naish, Nic Waltho, Yvette Hughes.

Connecting & Creating from Home with Katie Smith, Rosy Prue, Roz Edenbrow, Elinor Brass and Georgia Naish. August 2020

Exhibition of Participants Responses

Sketchbook Circle Workshop Day at Oakham School February 2020

On 22nd February, we ran a day of workshops and discussions at Oakham School. The course was very well attended with several returning members attending; it was lovely to catch up with people over tea and cake and enjoy some making together.

In the morning, we explored print techniques and image transfer, using oil paint transfer, magazine gelatine plate printing, acetone transfer and generally had a fun morning creating some interesting images. Other participants explored the process of making sculptural outcomes from old books, creating some exciting outcomes.

We shared our sketchbooks from last year, and had a small exhibition, celebrating some highlights from members' sketchbooks and experiences in Berlin

In the afternoon, we spent time discussing plans for a 10th anniversary celebration. So far, we have a provisional venue and we are working on a funding application. We will keep you post

We would like to thank all those who joined us on the day, for making the effort to travel to Oakham to make nice work and learn alongside each other

We would also like to thank GreatArt for their generous sponsorship in providing us with some wonderful materials to use. Without their support, we wouldn't be able to run such affordable events.

Sketchbook Circle Berlin Residential

The Sketchbook Circle Berlin Residential is a collaboration between Elinor Brass and Georgia Naish, and Harriet Poole, founder of little art in Berlin. We organised a jam packed 3 day art experience on a journey through art workshops, creative tours and art galleries, providing artist teachers with valuable CPD for their practice in their educational settings and personal creative growth.

The course took place between 15th – 17th April. Highlights of the course included a street art tour, visits to the Hambuger Bahnof, the Jewish Museum, The Gropius Bau, the Samlung Boros bunker art tour, and a site specific workshop using viewfinders made in the studio. It was an immensely sociable trip, giving members a chance to work and learn alongside fellow art educators and having a thoroughly nice time immersing ourselves in the fascinating and creative city of Berlin.

We plan to run the same course in 2020, with some changes to the itinerary, so if you came this year and fancy going again, there will be new activities and tours in the 2020 course. We plan to offer 22 places for the next year. Costs and other details will be published on our website soon.  

We would like to thank the participants of the 2019 course for being such an amazing group of creatives to work with. It was a truly memorable experience.

Course Members
Sue Guildford Potts, Elaine Humpleby, Carola Chambers, Barbara Bates, Susan Coles, Gemma Billson, Sue Riley, Linda Tucker, Petra Matthews-Crow, Sara Noble, Sam Hobbs, Elisa Irwin, Helen Homewood, Heulwen Lewis, Laurie Anne Carr, Fiona Lewis, Steph Gallagher.

Please click on the images below to view the slideshows