- Tat London
- 2 days ago
- 13 min read
Cultivated Days: Spring & Summer Courses for Curious Minds
27th May 2025
While the great gods of tech would rather we spend our lives scrolling, detached from friends, daylight, and the satisfying use of our hands, we at Tat remain stubbornly analogue at heart. In defiance of the algorithm, we’ve rounded up a selection of spring and summer courses to lift the spirits and tickle the brain — even if only for an afternoon. Whether you’re keen to uncover a hidden talent or polish up a long-neglected one, this is a love letter to the amateur painter, the curious soul, and anyone whose mind hasn’t been entirely flattened by the pixelated fist of social media.`
This course traces the evolution of modern art from the mid-19th to mid-20th century, beginning with Romanticism and the search for new forms of expression. It explores Realism through artists like Courbet and Manet, followed by the Impressionists’ innovative approaches to light and perception. The course then examines the diverse styles of the Post-Impressionists, the radical experimentation of Cubism, Futurism, and Surrealism. It concludes with the rise of Abstract Expressionism in post-WWII New York.
Price: £650 (Need to Register)
A hands-on course in photosensitive polymer printmaking, ideal for both beginners and experienced printmakers. Learn to create high-detail, continuous tone plates for relief printing—perfect for photos, hand-drawn images, letterpress, and logos. The course combines digital tools like Adobe Photoshop with UV exposure and traditional etching techniques, all in a low-tox studio. Materials provided.
Price: £282
Join them for a creative day designing and printing your own unique Candle Clips or a 25cm Retro Drum lampshade—perfect for table lamps. You'll print on their favorite cloudy parchment, which gives off a warm, soft light and pairs beautifully with hand block printing. A variety of trims is available to finish your piece in style. Feel free to bring your own blocks or a lamp to match your shade.
Price: £135
Explore creative weaving techniques using a nail frame in this three-day hands-on workshop. Learn warping methods—including 3D effects and shaped warps—while creating small experimental samples. Try knotting, wrapping, and mixing materials to express your personal style. Drawing inspiration from artists like Sheila Hicks and Peter Collingwood, this course is perfect for anyone looking to expand their weaving skills through play, texture, and exploration.
Price: £469
Paint Along with Hilary, 6th June, 10 am - 4 pm, RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, HG3 1QB
Join their 2023 Artist in Residence, Hilary, for a relaxed day of garden painting. Explore composition, lighting, and en plein air techniques using acrylics or watercolours. Hilary offers one-to-one guidance and paints alongside the group to help build your confidence. Some painting experience is recommended.
Price: £64
Join The Drawing Room for a relaxed still life sketching session at Honey & Co’s hidden studio in central London. Enjoy two 40-minute drawing rounds, gentle guidance from Harriet, and mid-morning treats, all set to a curated playlist. Open to all levels—just bring your creativity!
Price: £30
Spend a day weaving your own table runner or placemats on a pre-set traditional table loom.
You'll have access to a variety of yarns in different colours, fibres, and textures, with group demos and one-to-one support throughout. Using eight-shaft looms, you'll spend the full day focused on your piece.
All materials and equipment are provided. The workshop is suitable for all levels, though weaving can be physical—standing or sitting at the loom is up to you.
Price: £85 Per Person
This course explores Victorian art, design, and architecture from 1848 to 1900, tracing shifts from religious themes to bold, sensuous aesthetics. Focusing on figures like Millais, Rossetti, and Burne-Jones, we examine the rise of Pre-Raphaelitism, the Aesthetic Movement, and Arts & Crafts, alongside influences like Darwin and Orientalism. Poetry, illustration, and collaborations between artists and writers are also discussed, with an optional visit to Leighton House.
Price: £395 / £445 With Visit
Join them at CAVE for their weekly untutored life drawing sessions—fun, energising, and open to all levels. These two-hour classes focus on improving observational skills through a mix of short and long poses, ending with a sustained pose. You're free to draw however you like—bold, loose, or detailed. Tickets are required and can be purchased up until the session starts, but booking ahead is recommended. Materials are provided, or bring your own. Tea, coffee, and nibbles available.
Price: £15
This course highlights the vital role women have played in shaping 20th- and 21st-century design, across furniture, ceramics, textiles, interiors, and more—often in a field long dominated by men. Taught by V&A experts, the six-week online course offers over 12 hours of study. Watch live or on-demand, and access recordings, notes, and materials for six weeks after it ends. Learn at your own pace and connect with fellow students for discussion and support.
Price: £130
Woodcut Prints – Exploring The Process With Rod Nelson, 12th - 15th June, West Dean, Nr Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0QZ
Learn the basics of woodcut printing in this hands-on course, designed to build your confidence and creativity in relief printmaking. You’ll explore tools, materials, and cutting techniques while creating black and white prints by hand and with a press. The course begins with an introduction to successful prints, tool safety, and a small test block. You'll then develop your own design, working from drawings, photos, or the surrounding environment. Through demonstrations and guided practice, you'll gain the skills to cut, print, and finish your own woodcuts at home. By the end, you’ll leave with a set of prints and your carved blocks.
Price: £510
This course covers hand building, wheel throwing, surface decoration, and glazing, and is ideal for both beginners and intermediate makers. Each week focuses on a new technique, with plenty of time for practice and experimentation. Learn at your own pace in a relaxed, friendly setting with support from skilled teachers. Whether you're here to build skills or simply unwind and enjoy the creative process, you'll leave with new techniques—and maybe new friends too.
Price: £250 plus £5 per kg clay you want fired
Saturday Sketch Club: Contemporary Life Drawing, Online Workshop, 14th June, 10.30 - 11.45 am, Royal Academy, Live-Streamed Online
Join artist Elinor Stanley for a Saturday Sketch Club focused on expressive, contemporary life drawing.
This online class, open to all levels, guides you in capturing mood and character from a live model using bold, modern techniques. Part of a monthly series, the class is live-streamed and offers a chance to share your work with a creative community using #RASketchClub. Elinor Stanley is an award-winning artist and Royal Academy Schools graduate known for her vibrant, dynamic figure paintings.
Price: £10
Join their brand-new course led by resident turning enthusiast Randon Burns, designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of woodturning on the lathe. You’ll learn essential skills like turning between centres, tool handling, and shaping techniques. By the end of the course, you’ll have crafted a beautiful, handmade candlestick to take home. Perfect for beginners eager to explore woodturning in a supportive environment.
Price: £75
This course explores drawing techniques to capture tone, form, and volume of the figure in space. You’ll practice exercises focusing on chiaroscuro, anatomy, and proportion, working from mid-length and long poses. A live nude model will be provided throughout.
Price: £155
Gathered lampshades are making a comeback, now crafted from a variety of fabrics. In this two-day course, you’ll learn to make fully lined, high-quality gathered or traditional lampshades. Perfect for personal use or professional work. Please note the course runs over two consecutive days.
Price: £360
Saturday Pottery Wheel Throwing Taster, 21st June, 10 am - 12 pm, Ceramics Sculpture Studio, Kingsgate Workshops, Studio 12, 114 - 116 Kingsgate Road, West Hampstead, London, NW6 2JG
This 2-hour pottery wheel session is open to all levels, from complete beginners to those looking to improve their throwing skills. You'll learn how to prepare clay, set up your workspace, centre and shape your piece on the wheel, and form basic shapes like cups, bowls, or vases. Up to 5kg of clay is included; glazing and firing are not.
Price: £75
You’ll start by exploring Indian block printed fabrics from my collection and the artists who inspire my work. Then, you’ll carve your own linoleum block and develop a repeating pattern through hands-on printing. You’ll finish with a printed linen fabric and a solid understanding of block printing materials and techniques. All materials are provided, and beginners are welcome.
Price: £145
Join art dealer and historian Dr. Bendor Grosvenor for a week-long summer school on connoisseurship—the skill of authenticating and dating paintings. Through hands-on analysis, site visits, and access to old master works, you’ll learn to identify artists, assess quality, and spot originals, copies, or fakes using traditional and modern methods. The course covers the history and evolution of connoisseurship, including new approaches that highlight overlooked artists. No prior knowledge is needed, and lively discussion is encouraged.
Price: £1,800 (Includes all materials, light refreshments each day and drinks receptions throughout the week)
Discover the unique experience of making your own drinking glasses in this immersive glassblowing class. Working in pairs and guided by a skilled glass artist, you’ll learn how to gather molten glass, add vibrant colors, and blow it into molds to create a beautiful, personalized set of glasses. Held in our professional hot glass studio, this private session offers an up-close look at the art of glassblowing, with expert instruction throughout to help you master each step. Ideal for spending quality time with a friend or family member, or for giving a thoughtful and unforgettable gift, this class combines creativity, craftsmanship, and fun to create lasting memories and one-of-a-kind keepsakes.
Price: £190
Introduction To Bronze Casting: Amulet, 6th July, 10 am - 5 pm, Blackhorse Workshop, 1–2 Sutherland Rd Path, Walthamstow, E17 6BX
This one-day course teaches sandcasting, one of the oldest metal casting techniques. You’ll create a wax model from your own design, make a sand mold, and learn to heat and pour molten bronze. You’ll also practice metalworking skills to clean, texture, and finish your piece, and apply an optional patina. By the end, you’ll take home a finished bronze amulet, perfect for beginners interested in small-scale bronze sculpture or jewelry-making.
Price: £195
Over three evenings, learn to make your own bespoke picture frame—from cutting and joining hardwood to mounting and assembling your artwork, ready to hang. You’ll use traditional framing tools like the Morso guillotine, underpinner, Dremel drill, and glass cutters, and learn to stain or wax raw wood.
Taught by professional framer Joe Fergey, this course is perfect for artists or anyone wanting to frame their work with skill and care.
Price: £220
Spend a day designing and block printing your own silk scarf in a relaxed, creative setting. Choose from beautifully hand-rolled square or long silk scarves, and learn to print on this delicate fabric with care and precision. All materials, refreshments, and a light lunch are included—you’ll leave wearing your unique scarf and feeling fantastic.
Price: £135
Join artist Jo Lewis for a two-day summer school exploring the magic of watercolour. Accessible and portable, watercolour lets you capture the world with colour, light, and movement using just water, pigment, and paper. You’ll experiment with scale, technique, and speed—working from quick outdoor sketches to larger, expressive pieces. Inspiration will be drawn from greats like Turner, Degas, and Constable, exploring light, depth, and atmosphere. Open to all levels, the course includes all materials, take-home artworks, and extra resources. Sessions take place in our new Clore Art Studio.
Price: £360
The workshop begins with an introduction to screen printing and the Print Club London studio. You'll learn about the equipment, coat your own screen, and explore the basics of the process before printing your own edition of artwork. Inspiring examples from professional artists will also be shared.
Price: £75
1 Day Intensive Throwing Workshop with Izzy Letty, 19th July, 11 am - 5 pm, Stoneware Studios, Unit 1A, Sulivan Enterprise Centre, Sulivan Road, London, SW6 3DJ
Join a one-day wheel-throwing workshop, open to all levels, from complete beginners to those looking to refine their skills, the small class size (max six) ensures plenty of personal guidance. After a coffee and quick demo, you’ll spend the day on the wheel—learning basics or developing more advanced forms, depending on your level. You can make as many pieces as time allows and choose your best three to be glazed and fired. Extra pieces can be finished for £10 each, or you can return for a glazing session.
Bring lunch (tea and coffee provided). Each student gets their own wheel.
Price: £190 (includes all materials and firing)
Join artist Rebecca Stark for a hands-on copper embossing workshop inspired by the patterns of David Parr House. You’ll create your own decorative metalwork using emboss and repoussé techniques, working with copper foil on a wooden blank. Suitable for all levels, the session includes materials, refreshments, and your finished piece to take home. Proceeds support the upkeep of David Parr House.
Price: £55 Per Person
Learn the art of gilding in this hands-on course, covering both traditional water gilding and simpler oil gilding. You'll prepare gesso, apply and burnish gold leaf, and explore distressing and toning techniques.
A handcrafted frame is provided for you to gild and take home. The course includes lunch, afternoon tea, and gold leaf materials, with extras available to purchase if needed.
Price: £585
In this 3-hour workshop, you’ll learn drypoint printmaking, a technique where an image is scratched into an acetate plate using sharp tools. You can work from sketches, photos, or your imagination—tracing directly onto the plate makes it ideal even for beginners. You'll explore various mark-making tools, try different inking methods, and print your plate in a range of colours using oil-based inks. All materials are provided, and guidance is offered throughout.
Price: £50
This intensive 4-day upholstery course lets you bring your own furniture project to life, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. Their expert teachers guide you through techniques tailored to your piece, from stripping and reupholstering to sewing and basic wood restoration. If you don’t have a project, they can help you choose one and plan your fabric and materials before the course. It’s a great chance to learn skills, get expert advice, and connect with others.
Price: £750
This beginner-friendly course offers a hands-on introduction to copper etching. You'll learn to create prints using hard and soft grounds for lines and textures, plus aquatints for tones, guided by an experienced tutor. Bring some images or sketches to inspire your work. By the end, you'll produce a small edition of prints and gain the skills to work independently in the studio and progress to intermediate courses.
Price: £282
This course offers an introduction to traditional Italian decorative painting, focusing on techniques like grisaille, trompe l’oeil, foliate designs, and the use of metal leaf. You'll explore colour theory, surface preparation, and material application while creating two or more decorative panels on primed canvas. Projects may include Chinoiserie motifs, trompe l’oeil, or grottesca designs. Evening sessions provide time to work independently. The aim is to gain hands-on experience, build new skills, and deepen your understanding of this rich craft tradition for use in fine or decorative arts.
Price: £992
Still-Life Oil Painting With Laura Smith, 19th August, 10 am - 4 pm, Charleston, Firle, East Sussex, BN8 6LL
Join painter Laura Smith for a one-day still life oil painting workshop at Charleston. Inspired by the house’s rich interiors, you'll learn composition, colour mixing, and wet-in-wet techniques. With plenty of one-to-one guidance, Laura will help you build confidence and explore your personal style. Open to all levels, the day includes an exclusive tour of Charleston, all materials, refreshments, and a locally sourced lunch.
Price: £150
Comments