Watch all four sessions recorded from our new online Art Club. Discover new ideas to spark your creativity and have fun making art with no pressure.

Across the four sessions of our first online art club series, we explore Still Life, using the domestic space as our starting point, moving from simple arrangements to more complex compositions for inspiration. There is a gentle introduction to colour and working with both wet and dry media, we explore line, pattern and texture and the different stages of building a painting.

Led by two tutors with distinct but complementary practices, participants are encouraged to work in different ways. Iona works with familiar objects in a loose, instinctive way, bringing focus to composition and intuitive colour expression, while Camilla introduces a more abstract approach, guiding participants to experiment with colour, form, and mark-making to create expressive, interpretive compositions.

Each session is designed to be fun and relaxed, giving you the chance to switch off, unwind, and enjoy dedicated time for your creativity—something you can dive into and stay inspired by. Within the sessions there will be warm-up exercises and gentle direction to ease you in. Draw and paint alongside the tutor, using inspiration from your own surroundings or the same reference materials they provide. We wrap up each session by looking at the work of other artists, such as Winifred Nicholson, Rose Hilton, William Scott and Ellsworth Kelly to spark ideas and deepen your learning.

You’ll also have the opportunity to share your work on our Facebook page and connect with fellow participants, helping you build confidence and feel part of a supportive creative community.

Each session is approximately 1 hour and 30mins long

Session 1 – WATCH NOW – Painting the ordinary
Session 2 – WATCH NOW – Still Life Composition
Session 3 – WATCH NOW – Abstract Still Life
Session 4 – WATCH NOW – Organic Still Life

What will I learn?

• Build a consistent and enjoyable weekly creative habit.
• Open your mind and increase your confidence by exploring a range of subjects and experimenting with different approaches.
• Connect with a supportive community of tutors and peers.
• Feel more creatively engaged, using the sessions as dedicated time to unwind, experiment, and draw inspiration from artists past and present.
• Develop confidence in creating still life compositions, progressing from simple arrangements to more complex and layered works inspired by the domestic space.

Who would this course suit?

These sessions are perfect for anyone looking to gently reintroduce creativity into their weekly routine, whether you’re a complete beginner or someone returning to art after a break. It suits people who want a relaxed, pressure-free space to explore drawing and painting, connect with others, and nurture their creative wellbeing.

How does an online course work?

Upon purchase, the course will be available to access through your account. The sessions are designed to be flexible, allowing you to engage with them in a way that suits your learning style.

Some artists prefer to watch a lesson from start to finish before spending time drawing and painting in response to the demonstrations. Others choose to move through all the lessons first, then revisit the sections that resonate most and explore those ideas more deeply in their own time.

You are free to approach the course in whatever way works best for you. The videos can be paused while you work and are available to watch on demand as often as you wish, for up to 90 days after purchase. Each pre-recorded session is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes in length.

You will be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world. You can also share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting and tagging us @stives painting

What to Bring

You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop or a tablet with audio.

Suggested Materials for the Still Life Sessions: Pencil, sketching paper, white/black/grey paint plus a section of colours of your choice. Several brushes small/med/large, painting surface, water, cloth. Iona will be painting in acrylics but you may choose to use other paints, if you already have others to use. A selection of crayons/pastels and collage materials. A full list of suggested materials will be available to see in your learning portal once you have purchased the course.

Timings and Breaks

Watch now at your leisure with plenty of opportunity to watch again as often as you like and let the ideas percolate.

You can revisit as often as you like for up to 90 days after purchasing the course.