Join artist Victoria Gillow for a fun and creative workshop all about building stories into your artwork through colour, texture and layering. You’ll learn how to start a painting in a totally different way – by thinking about what’s underneath it all.

In this workshop, you’ll explore how the first layer of colour – called the ‘ground’ – can shape the whole feel of your painting. That starting colour sets the mood, guide your next steps, and gives your artwork a hidden story built up through each layer.

Victoria will help you explore how to build your painting step by step, showing how each mark and layer adds to the final image. Inspired by artists like Peter Lanyon and Mark Rothko, you’ll look at how colours work together – or clash.

You’ll be working from photos, memories, or real-life observation of still life in the room. Victoria will guide you through playful painting techniques including textured surfaces and bold brushstrokes You’ll experiment with how paint feels and moves, learning how to express yourself and tell your own story through colour and mark-making.

For young artists aged 11-16, this group helps young people connect with their creativity and get to know contemporary art practices.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Thanks to generous support from our fee paying families and St Ives Rotary, we are able to offer up to 4 scholarship places per session awarded on a need basis. If you are on a low income please contact [email protected] for an application form to apply for a free scholarship place.

FUNDRAISING: If you are able to support a free place for another child, we would be hugely grateful if you would add a donation to your booking at checkout.

What to Bring

Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the art materials you need for your workshop, so just bring yourself and lots of enthusiasm!

We provide aprons but encourage you to not wear your best clothes.

Timings and Breaks

The workshops start at 2pm and finish at 4pm. We will have a comfort break in the middle.

The class will be held in the ground floor studio at the School of Painting.