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Spring 2024 News
Hello everyone,
Happy 2024! I hope you have weathered the storms okay, and enjoyed a sprinkling of the pre-Spring sunshine we've had so far.
Below I share some dates of workshops I have planned for the Spring that may interest you, including a few new offerings. I'm collaborating with psychotherapist Isla MacDonald to bring you an Art Therapy Day, and with award winning playwright and poet Anita MacCallum to offer you a Poetry and Illustration Workshop. If you would like to explore drawing, then I also have a brand new Beginners Drawing Class (learning effortlessly, by fun and stealth!) coming up. More details below.
Watercolour Healing – a 6 week evening course
March 14th to April 18th 2024
Thursdays 6.15pm to 7.45pm at Matter Cafe, Easton
Come paint your images said Carl Jung, because "Your health depends on it!". In this class we'll be playing with paint, developing skills, enjoying rich conversations and basking in the richest of watercolours. A non-judgemental, friendly class where you can celebrate 'happy accidents' and get to know yourself through splashing paint on paper. Suitable for beginners and rusty returners to watercolour. All art materials are provided and all basic watercolour techniques will be covered.
£90 early bird/ £106 after March 3rd. Email me to book now.
Art and Therapy Day – a 1 day workshop
Saturday April 13th 2024
Exploring Self through Painting - a 1 day workshop where we will each have a supportive space to explore our emotional expression and our relationship to ourself through watercolour and drawing, with the support of Isla MacDonald, a transpersonal, integrative therapist, in collaboration with me.
10.45 – 3 pm at Bridge Farm, Bristol
£80/ Concessions available. Email me to book now.
Art for the Afraid – a 1 day drawing workshop
Wednesday 17 April, 10.30am – 4.30pm 2024
A one day drawing course for beginners. I’ll offer an (almost!) effortless, fun way to learn to draw ‘things that actually look like things’, but with your own personal and expressive twist. I'll offer approaches to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain in order to enhance creativity and receptivity, and quieten down the 'inner critic' (inspired by the legendary art teacher Betty Edwards, amongst others). Drawing media will include charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, and the basic skills of drawing will be introduced. Yes, truly, everyone can learn to draw and no special 'talent' is required!
At the RWA, Clifton, Bristol (£65, contact the RWA to book, or links coming later)
Inner and Outer Landscapes – a 1 day workshop
Sunday 12th May 2024
Watercolour and mixed media: Explore the unique qualities of watercolour to convey atmosphere and feeling. Experiment with this exquisite medium in combination with a mix of substances, surfaces and mixed media to create stunning, stormy and soulful landscapes, and allow your own inner landscapes to take form. This workshop will introduce you to a diversity of ways to work with watercolour, both traditional and unconventional, with the opportunity to work on a larger scale that you might be used to. All levels of ability are welcome, but this workshop will still be suitable for beginners.
10.45am to 3.30pm at Bridge Farm, Eastville, Bristol
£65. Email me to book now.
Imaginative Watercolour – a 5 week afternoon course
Thursdays 25th April to 23rd May, 2-5 pm
Uncover your creative voice through supportive and relaxing exercises designed to develop your confidence to paint expressively and intuitively. Using the jewel-like colours and evocative qualities of watercolour, explore memories, moods, dreams and visions in this luminous medium. Technical skills will be taught, but the emphasis is on art-making as a joyful practice that brings insight and wellbeing.
At the RWA, Clifton, Bristol (contact them to book, or links coming later)
Poetry and Illustration Workshop – a 1 day workshop
Saturday 25th May 2024
A 1 day workshop with the fabulous poet and playwright Anita MacCallum in collaboration with me. You'll be guided to create both poetry and artwork, explore the relationship between text and image, and receive practical tips from two published writers/one published illustrator! Watercolour, charcoal and more.
£65. At the RWA, Clifton, Bristol (contact the RWA to book, or links coming later)
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Plus - forest bathing and wild painting in Devon in September 2024
September 13th-15th (Fri -Sun)
An Art and Nature Mini Retreat in Stoke Gabriel, South Devon with forest therapy guide and artist Emma Capper, and I. Expressive painting in situ, forest bathing, creative and sensory self-care, and more. Contact me now to register interest. £150/£180 supported/supporter rate (food and accommodation not included, but we can advise on nearby campsites, B and Bs and eateries. Train to Totnes, pick up may be possible).
And a Watercolour Weekend in Bristol in October 2024
October 26-27th
A Weekend Watercolour Workshop, theme TBC, at the Wild Goose Space, Bristol
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Book News
New! - "The Subtle Art of Caring" has been published. Written by poet, writer, activist and Buddhist teacher River Wolton, and illustrated by me, this is a guide-book to sustaining compassion. It's aimed at burned out activists and carers, and our publishers say it "gives new life to the Buddha's teachings as resources for a life in which compassion for self and other are mutually sustaining. Beautifully illustrated and with exercises, meditations, and reflections."
My graphic novel continues to take it's own sweet time to pass through the publishing pipeline, but hey, it took me 14 years to write so what's the hurry! Meanwhile, don’t forget that if you’d like to buy an art-course book by me right now, Earth Color and Soul Color can be ordered from all bookshops or online.
Also still available is this lovely book of poems called "Year" by River Wolton, illustrated by yours truly: https://poetrybusiness.co.uk/product/year/........
Finally, a reminder that I am available for private bookings to run workshops for your school, community group, business, family party, self-care retreat and more. I also have 1 space free for art tutoring for GCSE or A Level (I'm an ex Head of Art), or your own personal development.
Bye for now,
Emma
Autumn News 2023
Hi everyone,
I hope you’ve all enjoyed a good summer break and found some happy moments to bask in our shy British sunshine.
Here follows news of what I have planned for the Autumn – including a 6 week watercolour evening course to encourage your self-expression, a weekend exploring Inner and Outer Landscapes at the RWA, and a 1 day art-for-nature-connection workshop at the beautiful Grow Wilder site in North Bristol.
I look forward to seeing you over a painting somewhere!
Emma
Autumn Classes 2023
Inner and Outer Landscapes - An all weekend watercolour workshop at the RWA Bristol
23rd and 24th September
Experiment with the exquisite medium of watercolour to create atmospheric and imaginative landscapes. Respond to your feelings, memories and senses to create personal responses to the theme of landscape: paint the land you love or let your own inner landscapes take form. Give yourself permission to enjoy the unexpected and to delight in ‘happy accidents’.
SOLD OUT but waiting list here: https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course/products/new-inner-and-outer-landscapes-in-watercolour
Art for Nature Connection - a 1 day workshop at Grow Wilder, Frenchay, Bristol
Friday 6th October
For more Info/Book here: https://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2023-10-13-enhance-your-nature-connectedness-through-art
Express Yourself! - a 6 week watercolour evening-course for beginners in North Bristol
1st November: Begins on Wednesday 1st Nov, ends 6th December
Evenings from 6pm - 7.30 pm at Fairfield High School
To book/enquire, email me at emmaburleigh1977@yahoo.co.uk or contact me via my website.
Art and Therapy Day
In the planning stages, date TBC, is an Art and Therapy Day, with myself and Isla MacDonald, who is a transpersonal, integrative therapist. Probably we'll offer it sometime in November. Do let me know if you’d be interested in this one.
Imaginative Watercolour
A 5 week course at the RWA on Tuesdays 2 - 5pm from 31st October. It's currently sold out, but it could be worth getting on the waiting list if you're keen as there usually is a cancellation or two nearer the time. https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course/products/imaginative-watercolour
Other News
Graphic Novel Update
I have finally handed my completed full draft of “My Other Mother” over to my publishers, that’s the graphic novel I’ve been writing and painting on and off for over 12 years! It’s very strange to have almost let go of the creative side of it. (There’ll be plenty of work yet to come for me of course, in the area of telling people about it and persuading them to buy it!) First I still need to design the front cover, and have some back and forth time with my publishers to discuss improvements needed, and then the estimated time of it’s arrival in a tangible form on bookshelves is Autumn 2024.
Here's an image from the book that I’m thinking of using as my endpaper.
Books of mine available right now
“My Other Mother” may take a year to get through the publishing pipeline, but don’t forget that if you’d like to buy a book from me right now, Earth Color and Soul Color can still be ordered from all bookshops!
There’s also this rather lovely book of poems called "Year" by Buddhist poet and activist River Wolton, illustrated by yours truly: https://poetrybusiness.co.uk/product/year/
Comics News
Bristol: LDComics (aka 'LaydeezDoComics') will be sharing our work at The ALICE Project at the Island, Bristol on 14th October, as part of an all-day Women’s Festival. (All genders are very welcome to attend!) I’ll be giving a personal presentation on 'My Other Mother', talking about the long and winding road to (near) completion of my graphic novel, and sharing some of my personal story to tie in with Adoption Awareness Week. Two more guest speakers, yet TBC, will join me. Ticket info coming soon.
The Lakes: I will be on tour with LDComics at the The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, in the Lake District, from 29 Sept – 1 Oct. Come and see us running our stall of brilliant comics from our community showcasing comics that give new perspectives on the dramas of the everyday, in particular of an autobiographical nature, and celebrating female-identifying graphic novelists. We’ll also be presenting a panel called ‘Safe Spaces for Hard Stories’ discussing LDComics’s recent British Council International Collaboration project with women comic artists in East Africa - Identifying FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and living with HIV as issues prevalent in Kenya and the UK, LDC artist ‘NancyArtMusic’ will talk about the work the artists co-created.
Unicorn News!
I was lucky to be one of the artists chosen to decorate a unicorn for the summer trail around Bristol this year, in aid of Leukemia Care. Here is Mike, my microbial union, in situ. at the Riverside Garden Centre. He’ll be there for a few more days, then disappearing for some touch up work before a final “Farewell Festival” at the Propyard from 23-24 September, where you can see all 60 Unicorns gathered together.
Lastly, I am currently available for private bookings to run workshops for your school, community group, business, family party, retreat and more. I also have 2 spaces free for art tutoring for GCSE, A Level or personal development.
Bye for now,
Emma
Spring and Summer News 2023
Courses and Workshops this Spring and Summer
“Enhance your Nature Connectedness through Art” with The Psychedelic Society
Open up to the creativity of nature!
In this workshop you'll take a wander in the woods to collect an array of ‘tiny treasures’ for investigation and inspiration. You’ll go on to explore some playful ways to make ephemeral artworks from earth and plant matter, and complete the day by creating some delicate and lively watercolour studies. Join artist Emma Burleigh, to bring to life some of the latest research into nature connectedness and to discover how making art in nature boosts your wellbeing.Sun 11th June 2023, 1pm – 4pm and/or Sat 22nd Jul 2023, 1pm – 4pm
https://dandelion.earth/events/64381082d1c76300027d96ac
https://dandelion.earth/events/643814aee0415500023ac3cbImaginative Watercolour at the Royal West Academy in Bristol. I’ll be running an imaginative watercolour course on Tuesday afternoons from 25th April to 25th May.
On Saturday 10 June, 10.30am - 4.30pm I’ll be running a watercolour workshop entitled “Inner and Outer Landscapes”, also with the RWA. The RWA booking system for the summer term is not up online at time of writing but will be soon. Meanwhile you can sign up to the RWA newsletter to be the first to know.
On Weds 19th July I’ll be offering a “Watercolour for Nature Connection” outdoor workshop at a beautiful place in Thornbury called the Chantry . Email Tracy at loveartworkshops@gmail.com for more info and to book that one.
Graphic Novel
I have a publication date! It’s rather far away: Autumn 2024, but it’s good to have a firm date in mind and it means I’ve got the rest of this year to lick it into shape. There’s still plenty to do - right now I’m wrestling with a cover design that, to meet my publishers’ requests, must be dynamic and eye catching, work as a small icon on a phone as well as at book size, and tell you what the book is all about! I was lucky enough to receive a grant from The Society of Authors just in time for Christmas which is keeping me going. I’ll be posting little bits on social media about the book’s progress over this year…
Recently Published Illustrated Books
Over the last year or two, I’ve had the delight of being invited to illustrate books for some poets, writers and publishers. Just published are the books “Year” by poet River Wolton, and “What The Trumpet Taught Me” by Dr. Kim Moore. Both books are published by The Poetry Business. I’m now collaborating with River Wolton on a new book, on the theme of Compassion for Activists, which will be published by Windhorse Publications later this year.
A Comics Convention in Devon on 24th-25th Feb
Pen and Ink Comics Convention at Newton Abbot Library, Devon. I’ll be offering a free comics making workshop with the marvellous Wallis Eates, as well as tabling our books and wares, and showing off our LDC Library of LDComics 2021 competition entries here on Saturday afternoon, 25th Feb. Lots of great events over the Friday and weekend – to book, learn more, or just turn up, see here.
LDComics
I’m continuing my role as a core member of the LDComics team, and I will be hosting our next Global Online Monthly with 3 fab guest speaker comics-artists soon. See here to book and to find out about all the other great comics related offerings we have including residentials, workshops and upcoming live events.
Autumn 2022 News
Hello Everyone,
Happy season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
This is just a quick email to share news of a few things I am up to that you might be interested in this autumn.
1) A Mindful Art Journaling Workshop
I am leading a 'Mindful Art Journaling Workshop' at The Old Library in Bristol (BS5) with the 'Centre for Spiritual Exploration and Accompaniment'. It's open to all, and will be on Sunday 20th November, 10.00 am – 1.00 pm. £25. To book or for more info, email sfs.csea@gmail.com
2) Comics and Watercolour Courses at the Royal West Academy
I'm also teaching a comics making course at the RWA in Bristol on 22nd-23rd October, Next term at the RWA I'll be teaching a one day workshop on BIG watercolour/mixed media skies on January 5th 2023, and a 5 week course on imaginative watercolour (with a bit of mixed media) starting Tues 10th January 2023. There's no booking link for those yet but you can sign up to the RWA newsletter to be the first to know when there is.
3) Creativity Workshop at St Anne's House
If you happen to live in the Brislington/ BS4 area, I'll be running a creativity session for locals on Thursday 24th November during their weekly 'morning meet up'.
4) Winchester Comics Fair
I'll be 'tabling' my wares, comics, cards, paintings and books at the new Winchester Comics Fair in the Nutshell Theatre on Saturday 26th November, if you happen to be in the area do come and say hello!
May your watercolours and your creativity keep on flowing,
Warmly,
Emma
Summer 2022 News
New Nature Connection and Watercolour Workshop with me at the RWA!
Click here for more info or to book
Wednesday 20 July 2022, 10am-4pm
This class will be mainly taking place outdoors. The group will meet at the RWA, but will be taking a short walk to local green spaces, and returning to work outside on the RWA balcony for part of the day.
Open up to the creativity of nature with this special workshop designed to tie in with the RWA's leading exhibition Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781 - 2022 (9 July – 11 September 2022).
In this workshop, take a journey into the natural world to collect an array of ‘tiny treasures’ for our investigation and inspiration. Our walk will be a key part of the creative process. We’ll go on to explore some simple ways to make natural paints and prints from earth and plant matter and we’ll complete the day by creating some delicate and lively watercolour, pen, and pencil studies. .
https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course/products/new-summer-school-treasures-of-the-earth
New: Imaginative Watercolour Workshop with me at the RWA
Tuesdays 2pm - 5pm | 5 weeks
Starts Tuesday 20 Sept 2022
This class will be taking place in person at Hamilton House. Click HERE for more information about Hamilton House. If government restrictions prevent this, due to Covid, this course will take place on Zoom.
This course will uncover your creative voice through supportive and relaxing exercises designed to develop your confidence to paint expressively and intuitively. Using the jewel-like colours and evocative qualities of watercolour, explore memories, moods, dreams and visions in this luminous medium. Technical skills will be taught, but the emphasis is on art-making as a joyful practice that brings insight and wellbeing. For those who have previously attended this course, there will be development activities.
https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course/products/imaginative-watercolour-1
Spring News: 'Earth Color', Comics Course and more...
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are well as we step into 2022. I am certainly taking it gently, and letting myself move into the new year slowly like a winter hibernating kind of creature. I was happy to find two freshly opened daffodils this morning!
I do have a few bits of news to share with you.
Firstly I'd like to tell you about ‘Earth Color’. This is my forthcoming, second 'book baby', which will be on the shelves in May 2022.
I've crafted this book with care and love, and I hope it will guide you on a creative journey into the natural world around you. I've drawn on traditions of mindfulness, self-care and forest bathing, informed by new research into nature connection, to create a mixed media art course I hope you'll love. I'm joined by twelve fabulous guest artists who work in ritual, land art, and various other artistic media which makes this course-book extra rich and inspiring.
Pre-ordering is already possible from certain bookshops such as Blackwells: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Earth-Color-by-Emma-Burleigh/9781912634484
Comics Course
This Spring I am running a course on how to make comics and short graphic stories. We'll explore all kinds of subjects and approaches to comics with an emphasis on the indie and personal/auto-bio/quirky variety. You don't need to know anything about comics, or consider yourself to be a funny person! Just come with an open mind and be prepared to laugh, draw, and maybe shed a tear or two. In person, with the RWA Bristol in their temporary home at Hamilton House. Book here and see you there:
https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course/products/new-create-a-graphic-novel
The Graphic Novel
I am dusting off my graphic novel that has been many years in the making and has finally found a publisher, thanks to good old Liminal 11! More on this soon...
'Year' and Trumpets
I'm also collaborating with poet River Wolton on her latest book, "Year", which consists of 365 poems exploring kindness in the context of covid. Earthy, wise, honest, humorous and poignant, it's an honour to work with her again as her illustrator, alongside our fabulous designer Francesca Romano. It'll hopefully be ready to buy in the autumn.
I've also been illustrating for another writer, Dr. Kim Moore, at River's publishers "The Poetry Business", and I really recommend her warm, colourful and witty memoir with cover and inside illustrations by me. It's called "What the Trumpet Taught Me" and you'll find it in all good bookshops such as: https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/what-the-trumpet-taught-me,kim-moore-9781914914140
That's all from me for now,
I am wishing you much artistic freedom and gentle holding to support the emergence of your own creative truth,
Warmly,
Emma
PS. Oh, and Soul Color, a gentle watercolour course to explore painting in a soulful, unpressured, playful and self-caring way is still very much available to buy right now, from all good bookshops! e.g. It's on special offer at Blackwells at the moment: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Soul-Color-by-Emma-Burleigh/9781912634262
WINTER News:
Hi everyone,
Here's an update from me, to give you a flavour of what I've been up to and what I'm offering in the way of Art-making right now:
1. Soul Color
You can now pre-order my forthcoming book, Soul Color!
Here’s what my publisher, Liminal 11, say about it:
Soul Color is a ten-week watercolour painting course to cultivate mindfulness and creativity.
This beautiful book will teach you how to enjoy watercolour painting as a contemplative practice for self-discovery. Develop confidence to paint more intuitively, give yourself permission to enjoy the unexpected and make mistakes, deepen your meditation skills and discover a new sense of reflective calm.
Visit our website or your favorite online bookstore to pre-order Soul Color: https://liminal11.com/product/soul-color/
2. Live Workshops
I’m keeping my teaching schedule light for as long as the virus is hanging around, but I do have the following course booked in at The Royal West Academy. It will be live unless rules prevent it. Dates: Fridays 19th, 26th March and 2nd April. Booking details coming soon.
Imaginative Watercolour Painting at the RWA
To paint from imagination can feel a little daunting. This course will uncover your creative voice through supportive and relaxing exercises designed to develop your confidence to paint expressively and intuitively. Using the jewel-like colours and evocative qualities of watercolour, explore memories, moods, dreams and visions in this luminous medium. Technical skills will be taught, but the emphasis is on art-making as a joyful practice that brings insight and wellbeing. For those who have attended this course before there will be development activities.
3. Video Watercolour Courses
For as long as we’re shielding or in semi-lockdown, there’s always the option of trying some of my new video tutorials.
Watercolour for Wellbeing:
This course was originally created for the Royal West Academy but is now available to buy from my Etsy shop for £10.50. Purchase from: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/877954980/video-course-watercolor-for-wellbeing?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1
Access Art:
A wonderful website packed with great resources from many artists, aimed at children but of interest to anyone aged 6 to 106, with subtitles for hearing impaired people: Find three classes created by me at https://www.accessart.org.uk/emma-burleigh/
4. Large Paintings for Sale and Online Art Shows
I’ve been using the quiet of tiers and lockdowns to really push my own painting practice. I’m going bigger, more experimental and wilder! I've put up an online show of some of my largest recent works and a few smaller ones here: https://www.emmaburleigh.com/gallery-shop
I’ve also got six original watercolours in The Bath Online Art Show in support of Children’s Hospice South West (Update: 2 sold - 4 to go!) On until the end of December at https://www.artgallerysw.co.uk/product-category/childrens-hospice-south-west/emma-burleigh/
If you’re in Bristol, you can find some of my prints at a great new artsy shop called “Phat and Twinkled”, at 47 Picton St, Bristol.
If you need a painting or a print for your home, do get in touch. Feel free to have a browse of my website or social media as many of the works on there are available, either as original watercolours or prints.
If it’s affordable prints you’re after, I can make you one from almost anything I’ve painted, but there’s also a few prints up and ready to view at etsy, just visit: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EmmaBurleighArtwork?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=557763694
AUGUST News 2020
1. Update on Soul Colour, My forthcoming book!
Read all about it here at Liminal 11, my publisher's site:
https://liminal11.com/2020/07/08/introducing-soul-color/
Please forgive the American spelling of "Color". It will be available here in the UK as well as in America but we aren't doing two separate covers with separate spellings: a ‘house style’ decision I have been told, appropriate for an international, yet small, publisher. It’ll be ready to buy from Spring 2021.
2. Archetypal images for troubling times:
Have a read of my take on archetypal images for troubling times. Find it here at my publisher Liminal 11’s blogsite:
https://liminal11.com/2020/05/18/tarot-for-hard-times/
JULY News 2020
INTRODUCING my forthcoming book, “SOUL COLOR”
COMING SPRING 2021: SOUL COLOR IS MY TEN-WEEK WATERCOLOR PAINTING COURSE TO CULTIVATE MINDFULNESS AND CREATIVITY.
Here’s what my publisher, Liminal 11, says about it: (See https://liminal11.com/2020/07/08/introducing-soul-color/ )
“We are delighted to unveil Emma Burleigh’s Soul Color! This beautiful book will teach you how to enjoy watercolour painting as a contemplative practice for self-discovery.
Emma Burleigh is an award-winning comics artist, a painter and an art teacher with a passion for the vibrant, glowing and mercurial qualities of watercolour. She has more than 15 years’ experience teaching classes and workshops that explore how art can support mindfulness, insight and well being.
SOUL COLOR IN EMMA’S OWN WORDS:
Soul Color comes from my own personal journey with art. It’s a journey that’s involved ups and downs, twists and turns, times of exciting progress and some very long stretches of creative block. I was stuck in a rut for much of my early adult life, and it wasn’t until I turned to meditation as a stressed out school teacher in my mid-twenties that I rediscovered the feeling of freedom that drawing and painting had given me as a child.
Ironically, I’d been an art teacher for years but had lost the capacity to make my own art work. I could teach techniques easily enough, but I had lost touch with the more soulful part of me that longed to express something deeper. It took many more years before I was able to begin painting from own my personal depths, but over time meditation led me back there.
Mindfulness and spiritual practices inevitably led me to face my deepest longings and my buried fears. And I both feared and longed to paint.
A watercolour piece by one of Emma’s course participants (Ed Burleigh)
What is that feeling that art gave me as a child?
You may also recall it: drawing stuff just ‘because’, having no idea what will arise on the page, making it up as you go along, becoming totally absorbed, until you have no sense of time passing, completely relaxed and in the moment. This can happen whether you are drawing from imagination or from observation.
The brilliant writer and art teacher, Betty Edwards, calls it being in ‘the right side of the brain’, by which she means we’re operating from the creative hemisphere… Others call it being in the zone, in a flow state, in mindful concentration, in creative absorbtion, or in deep play…
What will you learn to do?
You will learn painting exercises that develop your capacity for mindfulness, self care and self insight.
You will develop your skills in watercolour and nurture your creativity.
You will explore deeper reserves of heart, and passion, and creativity within yourself. You will find a path to connecting more deeply with your mind, body and soul.
You will also be encouraged to make terrible successes and wonderful failures!
Apparently Carl Jung used to greet people with the question “So tell me, have you had any terrible successes or wonderful failures lately?
Perhaps this isn’t something I should share about my practice, but most of my favourite pieces of work happened by accident! Watercolour can surprise and suggest imagery to me that I could never have consciously thought up and created by myself. This book encourages you to give yourself permission to make ‘wonderful failures’, to let go of attachment to outcomes, and to open up to the unexpected!
Soul Color isn’t a traditional ‘how to’ book.
This book is the outcome of several years of research, trial and error with students and friends who’ve come to my classes to explore this territory with me. Thanks to them, I’ve learned a lot that I’d like to share with you.
This book isn’t a traditional ‘how to’ book. Although there will be explanation of the techniques I consider essential for using watercolour, the emphasis falls on how to enjoy watercolour painting as a contemplative practice for greater self-discovery. “
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TEN-WEEK COURSE?
Week 1: Getting Started (can be hard to do!)
Week 2: “Wonderful Failures and Terrible Successes” (the three things you need to know about watercolor)
Week 3: The Beauty of Everyday Gestures
Week 4: Plunge into Colour
Week 5: Inner and Outer Space
Week 6: Selves, Real and Imaginal
Week 7: Relationships
Week 8: Interior Landscapes
Week 9: Dreams, Demons, Daemons and the Divine
Week 10: Ending … and Beginning Again
*
Soul Color will be available from all good bookshops and the Liminal 11 webshop in spring 2021! Sign up to Liminal’s newsletter for updates.
Other news:
My Funding application was successful - a free online watercolour module will be coming soon from me, via the RWA website!
I was excited to be able to help the RWA with their secret postcard auction in June: my ‘Otter’ painting raised £580 for the Art Gallery and Drawing School.
Prints are available too for £25 at A4 or £35 at A3.
My workshops schedule remains somewhat inactive at the moment although I did teach a socially distanced class of just 6 people at the RWA in “Expressive Watercolour” this month. Lots of fun!
I hope to pick up the reins again with workshops come Autumn. Meanwhile I am mainly focused on my own practice, experimenting and developing and creating Art, along with finishing the writing of my book, ‘Soul Colour’, for my publisher to collect in August.
Financially, as a self employed artist-teacher, these are tough times. I’m mainly earning a living from sales of paintings, prints and illustrations. I just completed a great little illustration job for Pukka teas. If you need a painting or a print for your home or business, or an illustration or logo for your project, do get in touch! Feel free to have a browse of my website as many works there are available as prints or as original watercolours..
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May/ June 2020:
Hi Everyone,
I hope that you are all doing OK right now. I hope that you are surviving or even thriving during lockdown. I really feel for you if you're struggling at the moment: it's certainly not an easy time for many.
I've been keeping busy working on my forthcoming book, "Soul Colour", which will be a 10 week watercolour course guide for mindfulness and creativity. It’ll be published by Liminal 11 in Spring 2021, all being well.
AND I want to let you know that I've written a blog that includes a free downloadable 'activity pack' of watercolour exercises you could do at home if you're in need of a bit of gentle guidance. It will give you a little taste of how the book is likely to end up looking, too.
You can find it here on my publisher's site:
https://liminal11.com/2020/04/27/watercolour-for-self-care/
Workshops in real space are suspended until the end of lockdown, but you can browse what may yet still happen at future dates TBC, listed below at the bottom of this page.
Also, I am hoping to develop a short online course in Mindful Art Journalling, subject to receiving some funding I’ve applied for: details to follow soon if I’m successful in my bid!
Finally I've been doing a bit of illustration work including designing a logo (below) for a therapist friend's website. If you'd like any logos or illustrations for your website or to use in your printed materials, do get in touch.
logo design for Reza Ahmad Psychotherapy
with warm wishes,
Emma
P.S. Here follows news of the art workshops and events I would have been holding and may yet still hold in the summer or autumn of 2020.
‘Plunge into Watercolour’ at The Wild Goose Space, St Werburgh’s, Bristol. 10 - 4 pm, £60/50
Mindful Art Journalling with Amy Shiner at the Barley Wood Walled Garden, Wrington. 10 - 4 pm £60/50
June 7th: Immersive Watercolour at The Wild Goose Space, St Werburgh’s, Bristol. 10 - 4 pm £60/50
June 20th and 21st: Experimental Watercolour at the RWA (Royal West Academy Drawing School): 2 days £125
All are suitable for beginners and for more experienced artists looking for some fresh approaches to shake up their practice.
To Book: email me at emmaburleigh1977@yahoo.co.uk or message me via the contact tab.
To Book the RWA course: visit https://shop.rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-workshop/products/new-atmospheric-watercolour
Here are also some dates for Autumn/Winter 2020-21 Watercolour Workshops to put in your diary:
Sundays 10am - 4pm in Autumn 2020:
Octo 25th
Nov 15th
Sundays in 2021:
Jan 31st
Feb 21st
March 21st
April 4th
May 23rd
Sept 12th
Octo 17th
Nov 28th
...and finally Jan 23rd 2022
These workshops will all take place at The Wild Goose Space, St Werburgh’s, Bristol
