Emma Burleigh
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Upcoming Courses & Workshops Summer and Autumn 2026
Stroud
Expressive Painting!
Creative explorations inspired by dreams, nature and imagination
A 6 week course on Friday afternoons (with a drop in option)
1.45 – 4.30 pm, Fridays 30th October to 4th December 2026
Venue: Jackson’s Art (aka Pegasus Art) in Thrupp, Stroud GL5 2AZ
£155 full course or £33 per session (art materials and tea included)
Happy accidents are portals into new ways of seeing! Making a mess is very much encouraged! Come and play with paint, learn new skills, enjoy rich conversations and bask in jewel-like hues. This course is designed to encourage your creative expression through supportive and relaxing exercises, and to develop your confidence to paint expressively and intuitively.
We’ll work in watercolour with some oil painting and mixed media elements. Using the evocative qualities of paint and colour, we’ll explore memories, moods, dreams and visions in this luminous medium. There will be the opportunity to explore oil painting in one session and acrylics in at least one session.
A non-judgemental, friendly place to get to know your own artistic voice, however shy it may currently be. Suitable for beginners, rusty returners to painting, and more experienced artists looking for fresh, imaginative approaches. All art materials will be provided and all the key painting techniques will be taught.
Email me to express interest, ask questions and /or reserve a place: emmaburleigh1977@yahoo.co.uk
Bristol – all at the RWA Drawing School
Watercolour Workshop: Soulful Skies
Saturday 26 September 2026, 10.30am - 4.30pm at the Royal West of England Academy Drawing School, Bristol
From soft orange sunrises to deep Prussian-blue nights, the sky is ever changing and always there for us, offering inspiration and fascination to those who look. Over his lifetime, the artist William Turner filled hundreds of sketchbooks with delicate watercolour studies of cloudy, moody, ethereal and atmospheric skies.
In ancient times the skies foretold the moods of the gods, and from the age of stonehenge to the present day, the sky has always been a stimulus for questions, imaginings, and interpretations.
You will explore the unique qualities of watercolour to convey atmosphere and feeling. You'll experiment with this exquisite medium in combination with a mix of other media and materials to create skies from observation and imagination. Suitable for complete beginners and also for those wishing to consolidate their skills in watercolour or sharpen their powers of observation and imagination.
Art for the Afraid: A Day of Drawing for Beginners
1-day workshop on Sunday 1 November 2026, 10.30am - 3.30pm at the Royal West of England Academy Drawing School, Bristol
Yes, everyone can learn to draw! No special abilities are required! In this one day drawing class for beginners, discover an enjoyable method to learn to draw ‘things that actually look like things’, with your own personal and expressive twist. There will be guided drawing exercises to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain, supporting you to calm down your 'inner critic' and tune into more creativity and intuition. The fundamental skills of drawing will be introduced, and the media covered will include charcoal and ink.
Suitable for beginners.
Expressive Watercolour! A 5 week Course
Thursdays, 2pm - 5pm | 5 weeks - Starts Thursday 5 November 2026 at the Royal West of England Academy Drawing School, Bristol
Happy accidents are portals into new ways of seeing and making a mess is very much encouraged!
Come and play with paint, learn new skills, enjoy rich conversations and bask in jewel-like hues. This workshop is designed to encourage your creative expression through supportive and relaxing exercises, and to develop your confidence to paint expressively and intuitively.
Using the evocative qualities of watercolour, explore memories, moods, dreams and visions in this luminous medium.
A non-judgemental, friendly place to get to know your own artistic voice, however shy it may currently be.
Suitable for beginners, rusty returners to watercolour, and more experienced artists looking for fresh, imaginative approaches.
All art materials will be provided and all the key watercolour techniques will be taught.
Cirencester – New Brewery Arts
Expressive Watercolours Summer School - SOLD OUT
Three days of creative play — exploring colour, mood, and the beauty of “happy accidents.” Paint intuitively, find your artistic voice, and enjoy the jewel-like magic of watercolour.
booking link coming soon
12th - 14th August at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester
Oxfordshire
The Poetry of Nature
Playful, expressive art inspired by the living world
Monthly Drop-In Class - Autumn term dates TBC
£33 per session or £90 for all 3 - art materials, coffee & cake included
Venue: Ascott-u-Wychwood OX7 (precise address given on booking)
A gentle and nourishing morning exploring watercolour and drawing as ways to slow down and reconnect with nature. We’ll observe, sketch, and paint our discoveries in a supportive, friendly space — perfect for beginners and anyone drawn to the beauty of the natural world.
To Book: email me for more info and/or to reserve your place via my website or at: emmaburleigh1977@yahoo.co.uk
About Emma Burleigh - Your Art Tutor
Emma is a professional artist and experienced art educator based in Nailsworth, teaching throughout the Stroud valleys and wider Gloucestershire area. With a PGCE from Oxford Brookes University and 20 years of teaching experience at GCSE and A-Level, Emma specializes in helping students develop confidence in drawing and painting while connecting with nature.
Emma has published course books (Soul Colour and Earth Colour) and regularly leads art workshops and retreats. Her gentle, supportive teaching style creates a welcoming environment where creativity can flourish, whether you're a complete beginner or returning to art after years away.
My Course Books
‘Soul Color’ and ‘Earth Color’ Course-Books
For a little daily inspiration, you could order Soul Color, my watercolour ‘how to’ book, to cultivate mindfulness and creativity through watercolour.
Or why not venture into the beautiful outdoors with Earth Color, my eight week art course for nature connectedness, tucked under your arm!
Click for Earth Color at £12.99 on the following links: Eastgate Bookshop, Amazon, or Liminal 11.
For Soul Color at £11.99 click on indy bookshops, on Amazon, or Liminal 11
Or you can find/order both books from literally any bookshop of your choice, anywhere in the UK, USA or Canada.
Video Courses
‘Access Art’ Video Course for Kids
Three watercolour activities I offer that are suitable for any child aged 6 or older, or for the inner child of anyone aged up to 106 or older, free and with subtitles: Available here.
‘Watercolour for Wellbeing’ Video Course
I’ve put a few homemade video courses up for free on youtube, they’re a bit basic as video-editing isn’t my main skill but you can find them here!
Testimonials
Thank you so much for today. Your session was an absolutely perfect fit for the afternoon - offering space both to relax and connect with others, and to connect more deeply inwards. People were really moved by the work, and you have such a light touch in your facilitation, it was a pleasure to have you.
Naomi at Murmuration Community Therapy
Emma has been my art tutor for the past year. During this time she has nurtured my fragile confidence and enabled it to evolve into my own artistic voice, allowing me to find my full expression whilst also helping me to stay grounded in basic technique and method. Throughout this time she has been patient, kind and encouraging. She has overseen my transition from drawing to working with colour/paints and clearly has a great depth of experience and knowledge in the use of both. Emma has challenged me where I’ve needed it but has always remained supportive when I found myself frustrated with my own abilities. She has been very helpful in developing my sense of experimentation whilst at the same time continually suggesting other artists that I might learn from. Emma has always been happy to answer my constant questions and we have had many inspiring discussions about art, artists and the artistic process. At the end of the year I felt I had enough confidence to apply for a BA in Art, much of this attributable to Emma's support. I would therefore highly recommend her as a private tutor.
Andrew Moon
I really enjoyed learning Art from Emma. She is gentle and patient in her teaching approach and very encouraging. She taught me important foundation principles and techniques which helped me develop my skills and enabled me to better address some of the technical elements of painting and drawing. She has a wonderful way of working and relating to colour which I found really inspiring. She has also helped me feel more confident in my own work and creativity. I would highly recommend her as a teacher.
Charlotte Johnstone
Photos by Julian Barford, with thanks!
For further endorsements click on the yellow trees below!
Hire me for a class, course or workshop
I love to share my practice and you can find me teaching classes and workshops around Nailsworth, Stroud and Bristol.
I run courses at the Royal West Academy in Bristol with a focus on mindfulness, creativity and self-expression.
I’m also available for private workshops and regularly deliver workshops to schools, businesses, art clubs and community groups.
I have a PGCE in Art and Design from Oxford Brookes University and over a decade of experience teaching Art at GCSE, A level and Key stage three. For several years I was the Head of Art at Didcot Girls' School and Fine Art course Leader for A level at Didcot Sixth Forms, in Oxfordshire.
I offer workshops to businesses, schools, community groups, museums, festivals and other bodies. Clients have included Murmuration Community Therapy, Red Bull, Ovo Energy, Scottish Widows, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Chew Stoke Art Club, Falmouth University, Space for Soul and New Pooles Lodge. I have a flexible approach and regularly work with folks of all ages from under 8 to over 80, including in family & mixed generational groups.
Please do contact me if you’d like to invite me to teach a class or workshop in the Nailsworth and Stroud area for your community group, art club, friends and family, or school, or if you would like to try some private art tuition.
Workshops can be tailored to your interests and needs, so contact me to discuss your ideas, but I specialise in drawing, painting in watercolour, and mixed media (acrylic inks, collage, brusho, gouache, charcoal and more). Themes I offer include:
Expressive Watercolour * Painting & Poetry * Inner and Outer Landscapes * Experimental Watercolour
* Make Colour Sing * Art for Nature Connection * Wild Weather * Soulful Skies
* Painting from Imagination * Intuitive Portraiture * Meditative Drawing and Painting
* Graphic Novels, Comics and zines * Visual Story-telling * Life Drawing: Telling your story through art and words * Mindful Art Journaling
* Art as a Contemplative Practice * Watercolour for Self-Care
Workshops can be built around just about any theme to suit you and can be tied in with a curriculum or business based theme...from creative problem solving and mindful self-resourcing workshops to an exploration of our world, be that plants, trees, birds, insects, wildlife, architecture, dreams, landscape, figures, life stories, portraiture or whatever you have in mind. I also teach life drawing workshops.
Tutoring and Mentoring
I can tutor you or your child to work towards raising your grade at Art GCSE or A Level, or to develop a portfolio for applying to Art College. I'm familiar with most Art and Design, Fine Art and other Art related exam courses and boards, and I work as a moderator for one of the largest GCSE exam boards. I particularly relish helping students to sort out their coursework and liven up their sketchbooks!
I also offer mentoring and tuition for artists and would-be-artists, so get in touch whether you are a beginner looking for help getting started or an experienced artist who needs a bit of support getting through a creative block or a challenging project.
My fees for tutoring are now £55 for 1 hour, £75 for 1.5 hours, and £85 for 2 hours. A 3 hour session is £105. I can tutor you one to one, in pairs or in small groups.
I may be able to travel to you if you live in Bristol or Stroud. All basic Art materials can be included and I am DBS checked.
Feedback
Feedback from my course, “Create a Graphic Short Story”, at the Royal West Academy in Bristol
“Incredibly well structured and stimulating. Packed with fun activities and 'own project time'.”
“The exercises were really very helpful for developing ideas. Good balance of exercises and focused time on a particular story.”
“Great exercises – really stimulated my creativity.”
The teacher was “patient, understanding, warm about showing us how to do things, open to all ideas and approaches. Well paced over the 2 days.”
“Lovely tutor – friendly, expert, helpful, enthusiastic.”
“Emma was so inspiring, really well organised, really varied activities. So well paced and encouraging.”
“Fabulous. Emma is well organised and had loads of great ideas.
“Lots of fun, and inspiring. BEST art workshop I've ever done. ( I have done a lot.)”
Comments from participants at my course "Art for the Afraid: A course in Mindful Drawing"
"A very enjoyable, relaxing and peaceful journey to becoming/discovering the artist within, Changing perceptions and gathering skills"
"A very enjoyable course - my confidence in my drawing skills has grown over the weeks. Looking forward to more courses!"
"My fear upon finishing the course was that I would still feel just as rubbish (about my ability to draw) as when I started: I can proudly say I have done the best drawing of a sheep and of a hand that I could ever imagine!"
"Lovely atmosphere and great support!"
Feedback from participants at my watercolour course on "Exploring Colour"
"Great workshop. I really enjoyed learning about art and exploring with a paintbrush again, something I've not done since primary school!"
"Life doesn't have edges. It's blurry. Exploring colour helps you feel comfortable with this."
"I am as a result of the class more relaxed, feeling more in tune with my creativity, and more confident about creating. Brilliant."
Employer Endorsement from the Royal West of England Academy
Emma is a wonderful tutor to work with. She is very knowledgeable, reliable and thoughtful. We have consistently had great feedback from the students of her classes saying how supported, confident and excited her classes had made them feel.
Sarah Craig, RWA Drawing School Co-ordinator
http://www.rwa.org.uk/drawing-school
Royal West of England Academy, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1PX
You can find details of classes I am teaching here on my website and also…
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(Instagram at emmaburleighartist, and facebook at emmaburleighartist, Twitter @emmaburleigh)
Thanks for reading all the way to here! If you’d like to know even more about me, click on the image below to read many more testimonials and endorsements from students and colleagues!
