Join our Artist in Residence Atalanta Xanthe for a special series of beginner-friendly seasonal art classes where you'll learn new techniques while creating handcrafted Christmas ornaments. We’ll explore folk traditions from around the world and use them as inspiration to develop basic art skills like sketching and painting. Each session offers the opportunity to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind ornament that you can take home and hang on your tree. Attend one, two, or all three classes—each is self-contained and focuses on a different technique.
Monday, December 9th: William Morris-Inspired Watercolors (England)
Our first class begins with a dive into the world of William Morris, the iconic designer of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Learn the fundamentals of watercolor as we create our own versions of his timeless prints. Using durable, high-quality paper, you’ll produce a piece that can be displayed as a striking ornament or given as a memorable Christmas card.
Tuesday, December 10th: Pisanki Drapane (Slavic Tradition)
On Tuesday, we turn to the rich tradition of Pisanki Drapane, the intricately decorated Easter eggs found in Slavic cultures. In this class, you’ll use traditional scratch techniques, most commonly seen in Poland, to create stunning, detailed egg ornaments. From blowing and dyeing the eggs to scratching the intricate designs and adding finishing touches, you’ll experience the full process of transforming these eggs into beautiful Christmas tree decorations.
Wednesday, December 11th: Kashmiri Papier-Mâché Ornaments (Kashmir)
Our final class takes us to the artistic heart of Kashmir, where we’ll explore their intricate papier-mâché ornament tradition. Starting with pre-made forms, we’ll focus on painting and decorating the pieces with elaborate designs inspired by Kashmiri miniatures. This is a great opportunity to work with color and texture, creating a one-of-a-kind ornament that reflects the vibrant artistic heritage of this region.
This class is suitable for children over the age of ten, if accompanied by an adult.
Each class has a set cost of £15 to cover the specialist materials required.