WELCOME BACK !

We are open for bookings and will start our workshop programme on 25 August  

Join us for some inspiring workshops.  Treat yourself to a fun day out and learn a new skill or bring an extra zest to your creativity with some professional input. 

We guarantee that if we have to cancel (Covid related or otherwise) we will offer you alternative dates or a refund

We will be taking a range of                               to keep you safe

We would like to thank all our fantastic customers who have shown such patience and support for our business over the last few months. A big thank you too, to all the inspirational artists who work for us and have been so adaptable during such challenging times

Take a look at just some of our inspiring art and craft workshops - there is something for everyone

Workshops at Cowshed Creatives are based in our two storey traditional Lakeland barn cow shed conversion.  The art studio is a stunning open plan space and there is plenty of room to wander outside and take inspiration from the amazing landscape and environment of the peaceful Kentmere Valley.

Lunch is a tasty two course meal with home baked bread, cake & refreshments.  We finish the day with a cup of tea and a slice of cake

We have parking available on site.  We are keen to share our green ethos and are very aware of our environmental footprint.  If you live nearby and it's possible, why not come by bike.

Workshops by month:

Creative Workshops

August

Capture a Summer Scene in Collage 

Learn a variety of collage techniques to create your own striking summer collage - a seascape, landscape or garden. Enjoy making a set of painted textured papers using a variety of media.  You will use these to cut and assemble the collage.

Working with collage gives you the freedom to explore colour combinations and composition, allowing you to reposition motifs and play with shapes. Create an intimate artwork to keep or give as a gift. 

25 Aug   10 - 4.30

£68  including lunch  

Dry Stone Walling

Enjoy a great day out in the countryside on our Lakeland farm learning traditional dry stone walling skills from an experienced and friendly tutor who will explain the process. You will learn the basic principles; sorting stone, building foundations and helping to construct a section of wall, developing your confidence as you go. A great introduction to the heritage and ancient rural craft of building walls using only the stone in the field, without cement.

26 August   10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

 A creative experience for someone special

- the perfect gift!

Indigo Dye & Shibori Techniques

Shibori is the Japanese art of indigo resist dyeing. In this hands-on workshop you will learn the basics of Shibori inspired folding, binding, clamping and stitching techniques.  Dipped in Indigo, you will create your own stunning patterns on fabric. Try experimenting with over-dying with a second colour if you wish. Create a stash of samples, working up to a Shibori cushion or cotton scarf.  Perfect for the summer!

27 Aug  10 - 4.30

£68 including lunch  

Seaglass Jewellery

The summer is a great time to find your own sea glass, enjoy the subtle colours and create jewellery that is perfect for a summery look.  Discover the properties of sea glass and the techniques involved in drilling, wrapping and setting it to make silver and sea glass jewellery. By the end of the workshop you will have created at least one piece of sea glass and silver jewellery using a range of tools and jewellery making processes. 

29 August   10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch  

September

Hand Applique Miniatures

Spend a relaxing day creating collaged pictures with fabrics and stitch.  The emphasis of the day is to encourage participants to develop their own creative ideas, turning all those hoarded fabric scraps into a miniature work of art using simple hand-stitches, found fabrics and embellishments. Ideal for beginner or those with some experience. 

3rd Sept  10 - 4.30

£68 including lunch

Mosaic in a Day

Join us for a fun and relaxing day learning the art of mosaic.  Create a colourful plaque to hang outside or to decorate a wall indoors, a trivet for those hot pots on your table or brighten up coffee breaks with your own mosaic tray.  You will learn about different materials and how to use mosaic tools, with lots of tips on design and pattern. Treat yourself to a great day out and take home an original mosaic of your own.

6 Sept .  10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch  

Arranging Flowers : 2 in 1 day

Pressed Flowers and a Hand tied Fresh Bouquet

Learn how to select and prepare fresh flowers for pressing throughout the seasons.  In the morning you will perfect this fresh and updated art using a flower press which is yours to keep. An abundance of local pre-pressed flowers, hand-made papers and materials will be available so you can create a range of pressed flower art-work including pictures, cards and gift tags 

After lunch enjoy using local & seasonal flowers to create a stunning bouquet. Learn how to choose materials, consider more unusual ‘ingredients’ and discover how to bring different elements together to achieve a natural look, considering colour, texture and shape.  A great way to celebrate the Lake District! 

8 Sept  10 - 4.30

£70 including lunch  

Introduction to Oil Painting

This workshop is an opportunity to learn a range of oil painting techniques working with simple still life subject matter.  It will cover the basics, such as equipment, surface preparation, colour mixing and painting techniques, allowing beginners to gain confidence and the more experienced to refresh their approaches.       

Image: Student work

Thurs 10 Sept  10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Willow Garden Structures

These beautiful willow structures are the perfect natural addition to the garden providing support for a wide variety of flowering plants and veg; roses, sweet peas, runner beans, peas and miniature squash. Create your own contemporary look using traditional rural crafts skills.  No previous experience is required.

12 Sept  10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Spinner Ring – Silver Jewellery

Come and learn a range of jewellery making techniques in just one workshop. A great opportunity to create a unique and original piece that will give you lots of pleasure to wear or make a great gift for someone special. Suitable for beginners and more experienced makers.

13 Sept 10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Weave your own Fabric

Weave a colourful piece of cloth suitable for a Cafetier Cosy or other small project of your choice. Experiment with pattern, colour and texture and let your imagination run wild!  Depending on your progress, you could also make a matching set of mats. Finish your woven fabric by knotting the ends to create an attractive edge and complete your cafetier cosy with a button and loop or Velcro.

This course is a great introduction to weaving and is suitable for beginners as the table looms will be already set up for you. 

We intend to run follow up courses in 2021

17 Sept. 10 - 4.30

£68  including lunch

Portraiture

A fantastic opportunity to create a portrait of some one special. Work with Sky TV Portrait artist Catherine MacDiarmid and gain expert insight and advice. 

You will explore some different methods of using photographs as source material for portraits, culminating in a final portrait of a loved one or a fellow course member.  Any media can be used for your final portrait and expert advice and individual guidance will be given throughout.

19 Sept    10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch  

Lakeland Landscape - Watercolour & Mixed Media

Enjoy the stunning views of the Kentmere valley and capture the natural beauty of the landscape and the early autumn colour. The day will combine practical painting and drawing exercises in the art studio with opportunities to work directly outdoors focusing on fells and skies.  A great opportunity to develop your watercolour painting skills and explore a variety of mixed media techniques.  

Sun 20 Sept

£70  including lunch

Silver Clay Jewellery

Silver clay is an exciting medium that appeals to both jewellery novices and more experienced craftspeople as it requires little by way of equipment, and responds beautifully to the imagination! This putty-like clay contains tiny particles of silver, water and binders, which is fired on the day, bonding your design into a finished piece of pure silver, ready to take away. Silver clay lends itself to texture, 3D forms and experimentation. It can be rolled, moulded, stamped and will retain fine imprinted detail

22 Sept   10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Bountiful Baskets - 2 day course

Learn a traditional rural craft and make your own timeless round basket with a handle. A course for anyone who likes to use their hands, enjoys the smell and creaking of willow as they work on their woven basket and wants the satisfaction of creating something unique with lots of practical uses. 

This two day course will equip you with the skills to make a truly original basket and provide you with the confidence and ability to work on further baskets at home.  No previous experience required

25-26 Sept   10 - 4.30

£140 including lunch both days

Have you got an old pair of curtains that you love but are no longer in use? Come and learn how to turn them into a bespoke pair of dashing and daring dungarees, designed to fit your shape.  

The course will cover the whole process and you’ll leave with a new or honed vision for creative reuse. In this spirit; second hand materials are highly encouraged, but if you have your eye on a new piece of fabric that’s great too.

27 Sept.   10 - 4.30

£68  including lunch

Wed 30 Sept

October

Abstract Landscape

This workshop will provide an opportunity for people of all abilities to explore drawing and painting without the constraints of it 'looking like something', with artist Catherine MacDiarmid.  Through abstraction comes the ability to learn more about what paint can do.

​

The workshop will explore mark making, composition and tonal / colour balance, as well as different starting points for inspiration, utilising the wonderful surrounding landscape for inspiration

1 October.  10 - 4.30

£70 including lunch  

Raku Pottery – 2 day course

Raku is a really amazing process that includes firing your own pots outside in a custom made ‘open’ kiln to create unique patterns and designs on your pieces. Raku firing is one of the most dramatic and daring ways to fire pottery. It was developed in Japan in the early 1550s by Zen Buddhists to create ceramics for the Japanese tea ceremony.

The first day you will develop hand-building skills to create a range of pots or models.  These will be dried and biscuit fired ready for you to experiment with glazes and oxides the following week.  Chris will guide you through the stages.

On the consecutive Saturday, prepare for an exciting session working with an outdoor kiln with controlled use of fire and smoke!  ‘Raku’ loosely means ‘happiness in the unexpected’.  The effects you can achieve can be stunning. 

3 & 10 Oct   10 - 4.30

£140 including lunch on both days 

Drawing Rural Animals in Mixed Media

Join us on a traditional Lakeland farm to develop the basic drawing skills you need to draw animals confidently and to observe animals in their natural environment. The workshop will cover steps on how to draw animals using simple shapes and lines, the concept of gesture drawing combined with observation and basic animal anatomy.  You will have plenty of opportunities to observe, sketch and photograph animals on the farm and experiment with water-  soluble brush pens.

4 October 10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Texturing Silver / Setting Stones

If you love texture and surface pattern, this one is for you. Using hammers and a rolling mill, we’ll explore the impact of creating textures on sterling silver. If you wish, you can learn to set either a traditional stone or an irregular shaped stone or object into your design too.

Expect to make pendants or earrings that are tactile and unique  This workshop is perfect for complete beginners and those with some experience.

11 October  10 - 4.30

£70  including lunch

Needle Felt Animal inspired by Illustrations

Learn to sculpt a beautiful felt model with felting needles. Using dry felting techniques you will blend your own wool to create subtle colours and learn to model an animal of your choice. Be inspired by a wide range of wonderful illustrations or base your design on a much-loved pet or character you have come across. Join us for a relaxed and sociable day and be amazed by what you create.  No previous experience needed.

16 Oct     10 - 4.30

£68 including lunch  

Stylish Tote Bags

Create a stylish tote bag in a day. With expert step-by-step guidance, you will work from a pattern and learn how to cut out and stitch a beautifully lined bag with a pocket.   Choose from leather or faux leather handles or straps, for a really professional finish.  An extra special gift for someone or enjoy using it your self!

24 October   10 - 4.30

£68  including lunch  

Willow Platter

Learn a traditional rural craft and make your own willow platter. These simple, yet stylish platters are great for displaying  baked bread, cheese and fruit  and make a special gift for friends.
 

This technique uses lots of short sticks, making it an ideal starter project for people interested in gathering hedgerow-material from garden and walks!  No previous experience required.

30 October 10 - 4.30

£70 including lunch  

31 October   10 - 4.30

£68  including lunch  

December

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