On Thursday 1 February, talented artists and friends of Horatio’s Garden Katy McIntyre Brown and Russell Coles hosted a free botanical painting workshop at the Garden Museum in association with Horatio’s Garden.
Both Katy and Russell have previously run similar painting workshops for Horatio’s Garden. Katy is a prolific botanical artist and textile designer, running weekly sessions with patients in Horatio’s Garden South West as the garden’s former artist in residence. Russell is a trained painter who gained a degree in Art from the University of Wales, later rediscovering his passion for art following a spinal injury. He now runs weekly painting workshops in Horatio’s Garden London & South East.
The session at the Garden Museum was part of the museum’s ‘Branch Out’ programme, generously supported by Arts Council England. Other workshops run as part of the programme have included oil pastel drawing and blending your own herbal tea, with sessions on urban birding and hand spun wool still to come.
Katy and Russell’s workshop was a huge success, with a full house of over 30 people coming along to learn how to produce paintings inspired by botanical forms. The session was a drop in, so all levels of confidence and experience attended. The Garden Museum were wonderful hosts, creating a friendly and accessible environment for attendees to explore their creative side.
Speaking of the workshop, Katy said: “Botanical painting workshops at venues like the Garden Museum are a wonderful way of introducing Horatio’s Garden to a new audience.”
We are so grateful to Katy and Russell for spreading the word about Horatio’s Garden, and to everyone who attended the event for making it the success that it was!
More information about the Garden Museum’s ‘Branch Out’ programme and their upcoming workshops can be found here.
