Class Reflection: Workshop with Kate Hall
To invest in my watercolour journey, I enrolled in a one day workshop with local watercolour artist, Kate Hall.
Her heartfelt style works wonderfully on wedding stationery like invitations and save-the-dates. She is a pro at decorative florals, layout compositions and scenic views with beautiful wedding venues. She hosted a small class in a cosy garden on the outskirts of York. Kate’s introduction was thorough and we were all impressed with her portfolio.
Her class was focused on practicing brush strokes and painting a pansy. We were each given paints, brushes, and a printed worksheet guides. The worksheet was a lifeline for the day with step-by-step guides, colour mixing instructions and even an illustration of how each step should look. The class was set up with Kate demonstrating each step then having us give it a go as we went and Kate nearby for help when needed. The goal was a sense of accomplishment at the end with a full pansy each of us have painted on our own.
Everyone was given a Cotman paint set with thick 350gsm cardstock to work on. There might be a number of reasons why Kate decided on student grade materials as they’re cost effective and help minimize barrier of entry for new hobbyists. I ended up using my artist grade paint and noticed my flower had brighter washes of colour compared to those around me. I wasn’t the happiest with my washes or layering and found the paper frustrating, but I gave it my best!
Overall, I enjoyed this class. I found Kate kind and engaging, especially when students started asking for help. She made sure everyone was ready to move onto the next step before doing the next demonstration. I found her pamphlet a life saver because I was still learning about colour theory and mixes. Each student was sent home with another pamphlet along with paper to work on another flower at home. I found this incredibly thoughtful!
For my first workshop, it was a unique opportunity to see how someone might teach and engage with a small class of beginners new to painting! I would definitely recommend this to those interested in trying a new hobby.
