Book and Join a Workshop in 2026
Beginners Watercolour Classes
at the studio and alternative venue:-
Ifold studio, Chalk Road, Loxwood, West Sussex
- All abilities welcome. Friendly
- Learn the key watercolour
- Pen and ink techniques
- Composition, mixing colours, layering tips, advice on painting flowers and illustrations
Welcome to book into one class or more
Beginners Watercolour Classes 2026
by Artist Mandy McKenna
Tel.07958404969 Email: info@firingearth.co.uk
Beginner Watercolour Classes – Step into a world of colour, nature, and creative fun with our beginner-friendly watercolour classes! Over seven playful sessions, you’ll paint cozy birdhouses dusted with fresh snow, wide frosty winter fields with grazing sheep, cheerful carpets of spring flowers, and sun-dappled lime-green woodland scenes. You’ll explore charming country house gardens, rustic vegetable plots bursting with leafy greens and ripening produce, and delicate climbing sweet peas with curling tendrils and soft pastel petals. Each class is designed for beginners, with easy techniques like soft washes, gentle layering, colour mixing, and expressive brushwork, pen and ink out lining, and watch your paintings come to life. Perfect for anyone who loves nature, wants a creative escape, or just wants to have fun with watercolour!
Week 1. Bird House in the Snow - Step into a peaceful winter wonderland as we paint a charming little bird house, with garden birds, dusted with fresh snow. A cosy winter scene focusing on soft washes, snowy textures, gentle cool tones. A peaceful winter scene perfect for beginners. In this class, you’ll learn how to paint soft snowy textures, simple wooden structure bird house, and gentle cool-toned shadows. We’ll explore easy techniques like wet-on-wet washes and controlled layering to create a cosy bird house surrounded by fresh snowfall. Adding pen and ink to highlight. Ideal for building confidence with winter palettes and atmospheric effects.
Week 2. Fields of the Winter Countryside - Capture the calm and quiet beauty of wide winter fields. This relaxing session guides you through creating frosty textures, distant horizons, and atmosphere skies with easy confidence-building techniques. Discover how to capture the quiet beauty of wide, frosty fields with sheep and cattle grazing. This session focuses on creating distant horizons, muted winter colours, and delicate details that bring depth to a landscape. You’ll practise blending cool tones, adding subtle textures, and using brushwork to suggest trees, rolling land, and crisp winter air. A calm and meditative project for new painters.
Week 3. Carpet of Spring Flowers - Celebrate spring with a joyful burst of colour. Explore loose, expressive brushstrokes and playful techniques as we paint a vibrant meadow of bluebells and spring flowers A joyful introduction to colourful, loose watercolour techniques. Learn how to paint clusters of blossoms with simple brushstrokes, create vibrant spring hues, and build soft backgrounds that let the flowers shine. Perfect for beginners wanting to explore colour mixing, expressive mark-making, and fresh, lively painting styles.
Week 4. Lime-Green Colours in Sunlight - Experience the magic of fresh woodland light. In this uplifting session This class celebrates the glowing greens of early Spring, leading into summer. You’ll learn how to mix luminous greens, use layering to suggest sunlight filtering through leaves, and create a sense of warmth and movement. Ideal for learners curious about colour temperature, glazing, and capturing light in a natural scene.
Week 5. House Gardens - A gentle introduction to painting charming garden scenes filled with paths, plants, and peaceful architecture. We’ll break down the painting into simple shapes, soft washes, and approachable details. You’ll practise creating depth with foreground and background elements, and learn to suggest flowers and foliage without overworking your painting.
Week 6. The Beauty of the Vegetable Plots - How delightful everyday nature can the transform into fresh expressive watercolour. Celebrate the rustic charm of a thriving vegetable garden! From leafy greens to ripening produce, discover Celebrate the earthy colours of a kitchen garden. This beginner-friendly session teaches you to paint leafy textures, warm soil tones, and the simple shapes of vegetables and garden beds. You’ll explore playful techniques to suggest variety and abundance—perfect for those who enjoy nature, gardening, or rustic outdoor scenes.
Week 7. Sweet Pea Climbers - A delicate and graceful subject ideal for learning gentle watercolour strokes. You’ll discover how to paint curling tendrils, translucent petals, and harmonious pastel colour palettes. This class helps beginners gain confidence with fine lines, soft shading, and capturing the elegance of vertical climbing plants.
Clay Workshops for Children
After school sessions
Book Monday - Friday 4.00pm - 5.00pm
10.30 - 11.30am/2.30 - 3.30pm for School Hols
Contact the studio for details
*Please Note -Structured Workshops for Children - A parent or guardian is required to stay at the studio, in an area to sit and watch the children`s workshop or sit quietly and enjoy the studio garden with a cup of complimentary tea/coffees - WI-FI available
Clay Pinch Pots
Join me in making a pinch pot. Add a themed. Use of the stamp and clay hand tools for printing. Clear glazed and fired. return to collect from the studio .
Duration: 2 hrs - 2 - 6
Cost - £55.00pp Materials and firing included
Meet Artist Mandy McKenna
Commissions for Bespoke Artwork & Designs by Mandy McKenna - Celebrate your special moments with one-of-a-kind, hand-painted pottery and artwork by Mandy McKenna. Whether it’s a wedding, anniversary, retirement, or any milestone occasion, Mandy offers unique and personalized designs to create lasting memories.
Bespoke Pottery Commissions: - Commission Plates: Celebrate any special occasion with a hand-painted ceramic plate. Whether it's a wedding, christening, birthday, anniversary, or retirement, these custom plates serve as a beautiful keepsake.
Wedding Favours: Heart-Shaped Ceramic Wedding Favours: Individually hand-painted heart-shaped ceramic pieces can be used as wedding favours to decorate your tables, tie around napkins, or create a unique bunting display.
Bridesmaid Gifts: Personalized hand-painted ceramics to thank your bridesmaids in a memorable way.
Wedding Bouquet Keepsakes:
Wedding Flower Bouquet Imprint Clay Plaques:- Bring in a few flowers from your wedding bouquet, and I will create a beautiful, personalized clay keepsake plaque to remember your special day.
Hen and or Wedding Party Favours:- I create clay hearts that your guests can paint during the hen party. These painted hearts can be used to decorate a memory tree at your wedding, with guests writing messages on the back or as place settings , wrapped around the napkin You can also turn these hearts into bunting to display in your new home.
Personalized Plates:
Create a unique “Thank You,” “Farewell,” “Good Luck,” or “Retirement Plate” for your loved ones.
I can also transfer and hand-paint children's original artwork onto a variety of ceramic shapes, turning their creations into lasting keepsakes.
Signature Wedding Plates and Wedding Favours can be designed & Handmade & Hand painted to match your Wedding Theme - Wedding plate designs need to be discussed at an arranged appointment so we can ensure we use the correct style and colour for you. Messages from family and friends can be collected in a book on your Wedding Day and we can transfer them on to your Wedding plate with your chosen design. A selection of large plates and platters are available to choose from Don't know what you want! Don't worry, I have lots of ideas!
View the Gallery
Hand Building Clay Tiles
Imprint clay, by pressing real flowers, leaves and foliage from the studio garden
or bring from your own garden
Adults £95.00 PP Class Duration - 4 hours
Class 1.Split workshop 2 hours printing/cutting tiles Class 2 - Return for painting fired tiles
Book for 1 - 4 people All materials included and glazing and firing * Tea and coffee provided
Adult Class - Making Clay Poppies
For beginners
Adults 2 - 4 people per class Price - £95.00 PP
Class Duration - 4 hour split class into
two sessions, making , then painting
Part One - Learn the techniques to make clay POPPIES. Moulding the clay to make petals, buds & leaves. Learning how to construct clay petals into poppies
Part Two - Returning to the studio at another date and learning how to paint your fired clay poppies with ceramic colourful paints. Includes all materials Glazing/Firing Tea and Coffee
Calling all Businesses!
Adult Creative Team-Building Workshops for Companies and Fundraising for Charity Groups
Transform your team’s dynamics with a unique and memorable creative experience. Our guided pottery painting, floral watercolour, and floral acrylic painting sessions offer a fun and relaxing way to build stronger relationships, unwind, express creativity – all while enjoying quality time outside the office
Event Details:- Duration: 2 hour sessions
Group Size: 6 to 30 adults
Perfect for small teams or larger groups.
Location: Firing Earth brings all the materials and equipment directly to your venue, so you can focus on enjoying the experience
*****.
Creative Activities:
- Pottery Painting:- Participants will explore their creativity by painting pre-made pottery pieces. It’s a calm, hands-on activity that allows individuals to express themselves while creating a lasting keepsake. There will be plenty of guidance and ideas for everyone - Mugs or side plates are ideal
- Floral Watercolour Painting:- In this beginner-friendly session, participants will learn to create delicate floral designs using watercolour. Activity promotes mindfulness and relaxation, allows your team to focus without pressure
- Floral, Abstract and Collage Acrylic Painting:- For a bolder and more vibrant experience, participants will create stunning floral and abstract artworks using acrylic paints and collage. This session is perfect for those new to painting, with step-by-step guidance to ensure success
- Clay Pinch Pots with 3D themes and characters, using studio stamps and clay tools, clear glazed and fired
Why Choose These Workshops?
Team Relationships:
Create deeper connections in a relaxed and fun setting. Stress Relief: A refreshing break from the office with an activity that promotes creativity and mindfulness
A Thoughtful “Thank You”:
Perfect for team appreciation events, allowing your employees to unwind and create something meaningful and have some fun. Beginner-Friendly: No previous art experience required – these workshops are designed for everyone, from first-timers to budding artists
What’s Included:-
All materials and equipment
(pottery, paints, brushes, canvases, etc.)
Professional guidance from an experienced instructor Artist and Designer Mandy McKenna .A fun, stress-free atmosphere that encourages creativity and teamwork. Easy setup and clean up – we handle everything! Running the creative session at your business location or a venue you choose
What`s Not Included:-
Travel costs will be added once venue is booked, once location is booked
Benefits:- Relationship Building:-
Strengthen bonds with colleagues in a relaxed, creative environment.
Quality Time Out from Work: A chance to recharge while doing something enjoyable and rewarding.
Unique Thank-You Gift: Participants leave with their own handmade pottery or artwork, serving as a personal reminder of the experience.
How to Book:
Contact Mandy to book your personalized team-building event. Email info@firingearth.co.uk Tel. 07958404969
Mandy will work with you to schedule a session at your preferred time and venue, taking care of all the details from start to finish.. Ready to help your team bond, relax, and unleash their creativity? Payment is on booking and conforms event
Create an unforgettable experience together
Firing Earth and Mandy McKenna Designs
