Featherstone Flowers Christmas Fair

We don’t take our tea towels and fabrics on many outings, but the one we wouldn’t miss is the Featherstone English Flowers Christmas fair.

You couldn’t wish for a lovelier location or kinder hosts and we spent the whole weekend chatting to flower lovers and small business supporters.

A great time was had by one and all.

The magical tythe barn that has hosted two King Charles’ and graces the Hampshire landscape is used throughout the year by Katie and Jess for flower arranging workshops, summer events and pick your own flower days. To find out more follow the link: Featherstone English Flower Company.

Art safari staying in the gorgeous Gambledown Farm glamping tents

What could be lovelier than to take a few days out of a busy life in the beautiful Test Valley to paint, walk and sleep under canvas.

Together with Gambledown Farm, we’re offering a mid-week painting workshop with guided walks and a chance to unwind, eat good food and spend two nights in Gambledown Farm’s beautiful fully furnished safari tents.

The art safari is being hosted on this gorgeous farm, deep in the Hampshire hills and the painting workshops and walks will be guided by me, Katy McIntyre-Brown, botanical artist and textile designer.  I’ve been painting and teaching for twenty years now, my botanical fabrics fly all over the world and have been featured in national magazines.  I’m also proudly an artist in residence and designer for Horatio’s Garden, national garden charity.

Over the safari workshop sessions you’ll have the chance to learn useful top tips while being taught or brushing up on the foundations of botanical painting.

If you’d like to join us, the group will be small so you’ll have plenty of opportunity for one to one tuition, and we’ll be providing your meals and one or two guided walks depending on the weather.  All art materials will be provided so all you’ll need to bring is yourselves, some walking boots (optional!) and an overnight bag.

I’ve taught all ages and levels of experience, and will always delighted to give tips and advice however creatively confident you are or aren’t, and you are free to take part or not in joint activities as you choose.

The art safari costs £325 to £425, depending on tent occupancy and activities include:

·      Two painting workshops, in the morning and afternoon of the Wednesday 7th June

·      Dinner on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th June

·      Breakfasts hampers delivered to your tent containing local produce and eggs from the farm

·      One or more walking safaris around the stunning Test Valley countryside, depending on the weather

·      The chance to wander the woodland walks that surround Gambledown and meet the many and various animals that live on the farm

·      The opportunity to choose one of your paintings for scanning and from which I will create an original linen tea towel for you

Safari tents, with kitchens and ensuite bathrooms, can be booked exclusively or up to three visitors sharing.

 To see more details and to book one of only six places, please click on the links below, call 07713 979809.

English country garden mural

After many weeks of concentrated painting, this gorgeous English country garden mural is finally finished and looking truly wonderful.

Working with the garden designer, we layered paintings of the plants and flowers that will be surrounding this beautiful country house and will be viewed through the windows of the entrance hall.

Here’s a short walk through the mural, and to see some close up images of the mural details follow this link to my instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/katymcbrown/

Katy