Latest reviews

Helen Clarke reviewed: Watercolour painting day - Floral & botanical - with artist Laura Andrew

"Having just completed Laura’s Floral Watercolour course I can honestly say it has changed my opinion of watercolours for life. Laura took the time to find out which style of watercolours suited us. She introduced colour mixing and brush stroke styles and we were soon beginning our first pieces. In the afternoon we each chose a different style and I completed my first watercolour I have been truly proud of. Laura was very generous with her 1-1 time and she was attentive to our needs throughout the day. The equipment and materials provided were professional grade, which gave us the best chance of succeeding. Her art space is the perfect place to learn and I have now signed up to join one of her fortnightly tutorials. Amazing to have such a talented artist and teacher on my doorstop. Thank you for an inspiring day!"

Sue Baty reviewed: Art class for beginners in Harrogate, short course, small class

"I felt a combination of nervous and excited at the start of this beginners art course. The tutor Nicola put as all at ease very quickly. She is very positive and encouraging. Her passion and enthusiasm for her art shine through. I was amazed by how much we all achieved in the the first session. The second session on mark making was great fun and messy! It is a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere and we become totally absorbed in our own efforts. All the materials are provided and each week we have the opportunity to have a go at a different media. It is perfect for beginners. I highly recommend it."

Dawn Dean reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"Really enjoyed this workshop. Jo is a great teacher and the facilities are fantastic. I have no artistic experience at all but the step by step instruction and easy to use materials made it a pleasure and I ended up with something I am very proud of. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Dawn ;-) Your leaping hare was lovely; so glad you enjoyed the workshop!"

Mandy reviewed: Candle making workshops for beginners - St Albans, Hertfordshire

"It was a really friendly course which I attended on my own. It was great to learn a variety of techniques and we made more candles than I thought we would! I definitely can recommend the course, a really relaxing way to spend a morning in a beautiful setting! Thanks!"

Alison Honeyford reviewed: Introduction to Soap Making Workshop with Afternoon Tea in Lincolnshire

"This was a lovely course run by Sharon who was friendly and helpful throughout. All equipment was provided and there were plenty of colours and fragrances to choose from for our soaps. Afternoon tea is a lovely touch while we wait for our soaps to harden. I live in the Cotswolds but attend the course in Lincoln as it was so much better value than ones local to me. I would definitely recommend this course as a great starter to soap making. Sharon also sells kits that you can take home with you with all of the ingredients weighed out which is really helpful. If you're thinking of attending it may be worth talking to Sharon about bringing your own moulds to avoid an over use of plastic."

RuthPage reviewed: Lino Printing Day with Oxford Linocut Workshops

"Great introduction to linocutting! Claire was an excellent teacher with just the right amount of help and advice. Friendly group, lovely setting, tea and cake - what’s not to like? Would highly recommend to anyone thinking of giving this a go!"

Lesley Treadwell reviewed: Hand Spinning For All - Norfolk

"So so so glad that I booked the spinning course with Theresa as a birthday present for my mum and sister. We couldn't have had a better day with her! Theresa has so much patience, knowledge and a genuine, beautiful passion for wool, spinning and her sheep. From the moment we were greeted by James and welcomed into the cosy spinning barn with Theresa and Teddy, I knew it would be a fabulous day. It started with learning the basics of preparing wool, carding our own piece of North Ronaldsey wool and then spinning it into our very own skein in the afternoon. The course was well planned with plenty of time to practice at the spinning wheel. Theresa's delicious Victoria sponge was an added bonus. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone who has an interest in spinning, it's an inspiring experience. We all couldn't stop admiring our skeins! Thank you Theresa x"

The Spinning Barn responded:

"Thank you so very much for your review.I have to admit that I was reduced to tears when I read it as it just sums up exactly why I love teaching these workshops. It was such a pleasure to meet you and your mum and sister. I thought it was such a wonderful way to spend some special time together. I hope that you were inspired to continue spinning to build on the amazing start that you made on Saturday. If I can be of any help you only have to ask. Thank you again x"

barbara torry reviewed: Beginner Pottery Classes at the Corner Workshop

"Intense ,inspirational and fun...and this is just the beginning."

Kate reviewed: Weekend upholstery courses - Oxfordshire & Berkshire Borders

"What a wonderful experience! Many students with more involved projects were returning for their 2nd, 3rd or 4th time. I was able to complete a simple chair in just one weekend. It was very satisfying to go home with a beautiful piece of furniture I’d completed myself. Philip has a huge amount of expertise and a patient and encouraging style of teaching. I highly recommend this course and I fully intend to return again in the future."

Nancy Isherwood reviewed: Blacksmithing Beginners day courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"We had such a brilliant time and can’t wait to get back for another go! The whole team are fantastic and I would recommend this to anyone. Adrian and Andy were excellent teachers - they make it look very easy! The level and amount of work was perfect - challenging but not overwhelming, tough but not knackering. It felt complicated enough to feel proud of our achievements but expertly managed so we didn’t fail. Debby was fantastic too - really helpful and organised when I arranged the bookings, sent through really helpful details before the course, and welcomed us with a cuppa, tasty flapjacks and a smile. Lunch was delicious (and plenty of it!) and there was a fun, relaxed atmosphere all day. Excellent value for money and so much fun!"

Barbara reviewed: Felt Pictures-Painting with fibres - intro to 2D wet felting/felt making

"This was a very ‘hands on’ on course . Well presented with good preparation. Clear instructions with all the equipment needed. Small group made it easy to ask questions and get a quick response. The catering was good and made to feel welcome. Spent a very enjoyable afternoon and learnt a lot. After the course I received an informative PDF, instructions and list of suppliers. Have no hesitation in recommending this course."

Ian Legge reviewed: Beginners Pottery Day Course

"I booked a day course with Mathew for my wife's 40th birthday so she could try her hand at throwing on the wheel. I had used a wheel before and wanted to brush up and get some new skills. Mathew is an accomplished potter and a natural, skilled teacher. In next to no time he had my wife producing some bowls and pots anyone would be proud of. At the same time he was able to cater to my slightly more experienced needs, expanding my knowledge and developing my skills. We both had a truly terrific day, enjoying not only the pottery work but also the hospitality and conversation of Mathew and his family. It was lovely to meet such open minded, kind-hearted and generous people. I will certainly be back for more.....my wife may even insist on coming too with her new found ability! (Ian and Monika)"

Suzanne reviewed: 2-day mosaic workshops in West London

"I attended Sarah's course in October 2019 and loved every minute of it. There were a huge choice of materials to choose from and Sarah's expert guidance was great. Within no time at all I was cutting my own tiles and with Sarah's help assembling them. I chose to make a kitchen trivet which only took 1 day. Other people were attempting more ambitious projects but I liked the fact that I had something ready to take home. The next day I started to make a house number plate and we were allowed to take home enough materials to finish projects at home including the grout. It was also great meeting other people - everyone was very friendly and chatty and it was a really relaxing experience. Sarah is a great teacher and went to great lengths to make sure everyone was happy with their projects. Would recommend."

Sarah Stanley Mosaics responded:

"Thank you so much for such lovely comments Suzanne - I really appreciate them. I am thrilled you enjoyed the course so much - I loved the colours of your trivet and you took such care with the colour selection to match your kitchen I am sure it looks great. Good luck finishing the house number - do send a picture! Thanks again, Sarah."

Sandra Garner reviewed: Needle Felting the Natural World for Complete Beginners

"The day was an eye opener on what you can do in such a short time when you have an excellent teacher. I would recommend it to everyone... Sandra of Stroud"

Siobhan reviewed: Make a silver ring: one-to-one workshop

"What a fantastic experience! I knew I was in safe hands with Ange as she explained each step in detail. She's a great teacher - knowledgeable, patient and encouraging. Came away having learnt so much and with a beautiful stack of 3 rings which I'm thrilled with. A thoroughly rewarding afternoon. Highly recommended!"

Donna O’Reilly reviewed: The art of paper marbling & suminagashi

"Fantastic course and Pippa is such a lovely person and a great teacher. I was so looking forward to learning how to marble and how to address problems that can occur when marbling. I have to say that the day not only met but also exceeded my expectations. We were shown how to Marble, but also how to do Suminagashi. Pippa had obviously planned ahead well and was organised with some lovely surprises on the day that just added a personal touch. Pippa is full of energy, very approachable and answered any questions we posed. The day flew by with us being very hands on, producing various pieces of lovely art work. The course catered for all levels and types of people and I would highly recommend it. It has definitely given me the bug to go home and try and develop my skills further and also look at other courses Pippa runs."

hazel saxelby reviewed: Dye Recycled Materials + Create Mixed Media Embellishments

"This was a wonderful day. Jess shared so many of her own ideas and techniques. She's a brilliant, encouraging and inspiring artist. Since the workshop, I have been experimenting with the materials I created, and have shared the outcomes in my own classroom. I can't wait to learn from Jess again!"

Edward reviewed: Half-day pottery with Marina -for two

"I started going to Mirena’s classes a few of months ago and have been going ever since. I started with no experience and have already made some professional looking pots on the wheel. She is very welcoming and supportive of your individual ideas. I would definitely recommend her."

Marina Randall Ceramics responded:

"Thanks Ed! It's also great for me to try and help you meet your challenges. Some really lovely pots you've designed. Looking forward to the various processes."

Laurence Vinnels reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"I had a voucher bought for last years birthday and after looking through all of the available knife making courses I settled on this one. I am really glad that I did. The combination of brilliant facilities and the great teaching from Arian made the whole experience both really fun, but also a lot easier than I expected; even for a complete novice with most of the techniques used. I thoroughly enjoyed my time making the knife and the finished knife far beats the expectations of what I thought I would be able to create, all thanks to Arians expert guidance. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to try their hand at knife making."

Jackie reviewed: Glass Fusing for beginners

"Another fantastic day at Gigha's glass workshop. This time we did the Xmas Decoration workshop, came away with 5 lovely individual tree decs. The workshop was lovely & warm & filled with Gigha's amazing artistic creations. Gigha is an excellent teacher, patient & very informative. Will definitely be going back for more."

Averil reviewed: Asymmetrical basket making courses - two days with Joe Gregory at Creative with Nature Todmorden Yorkshire

"Brilliant 2 day course, I had only made one basket previously, and was delighted witht the log basket I was able to make over the weekend . Joe is a great teacher, I learned loads, and it has definitely whetted my appetite for more!"

Creative with Nature Ltd responded:

"well done Averil! a great basket you made and good company too. xx"

Liz R reviewed: Learn to sew - zipped and lined bags - Worcestershire

"Excellent workshop, all very clear and well explained"

Jane Ward reviewed: The art of paper marbling & suminagashi

"The marbling day with Pippa was inspiring, informative and fun. Pippa took us through the basics of sumagashi then encouraged us to dive right in, then more demonstration and lots of marbling techniques to try. The mix of demonstration, explanation and hands on practice was perfect. Pippa brought a generous selection of materials and tools, with lovely papers and a rainbow of colours to choose from. And there was cake."

Sue Dowell reviewed: Beginner Pottery Classes at the Corner Workshop

"Julie is a very inspiring teacher and it's thoroughly enjoyable working with clay. Very relaxing couple of hours creating your own masterpieces."

Catherine Taylor reviewed: Felting workshop - foxy fun

"We really enjoyed our course. Mandy led the group expertly and was very patient when attending to my numerous requests for help! Lovely quality products. Good value for money."

Frankie and Sidney responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, it was a pleasure to meet you."