New adult art classes in the community to whet your palette

Gerald Porter and Nadine Platt, from Northampton are setting up workshops in March and April this year, after recognizing a gap in the market for community-based creative adult education courses.

Gerald said: “Following the pandemic there has been has a noticeable reduction in the county’s provisions for such classes. While some have moved on-line, it’s often beneficial to teach art in-person.

Our workshops are designed to not only bring people together with a creative focus, but also to help them learn new skills in a supportive environment.

We will be providing all necessary materials, the paper, the paints and some expert teaching into the mix.

People attending the workshops will have the opportunity to learn a variety of artistic skills including those in watercolour, acrylic, oils and modern printing techniques.

Gerald added: “We will be offering some instruction and demonstrating artistic skills to facilitate learning.

It’s common for individuals who haven’t picked up a paintbrush since they left school to discover untapped creative potential.

At a time when society is increasingly driven by digital interaction, I believe it would be highly beneficial to counteract this trend through social interaction through art.

A cup of tea or coffee won’t be out of the question either”, he added.

The initiative will kick off with two five-week courses, one at the Abington Bowls club in April and another at Wellingborough Museum starting in March 2024. These courses will accommodate both beginners and those at advanced levels.

Gerald has had a long career in teaching; formerly Director of Studies at the University of Leicester, he has trained tutors at Northampton college. He trained in art at the Newport College of Art and at Northampton School of Art.

Artist and educator Nadine Platt brings a wealth of experience in art to the table; since graduating in art from the University of Northampton, she has combined running an art gallery with teaching classical principles of art together with modern techniques for more than 20 years.

Both artists will be holding a joint exhibition at 78 Derngate Museum in July.

For details of all the summer art workshops contact Gerald Porter on 07587 695052 or Nadine Platt on: 07305 326308.