Online snowdrop watercolour tutorial raises funds for Hospice UK

Artist Claire Warner and Treetops Newbury are supporting the National Garden Scheme’s Snowdrop Festival 2023 by raising money for Hospice UK with an online snowdrop watercolour workshop.

Claire Warner has exhibited and sold her paintings at Welford Park snowdrop garden openings for more than 10 years. Treetops and Claire Warner have been running art classes in Newbury for 18 years and snowdrops has been one of the most popular classes.

In the hour-long video tutorial suitable for all levels, Claire teaches everything you need to know about painting snowdrops in watercolour. Learn how to sketch the placement of the snowdrops, mix and use the paints, apply washes and masking fluid, as well as techniques to create a mid-ground, foreground, background, shadows and detail.

The tutorial costs £15 with £10 from every purchase donated to Hospice UK – £1,000 has already been raised. It will be sent to your email for you to watch and work through at your own pace. There is also a Snowdrops Materials Box available to buy from Treetops’ online shop.

Emily Storey from Treetops says: “We are very happy to join with the National Garden Scheme to raise funds for Hospice UK and celebrate the beautiful snowdrop.

“We are fortunate to have Welford Park near us and it is a joy to visit it during the Snowdrop Festival.”

Since Covid, Emily, Claire and their team have created online workshops for those wanting to paint at home, in a variety of subjects such as Spring Blossom, Waves in Cornwall and a Beginners Watercolour Workshop. Easy to follow, they come with images of the stages, paint chart and materials list.

The National Garden Scheme’s Snowdrop Festival starts this month, where 110 gardens are open throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A list is available at www.ngs.org.uk/snowdrops/The National Garden Scheme have donated over £65m to nursing and health charities with Hospice UK being one of their main beneficiaries, receiving £6.5 million since 1996. Chief executive of the National Garden Scheme George Plumptre, says “Snowdrops are the perfect antidote to the winter blues and spending an afternoon at one of our 100 Snowdrop Festival gardens is the perfect release at an often gloomy time of year”.

Treetops

Treetops is a place to relax and be inspired, hidden on the outskirts of Newbury. It is a family home owned by the Storey family, set within three acres of quiet and peaceful gardens adjoining open countryside and woodland, providing a perfect get away. They run small classes in art and wellbeing, with full and half-day retreats inclusive of materials and equipment as well as delicious meals. Art classes at Treetops are taught by Claire Warner, in small groups of no more than 10 students so that everyone receives plenty of attention. All materials are provided as well as a two-course lunch, a glass of wine and refreshments throughout the day.

Claire teaches in a step-by-step style, demonstrating each stage of the picture so that participants will have a finished painting to take home.

Classes are suitable for all levels, but there is a beginners/refreshers watercolour class for those who would like to have a more in-depth introduction.

They also run other art classes such as oils, pen and wash, mixed media and acrylics, covering many subjects such as landscapes, seascapes, flowers, seasonal topics such as bluebells, spring blossom and autumn or winter scenes.

www.treetops-newbury.co.uk

Further Information: ngs.org.uk Contact: vicky@ngs.org.ukwww.treetops-newbury.co.uk Contact: emily@treetops-newbury.co.uk

https://ngs.org.uk/online-workshop-snowdrops-in-watercolour/

https://www.treetops-newbury.co.uk/product-page/online-workshop-snowdrops-watercolour

https://www.treetops-newbury.co.uk/product-page/snowdrops-watercolour-material-box

hospiceuk.org Hospice UK is the national charity for hospice and end of life care. They work to ensure everyone affected by death, dying and bereavement gets the care and support they need, when they need it. Contact: Kate Redding

https://www.welfordpark.co.uk/ Contact Deborah Puxley

Fun Facts about Snowdrops from NGS:

• Snowdrop, Galanthus, Milk Flower describe these tiny white flowers.

• A single galanthus placates ‘Golden Fleexe’ sold for £1,390 on Ebay in 2015!

• Rare snowdrop varieties are not usually easy to propagate hence the hefty price tag per bulb.

• There are more than 2.500 varieties of snowdrop.

• They are symbolic of spring, purity and religion.

• Snowdrops are tough little plants, adapted to pierce through snow and survive the cold. The tips of their leaves are especially hardened for breaking through frozen ground and their sap contains a form of antifreeze that prevents ice crystals from forming.

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