Workshops in the Studio

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Join our high quality workshops.

Grow your skills and nurture your creativity in our beautiful space.

When you attend our full day workshops most materials are included. This makes it easy for you to come along and enjoy the day. Our workshops and classes are held in the comfort of our air-conditioned Studio. 

Scroll down for upcoming classes and workshops.

To book a workshop or class.

Please email

cowpergallery@gmail.com

with your full name, a contact number and class or workshop choice.

One Day Workshops in the Studio

Registration and payment for our workshops occurs in two parts.

Following your expression of interest via email in one of our workshops you will be added to our list for your chosen workshop and this will be acknowledged via return email. Your place in the workshop is reserved for you at this point.

When we have enough numbers to run a workshop, or a workshop is sold out, an email with an invoice for payment in full, information on how to pay, and other details pertaining to your chosen workshop, will be sent to you. Please do not make any payment until you have received an invoice as it is only at that point, that we can confirm a workshop will run.

Workshops

We are continuing to plan workshops for the remainder of our 2025 workshop program.

Keep your eye out here for more workshops as we add them to our program.

  • workshops

    Sunday 29th June - The Art of Making Folded Books with Kerrie Bowles

    Note – the date of this workshop has changed from Saturday 28th to Sunday 29th June.

    Whether making a simple concertina book or constructing something more intricate, this workshop is all about bookbinding that only requires folding. No stitching, no difficult mechanisms and no expensive or complicated equipment. Just folding paper to make beautiful books that can be used for drawing, painting, nature journaling, collaging or recording your life story.

    Join Kerrie and explore the many and varied book forms that can be made with a piece (or pieces) of paper. We’ll begin the day making simple book forms and slowly build our knowledge to develop more intricate forms to take our books to a whole new level. We’ll look at papers to select and use, how to create covers, simple tools and their alternatives, plus a whole lot more. We’ll use a variety of beautiful papers for our books and covers to create a small collection of handmade books for you to take home at the end of the day.

    Please note – there is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $140.00 includes morning tea. There is a $10.00 materials fee for this workshop – this is payable on the day of the workshop, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm 

    SPOTS AVAILABLE – GET IN TOUCH NOW

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    Saturday 5th July - Watercolour: Light, Bright and Fresh with Harry Westera

    Light, Bright and Fresh are natural qualities of the translucent, flowing medium of watercolour painting. But sometimes our tones and colours can look muddy and overworked, washed out or too dark.

    In this one-day workshop focusing on watercolour landscape painting, we will investigate the processes, techniques, colours and mindset which help make our paintings look cleaner, clearer and livelier. We will work to better express the vitality and beauty of this versatile medium.

    Suitable for all levels of experience.

    Please note – there is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $150.00 includes morning tea. There is a $15.00 materials fee for this workshop – this is payable on the day of the workshop, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm 

    JUST 3 SPOTS LEFT – get in touch today!

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    Saturday 19th July - Exploring Drawing with Mixed Media with Kerrie Bowles

    During 2024 Kerrie challenged herself to draw every day of the year focusing on both a personal project exploring one theme for each month of the year; along with many other drawings created along the way in online challenges and just for the fun of drawing.

    Join Kerrie for this workshop where she will share what she discovered over 365 days of drawing (plus a lifetime before!), along with helping you to explore a variety of drawing techniques and media. We’ll begin by looking at the basics of drawing, explore how to combine various wet and dry media in our drawings, try out some exercises to loosen up and hone our drawing skills, and have a whole lot of fun along the way!  We’ll be creating drawings using a variety of subject matter and themes, so compare prepared to try something new, take risks and learn some of the secrets of how to develop your drawing skills.

    Please note – there is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $140.00 includes morning tea. There is a $15.00 materials fee for this workshop – this is payable on the day of the workshop, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm 

    SOLD OUT

    Due to the interest in this workshop I’m considering running a second workshop on Sunday 20th July – get in touch now if you’d like to join me on that date!

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    Saturday 2nd August - Raffia Baskets with Kerrie Bowles

    Basketmaking is a craft that has been practiced around the world for centuries in virtually every country. Initially made as utilitarian objects to carry food and essential needs for survival, store goods, belongings and so on, baskets have also now become works of art and expression. In this workshop Kerrie will be teaching making coiled baskets with raffia. We will also look at how we can incorporate snippets of other recycled materials to create lovely vessels with colour and texture. We will look at how to start a basket, how to construct different shapes using the coiling method, how to build your basket form and finishing off and completing your basket. Join Kerrie for a relaxing and meditative day as you learn this gentle and addictive craft!

    Please note – there is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $140.00 includes morning tea. There is a $10.00 materials fee for this workshop – this is payable on the day of the workshop, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm 

    SPOTS AVAILABLE – GET IN TOUCH NOW

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    Saturday 9th August & Saturday 16th August - Landscapes in Oils with Harry Westera

    Held over two Saturdays, this workshop with artist Harry Westera, focuses on creating a series of landscapes using oil paints. You will create a series of small, simplified oil paintings: a beach scene, hills rolling into the distance, a winding river, a townscape, a grove of trees and more. You will learn to capture the soft light of morning and of the hot midday sun and evoke the misty atmosphere of a rainy day.

    Develop basic oil painting techniques. Learn to mix any colour and create harmonious colour schemes in your work. Develop a simplified, step-by-step method to paint your realistic landscape scenes. Suitable for all levels of experience.

    Everything is provided: paint, canvas, brushes, easels, reference images etc.  And no cleaning up at the end of the day!

    Please note – this workshop is held over two Saturdays and students attend both days. There is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $300.00 includes morning tea. There is a $30.00 materials fee for this workshop which covers both days – this is payable on the first day of the workshops, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm each day

    JUST ONE SPOT LEFT – get in touch now!

  • workshops

    Saturday 6th September - Mood and Emotion in Watercolour with Harry Westera

    Join Harry for his second watercolour workshop in 2025 where he will be focussing on creating moody watercolours! It is not just the subject of an artwork that evokes an emotional response in us. More importantly, it is the manner in which the subject is portrayed. The same portrait, still life or landscape could be bright and cheerful, dark and wintry, warm and comfortable, terrifying, or just fun and playful. We will explore how to use colour, light and shade, design, brushwork and painting processes to communicate a range of themes, moods and feelings in watercolour.

    Please note – there is an additional materials fee for this workshop. See below.

    Cost: $150.00 includes morning tea. There is a $15.00 materials fee for this workshop – this is payable on the day of the workshop, in cash, to your tutor.

    Please bring your own lunch – our fridge and microwave will be available for you to use along with any cutlery and crockery you may need.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm 

    SPOTS AVAILABLE – get in touch today!

  • workshops

    Clarence Valley Urban Sketchers Group

    Are you interested in sketching out and about in the Clarence Valley? Would you like to share your interest in capturing the urban and rural scenes of our beautiful area with like minded people? Then we have some wonderful news for you!
    Following the successful implementation of four meetups during the 2025 Plunge Festival, the Clarence Valley Urban Sketchers group is up and running. Regardless of artistic background, art experience or skill level our group is meeting regularly for the enjoyment of drawing together and sharing our skills. No experience or specialist materials are necessary – just bring yourself and what you have. It can be as basic as a piece of paper and a pencil or pen! Or you can bring the whole kit and caboodle if that takes your fancy!
    For all the details of meetup dates and times check our Facebook page – search for Clarence Valley Urban Sketchers.
    Future Meetups:
    Saturday 31st MAY at Brushgrove 1:00pm – meeting in the park opposite Brushgrove Hotel
    Wednesday 11th JUNE at South Grafton 10:00am – meeting outside the Emporium, Skinner Street, Sth Grafton
    Saturday 28th JUNE at Brooms Head 10:00am – meeting in front of the Brooms Head Hall
    We hope you’ll join us!

    FREE FOR EVERYONE!

  • Experienced Teachers

    All our teachers are practising artists who have extensive training combined with many years of experience. You can be assured that you will receive expert tuition and bucket loads of inspiration.
  • Beautiful Environment

    Our renovated church nestled on the banks of the Clarence River is the perfect setting for a relaxed and creative day out. Enjoy our beautiful space whilst learning new skills and relaxing by the river.
  • Delicious Food

    We provide wholesome food and drinks throughout the day to keep your energy levels high. All our food features home style baking with delicious lunches using as many local ingredients as possible - some grown in our own gardens!