This Artful Life
Tutor: Claire Heminsley
Bi-weekly course from 23rd September to 16th December.
Wednesday 23rd September at 10:00am – 4:00pm
An ongoing multi-disciplinary group held bi-weekly on Wednesdays at the Arthouse. This is a course designed to transfer to all art disciplines e.g. ceramics, painting, design, textiles and more. Tutored sessions are interspersed throughout the 14 weeks to give you time to work on your own as well as tutor guided days.
This Artful Life was piloted in February 2026 and has been extremely successful, consequently we have decided to open the doors to everyone.
So, if you are procrastinating, struggling for inspiration or lacking focus then this course is for you. This is a fantastic, structured opportunity to develop and grow your work ideas with like-minded people. The emphasis will be on your own practice and is not technique led, allowing for participants working in all disciplines to focus on developing new ideas alongside others.
The group will meet every other week over a 14-week period– from Wednesday 23rd September until Wednesday 16thDecember. The first and last dates will be a tutored sessions with a further tutored session during the 14 week block- this date will be established by the group to make sure as many can attend as possible.
Course fee £180- 7 sessions over the 14 week period. For further information or book a place on the course contact Claire Heminsley here
Some words from participants on the pilot course:-
“This Artful Life course is giving me the structure and support I need to develop my work. I really appreciate the balance between working on my own (with help and support from the others in the group) and the thoughtful guidance throughout the process from Claire. It’s a really supportive environment that encourages experimentation, reflection and growth where I can work at my own pace.”
“Working towards an unknown destination and beyond”
“Taking part in this course has given me time to work on my artistic self-development with tutor support. Off the rails Arthouse is a fantastic space to work in, bright and airy with everyone encouraged to put their artwork on the wall. Seeing your work in this way gives a clearer view of the progress being made throughout the course. Although we mostly work individually it is a very supportive environment working with a group of like-minded artists especially helpful on the non-tutor led days.”
Suitable for all levels of experience.
For further information or book a place on the course contact Claire Heminsley here
A bit about the tutor
Claire Heminsley an artist, illustrator, designer and teacher with a love of drawing, observing, experimenting and organising.
Claire studied textiles at the Glasgow School of Art. She set up INCAHOOTS over 35 years ago and expanded her work to include illustration. During this time, she has worked on a huge number of commissions, exhibitions and projects. Claire works with a broad range of media and consequently has a diverse output, from detailed scraperboard prints to more experimental sculptural and mixed media pieces for exhibition. Regardless of the materials used, her work is a blend of line (whether cut, stitched, drawn or written) layers and gentle humour.
Drawing is at the centre of all her work; She doesn’t work with any specific technique but prefers to use a variety of media to express her ideas and concerns. Although it is not always obvious a narrative is always there, this is, because she is curious about people, their stories and the connections we all have.
Claire’s most recent work ‘Almost A Map, Almost A Word’ is a research project, funded by Creative Scotland exploring the language and representation of borders, of pain and trauma, resilience and recovery. This research work developed and informed ‘Rebellious aprons’ 5 paper aprons produced for HAG- Knowledge, Power & Alchemy through Craft curated by Fife Contemporary, at Dunfermline Gallery and Museum. Travelling to 4 venues in 2027
www.incahoots.org.uk www.claireheminsley.com www.offtherailsarthouse.com