Off The Rails Arthouse

Here is another chance for a one-day introduction to the art of willow weaving, this time on a cold and frosty February Saturday. You will be mainly making an attractive nut bowls, but with opportunities to expand into other woven artefacts. You will learn to use the tools of the basket maker and the art of soaking and preparing willow and will have the opportunity to incorporate winter foliage into your piece, such as hazel, birch and dogwood. We will;

This workshop is open to people working at all levels. The workshop will begin with some short warm up poses, moving on to twenty to thirty-minute drawings. Theresa will demonstrate different techniques and you will be encouraged to try different approaches. We will look at strategies to achieve correct proportion in various poses. Theresa will offer advice throughout, discussing progress, aims and any specific queries with individuals. In the afternoon session we will decide together whether to do one, two;

We are delighted to welcome local portrait and narrative painter Katy McKidd Stevenson to Off the Rails Arthouse. Katy’s own work is stunning and fascinating and you can see examples here. She has taught in secondary schools for many years, building up a successful programme for beginners and intermediate students. She is now bringing her introductory portraiture programme to adults. Her classes have been very well received, with students saying they have learned a huge amount and found the course;

Another chance to engage in the craft of feltmaking with one of Fife’s best known makers Aileen Clarke.  You can see examples of her beautiful artworks here. This one day workshop is a fun opportunity to try out some basic feltmaking techniques. It is suitable for beginners, or for those with some experience who wish to refresh or enhance their skills. Morning In this session you will make a wet felted flower brooch using merino and silk fibres. Learn how;

After a very successful charcoal drawing workshop in October, we are delighted to welcome back Nichola Martin, an award-winning artist based in Fife.  A skilled draughtsman, she prefers to work in charcoal and oils and is highly sought after for paintings requiring a high level of technical detail. You can see examples of her stunning work on her website. Nichola is also a highly experienced teacher and runs regular workshops and classes across the country. This one-day workshop will consist;

The deconstruction and reconstruction of an image, by redefining and remaking, surfaces and marks. We are delighted to welcome Susie Paterson, Edinburgh based artist, to the Off the Rails family.  Susie is a superb painter and printmaker, with a new body of work she describes below. You can see examples of her stunning word on her website. This one-day workshop is suitable for painters, printmakers, textile makers and anyone else who wishes to inject energy and experimentation into their work.;

There are two chances to undertake this exciting three-hour workshop, led by feltmaker Aileen Clarke. This is a morning session, from 10 till 1. In this workshop you will make a wet felted flower brooch using merino and silk fibres. This includes learning how to form and layer three-dimensional flower shapes and how to make a felt ball for the centre.  You will go away with a finished piece ready to be sewn together when dry and full written instructions;

A welcome return to Fife-based photographer Bruce Pert who will lead this session introducing visual and craft artists to skills that could help them improve the photographs they take of their work. This workshop is supported by Fife Contemporary. Bruce’s previous workshop was oversubscribed and had great feedback. Covered during the day will be: Cameras and lenses – an introduction to the necessary hardware Basic photographic practice Simple studio set-up and lighting Photographing the work Common problems encountered Getting images;

Following a series of highly successful workshops, here is another chance to discover the fascinating art of Chinese brush painting and try your hand at this expressive art form. This workshop is suitable for beginners or people who have painting experience but have never tried Chinese brush painting techniques before. No prior knowledge is necessary, you should simply be keen to learn and willing to hold a brush. All tools and materials used during the workshop will be supplied. The;