Friday, 6th November 2026 from 10am to 3pm at The Pavilion, Penn Street, Amersham.
£95 per person. All materials included.
 
Join us for a really wonderful day spent immersed in the ethereal beauty of our British birds, with local artist Zoë Duncan.
 
Inspired by the publication of The Book of Birds by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, this special workshop is a celebration of the birds that share our gardens, hedgerows, woodlands and skies. Their remarkable book reminds us that birds are far more than fleeting glimpses overhead – they are companions, storytellers and markers of the changing seasons. Through painting, we'll take the time to notice them more closely, honouring their beauty and deepening our connection with the natural world.
 
Using your own photographs or reference materials supplied by Zoë, you will have the opportunity to study the unique structures, forms and colours of these familiar creatures before learning to paint your own interpretations.
 
You will be taught how to choose a bird that appeals to you, how to make a pleasing composition, and then how to tackle painting your chosen feathered friend.
 
As this is a longer workshop, we can really take our time to explore the feathers and form of the birds and learn how best to apply the paint to make a convincing painting. You will learn the techniques of wet on wet to make a colour blush in soft transitions across the body, as well as learning the wet on dry techniques needed to make convincing details such as beak and eyes.
Your tutor, our lovely friend, Zoë, is a professional watercolour artist, who not only creates expressive, loose paintings of avian compositions, but who also takes great delight in painting very exacting bird illustrations. She is the perfect person to help you discover and develop your own individual style.
 
This will be a day to slow down, look more closely and immerse yourself in the beauty of birds and painting. By the end of the session, not only will you have created a beautiful watercolour to take home, but you'll also leave with a deeper appreciation of the birds we so often take for granted. In the spirit of The Book of Birds, we hope you'll leave noticing their colours, songs and presence just a little more than you did before.
 
Zoë trained at the City and Guilds London Art School, studying for a Post Grad Diploma in Sculpture and Drawing. She is a hugely experienced teacher, having taught art to adults and children for over 16 years, including as a tutor at Waterperry Gardens, at her own studio and at workshops within schools, and local art groups in both Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
 
As an artist, Zoë is drawn to the natural world and especially those whose movement is affected by the different elements of air and water. Zoë's work has been sold through galleries in Oxfordshire, London and Buckinghamshire and her commissioned work is in collections around the world, including the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Australia and the USA, so we are in very capable hands.
 
This class is suitable for absolute beginners, as well as more experienced painters.
 
For more information on all of our art classes, please click here.
 
This class will be held at our Pavilion in Penn Street. The Pavilion is opposite The Hit or Miss pub in Penn Street, so you're welcome to pop over at lunchtime for a bite to eat, or bring a packed lunch and enjoy the beautiful views across the surrounding fields from our picnic benches.
 
At Where Inspiration Blooms, we’re big fans of delicious cake! In this class, you can enjoy a choice of traditional and herbal teas from Chesham-based tea connoisseurs, Two Spoons, as well as both caffeinated and decaf coffee. We have dairy and non-dairy milks to suit every preference, and our homemade cakes are always sourced from good local bakers. We also make sure those who need gluten-free options aren’t left out, with carefully selected treats that are safe from cross-contamination — a top tip we’ve taken from Jules’ niece who is coeliac! If you have any allergies, please do let us know when you book so we can make sure everyone has a wonderful and worry-free treat.
 
Please note that we will only be able to run this class/course if we have a minimum of 5 guests. All of our teachers are highly skilled in their fields, but being an artist isn't always a well paid profession so we hope you understand why it's important that we ensure that our teachers can afford to run each of their classes. Should the class not be able to go ahead we will contact you no less than 2 weeks before it is due to start and we will of course, offer you a full refund.
 
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact Jules via her email jules@whereinspirationblooms.co.uk
 
Thank you so much for booking onto one of our workshops — we’re really looking forward to welcoming you and hope you find your class to be a space where your inspiration can really bloom 😉