Art in the Park - Markeaton Derby

We have a fantastic baby monkey topic prepared for our art classes for children this Saturday! Engaging in sketching and colouring with pencils provides a powerful foundation for physical and cognitive development.

As children learn to adjust their grip and vary the pressure on paper, they strengthen hand muscles, refine dexterity, and develop essential fine motor control needed for handwriting. Simultaneously, translating three-dimensional ideas or objects into two-dimensional drawings enhances their spatial awareness, proportion skills, and visual observation.

Exploring texture and color allows children to express depth and sensory details in their artwork. Join us this Saturday at 10:30am-12pm or 12:30pm- 14:00 in our art studio in Markeaton Park!

Tomorrow's Moonlit Mermaid Acrylic Painting Workshop for adults, from 9:30-12:30 can be booked online! Perfect for beginners and seasoned painters alike, this step-by-step class guides you through creating a breathtaking night-sky ocean scene featuring a shimmering, iridescent mermaid looking out at the moon. You will learn essential acrylic techniques—including smooth blending for glowing skies, expressive brushwork for rolling waves, and fine detailing to bring your magical canvas to life.

We provide everything you need to complete your masterpiece, including high-quality acrylic paints, paper, and expert instruction in a relaxed, encouraging studio environment. Just bring your enthusiasm and get ready to trade routine for pure creativity—you will walk away with a stunning, hand-painted artwork ready to hang. Spaces are limited to ensure personalized guidance for everyone, so reserve your spot today and start your artistic journey with us!

Last call to join the family session this Thursday between 10:30-12:30. Please note that these are family-oriented workshops, so we are unable to accommodate individual adults attending on their own. We will explore tiger paintings using acrylicpaint. Participants should wear appropriate clothing that you don't mind getting messy, as acrylic paint can stain clothes.

Please note that sessions will be 2 days in advance if numbers are low. So far we need 3 more participants to run the session so if you are planning to join us, wait no further!

Once a month we run a manga class for children between the age of 7-16. Next Sunday we are drawing and painting fun and cute chibi racters in traditional Japanese kimonos! Some spaces are still available! Book online!

We had two brilliant art classes for children today painting these gorgeous Scarlet Macaw birds! These classes are suitable for children between 7-16 years old with a new topic and medium every week. Bookings available via our website and booking system! Spaces available every Saturday!

Our next family session will take place on Thursday the 20th of August with spaces still available to book online. The topic is the "blue tiger" however for people who prefer a more realistic tiger, that is also an option!

These are specialized family sessions. To maintain the intended environment, bookings are strictly reserved for children accompanied by a parent, guardian, or relative, or for eligible unaccompanied children. We are unable to accept bookings from individual adults attending on their own.

Children aged 5 and 6 years old must be accompanied and supervised by a parent, guardian, or relative for the duration of the 2-hour session. Children aged 7 years and older may attend unaccompanied and be left under the care of our art teacher.

Our next workshop with Amanda Dilworth Artist & Illustrator will run on the 2nd of September from 9:30-13:30. We will reveal the subject in the coming days so stay tuned for the official theme!

If we couldn't get to the see the sea today, we brought the sea to our studio! Here are the beautiful watercolour paintings produced by our students! We have 2 more sessions coming up this August, on a Wednesday morning if you're interested in joining!

Did you know scarlet macaws have "gymnast feet" with two toes pointing forward and two backward, letting them hang upside down while cracking open tough nuts with their powerful beaks? Famous for their brilliant red, yellow, and blue feathers, these chatterbox parrots use loud squawks to talk to their flock and often keep the same best friend for life as they soar through the rainforest.

Ready to paint your own feathered masterpiece? Join our fun watercolor workshop for children between 7-16 years old! Complete beginners and advance creators are all welcome, and all art supplies are provided. Spaces are limited, so don't hesitate to book your little artists!

Proof that wine, acrylics, and an impending wedding are a surprisingly potent artistic cocktail: we recently hosted a super-duper Hen Do, and the results were nothing short of legendary.

Presenting the gorgeous, colorful elephant masterpieces created by our lovely guests to mark the special occasion! 🐘✨

Whether the canvas was met by a complete beginner, a slightly rusty former art student, or someone whose previous experience with a paintbrush was limited to emulsion on a hallway skirting board, everyone brought their A-game. As you can see, these vibrant trunk-y works of art stand as living witness to the wild range of creativity (and varying levels of hand stability as the prosecco flowed) in the room.

From bold abstract vibes to surprisingly majestic pachyderms, no two elephants turned out the same—which made it all the more brilliant. Huge congratulations to the bride-to-be and her amazingly talented crew!!