Eleanor McColl Studio

I’m not gonna lie - gridding is the most annoying process for all involved.

There are mistakes with uneven squares, that then result in a wonky portait, we can miscalculate when enlarging, and end up with an ear or foot chopped off, then there’s the rulers - agh the rulers. 🤯

It doesn’t end there - when drawing out it’s so easy to get the wrong square and have to start again with a messy smudgy canvas. It’s a massive faff.

I have to brace myself when it comes to gridding and I can feel the students frustration too 😅

It’s so not fun - not the art class they signed up for 😂

THEN you begin to see the results - when it clicks for someone it’s the best feeling. The huffing stops and the pride shows. One of my teens said yesterday that she’s never felt so productive 😀

I can’t wait to see how these turn out 🎨

Gridding sucks but the reward is worth it!

chameleonworkshop

What happens when you give over 100 students the same starting point… but complete freedom in how they respond?

When I worked with Year 5 at Harrow School Hong Kong, the project didn’t begin with a mural. It began with individual ideas.

We talked about Hong Kong. Not just the obvious views, but the details they notice in their everyday lives.

Food. Street signs. Buildings. Nature.

The small things that make the city feel like theirs.

From there, I introduced the idea of mashups. Taking those references and overlapping them. Letting one thing transform into another. Moving away from drawing things “as they are” and into something more imaginative.

Each student worked through their ideas in sketchbooks first.

Over 100 completely different responses.

Some playful, some unexpected, some incredibly thoughtful.

I then take those ideas and begin the next stage.

Selecting elements, scaling them up, and translating them onto large wooden panels so they can become part of a shared piece.

The mural builds slowly.

Groups of students come out to paint, layer by layer, adding colour, refining shapes, and eventually bringing everything together with bold outlines and details.

By the end, every student has contributed.

And what’s left is something they recognise. Not just as a finished artwork, but as something they were part of building.

That’s the part that matters. Not just what they make, but how they think while they’re making it.

If your school is looking to bring in a project like this, whether as a workshop, residency or larger mural, I’d be very happy to talk it through.

📩 You can get in touch via DM or the link in bio.

I’ve been thinking a lot about who this retreat is really for.

💛It’s for the mums who feel like they’re constantly managing everything.

💛It’s for the daughters who are growing up faster than you expected.

💛It’s for the women who rarely get time to just sit… and be.

💛It’s also, for those of you who might be thinking about your own mums.

Because this isn’t just about daughters. It can be mothers too. Or even something shared across generations. My own mum joined my Creative HeART Retreat earlier this year and it was so good to share this experience and witness her enjoyment.

There’s something incredibly powerful about stepping out of your usual roles… and meeting each other in a different space.

Not as the organiser.
Not as the one being told what to do.
Just as two people, sharing time together.

📍 SAVE THE DATE: Chiang Mai
📅 October 17-20th
🎨Now live on my website - check studio courses

P.s Olive at 17 is now taller than me - she has slipped through my fingers already 🥲 and will most likely be attending as a joint facilitator rather than a participant ⭐️🥰🤩

This retreat started with my mum.

Earlier this year, she joined me in Chiang Mai.
She’s 78, and would absolutely tell you she’s “not creative”.

But when she arrived… something shifted.

With no pressure, no expectations - just time, space, and a bit of guidance… she created work that genuinely surprised her.

But more than that, she found a kind of calm I hadn’t seen in a long time.

We’d never created together before.
And I realised how rare that is.

That moment stayed with me.
And it’s the reason this retreat now exists.

Because it’s not really about painting.
It’s about creating space to be together in a completely different way.

📍 Chiang Mai
📅 October 17–20
I’ll share more soon 🤍

I’ve been taking retreats to for about six years now, and we’ve built a really lovely relationship with the team there.

Ohm, the Resort Manager, is amazing - every time we go back, they’ve introduced something new. Wild mushrooms growing, a tree walk through the forest, a tea house serving teas grown on the property.

It never feels commercial or forced. Everything feels authentic, connected to the ecosystem, always thinking about sustainability.

On the last retreat, I brought Bread Sheeran - my sourdough - because that’s become part of my practice now. Everyone tasted the bread and loved it. This time, Ohm asked me to teach him. A lovely exchange. They organised a papaya salad cooking experience with Sunshine, the Restaurant Manager, so we were teaching each other.

We sat outside on wooden benches, dough rising, surrounded by nature. I like to think the sourdough was absorbing the air, the plants, the environment. The culture becomes unique to where it’s made. Making bread in open air Thailand felt incredibly special.

Now, the invitation.
🌿 oOOMA : October 3–7, 2026. My 7th annual fusion retreat with at Kaomai Lanna. Four nights, three and a half days, UNESCO heritage site, Northern Thailand.

The rhythm: Rise and shine Pilates with Ruth. Creative sessions with me - mindful abstract painting, handmade journals, no experience needed. Thai meals from the garden. Free time to swim, read, journal, or simply be. Evening Pilates to unwind. Sound meditation. Early nights because the body is tired in the right way.

Why Pilates and art together? We share the same goal: make everyone comfortable while they learn. Both pull you out of daily stress, focus your mind, create space for growth without pressure.

Not bendy? Not arty? Doesn’t matter. Beginners welcome. Experienced welcome. We gear to you.

Early bird until May 31: HKD11,800 shared / HKD13,200 single. Regular price HKD13,000–15,000.

Returnees are already booking. Worldwide. This fills.

Save the date, spare change, make it happen! Early Bird Discount Ends May 31st.

Working With Schools 📚

Over the years, I’ve worked with many schools across Hong Kong in a variety of ways.

Sometimes I’m invited in to create large collaborative murals with students.

Other times, I run technical art workshops, helping students learn practical painting skills they can use long after the session ends.

These days usually begin with the students asking questions about my work and what it’s like to be an artist.

It’s a lovely moment of connection.

The children are often fascinated by the process behind the paintings and love discovering that the same techniques they’re learning are used in professional artwork.

There’s something quite special about bringing a working artist into the classroom.

Students often engage differently when the learning comes from a new perspective, and the excitement in the room is always palpable.

Art has the ability to open up curiosity, confidence and creativity in ways that are difficult to replicate elsewhere.

And it’s a privilege to be part of that.

If your school would like to explore workshops, murals or creative programmes, I’d love to hear from you.

📩 Get in touch via the link in my bio.

Your team gives 100% all week. What if you gave them a day to simply be?

I’ve been painting for decades. Bread came later, quietly, then completely. Both demand patience. Both reward it. Both pull you out of the noise and into something immediate - hands in dough, brush on canvas, no space left for deadlines or inbox anxiety.

That’s why I created Bake & Create.

Not a “team building exercise” with forced fun and trust falls. Something actually restorative. A full day where your staff learn two slow disciplines from the ground up, sourdough & mixed media, and discover that creativity isn’t a luxury. It’s a reset. A different kind of productivity.

The structure:
We begin with coffee as I shape a fresh loaf and slide it into the oven. The smell sets the tone. No rushing.
Then hands-on sourdough - mixing, folding, shaping - the full rhythm from start to finish. Your team leave with their own loaf ready to bake at home, my active starter Bread Sheeran, and clear instructions to continue.
While dough rests, we move to the studio. I guide mixed media techniques; composition, texture, layering, building confidence rather than following rigid steps. No prior art experience needed. Just willingness.

We pause for lunch: French cheeses, pâtés, pickles and salad from , served with warm bread baked in front of you. Paired with artisan kombucha from .hk. Good conversation. Nothing forced.

By afternoon: a finished artwork, practical skills in two disciplines, and the rare experience of having spent a day fully present.

For corporates: This isn’t a perk. It’s an investment in cognitive recovery. Teams return to work with clearer focus, looser problem-solving, and the memory of having learned something tangible together.

April 18. 10am–4pm. , Kennedy Town.

Private bookings available for teams of 6–8. Or individual staff members can join our open session.

Link in bio for details. Or email [email protected] to discuss what your team needs 🍞🎨