A happy student. I introduced her to the work of Howard Hodgkin ( who sadly died recently) and she loved his use of colour so much that we decided she should have a go at copying one of his works, 'Seascape 1996'. Copying the works of the great masters of the past has long been a traditional practice, and it has been interesting to apply the same approach to a modern master. She now has her very own Hodgkin hanging on her wall, and is currently working on a second one. I've been thinking another popular artist whose work one could quite easily make a copy of is Rothko. I hope I can tempt a student to try this at some point! Your very own Rothko! Incidentally there is a nice exhibition of Hodgkin's work currently on at the National Portrait gallery, well worth a visit.

Here are some artworks I've made in recent times

Here are some photos of students at work in my studio, and some of their creations, as well as some outdoor fun!

I had a great time on Saturday with Jack Godfrey, Sophie Skinner, Angie Partis, Freya Henderson Dalston, and Jessica Perry, playing with paint. The results speak for themselves! All the artworks were created collaboratively, either in pairs or threes. Everyone threw themselves in wholeheartedly and it was a pleasure to lead. Now thinking of when to do the next one!

Here are some paintings created at a workshop I led with the 'Golden Triangle Girls' W.I., back in 2011. The participants paired up and took turns making marks on the sheet of paper which lay between them like a chess board, an interactive game I often play with my students. On the 'Art of Collaboration' workshop on 28th January, this is one of the activities we'll be engaging in. We will also play a similar exercise in larger groups working on a larger scale. This approach is always great fun, and a good way to learn about what you can do with paint, as well as being a different kind of communication between two or more people.

On this day workshop we will explore the delights and challenges of co-creating art with another, and even several others, a journey of surprises, laughter, panic, and inspiration! Find out how collaborating on an artwork can lead to a deep sense of connectedness and community. All materials will be provided, and the day will include some basic colour mixing and mark making instruction. Suitable for people with no previous experience of making art, as well as more seasoned practitioners. Cost: £45 payable in advance to secure your booking To book and for more information contact Amrita via: amritnectar@ntlworld.com or call 07985954960 Tea and coffee will be provided, but you will need to arrange your own lunch. There is an excellent café in the building should you wish to use it. Amrita has been working as a freelance art tutor for 7 years. To find out more about his tuition, visit www.amrit-art.com

This is a detail of a rather nice abstract piece that one of my students is working on. He has quite severe Parkinson's disease so we often work collaboratively. But increasingly I'm encouraging him to do more of the work, so it's more his own. The results are often very inspiring, as is the case here!

Here are some photos of students at work in my studio, and some of their creations, as well as some outdoor fun!

A student painting in my garden.