To view Cath’s other professional sites, please click here: http://linktr.ee/cathhodsman
Cath teaches on workshops with relevant partner organisations in the region and nationally.
Monthly “Insect-art” workshops at Cath’s home-based studio and classrooms. Cath runs regular monthly insect-art sessions 12.00 – 4.00 at her home in the Cotswolds. If you’d like more info on these fascinating, fun and informal sessions, please email her on cathhodsman@gmail.com.
Thurs 21st Sept 2023 (evening event) – “Why Insects Are So Important To Us All”
A unique talk and art session with Cath Hodsman, AMRSB in appreciation of one of our most important & fascinating groups of animals – insects….at Charlton King’s very own Eco/Conservation Summit.
23rd Sept 2023 – 10.00 – 4.00 – New Brewery Arts Centre – “Studying and Painting Spectacular Colours & Pattern in Animals” – Nature offers us the most spectacular visual show on Earth. Fabulous colour and pattern in the natural world offer us daily feasts for our eyes – and none more so than in the animal kingdom. This unique one-day watercolour painting workshop will use microscopes, magnifying glasses and macro photos to explore the magical and vibrant world of nature’s palette – to find out how animals use their vast range of colour, shades, patterns and hues to survive, hide, attract mates & communicate. Students will then pay homage to what they learn by painting an intricate and beautiful watercolour study. For more info, click here: https://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/studying-and-painting-spectacular-colour-and-pattern-in-animals
7th October 2023 – Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. “Studying & Painting the Beauty of Butterflies”
This watercolour painting course is suitable for all levels and for those who want to learn more about the hidden micro worlds that are all around us. It will examine the essential and fascinating relationship between butterflies and moths and the plants that they live in, on and around. It will look at how butterflies and moths are not only beautiful, but design-perfection and a lot tougher than you might think.
Each student will have their own dedicated microscope for the day, as well as beautiful butterfly and moth specimens, (natural-death and ethically sourced) to enter their unseen and fascinating world.
Students will then pay homage to what they see and learn, through the medium of art, by producing a detailed, beautiful and unique watercolour painting.
Click for info : https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/whats-on/studying-and-painting-the-beauty-of-butterflies
15th October 2023 – Birmingham Society of Botanical Illustration. “Studying and Painting Pollinators”. This workshop will examine the essential and fascinating relationship between pollinating insects and the plants they live in, on and around. It will look at how plants provide food for insects, in return for pollination and how the insects obtain this food, especially bees.
Each student will have exclusive use of their own dedicated microscope, magnifying glasses and macro photographs, as well as Cath’s own huge insect (ethically sourced) specimen collection, to look at the anatomy of insects, (particularly bees) in order to produce a unique and detailed watercolour painting of a Common Carder bumblebee.
11-12th November – Nature in Art, Glos. “Studying & Painting the Loveliness of Ladybirds” . As winter’s bite takes hold, insects prepare to overwinter in safety. One of our most well-loved & well-known insects hiding away from weather extremes are ladybirds…. But just how much do we actually know about them, their lifecycle & lifestyle?
On this watercolour painting (or coloured pencils) workshop Cath will take participants on an incredible journey into the secret world of ladybirds – To discover how their brightly–coloured bodies are design perfection; how they fit into ecosystems and how we all benefit from their essential presence in our lives. She will then use art to pay homage to these cheery mini garden leviathans.
As with Cath’s other courses, each student will have access to their own high-powered microscopes, as well as her large selection of ethically-sourced insect specimens and macro photos, to study and paint/sketch the hidden beauty of these much-loved bugs.
Participants will be guided by Cath’s tutorage to produce a detailed and unique painting, paying homage to the smaller things in life.
This workshop is aimed at all ability levels: Click for more info: https://natureinart.org.uk/whatson/action~agenda/page_offset~2/cat_ids~16/request_format~json/
3rd February 2024 – Slimbridge Wetlands Trust. 10.00 – 4.00. “Studying and Painting Magnificent Metamorphosis – the Beautiful and Mysterious Lifecycle of Insects.” Click for more info:
https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/whats-on/studying-and-painting-magical-metamorphosis
17th Feb 2024 – 10.00 – 4.00 – New Brewery Arts Centre – “Studying and Painting Spectacular Colours & Pattern in Animals” – Nature offers us the most spectacular visual show on Earth. Fabulous colour and pattern in the natural world offer us daily feasts for our eyes – and none more so than in the animal kingdom. This unique one-day watercolour painting workshop will use microscopes, magnifying glasses and macro photos to explore the magical and vibrant world of nature’s palette – to find out how animals use their vast range of colour, shades, patterns and hues to survive, hide, attract mates & communicate. Students will then pay homage to what they learn by painting an intricate and beautiful watercolour study. Click here for more info: https://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/studying-and-painting-spectacular-colour-and-pattern-in-animals
23 & 24th March 2024. “Studying & Painting Insect Flight.” Closed workshop with Debbie Devauden, renowned Botanic artist and her students.
13 – 14th April 2024 – New Brewery Arts Centre, Cirencester. A painting (watercolours) retreat, “Paying Homage to Beautiful Bees.” For all ability levels. All equipment provided. On this fascinating and relaxing two-day watercolour painting retreat, you’ll have the unique chance to use your creativity to pay homage and appreciate one of the most important & charismatic animals on earth – bees. Study, consider & paint bees in all their micro glory with Cath as an inspiring guide. Click here for more info: https://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/twoday-painting-retreat-paying-homage-to-beautiful-bees
20-21st April – Welsh Society for Botanical Illustration – “Studying and Painting Insect Flight” At the fabulous National Trust’s, Tredegar House, Cardiff. Closed workshop.
4-5th May 2024. “Studying & Painting Beautiful Beetles”. Nature in Art, Glos. This workshop isn’t live yet. If you’d like more info, email Cath on cathhodsman@gmail.com
11th & 12th May 2024 – “Studying and Painting Dung Beetles” – Nature’s Recyclers and Caretakers. Cath will be running a two-day workshop on insect-art with the Eden project’s renowned group of botanic artists known as the Florilegium.
1st & 2nd June 2024. 10.00 – 4.00. Cath will be hosting a Bee Tutorial and Conservation day with Brigit Strawbridge-Howard (author of Dancing with Bees) at her home-based studio & classroom in the Cotswolds : –
Planet Earth is home to more than 20,000 different species of bee; as diverse in size and appearance as they are in behaviour, life-cycles, and habitat requirements. Around 280 of these species can be found in Britain & Ireland.
In this illustrated and in-depth tutorial, Brigit will explain the basic differences between social and solitary bees – including their roles as pollinators, and their fascinating relationships with flowering plants. She will cover bee decline, and, most importantly, advise how we can all help by creating more native pollinator-friendly gardens and habitats.The day will include a walk around Cath’s beautiful garden, to ‘meet the bees’! For more info, email Cath on cathhodsman@gmail.com
21st June 2024 – 12.00 – 2.00. “Planning and Planning for Pollinators” – Exedra plant nursey, Painswick Rococo Gardens, Glos. An informal chat and tutorial with Cath
Many of us recognise that our wild spaces aren’t just pleasure grounds for us, but important habitats and food sources for a vast array of pollinating insects.
There’s nothing more rewarding than providing pollinators with what they need and then watching their numbers increase and their diversity widen as a result. A win-win for us and the natural world…
However, to achieve a pollinators’ paradise garden, it’s not simply a matter of planting lots and lots of flowers. There’s more to accommodating the wide spectrum of pollinators than you might think…If you’d like info about this lovely event, please email Cath on cathhodsman@gmail.com
5th Oct 2024 – 10.00 – 4.00. Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge. “Studying and Painting Humble Bumblebees”. Click for info: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/whats-on/studying-and-painting-humble-bumblebees
19-20th October 2024 – 10.00 – 5.00. “Studying and Painting Humble Bumblebees” . This workshop isn’t online yet. If you’d like details, please email Cath on cathhodsman@gmail.com