Watershed is a firmly established, popular venue for top quality art courses. The Watershed is a real family business and a warm welcome is guaranteed. Not only will you get some great teaching and painting, we also provide hearty farmhouse lunches and homemade cakes.
We hosted just over 50 courses during 2011 and are now getting into our 2012 programme. Don't forget to book early as some courses are already full!
All our tutors are excellent and we feel that we have something for everyone, whatever their level of ability or preferred medium.
We haven't had many courses with just pastel pencils, or coloured pencils before here but it was really fascinating to see the wonderful paintings that can be achieved with these media - I was quite converted! Carole is an excellent teacher and everyone commented on how much they had learned - she is a lovely inspirational teacher - Thank You Carole!
This is a very simple but very rich and tasty pudding. It also looks very impressive and dramatic looking when the first slice is removed to reveal all the layers.
Serves 10 – 12
12oz butter or marg
1lb caster sugar
2 eggs
11 oz plain flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 pint double cream
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and fold in the flour and cinnamon to make a stiff paste mixture.
Draw circles on to 12 sheets of baking parchment – about 9 – 10 inches in diameter.
Using a palette knife or similar spread a portion of the mix on to each sheet working from the inside out to make large, thin biscuit shapes. I usually just do them as thin as I can and see how many I can get out of the mixture – usually about 12.
I can put three shelves in my oven and bake three at a time. I have a rota of three in, three being prepared and three cooling – it doesn’t take long. Each batch needs approx 10 minutes. Leave to cool on their sheets then pop them into a very large airtight container to store them until needed. They can store for several days like this and the sheets can be used over and over.
About two hours before you want to serve up – whip the cream – not too thick, and not too runny! You want the biscuits to have time to absorb some of the liquid to soften!
Put a dollop of cream on the serving plate to anchor the first circle and then just layer it up with cream spread on each layer until you are done. Dust the top with icing sugar and serve with double cream.
Delicious if served with a rhubarb compote!
We have just had two, two day, back to back courses here with the wonderful Roger Dellar. Some people did one course and a few hardy souls did the two. It was an inspiring four days with a very happy atmosphere and some amazing painting! Thanks to Roger and also to Lisa and Vicki our two models - both excellent. We are just confirming the dates when Roger will be back next year.The picture shows Roger painting Sally's portrait after the class had finished on Monday!
Why do I never remember to take a camera down to the studio? I missed taking a picture at Brian Coppard's course which was a shame as we had some brilliant paintings of dogs and foxes etc but mainly dogs! I did remember to take pictures at Soraya's course last week - another fabulous course with amazing paintings and a great atmosphere - thanks to Brian and Soraya for two great courses.
I also remembered to take a camera on our recent Farm Walk with the RSPB - you can see the weather was foul but it didn't matter - we still saw flocks of cornbuntings, sky larks and yellow hammers amongst other things. Thanks to Frank Vargos for this interesting morning - and to everyone else who came and braved the elements - still we desperately need the rain. We are planning a dawn chorus event for the spring which I will advertise when we have the date fixed.
Brian Coppard will be with us on Saturday for our first course of 2012 - it will be good to get going again and I am really looking forward to seeing all our students, old and new, arriving this year for a good day or two's painting!
We had a brilliant year last year and I have posted a few pictures just to remind you.
Several courses are already full, or nearly full so if you are wanting to come this year do give me a call or email sooner rather than later!
See you soon - Allison
What an exciting course!! The standard was incredibly high with some amazing work being produced. Soraya emailed afterwards and said:
I really enjoyed this group, they were so receptive and of a high standard, it was enjoyable to see their work coming to life! When it is like this I come away just tired from standing up all day but not mentally exhausted.
Soraya's 2012 March course is now fully booked but I am taking names for the waiting list - there are still a couple of spaces left on the 26th & 27th October course though!
Just had a brilliant weekend with David Webb teaching here. Lots of happy people promising to come back next year very large and loose - their paintings that is! Thanks David! Picture taken just as every one was packing up, David on the far left.
Recipe for Rice Pudding - by popular request today - make as per instructions but substitute half the sugar with golden syrup. I always cook mine on the hob, very slowly, on a low heat, stirring regularly and judging by taste whether or not it is done, or if it is sweet enough! Not very scientific, sorry.....
Regulars to Watershed will recognise our iconic grey Fergie – the tractor on which I learned to drive ? years ago! You will be shocked to hear that it has now gone. Fortunately, not to the great scrap yard in the sky but to someone who is doing it up – he has even got the engine running again which is nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully this will mean it’s life span has been increased by several years and I will post pictures up one day of the transformation.
In its place we now have Dex, or Fordson Super Dextor to give him his full name. He also belonged to my grandfather and has been forgotten at the back of a barn for over thirty years.
Fergie has been drawn and photographed by many people over the last ten years and has been immortalised in many styles of painting. Well, move over Fergie, now it’s Dex’s time in the lime light and I can’t wait to see how you all get on with painting this one!
Apple Flapjack
Cook at least four large bramleys with sugar until pulpy – taste to check sweetness is to your liking. Can add blackberries too.
12oz marg
12oz sugar
3+ very heaped tablespoons golden syrup
Melt and lightly boil then add 1lb 8oz oats
Press 2/3 of this mixture into tray-bake tin and bake at 180 degrees for approx 15 mins or until browned slightly on top
Cover with layer of cooked apples
Cover this with remaining third of oat mixture and put back into the oven for another 20mins or until cooked!
