• Painting & Drawing Workshop

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    With Bianca Garcia. Paint your favourite photograph. This is part two of a two-day workshop run over 7/8 August in conjunction with MD Photography and Bianca Garcia. Please find full details of part one below, which entails the photographic element of the workshop: https://mademe.co.uk/product/photography-workshop-day-one-of-two/ In whatever medium you want to bring, you will be creating a beautiful, luminous piece of art using your photographs from the night before during the photography workshop. Learners can choose just one of the workshops, you do not have to enrol for both.

    £20
  • Art History – 4 Week Course

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    Staring 10th September for 4 weeks £36 for the course, payable in advance. Week 1: In the beginning. Foundations of Art as we know it, focusing on prehistoric expression and primal mediums. Week 2: Marianne von Werefkin. Exploring the intense emotion of expressionism though opaque, fast drying mediums. Week 3: St Peter Blake, diving into pop and mass media culture of the art of appropriation. Week 4: Analysing the profound impact of Chinese and Japanese woodblock prints and paintings on Western masters. Spaces limited. Image credited to Marianne Von Werefkin

    £36
  • Patchwork From The Start – 7 Week Course

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Sewing

    Explore patchwork techniques while getting to know your sewing machine in these fun, relaxed sessions – complete with tea and biscuits or cake! If you’re interested in learning how to use a sewing machine and enjoy creative projects, this is the perfect class for you. *Sewing machine & basic sewing kit* ***required*** Advance payment required of £105.00  Balance to be paid before the start date (non-refundable) Wednesdays 7.00pm - 9.00pm 16th & 30th September 2026: Traditional blocks & foundation paper piecing 14th & 28th October 2026: Jo’s big tote bag 11th & 25th November 2026: “Over the armchair”catch up session 9th December 2026: Padded tabletop Xmas tree & lots of cake

    £105
  • Textile Hub September 2026

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Textile Hub

    Rehoming Sale of Craft and Textile Goods At Braintree Community Centre Tea and coffee available. We have stocks of fabric, buttons, cottons, card making & some good papercraft items for sale at affordable prices.

  • Autumn Woodland – In Thick & Thin Acrylics

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    With David Pasfield. Using an underpainting technique to apply a first impression painting, followed by texture build-up using a palette knife with heavy body acrylics in an impasto style. Equipment & Materials -    Acrylic paints – vibrant colours (Winsor & Newton Galeria range are good) – do not worry if you do not have a large range of colours, the tutor can provide some extra. -    Extra heavy matt gel (impasto). -    Canvas or MDF or hardboard, pre-primed with white gesso.  At least 50x50 cm in size. -    Large bristle brushes and palette knife -    Easel – preferably free-standing but a table easel will suffice. -    Palette – stay-wet palette or greaseproof paper sheets clipped to cardboard backing is adequate. -    2 water pots and roll of kitchen towels. Free refreshments provided, but bring or buy your own lunch. Please arrive around 9am to set up your equipment.

    £48
  • Creative Writing for Fun – 4 Week Course

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Writing

    With Bianca Garcia. Thursday mornings - 9:30am to 11:30am Starting 8th October 2026 £36.00 for the four-week course payable in advance. This four-week foundation creative writing course (2 hours per week) is designed to help absolute beginners overcome the blank page, discover their unique voice, and learn the foundational elements of storytelling in a supportive environment. Weekly Writing Prompts: Practical, low-pressure exercises to get words on the page immediately. A Safe Space: Focus is entirely on experimentation and creative play, not perfection. Digital Toolkit: Access to a signposted curated list of reading resources, formatting guides, and writing apps to use after the course ends. Course Structure & Weekly Breakdown Week 1: Finding Your Voice & Overcoming the Blank Page Week 2: Building Believable Characters Week 3: World-Building & Setting the Scene Week 4: Plot, Structure, & Sharing Your Work A notebook, pen and pencil is all that you will need to bring.

    £36
  • Textile Hub October 2026

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Textile Hub

    Rehoming Sale of Craft and Textile Goods At Braintree Community Centre Tea and coffee available. We have stocks of fabric, buttons, cottons, card making & some good papercraft items for sale at affordable prices.

  • Gold Leafing: Embossing and the Art of Illuminated Manuscripts

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    Elevate your artistic practice with the timeless craft of illuminated manuscripts.  Join us for an immersive, hands-on workshop where you will master metal leaf gilding techniques and intricate metallic embossing to create stunning, radiant artwork. What You'll Learn: The delicate art of applying genuine metal leaf and creating raised, textured embossing inspired by historic illuminated manuscripts. Who It's For: Designed specifically for adult learners of all skill levels—from curious beginners to practicing artists seeking to add a luxurious dimension to their work. We will also look at the traditional colours and illustration style of the times to enhance your work. Space is strictly limited to ensure individual guidance.

    £20
  • Late Autumn Gardens – In Thick & Thin Acrylics

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    With David Pasfield. Using an underpainting technique to apply a first impression painting, followed by texture build-up using a palette knife with heavy body acrylics in an impasto style. Equipment & Materials -    Acrylic paints – vibrant colours (Winsor & Newton Galeria range are good) – do not worry if you do not have a large range of colours, the tutor can provide some extra. -    Extra heavy matt gel (impasto). -    Canvas or MDF or hardboard, pre-primed with white gesso.  At least 50x50 cm in size. -    Large bristle brushes and palette knife -    Easel – preferably free-standing but a table easel will suffice. -    Palette – stay-wet palette or greaseproof paper sheets clipped to cardboard backing is adequate. -    2 water pots and roll of kitchen towels. Free refreshments provided, but bring or buy your own lunch. Please arrive around 9am to set up your equipment.

    £48
  • Illustration – 5 Week Course

    Braintree Community Centre 19-21 Bocking End, Braintree, United Kingdom
    Art

    Illustration 101- A Beginners Guide to Traditional Illustration. A five week course aimed at beginners with no industry experience. We will look at different traditional illustrative styles from graphic novels to Ladybird book artists, and hands on experience with graphite, ink, alcohol inks, watercolour and gouache paints. Create a fully realised traditional illustration based on a short story, passage or poem, gently guided by your experienced tutor who is also a published artist and illustrator. Practical knowledge tips of how to create a portfolio, query publishers, pitch to authors and navigate basic illustration contracts.' Refreshments and biscuits are provided at a cost of £1.00 every four weeks payable in class. Please note, this may not be a nut free environment, lactose free milk, herbal teas, and decaf ‘options are available.  if you require more specific dietary allowances please feel free to bring them along. Prospectus: For all sessions bring an HB pencil, an eraser, a sketchpad, masking tape. (If a painting session) additionally bring a couple of containers for your water, at least one palette knife for mixing paint and paper towel or cloths if you’d prefer. It would be very helpful to have a drawing board. WEEK SUBJECT RESOURCES REQUIRED WEEK 1   Foundations of Line & Shadow Illustration Focus: Basic shape breakdown, contour drawing, value shading, and controlling line weight Introduction to traditional tools and observational drawing principles Industry Insight: Understanding the Publishing Landscape—overview of trade publishers, self-publishing, and what editors look for in a traditional illustrator . […]

    £45

Click here to view our regular weekly leisure classes, including art, crafts, languages and more!

 

Information for Students

Limited parking to the side and rear of the centre.  Wheelchair access is available at the front of the Centre.
 

Payment

Class fees are payable on the day at reception on arrival.  Workshop fees must be paid 2 weeks before, either in person or by phone unless otherwise stated.