With full etching and silkscreen facilities, Kew Art Studios runs classes for those two printmaking methods, and also offers opportunities for life drawing and tapestry classes.

Following a bereavement in my very close family earlier this year, I needed to find a space close to the office where my wife Sara Oldfield works for Botanic Grdens Conservation International (BGCI) which is based at Kew Gardens to the west of London.   Sara is Secretary General of BGCI an organisation which links botanic gardens in a global network to promote effective plant conservation. It now links over 2500 institutions in over 120 countries, all working together to preserve and promote plant diversity for people and the planet. For almost three years she has stayed in Kew during the working week when not away attending conferences and meetings all over the world on behalf of BGCI. Meanwhile, I have worked in my Cambrdigeshire studio sometimes travelling around the UK and overseas on fieldwork expeditions or other projects.  It was a balance that worked very well.   But since April and the death of our eldest Laura we have needed to spend as much time as possible together.  So, in the summer I started to look for a studio space in Kew to where I could retreat and attempt to get on with work rather than finding something just to pass the time when in London.  Within a few weeks I was extremely fortunate to find a space in Kew Art Studios. It is a wonderful creative space, well used by the local community and a range of practicing resident artists.  It is fully equiped for intaglio and silkscreen printmaking, with darkroom facilities for silkscreening soon to become available.  I have yet to reach my full stride there, but having it as a space only a short walk from our home where I can at least attempt to do creative things is very helpful at an extremely difficult time. Return to Homepage