2025 Workshops

Sculpt a clay portrait head from life - three days

11 -13 April 2025

10am - 4.00pm
£450 includes materials, refreshments and lunches

All abilities welcome, suitable for beginner and advanced sculptors.

Sculpt a clay torso from a life model - four days

15 - 18 August 2025

10am - 4.00pm
£650 includes materials, refreshments and lunches

All abilities welcome, suitable for beginner and advanced sculptors.

Guest Tutor: Tristan MacDougall

Tristan MacDougall is a sculptor and teacher of Art at Oundle School and a member of the society of portrait sculptors and winner of the Society's Olin Award for Bas-relief sculpture.

Tristan was trained in the classical tradition of portrait and figure sculpting at the Florence Academy of Art. He has taught portrait sculpting workshops for the Society of Portrait Sculptors at their annual exhibition in London.

Sculpt

Tristan will teach you to understand the underlying structure of the head as well as to observe with sensitivity the subtle nuances in facial features and personality of the sitter. Teaching will cover building an armature, blocking in, key measurements, proportions and essential anatomy of the head.

With a maximum of 7 students, you will get the dedicated and tailored teaching that you need to learn this challenging but hugely rewarding discipline.

Experience

Arrive at 10am and have a tour of our foundry and studios, meet the team and other participants with fresh coffee and biscuits before beginning the teaching session in our clay room.  We all stop for a convivial sit-down lunch in our gallery with views over the sculpture garden. We aim to finish the sculpture course around 4pm each day.

Take home

An option is for you to have your work cast into a permanent medium. This can be either bronze or plaster by the foundry - this will be charged for separately.