Author: Tamsin

Join me for our inspiring Sketching Nature art classes every Monday and Tuesday in Mid-Cornwall. Nestled in the the heart of Cornwall is a wonderful place called Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens. We call it Lanjeth for short, which is also its home village on the outskirts of St Austell.

Art classes in Mid-Cornwall

Sketching Nature art classes have been running for over a year now. What started in July 2025 with a couple of hours a week has grown into a community of creatives and friends beyond anything I could have imagined.

Inspired by the beautiful surroundings of Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens, we meet weekly and learn, laugh and draw together.

The styles. skills and interests of everyone are very varied, which makes for inclusive and exciting classes. We love to share what we create – you can see many video compilations of our work from the last year on my Facebook and Instagram.

New Monday morning class

Due to the popularity of these art classes, from September there will also be a new Monday morning class. This means there are four chances a a week to join us.

Monday 10am-12pm and 1:30-3:30pm

Tuesdays 10am-12pm and 1:30-3:30pm

Sketching Nature classes attracting experienced artists and novices alike. All are welcome and you will be met by a friendly group who are encouraging and supportive.

It is £10 per session and you are welcome to attend as often or as infrequently as you like. Booking is essential as numbers are limited, so get in touch if you would like to join us.

Sketching Nature is based at Lanjeth near St Austell, PL26 7TL

Sketching Nature is for everyone

Artists with experience and complete beginners are all welcome, this is for anyone who wants to make art with like-minded people in a beautiful setting. We have a relaxed and enjoyable time being creative and inspiring each other. It is a supportive environment where you can let your imagination wander, and see what you produce on the day.

Every session begins with a tip which gives you a focus and a new skill or way of working. You get to choose your sketching subject and there is always professional guidance available if you have any questions or feel stuck. When the weather is less favourable we stay indoors and have a more structured lesson, and when it is warm and dry, we use a creative prompt and use this to inform our sketching outside.

Lanjeth Gardens

Lanjeth Gardens is a beautiful, 13.5 acre site with winding paths through woodland and wetland areas. There’s lots of ponds, waterlilies, wildflowers and dragonflies. There are always plenty of interesting subjects to find and sketch, from landscape scenes, bark and leaf textures to flowers, bugs and fungi. There’s even ducks, chickens and pygmy goats to draw. It’s a great place to develop your skills.

Lanjeth is a mostly level site with good access. There are many different paths weaving between the ponds and trees, with woodland glades and views of a water lily filled lake.

There are benches and seats dotted around the site, though you may prefer to bring a camping chair so that you can sketch comfortably wherever the inspiration strikes you.

We have a light and spacious building (The Pavilion) where we meet, and where we work indoors if the weather is unkind. There is ample table space and seating for our use. We have many activities and subjects for indoor work, so we don’t let a little Cornish rain dampen our spirits!

There is plenty of free parking, and an accessible toilet on site.

The café is open all day for drinks, cake and light lunches, and we will make our own refreshments – drinks and biscuits are provided.

Sketching kit

Your choice of materials is entirely up to you. On the whole we recommend a less is more approach to keep it simple and portable. With a sketch book, a pencil or two, some charcoal or a pan of watercolours you can create a wealth of art.

If you aren’t sure what you will enjoy working with we will help you with your experimenting, and the group is always encouraging of one another. We each get a lot of inspiration from the environment and from one another, and people quickly find their style and sketching in this way.

Book your Sketching Nature experience

Places are limited so booking is essential. You can attend as often or infrequently as you like. It is £10 per session, refreshments included.

Just contact me here or call/text/WhatsApp on 07967 416072 to find out more and to secure your place.

For all art classes and tuition opportunities with Tamsin, visit the Art Tuition page here.

These last few months I have developed a passion for sketching still life studies in pastel. It started as a way to use up offcuts of Pastelmat paper, and has developed into a whole new body of work which I am really excited about.

Painting small artworks

There is a particular joy that comes from working small. I love that these studies are faster to complete than my usual portraits. Plus the scale adds a certain charm as well as bringing a unique set of challenges when sketching.

I have decided that to keep these looser, I will only use pastel sticks/blocks and not use pastel pencils. If I were to employ a pencil I could work with more precision, but this would also reduce the looseness in my mark making.

As you can see from these images, the artworks are only a matter of inches across. And they are intentionally realistic without complete precision.

Still life subjects

The majority of the subjects I have sketched in this range are fruits, with the addition of a particularly handsome red onion, some shells, and a couple of conkers. I am fascinated by how the details of life too often pass us by.

This is always a theme in my portraiture – what are the details that make us us? And so it is a natural extension to look for the individuality in the everyday items around me.

I love how the mundane becomes fascinating, beautiful or simply is appreciated more when we stop and really look. Art is one such way to encourage this. Both for myself as the artist and for the viewer who encounters my work.

A growing series of still life studies

As of writing this in the Spring of 2026, there are over 20 artworks in this range, and I have plans for many more. I have created an album on Facebook where I am collecting these studies, as well as sharing them on Instagram as they are drawn.

I will in time create a new gallery here on my website which will be a permanent home to my sketches. I am yet to decide if I will separate still life studies from my en plein air work. So this online gallery addition will come when I am sure of how I want to present it all.

See the original artworks at Cornwall Open Studios in May

I am developing this range with a view to a whole new gallery wall display for Cornwall Open Studios 2026. This will be my second year participating and I am excited to be bringing something new for my visitors. I will write more about all things COS in another Sketchbook blog post soon.

The five fruit studies you see in the first image here are all sold to one collector. She has generously suggested that they remain with me so I can display them at Cornwall Open Studios, after which they will hang as a collection in her kitchen.

There are more pastel still life originals available, including this clementine and the Sea Snail shell. So come and see me in my studio here on the South coast of Cornwall in May and choose which you would like to take home with you.

I am also accepting commissions for still life studies. Get in touch to discuss any ideas you may have, from a theme for your home to memorialising objects that have a special meaning to you.

This Spring I am taking art in a self created art residency and exhibition called Art in Nature, at the beautiful Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens. From the 31st March to the 19th April myself and six other women artists from across Cornwall will be making art inspired by Lanjeth Gardens. And you are invited to be a part of it.

What is an Art Residency?

An art residency is an opportunity for an artist to take a step back from every day life, and to focus for a time on their creativity. When I started my business many years ago I soon discovered that being a professional artist is far less about the actually creating than I anticipated.

There is all the associated admin, marketing, accounting, event planning and attending, and logistics of running a business. This is very time consuming. I also do a lot of teaching which I love, as it inspires me to work with so many different people. And then commissioned portraits stretch me in new directions with exciting challenges. I honestly enjoy every element of my job, and being self employed and running a business suits me very well, but it can be hard to step back and find time to just make art for me.

Art residencies are something that you might travel for, combining a new environment with an equipped studio, a fresh collective of creatives and perhaps a new structure to work within.

The Art in Nature residency idea was born from a conversation with Sharon Bruster, a fabulous artist friend of mine who lives and works in Padstow on the North Coast of Cornwall. I introduced Sharon to Lanjeth gardens where we walked, drank lots of coffee, has excited conversations and found ourselves completely inspired by the environment. That same day we were inviting fellow artists to join our new project and come and make art with us there.

For me this is a chance to see this place that I know well through fresh eyes. Not only by responding to what my fellow artists create, but also by looking anew myself. Taking lots of time to slow down, explore ways of drawing en plein air, and introducing lots of play to my sketching.

I may take some sketches and ideas into my studio and develop them further. I may make many experiments on the page which I later abandon. I may try new art materials, and I may find myself in a more methodical rhythm. The beauty of this time is that there is no necessary outcome, no pressure to make art that is pleasing to anyone else. Just the space and permission to be curious, to draw a lot, to find new ways of capturing on the page what I see and how I feel.

And there is the added benefit of making alongside other artists, being inspired by and learning from them. I am always interested to see how differently we all see the world around us.

Artists in Nature

There are seven women artists in total taking part in this art residency. Myself, Sharon Bruster, Belinda Latimer, Christina Milward of Ivy Prideaux, Roberta Hopkins, Josie Purcell and Fran Marks Art.

We have a very wide range of styles, approaches and media, with the common thread of each being inspired by nature.

You can find out more about us and follow the residency planning and news in our Facebook event.

The Art of Lanjeth

If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens yet, let me tell you what you will find.

Lanjeth is a village on the outskirts of St Austell, and also home to Lanjeth Gardens. This tranquil 13.5 acre site is part of a natural wetland, and has an illustrious history as a nursery for aquatic plants. It boasts over 100 ponds and a waterlily lake, with walks winding throughout and down into ancient woodland. It is a very special place which is run for the benefit of the local and wider community. Families, walkers, nature enthusiasts and dogs on leads are all very welcome.

You will find a new plant centre, a cafe with the most delicious lunches and light bites, and very friendly welcome from all.

Lanjeth Gardens is currently open to the public from 10am – 4pm Thursday – Sunday. Then seven days a week from Easter weekend.

We will be scattered across the site, with artists there every day from the beginning of April. Come and find us and say hello, we would love to meet you.

There will also be an opportunity to contribute to a collaborative artwork we will be creating with our visitors.

Plus we are holding a raffle of seven original artworks, all donated by the artists, to raise funds for Growing People CIC. This Community Interest Company is at the heart of what Lanjeth does, creating nature based connections and opportunities for the local community. Tickets will be available through the cafe at Lanjeth, and the draw made on the afternoon of the 19th April.

Art of Lanjeth Exhibition

These weeks of creativity will culminate in an exhibition sharing all we make on the weekend of the 18th and 19th April. Plus a private view event from 5-7pm on Friday 17th April. You will find our exhibition in The Pavilion, next door to the cafe.

Inspired to Learn to Draw Too?

I run a number of regular classes and workshops at Lanjeth Gardens throughout the year. As well as private tuition, and delivering bespoke workshops, talks and demonstrations to groups. You can find out more about all the ways you can learn with me here.

For any questions you may have about art tuition or anything else, you can contact me here or call or WhatsApp on 07967 416072

This Easter my Coombe Art Group are holding their first collective art exhibition here in Mid-Cornwall. We are excited to invite the public to join us at Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens from Good Friday (3rd April) to Easter Monday (6th April).

From 10am – 4pm we will be showing work by over 20 local artists. We have a wide range of skills, interests and styles and there will be Cornish scenes, botanical art, pet and wildlife portraits and lots more.

Coombe Art Group

I have been running Coombe art group, also known as Draw Together classes for many years. It is an established group that has evolved over time. With new people joining as others move on, and new friendships are always being formed.

I am proud to say that everyone who attends brings enthusiasm, a fresh way of looking at things, and supports and encourages everyone else in the class. We have a lot of good conversations and many laughs whilst learning together. And it is this collective spirit that has led to the group curating their very own exhibition.

Putting on a Show

One week last year two different students mentioned that they thought the group should have an exhibition. We are all inspired by one another’s achievements, and how hard everyone works in their chosen approaches. So this exhibition is a celebration of us all, our creativity and our dedication. There is definitely a lot of talent in the group, but there is far more skill developed through practice, learning and new and established artists continually challenging themselves to grow.

I couldn’t be more proud of what everyone has achieved in these classes, and I can’t wait to share it all with you. There will be artist on hand throughout ready to welcome you and talk to you about our show, so do come an have a chat. We love to talk art and inspire others too.

Supporting Cornish Art

Much of what you will see at our exhibition will be for sale. It is at each artist’s discretion, and some will also be open to taking commissions. With dozens of original artworks, fine art prints and greetings cards, we will have something for every budget.

Many of the artists have not exhibited before, so this is both an exhilarating and nerve-wracking experience. Though I know from experience how thrilling it is to have your work framed and see it on the wall and enjoyed by the public – it is something that never stops being exciting.

I will also be exhibiting some new artworks that have not been shown before, along with prints and cards of some of my favourites.

Art at Lanjeth Gardens

We chose to hold our exhibition at Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens as it is a beautiful community space just up the valley from where we meet in Coombe.

A visit to our art show this Easter means you can also enjoy exploring this tranquil 13.5 acre site. There are accessible paths weaving through this natural wetland, past a waterlily lake and through ancient woodland. Dogs on leads are very welcome too.

You will find a new plant centre, a cafe with the most delicious lunches and light bites, and very friendly welcome from all.
Lanjeth Gardens is open to the public from 10am – 4pm Thursday – Sunday. Then every day from Easter weekend, when you will find our exhibition in The Pavilion next door to the cafe.

Enjoy a walk, lunch in the cafe, treat yourself to new plants for your garden, and if you’re lucky you may spot an artist at work on site. Family friendly, accessible venue which is perfect for a relaxing day in the Cornish countryside.

Inspired to Learn to Draw Too?

I run a number of regular classes here in St Austell, Mid-Cornwall. I also offer private tuition and deliver bespoke workshops, talks and demonstrations to groups. You can find out more about all the ways you can learn with me here.

For any questions you may have about art tuition or anything else, you can contact me here or call or WhatsApp on 07967 416072

This July I will be running a new Nature Sketches in Watercolour one-day workshop here in Mid-Cornwall. Based at the beautiful Boconnoc Estate, and hosted by LilyBoo of Lostwithiel, we will spend a day learning and exploring together.

What does this workshop cover?

We are delighted to be heading to the beautiful Boconnoc Estate for our art day. Based in one of the stable blocks with access to the grounds, we will spend time exploring nature to inspire our work. The day will be hosted by one of the LilyBoo team and I will be leading the art workshop. The day includes refreshments and lunch.

Watercolours for Beginners

This workshop is designed for complete beginners. Whether you are new to making art or new to using watercolours, you will have lots of fun learning new skills. Join us for an inspiring day at beautiful Boconnoc, and enjoy an introduction to using watercolour painting to capture the natural world on the page.

You will learn a range of techniques to get you started with painting, and build your confidence in using colour in a quick and rewarding way. Combining sketching and painting we will observe and record what we see, creating a visual diary of the day and the stunning surroundings.

The day will be informative yet relaxed whilst we each find what we each enjoy and discovering our own styles. No pressure to get it ‘right’ rather learning through play and the joy of vibrant and loose painting.

Want to know more?

If you would like to find out more or to book your place, visit LilyBoo.

I run a number of regular classes here in St Austell as well as offering private tuition and delivering talks and demonstrations to groups. You can find out more about all the ways you can learn with me here.

For any questions you may have, or advice you may need, you can contact me here or call or WhatsApp on 07967 416072

Let me introduce you to Bramble, the star of this beautiful commissioned coloured pencil portrait.

The perfect size portrait

Bramble’s portrait is small as they go, just 14cm square. My client requested these exact dimensions as Bramble’s portrait hangs beside his predecessor. Now the family dogs’ pictures hang together on the family home wall in West Cornwall.

We all love Chocolate Labradors

Labradors are a firm favourite for family dogs; reliable, full of love and good-natured. I am very much a dog person and I have a soft spot for the larger breeds. I suspect that being tall has something to do with that, they are more my scale than a terrier. But the rich colours of a Chocolate Lab’s coat combined with those warm amber eyes mean I am liable to be parting with all my treats with one after just one imploring look.

Coloured pencil for portraits

Coloured pencil is a popular choice for those who like realism, accurate colour representation, and the look of a hand-drawn portrait. Unlike pastel which can be very smooth and almost creamy on the page, my coloured pencil portraits retain the texture of the paper on which they are drawn.

It is a medium which is growing in popularity in recent years, though still often overlooked in favour of paint. I will always champion pencil as an artistic tool. And I will also be the first to say that coloured pencil is not an easy or fast medium to work with. My dressage horse study Poised is a great example of how the colours can shine, creating a picture that captivates with it’s luminosity and detail.

The six stages of drawing Bramble

You can see here the six stages of drawing Bramble. It can be hard to describe how I see the colours and how I start a picture, so I hope that this montage helps. By building many layers I can almost sculpt the image on the page. It is developed by creating depth in the hues as well as the tones, the golden and reddish base foundations serve to bring warmth to the high ground. Whilst the cooler shades help create shadows and planes that slightly recede.

I share work in progress photographs along with commentary about the process on my Facebook and Instagram pages, so you can follow me there and watch as I work.

Considering a commission? Let’s have a chat

Portrait commissions are always welcomed from both UK based and international clients. On my Commissions page there is an overview of the process, and for a more in depth look at commissioning a fine art portrait, please read this guide.

For any questions you may have, or advice you may need, you can contact me here or call or WhatsApp on 07967 416072

And if you would like more inspiration, these coloured pencil portraits are all commissioned pieces which celebrate pets in all their individual beauty.

First we have John and Louie, who have lived together for 14 years and counting. Then Dancer who is a retired Cornish show jumper, now living his best life running free in the fields with his closest horse friend. And CAT, a stunning calico cat with a wild side – I think you can see it in those cool, green eyes.

I have recently been really enjoying sketching in pastel, creating quick nature studies on Pastelmat paper.

Sketching in pastel

In contrast to my usual, more time consuming work, these are created in less than an hour and are in a more expressive and looser style. I find Pastelmat to be the perfect paper for both detailed and quick studies.

Pastel painting akin to oil painting

In these still lifes I have applied the pastel like you might paint with a broad brush or a palette knife. Using definite strokes and layering without additional blending, it shows an immediacy in the mark making which is reminiscent of an alla prima oil painting. I find it an exciting way to work, painting in dry media, and am loving expanding my practice as an artist.

Living in Cornwall I am surrounded by so much that inspires me. These conkers were collected when walking Bruno in Pinetum Gardens in St Austell, and I was gathering shells to draw when on my local beach last week.

Developing sketching, inspired by Cornwall life

I have become increasingly interested in sketching since teaching our popular Sketching Nature classes at Lanjeth Gardens. It is a perfect way to get an introduction to your own sketching practice, so get in touch if you would like to join us anytime.

I have plans to do a whole series of small nature studies in pastel, and I will be creating a collection of original artworks for a new gallery wall in Cornwall Open Studios 2026. But for now, I will just be enjoying the process, sketching as often as time allows, and developing my style. What a happy addition to art studio life this is.

Alice, Honey and Hope – the three beloved pygmy goats of Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens are stars of this commissioned pastel portrait.

I was asked to draw these gorgeous little goats for a surprise birthday present. Mark Woolcock, Managing Director of Lanjeth Gardens, has had goats for 17 years and they of course are a huge part of his world. Our animals become our family, and these gorgeous girls have been hand-reared so are very bonded with their people. So what could be better as a gift than a portrait of dear Alice and her daughters Honey and Hope.

As it was a gift I also had the artwork professionally framed for the client, so when it came time to present the artwork it was ready to hang on the wall.

If you would like to meet these cheeky characters, you can do so at Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens, And if you plan your visit for a Tuesday you could also join me for a Sketching Nature art class in this stunning location in Mid-Cornwall.

The autumn Prime Women Artists exhibition, True Colours, opens on Tuesday 16th September in Truro, Cornwall. I have three of my most colourful works in this show, and am proud to be sharing them alongside many other brilliant artists who work across a wide range of disciplines.

Come and see my original coloured pencil portraits Dalat Girl, An Apprentice of Indigo and Poised.

True Colours Exhibition

True Colours exhibition runs from 16th – 28th September
Special Preview evening on Sat 20th, 5-7pm
In The Gallery, Truro High School for Girls, Falmouth Road TR1 2HU

I will be there all day on Thursday 18th September, so if you can come by then and say hi, I would love to see you and to show you around.

And you are also invited to our special guest night where you can meet the artists: 5pm – 7pm on Saturday 20th September.

Prime Women Artists in Cornwall

Prime Women Artists is a network for practicing women artists across Cornwall, founded in 2023 by artists and friends Sharon Bruster and Maggie Cochran. Their aim was to build an informal community for women artists, to enable creative collaboration and mutual support, and to support practice development. Alongside this, to create opportunities to raise the profile of women in the arts in our County as well as creating opportunities to show our work together.

Artists With Heart is a new CIC which I am very proud to be supporting with my artwork River Royalty. Their mission is to raise funds to provide heavily subsidised or free UK holidays for the whole family of severely disabled and/or life-limited UK children, who would not normally, for reasons of finance or feasibility, be able to take a holiday.

Supporting families access holidays through art

Together we are raising funds through the sale of stunning fine art prints. My River Royalty pastel painting is one of the many on offer. You simply buy art that you love at great prices, and after costs, 70% of your art print purchase will fund holidays for life-limited children.

Living with disabilities or life-limiting conditions

What an important cause. If you or a loved one has been affected by disability, you will know how incredibly inaccessible so much of the world is. With HeArt is run entirely by volunteers who are working tirelessly to enable families to enjoy holidays together which meet all of their needs – something that many of us never have to contemplate.

Help spread the word

Please share this wonderful resource with those you know. Their website makes it easy to buy beautiful art. You can even purchase a gift voucher so the recipient can choose their own art, and you know that your present is helping change lives.

You can follow on Facebook or Instagram for regular updates. And if you know any families who would benefit from an accessible holiday, please let them know as self-referrals are very welcome.