November schedule
Art Club and Picture Book Club dates, oh my!
Hello!
I was going to start with “I hope you’re all well”, but I know we’re all still reeling from the results of the American Election. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, and I know, speaking personally, I’m still feeling pretty raw and shocked. I’m hoping in time, I will find a way to live with the election result, and I am also aware that I am speaking from a place of immense privilege and my heart goes out to all the millions of people who now feel unsafe and broken. I wish I had the words to say more, but I am all out of words.
So I come to you today with the schedule for this little part of the internet that helps me feel like the world isn’t entirely broken. I realised last month that posting a long preamble before I post the schedule probably isn’t a great idea if I want people to see it. I am still in two minds about how helpful it is to post separately about Picture Book Club and Art Club as well as this round up. Please can you let me know below - do you see these schedule posts, or would it be helpful to also post separately? I guess this is a bit of a moot question, because if you don’t see it, you won’t be reading this! So, could you just give this a “like” if you’ve seen it? Perhaps this month I will try posting separate reminders too, and see how that works as well!
Ok, on with the schedule…
Art Club
These are free, playful and fun art sessions. Each month I choose a theme or material I want to play around with and you can either join in, or go off-piste, and do your own thing. I might spend a session playing with wet textures, playing around with how things bleed, mix together, blend. Other times I might grab a handful of random materials and play around with those together. All previous Art Play Dates are available as replays, and each new session adds to the back catalogue to watch and play along with.
Tuesday 12th November, 12.30 - 1.30 pm GMT. Zoom (link below for paid subscribers)
As I enjoyed painting the above still life so much at last month’s club, I thought it would be fun to paint my brill Staffordshire Dogs again. So I will set up a new still life using them, for anyone who wants to follow that, and also, feel free to set up your own still life. Bring along any art materials you want to paint or draw with. I might continue my experiments with Pan Pastels. The Zoom invite is below for paid subscribers.
Picture Book Club
One of my favourite things on the MA was when we looked at Picture Books together and analysed them, so I am thrilled to run this on my Substack. I announce the book at the beginning of the month and then we have a live Zoom together and chat all about it! It is available as a replay afterwards for those who can't make it.
Tuesday 26th November, 8-9pm. Zoom (link below for paid subscribers)
This month’s Book Club choice is Angry Arthur - thanks to
for this suggestion. It feels rather apt after the election result - I think we all feel pretty angry!
My brother is called Arthur, and I remember reading this to him when he was little. He’s 8 years younger than me, so I remember reading books to him, and I remember this one feeling significant, although I can’t remember any of it as I write, so I’m looking forward to rediscovering it through book club, and judging by these images, I think it will be a really fun one to explore.
I’m looking forward to this one! As ever, do pick it up from friends of Gather Filter Make Shelf Editions run by the fab Helen Hancocks or from Storytellers Inc. run by the brill Katie Clapham
NEW! Co-Working Club
Join me while I work in my studio. Designed to provide a bit of company and accountability for anyone working from home. Use it to catch up on chores or to keep you going for that extra hour when you’re losing motivation or simply for some company while you work from home.
Eek! I failed to organise any of these last month! I was teaching a lot, and my illustration schedules are intense at the moment! BUt I have two weeks this month when I am only teaching 1 day, so I will try and actually put some dates in this month. As. Keep an eye on the chat here - I’ll try and post with a few days notice, so keep you eye there if you want to join
That’s it! I’m looking forward to seeing you at Art Club or Picture Book Club or maybe at a Co-working session.
Until next time,
Ella xx
Zoom links below for paid subscribers.
If you enjoy my Substack and want to show your support, I would love it if you would consider becoming a paid subscriber. I really appreciate every single paid subscriber (and if you are already subscribed, thank you, from the bottom of my heart). All subs help me to continue making illustrated books, and creating posts here on Substack. And as well as supporting me, you get benefits too. What?! Yes, you heard me! You get access to my big catalogue of paid posts, and access to my monthly Zoom sessions, Art Club and Picture Book Club. And if you can’t attend live, all sessions are recorded and posted afterwards.