Event Description
Join artist Jan Gaska for a relaxed outdoor workshop exploring oil pastels as a portable, expressive medium for drawing from life. Aimed at beginners and intermediate artists, this session makes the most of the farmyard setting, with its mix of farm machinery, rustic barns and characterful buildings to inspire your work.
Jan will begin with a short demonstration, showing how to blend colour, use the softness of the pastel to build rich layers, and capture light and shadow quickly on the page. You’ll then choose your own view around the farm to draw, with plenty of one‑to‑one guidance as you develop your image. All materials are provided, and in the event of bad weather we’ll move to a covered barn space so the workshop can continue comfortably.
Bradenham Art Fair is a four-day celebration of art, craft, music and community at the National Trust’s Manor Farm in Bradenham (HP14 4DF), running over the May Day Bank Holiday, Friday 1 – Monday 4 May 2026. Alongside our programme of fabulous masterclasses, you’ll find curated contemporary art and sculpture in the historic Tythe Barn, courtyard and gardens, demonstrations, drop‑in pottery painting and a collaboratively created glass sculpture in the grounds.
Food and drink will keep you happily fuelled, with coffee, tea, cakes, toasties, Jones’ Pies and Lloyds Wines on offer, plus wine tastings and live music all weekend, including traditional Morris dancing on Friday 1 May. Entry to Bradenham Art Fair is £5 per person (children under 14 go free but still need a ticket), which includes access to the whole site; your entry is included in your masterclass fee. One‑third of door proceeds supports Lindengate, a local mental health and nature charity using the healing power of the outdoors to promote wellbeing and recovery.