ART CLASSES IN TOPSHAM

A range of courses and workshops at Nancy Potter House in the beautiful estuary town of Topsham. Please scroll down the page to see courses in Calligraphy and Flower Painting.

A 6 Week course in Classical Calligraphy

Using traditional metal, broad-edged dip nibs, this course will be focusing on mastering the Foundational Hand.

Commencing 21st April 2pm – 4pm

Nadezhda earned a BA degree in Calligraphy from Roehampton University in London in 1999. She worked as a professional calligrapher for 20 years, and taught calligraphy extensively throughout the South East of England before moving to the South West.

Her public works can be viewed at Croft Castle in Herefordshire, and Caerhays Castle in Cornwall. The majority of her commissions are held in private collections.

Course Description

This 6 week course offers a thorough introduction to the beautiful art of calligraphy through the study of Foundational Hand. Suitable for beginners and those wishing to refine their skills, the course provides a structured and disciplined approach to learning this classical letterform.

Calligraphy is NOT dependent on ‘good’ handwriting, these disciplines are separate from one another. Calligraphy constructs each letter in separate strokes, so if you have so-called ‘bad’ handwriting, you may dicover that you are an excellent calligrapher!

I have worked as a professional calligrapher for over twenty years, and my teaching begins where all good lettering begins — with sound technique. Students will learn to use a metal, broad-edged nib with ink, developing control, consistency, and confidence from the outset.

Foundational Hand is built upon the geometry of the square. Over the duration of the course, you will learn the underlying principles that govern this script: how each letter is constructed, how it relates proportionally to the others, and how rhythm and harmony emerge from these relationships. We will cover line spacing, nib sizes, and the subtle but crucial spacing between letters and words.

Each week builds progressively, allowing skills to settle and strengthen. The course concludes with a simple, personal project using a text of your own choosing — an opportunity to apply what you have learned in a thoughtful and considered way.

All materials are provided £120.00

Commencing 21st April and running weekly from 2pm – 4pm.

Flowers & Foliage in Watercolour, 1st June - 6th July 10am-12pm

This six-week watercolour course explores the beauty, structure, and vitality of flowers and foliage. Suitable for beginners and improvers, it offers a clear and encouraging path into botanical painting.

We begin with simple, enjoyable exercises designed to loosen the hand and remove the fear of the blank page. You’ll learn fun and accessible ways of creating floral images using watercolour’s natural flow and transparency

From there, the course gradually deepens. We move on to more complex structures of petals and leaves. You’ll develop a stronger understanding of proportion, spacing, and composition, alongside practical skills in layering washes, preserving light, and mixing fresh, natural colour.

Watercolour is particularly suited to capturing the softness of petals and the translucence of leaves. Throughout the six weeks, you’ll learn how to balance control with freedom — keeping paintings lively while building accuracy and depth.

The course concludes with a personally chosen image to paint.

£100. Please see below for the materials you need to bring with you.

List of Materials

Click on the photos to purchase

Also bring an HB & 4B pencil, an eraser, and sharpener if using wooden pencils

Testimonials

“I’ve attended several of Nadezhda’s workshops and have absolutely loved them. She’s an inspiring teacher – warm, friendly, and incredibly patient. Nadezhda creates such a welcoming atmosphere that makes learning both fun and rewarding. I always leave her classes feeling inspired and full of new ideas.”

Kiera

“I have attended a number of Nadezhda’s 1 day workshops over the last few months & have enjoyed them enormously. We always come away with a completed piece of work which is very rewarding. Nadezhda has a lovely teaching style & is always on hand for advice & guidance.”

Caroline

“A huge thank you for a very enjoyable workshop in a lovely calm atmosphere. I enjoyed it more than I had expected, and felt I learnt some useful detail and methods. Nadezhda’s patience, care and attention were greatly appreciated and I’m sure we all really benefited from the day and judging by all the results I saw really inspired some great work”

Mark

Registration Form

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