Experimental Drawing Club, Trowbridge

15/09/2026

01/09/2026

Last few spaces available! Including on the v covetted Tuesday session *Experimental Drawing Club* Winter 2026 theme: "Calling the Raven" ○• ● 14 ART SESSIONS ○•°●

Beginners very welcome - no experience needed
all materials provided - £230 for 14 sessions, £205 for 12 sessions.

Every Monday & Tuesday 1000hrs - 1230hrs 7/8 September to 14/15 December 2026

The Old Town Hall, Market St, Trowbridge BA14 8EQ Get in touch with Alison for more details:
| [email protected]
+44 (0)7788 967983 |

We experiment in a range of media, techniques and processes. In the past we’ve made leporello/ concertina books - played Surrealist party games - made automatic drawings - drawn in response to text and music - drawn from memories and half-rememberings and semi forgotten dreams - drawn from films and/or props.

Each session we make lots of work and spend time together after each exercise discussing what we’ve done. No previous experience necessary - no art skills required - just a want to play with materials and to explore drawing processes.

Led by Alison Ballance for whom drawing is central to their practice

16/07/2026

What an end to term! Mother and Child: this iconic subject matter reimagined in clay and pencil. So many thoughtful and provoking work made this week. Well done everyone. We made sculptures with our eyes closed/averted to begin with - inspired by Phyllida Barlow’s techniques of making rapid sculptures in the dark when her family were young. We then laid a graphite ground and pulled out tonal drawings using erasers. Both exercises I encouraged people to use observation as a starting point - visual or tactile, to be bold with starting again if it feels like its needed and have fun. An amazing wrapping up session for EDC as we close for the summer holidays. See everyone again in September, have a wonderful summer xx

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️

11/07/2026

This week's Experimental Drawing Club🌟⭐️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Taking one of my favourite stories since I was small: 7 Pleiades sisters and their star constellation. How they’re permanently fleeing the hunter Orion, how one of the girls is lost or a witch, ideas of female collectives and women’s groups, the themes of sorrow and loss there. I also like how the constellation has a story attached to it in every culture of the world of 7 brothers or 7 sisters, how the constellation appears in a the Lascaux caves, suggesting it’s one of the oldest stories. Wonderful sessions and chats as always xx

Some people took to the personification of the stars and the sisters, others took to the simple brilliance of intergalactic photography. We used watercolours, pencil and masking fluid. Well done everyone - stunning work

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️

06/07/2026

Dreams! From Last week’s Experimental Drawing Club - We looked at historical paintings and prints of dreams: from early medieval manuscripts to mid C20th oil paintings. I asked the group to think about the subject matter of dreaming, not just as night-time dreaming but also as daydreams, wishes for the future, hopes, visions, famous ideas and so on. The puzzle of how to create an image around something so intangible is one that I come back to again and again in my practice and it was great to see how everyone approach it with their usual skill, humour and honesty. Well done everyone xx

Ps bonus pic of who made transfers of her artwork last week onto HER SHIRT! Amazing 💞💋🫶💞💋❤️‍🔥

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️

23/06/2026

Experimental Drawing Club this Week: Kimono and the Heron - a gentle and straightforward session where we created our own colourful and abstract designs using ink and colour wash inspired by early C20th Kimono and interior patterns. Lots of incredible palette making, people took their time to match simple combinations with super effective results. Well done everyone - especially in this heat!

Also thank yous to for bringing in her beautiful kimono for people to see 👘 and to for the ice lollies 🧊

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️

16/06/2026

Moths and Butterflies - I demo'ed wet-in-wet & wet-on-dry watercolour techniques and we talked about what we could do with this theme: straightforward flat-plans, kaleidoscope patterns, symbols of Psyche, ideas of renewal and change, a play with process and colour. Beautiful result and a very calming session - Jackie Morris’ artwork for the ‘Moth’ in Lost Spells was excellent inspiration. Beautiful Work! p.s. it’s also coming up to that time of year for the big Butterfly Count.

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see our website for more opportunities ✨️

09/06/2026

Experimental Drawing Club's publication this term, 'Drawn by Swans' is a collection of fantastic self portraits Lino prints that the artists have recently made. This week everyone constructed the accordion bound portfolio books to which the prints will be added at the end of term. Wonderful work everyone, each one is specific to the person making it. Really looking forward to seeing the finished results.

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️

02/06/2026

Swap n Collage: An idea suggested by Grace which I thought was brilliant. Everyone brings in
old work that they won’t be using again, everyone swaps with everyone else and recreate them
into increadibe collages and new artworks.This session brings up ideas of editing from sorting through previous work, thinking about what you’re prepared to give to another artist, working with someone else’s palette and marking making. Good chats about recent travels, colour and dementia patients, sociability, the NHS and hybrid practices. Dreamy artworks made, well done everyone.

19/05/2026

Oh the heavens! Clouds in watercolour this week - airy made-up skyscapes, favourite places, reflections, dreamy pools of apricots and moments of the sun coming through. Well done everyone - hope you all have a good half term! xx

Experimental Drawing Club is led by as part of weekly art programme, see out website for more opportunities ✨️