Led by Julia Blaker, Artist, with historical and botanical insights from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Three is a quietly powerful number in art. It allows for balance without symmetry, variation without chaos, and a visual conversation that feels natural and resolved. In this one-day painting masterclass, you’ll explore the beauty of everyday vegetables through a trio of expressive acrylic paintings.
Drawing inspiration from the kitchen garden and the long tradition of still life painting, this course invites you to slow down, observe carefully, and paint with confidence. Expect bold colour, simplified form, and a focus on character rather than technical perfection.
During this one-day course, you’ll create three A4 acrylic paintings of vegetables selected for their shape, silhouette and personality. Working across the trio as a cohesive set, you’ll learn how individual works can stand alone while becoming stronger together through rhythm, balance and visual harmony.
All three paintings will be signed on the day and prepared for professional framing. Framing preferences are selected during the session, with delivery arranged after the course.
Working alongside Julia Blaker, a Somerset-based artist celebrated for her distinctive graphic style and sensitive use of colour and form, you’ll spend the day immersed in confident mark-making, decorative pattern and expressive painting. Julia is known for helping guests paint boldly and decisively, without overworking or self-doubt.
Julia will share her process for developing cohesive series, guiding you in choosing varied but complementary subjects, planning scale and composition, and building a shared visual language across all three works.
Neil opens the day with a Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring still life painting in art history. You’ll look at how vegetables, fruit and domestic objects have long been used to express abundance, care and quiet symbolism, positioning the kitchen garden as a contemporary still life — grown, gathered and chosen.
Through step-by-step demonstrations and individual support, you’ll be guided through sketching, colour blocking, layering, pattern and refinement. You’ll work across all three paintings throughout the day, ensuring harmony and cohesion from the outset.
By the end of the day, you’ll have completed three finished acrylic paintings on paper — each with its own character, and together forming a confident, resolved trio.
At the close of the session, guided by Neil, you’ll choose frame and mount options for your work. Framing is completed after the course to ensure a polished and professional finish.
Within one week, your framed artworks will be ready for collection or hand delivery, depending on your preference.
This workshop on Thursday 18th June 2026 includes:
Refreshments and a seated home-cooked lunch in the dining room
Heritage and art-historical context
Hands-on guidance and individual support
Access to the kitchen garden and curated produce selection
All painting materials and professional framing preparation
All abilities are warmly welcome. Whether you’re new to painting or an experienced creative seeking a day of focused making, this course offers a generous balance of learning, craftsmanship and shared enjoyment, in the spirit of camaraderie.
Workshop Details
Date: Thursday 18 June 2026
Time: 10.00–14.30
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £235 per person, (a 10% discount is available for two or more guests booking together with code TWOTOGETHER2026).
Includes: All materials, tuition, refreshments, a seated three-course lunch, and professional framing preparation
Spaces are limited to eight guests.
Julia Blaker is an artist whose work explores shape, repetition and the emotional resonance of everyday forms. Her teaching is known for its clarity, warmth and ability to help guests paint with confidence and joy.
Read more about Julia Blaker in The Asterion Journal.
Your Hosts
This course is hosted by Neil Crump (Founder, Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip — a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse surrounded by a richly varied garden which, at the height of summer, will be abundant with foliage, flowers and the quiet hum of seasonal life.
Our guest team and gardening staff will be on hand throughout the day to offer guidance, hospitality and insight, bringing Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning philosophy into every corner of your visit.
Weather permitting, you’ll enjoy a tour of the grounds and see the kitchen garden, ornamental borders and wilding areas beginning to come back to life.
Led by Julia Blaker, Artist, with historical and botanical insights from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Three is a quietly powerful number in art. It allows for balance without symmetry, variation without chaos, and a visual conversation that feels natural and resolved. In this one-day painting masterclass, you’ll explore the beauty of everyday vegetables through a trio of expressive acrylic paintings.
Drawing inspiration from the kitchen garden and the long tradition of still life painting, this course invites you to slow down, observe carefully, and paint with confidence. Expect bold colour, simplified form, and a focus on character rather than technical perfection.
During this one-day course, you’ll create three A4 acrylic paintings of vegetables selected for their shape, silhouette and personality. Working across the trio as a cohesive set, you’ll learn how individual works can stand alone while becoming stronger together through rhythm, balance and visual harmony.
All three paintings will be signed on the day and prepared for professional framing. Framing preferences are selected during the session, with delivery arranged after the course.
Working alongside Julia Blaker, a Somerset-based artist celebrated for her distinctive graphic style and sensitive use of colour and form, you’ll spend the day immersed in confident mark-making, decorative pattern and expressive painting. Julia is known for helping guests paint boldly and decisively, without overworking or self-doubt.
Julia will share her process for developing cohesive series, guiding you in choosing varied but complementary subjects, planning scale and composition, and building a shared visual language across all three works.
Neil opens the day with a Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring still life painting in art history. You’ll look at how vegetables, fruit and domestic objects have long been used to express abundance, care and quiet symbolism, positioning the kitchen garden as a contemporary still life — grown, gathered and chosen.
Through step-by-step demonstrations and individual support, you’ll be guided through sketching, colour blocking, layering, pattern and refinement. You’ll work across all three paintings throughout the day, ensuring harmony and cohesion from the outset.
By the end of the day, you’ll have completed three finished acrylic paintings on paper — each with its own character, and together forming a confident, resolved trio.
At the close of the session, guided by Neil, you’ll choose frame and mount options for your work. Framing is completed after the course to ensure a polished and professional finish.
Within one week, your framed artworks will be ready for collection or hand delivery, depending on your preference.
This workshop on Thursday 18th June 2026 includes:
Refreshments and a seated home-cooked lunch in the dining room
Heritage and art-historical context
Hands-on guidance and individual support
Access to the kitchen garden and curated produce selection
All painting materials and professional framing preparation
All abilities are warmly welcome. Whether you’re new to painting or an experienced creative seeking a day of focused making, this course offers a generous balance of learning, craftsmanship and shared enjoyment, in the spirit of camaraderie.
Workshop Details
Date: Thursday 18 June 2026
Time: 10.00–14.30
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £235 per person, (a 10% discount is available for two or more guests booking together with code TWOTOGETHER2026).
Includes: All materials, tuition, refreshments, a seated three-course lunch, and professional framing preparation
Spaces are limited to eight guests.
Julia Blaker is an artist whose work explores shape, repetition and the emotional resonance of everyday forms. Her teaching is known for its clarity, warmth and ability to help guests paint with confidence and joy.
Read more about Julia Blaker in The Asterion Journal.
Your Hosts
This course is hosted by Neil Crump (Founder, Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip — a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse surrounded by a richly varied garden which, at the height of summer, will be abundant with foliage, flowers and the quiet hum of seasonal life.
Our guest team and gardening staff will be on hand throughout the day to offer guidance, hospitality and insight, bringing Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning philosophy into every corner of your visit.
Weather permitting, you’ll enjoy a tour of the grounds and see the kitchen garden, ornamental borders and wilding areas beginning to come back to life.
