Sketchbook Watercolour with Artist Rachel Mercer

About this event

Get ready to immerse yourself in colour and sketch your way through an expressive watercolour session with Rachel Mercer! This course introduces participants to working expressively in watercolour only. Weather permitting, you’ll work outdoors at A4 or sketchbook size. The sessions are designed to build confidence in tone and colour, encouraging a quick, fluid, and expressive approach to painting, avoiding any initial pencil work. Each class begins with a discussion of relevant artists and a short demonstration by the talented Rachel Mercer, and concludes with a supportive group critique of the work created. The workshop also includes an exclusive tour of the beautiful walled garden at Goodnestone, along with all the materials you’ll need to bring your paintings to life. Join us at the Coach House, Goodnestone Park. Open to all levels, no experience necessary. The day includes tea and coffee on arrival, introductions, garden entry, and a delicious lunch made from locally sourced ingredients at the Old Dairy Café. Free on-site parking is available, and we warmly welcome access requirements—please contact us to discuss your needs. Once regularly visited by Jane Austen, Goodnestone Park carries a gentle, historic charm that makes it an ideal setting for a botanical painting workshop. Set within 15 acres of beautifully designed gardens, the estate blends elegant formality with peaceful woodland paths and wide, open views. The Walled Garden, reflective ponds, terraces, and sweeping lawns provide an abundant array of seasonal blooms and foliage—perfect subjects for detailed observational painting. Throughout the grounds, quiet corners invite slow wandering and focused looking, allowing participants to gather inspiration and connect with the subtle shapes, colours, and textures of the natural world. With its historic house, tranquil atmosphere, and ever-changing interplay of light, colour, and scent, Goodnestone Park offers a nurturing landscape where you can pause, observe and paint natural forms in a setting that feels both timeless and deeply nourishing to the creative spirit.