National Silk Painting Festival coming to Southend

South Essex College is hosting the Guild of Silk Painters National Festival in July, which will include an array of vibrant workshops for all interests and abilities.

They are bringing their national festival ‘Beside the Sea’ to the College’s Southend campus on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July.

Organisers have chosen Southend so attendees can be inspired by the town’s seaside influences, such as deckchairs, beach-huts, cockle boats, Victorian villas and the Leisure Pier.

Some of the workshops being held over the weekend include eco print dyeing, screen printing and shibori (beautiful Japanese-style dyeing). There will also be an exhibition of artists’ work and the opportunity to purchasefinisheditemsfrom Guild members,as well as silk painting supplies.

Denise Leadley from the Essex branch of the Guild said it was set to be an exciting event.

She added: “People from all over the country will be attending the festival, so it will be a great way to meet people with an interest in silk painting and to learn a new skill.

The College is the perfect location for theFestivalbecause of the great facilities on campus, which will allow our expert tutors to deliver a variety of workshops capturing a range of techniques and interests, so there will be something for everyone even beginners.”

To find out more about theFestival, including a full list of workshops, and to book tickets visitwww.essexsilkpainters.co.uk/national-festival-2019/