The art workshops making fine art feel warm, social, and accessible

For many people, the idea of taking an art class can feel a little intimidating.

There’s the blank page, the unfamiliar materials, and the thought that maybe you’re simply “not artistic enough”.

For Britt, the founder of Britt’s Studio, creativity should feel a little more relaxed than that.

Think cosy cafes, lo-fi music, a plate of charcuterie, a drink in hand, and a couple of hours learning how to create something you can take home.

Since hosting her first pop-up workshop at The Press Book House in Newcastle in April 2024, Britt has taught more than 900 people across Newcastle, Maitland, the Central Coast, and Sydney.

And with classes regularly selling out, there are clearly plenty of people looking for exactly that.

“I saw a gap in the market for semi-regular art classes in a consistent location,” Brittany said.

“I wanted to create something people could look forward to once a month.”

From corporate life to creative classes

Brittany’s journey to building Britt’s Studio has been shaped by a lifelong pull towards creativity.

Having moved to Newcastle from the Upper Hunter nine years ago, Britt has watched the city’s creative scene evolve considerably.

“There’s such a big creative community here now, and I think people are really wanting those experiences where they can learn something, meet people, and be creative together.”

Growing up in Scone with a mother who worked as an artist, Britt developed an appreciation for the creative industries from a young age.

Studies in visual arts at university, further training in events and continuing to develop her drawing and painting skills through mentors and online courses, has meant she kept finding her way back to creative projects, even while working in the corporate world.

In 2019, she found herself producing a concert at Civic Theatre with a group of musicians, before moving into corporate roles for a period of time. 

Alongside it all, she was running one art workshop a month at The Press Book House, where high walls of books, large timber tables and warm lighting created a setting that felt less like a traditional classroom and more like somewhere people could relax, have a go, and discover their creative side.

As those workshops gained momentum, Britt began building what would eventually become Britt’s Studio: a place where people could try their hand at art without signing up for a long-term course or committing to the often expensive and intimidating world of formal art education.

What happens at a Britt’s Studio workshop? 

Most people who arrive at a Britt’s Studio workshop would describe themselves as beginners.

Britt affectionately calls them “dabblers” – people who might enjoy being creative but have never necessarily considered themselves artists.

Workshops generally run for around two hours, with between 20 and 40 people sitting around tables, listening to lo-fi music, enjoying refreshments, and following Brittany through the process of creating an artwork.

The teaching follows a three-step method.

First comes the foundations of drawing, including proportions and observational skills. From there, participants move into colour mixing and techniques such as wet-on-dry painting, before finishing with finer details including highlights, ink, and more precise brushwork.

Brittany moves around the room throughout the session, offering guidance and helping people work through anything they get stuck on.

“The structure is very guided, so nobody feels alone.”

That balance between structure and freedom is part of what makes the workshops approachable.

Someone can walk in convinced they “can’t draw” and still leave with something they’re genuinely proud of.

There are no grades, no pressure, and no expectation that anyone needs to identify as an artist. Instead, the focus is simply on having a go.

Making fine art warm again

The setting has always been central to Britt’s Studio.

Rather than finding a traditional art classroom and filling it with easels, Brittany brings her workshops into existing local spaces.

From The Press Book House in Newcastle to Niche on High in Maitland, The Morning Coffee Society in Long Jetty, and The Dale Studio in Sydney, each venue is transformed into a creative space for a few hours.

“Traditionally when you’re in an art class, it can be a white room, stale, clinical,” Brittany said.

“I think the actual environment you’re creating in is part of the artistic experience.”

That philosophy sits behind what Brittany describes as making “fine art warm again”.

The workshops are social and welcoming, with refreshments, music and conversation happening alongside the teaching. For Brittany, it’s about creating an atmosphere where people can relax enough to actually enjoy learning.

And there’s no expectation that everyone sitting around the table already knows what they’re doing. In fact, that’s rather the point.

A club without the commitment 

What started as one Newcastle workshop has now expanded well beyond the city, with Britt’s Studio running sessions across Newcastle, Maitland, the Central Coast and Sydney.

Classes generally sell out, with around 20-40 people attending each session and additional workshops added when demand is high. There’s no membership and no ongoing commitment required.

“It creates a club that people don’t have to subscribe to,” Brittany said.

You can book a table with friends for a birthday or catch-up, come along as a couple for a creative date night, or turn up on your own and meet new people around the table.

The idea is simple: spend a couple of hours creating, chatting and enjoying yourself without any pressure to be perfect.

For Britt, that social element is just as important as learning the technique.

The artwork might be what brings people through the door, but the experience is what keeps them coming back.

So, what’s next?

The growth of Britt’s Studio has also opened doors Brittany hadn’t necessarily anticipated.

She has been approached by Cessnock Regional Art Gallery about teaching, while workplaces have started getting in touch about corporate workshops.

This spring, she’s bringing back some of her favourites, including the Sunflower Illustration Workshop at The Morning Coffee Society in Long Jetty and the Charcoal Barn Owl Workshop at Niche on High in Maitland.

Newcastle will welcome a Bilby and Sugar Glider Illustration Workshop at The Press Book House, while Sydney will get its turn with Blue Whale and Barn Owl charcoal workshops at The Dale Studio in Chippendale.

And Brittany has plenty more in mind. 

She hopes to teach regularly at galleries, would love to bring her workshops into a Sydney library and can eventually see Britt’s Studio growing into a permanent creative space where other artists could teach too.

She’s also working towards a one-day workshop fair featuring eight artists at MOA & Co., bringing together her experience in arts production and community events.

But when asked whether she could eventually see herself stepping away from teaching and focusing solely on art production, Brittany was almost aghast.

Teaching isn’t something she plans to give up anytime soon.

She wants to keep experimenting with different mediums, exploring new spaces and bringing her approach to new students for as long as she can.

For Brittany, the point has never been to turn everyone into an artist. It’s about giving people the confidence to have a go.

“There’s no pressure to be perfect,” she said.

And for anyone who has ever looked at a blank page and decided they’re simply “not artistic enough”, Britt’s Studio might just be the place to prove yourself wrong.

How to book

Follow Britt’s Studio on Instagram or Facebook for upcoming workshops, locations and bookings.