In September Katherine gave a talk about her work and ran a workshop to explore experimental watercolour painting techniques using traditional paints and paints she has ground herself from natural materials. You can see more of Katherine’s work on her website katherine-renton.co.uk/ or her Facebook page facebook.com/KatherineRentonArtist/.
Northumbrian based artist Katherine Renton joined us for a Saturday session of a talk, demo, and workshop. Katherine has developed a unique painting style and process, hand making paint from sea coal found at Amble beach.
When Katherine told us she paints the local castles, they are not the imposing likes of Bamburgh, but rather the sandcastles left behind on the beach at the end of the day.
What was lovely about Katherine’s talk was how her story included the importance and significance of place and family, both of which have been intrinsic to her development of practice. We were able to try out some of the coal paint for ourselves, alongside experimentation with watercolour techniques. A highlight for me was being able to see Katherine’s whole process, and to pick up the shells which are filled with the coal paint. The texture and colours that the coal produced were really interesting to work with and didn’t always create what you anticipated. This made it all the more fun to experiment with!
Leila Hogarth
Katherine’s talk about her family background and local history that provided the foundation and inspiration for this body of work was fascinating. Her work using natural resources is never more relevant now with the impact of climate change and ever rising sea levels along our coast.
After seeing her wonderful Keep exhibition at Bailiffgate in Alnwick l was already intrigued by the process of making her own watercolour paints from the very rocks and sea coal that line our coastline. She demonstrated this very physical process and gave us all the opportunity to paint with the sea coal watercolours she had made. We also tried out watercolour techniques with traditional watercolours.
Thank you Friends of the Hatton for facilitating such an interesting and engrossing day. I look at the castle painting made that day and it reminds me of the enjoyment of the workshop, as well as coastal walks on drizzly days with Dunstanburgh Castle in view.
Sheila Culling
Friends of the Hatton 