Meet The Artist: Harriet De Winton

How did you get into teaching art and how long have you been doing it?

I was approached to teach watercolour flower painting workshops a few years into launching my wedding stationery business: for every stationery client I worked with there were many couples who wanted to take a more hands on approach and create their own wedding stationery using the skills I taught in my workshops. This then branched out into a broader spectrum of people who were keen to simply have a go at watercolour. The workshops are wonderfully relaxing sessions as the process of painting in watercolour is extremely therapeutic. I encourage people to focus on and enjoy the process of painting rather than worrying about the results. The restrictions of the last few years forced us to take the teaching online. Our Youtube channel and Patreon have a wonderful global audience and it’s been amazing to connect with so many people. The best thing about teaching is connection: to see your teaching methods help people to unlock the joys of watercolour painting whether it’s over a zoom livestream or in a room with a handful of students

How do you select a subject to paint?

I have always worked in the arts, therefore there has usually been a creative brief or deadline that informs my process. That isn’t to say it’s not wonderfully creative and exciting. I take great pleasure in immersing myself in research but I get my boost of inspiration from nature every time. A walk in the countryside always sparks new ideas. I paint a lot of flowers and plants but I also love miniatures, characterful buildings and shopfronts.