Espasa Studio in 2025

Hello!

I hope this message finds you well and that you’ve had a great start to the year!

I know January is almost over, but despite the cold weather, I’ve had a good first month of 2025. I’ve enjoyed a bit of quiet time settling back into my routine. January is also my birthday month, so I made sure to celebrate and took some well-deserved time off from work.

Now that I’ve had a chance to gather my thoughts and ideas, I’m excited to share what’s happening at Espasa this year.

RECAP

First, a quick recap of 2024. I was so pleased with your interest and attendance at my workshops at the Guildford Institute. I’ll be hosting more workshops this year, and I’ll share those details a little later.

Unfortunately, I ended 2024 feeling a bit disappointed with the markets. One was canceled due to the weather, and I was unwell for another. However, I did manage to do a Pop-Up at Watts Gallery, and while some lovely people purchased my products, overall sales weren’t what I had hoped for.

As a result, I’ve decided to take a break from markets this year, at least for the first 6 months. My products are still available on Etsy, so feel free to check them out here:

WORKSHOPS

As I mentioned before, I’m focusing on developing my own creations and paintings this year.

However, I’ll still be running workshops at the Guildford Institute!

I just saw that my February and March workshops are sold out, but I will be hosting 2 more in April and May, so keep an eye on the Institute Website for when they release the new dates and when bookings open.

NEWS AT THE STUDIO

I’ve been working on adapting my studio to better suit my photography work, for those who don’t know, I work as a photographer shooting product, portrait and interiors.

It’s now a cleaner, more organised ( well, sort of…) space where I’ll also have room to exhibit my work during Open Studios.

I’ll still be offering private painting lessons and hosting small workshops, so if that interests you, feel free to reach out!

OPEN STUDIOS

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be participating in Open Studios this year after taking a break last year. I’ll be exhibiting in June with two of my studio neighbours, making it a group of three showcasing at the Farm. Open Studios will run from 7th to 22nd June, and I’ll share more details closer to the date.

I’m considering organising some workshops during Open Studios, but after overcommitting last year, I want to be mindful of my time and energy. Private workshops are always available for booking, so if you are interested, you can always let me know and we can organise one for your occasion and needs.

My priority this year is my photography work, which means Espasa will take a bit of a back seat—though it’s definitely not going anywhere!

Making photography my main source of income will also help me relief some pressure from Espasa and truly enjoy painting and creating.

A Note to You

That’s all my news for now! I hope my updates and newsletters bring a bit of creativity to your life, and I encourage you to keep creating and painting—it’s such a wonderful thing for your soul.

As always, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any paintings, questions, or ideas you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to help or answer any questions if I can.

Wishing you a creative and inspiring year ahead!

With love & art,

Laura