MAGGIE READ

ARTIST & QUALIFIED TUTOR

Surrey artist Maggie Read was trained at the University of the Creative Arts, formerly Epsom College of Art and Design, where she studied Graphic Design and Illustration. She worked as a freelance illustrator for many years before having her family and re-launching her career as a Tutor and Demonstrator.

Twenty-seven years ago Maggie created Pirbright Art Club and has since organised and run all the art sessions and annual exhibitions, as well as outdoor painting days, workshops, art holidays and private classes. Maggie continues to paint and exhibit alongside her busy teaching schedule.

Experienced in teaching most media, Maggie's strengths are in all aspects of drawing; watercolour painting; acrylic painting; soft pastels and pen & wash. She ran a Portrait class for many years at Woking Adult Learning Centre. She also taught drawing & watercolours to beginners and improvers, for over 25 years. She then ran private classes from her own studio and later from Pirbright village hall, allowing for more flexibility in subjects and media as her students progressed.

Maggie is skilled in showing her students how to achieve interesting compositions and to prepare sketches for paintings. Demonstrations and workshops are clearly structured and colour-mixing is kept simple, often using mainly primary colours. Tone and perspective are always considered.

TUITION

PIRBRIGHT ART CLUB: ART SESSIONS

Lord Pirbright’s Hall, Pirbright, Surrey GU24 0JE

Group 1 - third Thursday of the month 1.15 - 4pm

Group 2 - fourth Thursday of the month 2 - 5 pm

All sessions take place in the Main Hall.

FRIDAY ART WORKSHOPS

Clubroom, Lord Pirbright's Hall, Pirbright, Surrey GU24 0JE

9.30am - 2.30pm - These are structured classes designed for intermediate and advanced students. The aim is to stretch the skills and imagination of each artist, using various media. Each workshop can be booked separately.

Numbers are limited to 15 on Workshops, which allows for each person to have their own table. The workshops take place in the Clubroom at L.P.H. Tea and coffee are provided and there is a crituque / appraisal at the end of each one.

For details of the next workshops, or to be added to the contact group for all information, please contact Maggie by email maggieread@btconnect.com or phone 07977552780

DEMONSTRATIONS

Maggie demonstrates and runs workshops for art clubs and societies. She is happy to discuss your club's requirements and tailor a workshop or demonstration to your members' needs. She is also experienced in pre-selection or judging at art club exhibitions.

PAINTING HOLIDAYS

In early 2025 Maggie was asked to organise and run a private course for a group of ladies from Sweden, who were all friends and all of whom shared a love of art but were in need of some tuition and guidance! They joined her over the Easter weekend for an enjoyable week at Bodrugan Barton, near Mevagissey in Cornwall. This included outdoor painting on location as well as studio sessions. We had some lovely group meals and Maggie made sure there was some free days for the group to go off and explore!

Charmouth Beach

Lunch at the Red Brick Cafe, in Bridport, on market-day

In 2024 Maggie took a group of artists on a five-day painting holiday to the Dorset Coast, based in Bridport. During a very entertaining week, where the weather largely behaved itself, the artists drew and painted scenes in West Bay, Charmouth, Lyme Regis, Symondsbury, as well as scenes (especially people) from Bridport’s weekly market. The week was very successful, with many paintings being started (some completed!) as well as sketch books full of drawings. A few scenes of the locations and artists are shown below.