The Cluster
Saturday 7th February 2026 until Saturday 11th April 2026
Paint, Talk & Create at The Cluster
With Jessica Holzhausen
Price: from £25 per workshop
WHAT
DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF PAINTING
Discover your creative spark with acrylic painting workshops this winter and spring. Whether you want to create wearable art with fabric painting, make hand-painted accessories or learn how to get started with landscape painting: all workshops in this series are beginner-friendly, no previous experience needed.
All materials are provided and you’ll get some advice on what you need if you want to continue your new hobby at home.
WHO
Jessica Holzhausen is an artist, writer and historian, living and working in Oxford. Jessica always had a creative streak for which she found an outlet in writing short stories, crafting and painting in various media. While she finds inspiration in the natural world and real places, her art is often based on her own inner landscapes: a storm brewing in the head or the calm serenity that arises from focusing on the twisting branches of a tree. Like trees a lot of her paintings tell a hidden (hi)story.
Next to painting landscapes in oil, pastels and acrylics, Jessica has a passion for creating wearable art pieces, like handpainted bags or purses and jewellery from recycled materials.
Learn more about your workshop leader here.
WHEN, HOW MUCH & HOW TO BOOK
4 fortnightly workshops with 8 places available at each workshop.
WORKSHOP 1 (there are two dates to choose from for this workshop)
Introduction to Fabric Painting with Acrylics
Saturday 7th February 2026
2pm to 4:30pm (2.5 hours)
£30.00
Saturday 11th April 2026
2pm to 4:30pm (2.5 hours)
£30.00
WORKSHOP 2 (there are two dates to choose from for this workshop)
Hand-painted Jewellery
Saturday 21st February 2026
2pm to 4:30pm (2.5 hours)
£30.00
WORKSHOP 3
Landscape Paintings for Beginners
Saturday 7th March 2026
2pm to 5pm (3 hours)
£40.00
WORKSHOP 4
Hand-Painted Easter and Spring Decorations
Saturday 21st March 2026
2pm to 4pm (2 hours)
£25.00
WHERE & HOW TO GET THERE
The Cluster, 3-5 Middle Way, OX2 7LH (the best co-working space in the universe, says us!)
It will take place indoors at The Cluster co-working space, 3-5 Middle Way, Summertown, Oxford. There are regular buses from Oxford city centre to Summertown. There are some 3 hour parking spaces along Middle Way but these are subject to availability. There is Summertown car park opposite Oakthorpe Road.
BUS
You can reach Summertown by bus from the city centre.
2A, 2, 800, S4 gold, S5 gold from Magdalen Street to South Parade East.
S1 from George Street to South Parade West.
CAR
There are some 3 hour parking spaces along Middle Way, subject to availability. Additional car parking spaces can be found at Summertown Car Park, behind M&S. From here it takes about 8 min. by foot to reach The Cluster.
WORKSHOP 1
Introduction to Fabric Painting with Acrylics
There are two dates to choose from for this workshop.
Saturday 7th February 2026 / 2pm to 4:30pm £30
Saturday 11th April 2026 / 2pm to 4:30pm £30
This is the first workshop of four. All workshops can be booked separately and are not part of a course.
Emily in Paris was yesterday. Make your own fashion statement with hand-painted clothes and accessories. This course teaches you how to use acrylics to paint on fabric, using fabric binder and various painting techniques to create unique wearable pieces. We will talk about painting styles, motives, make sketches and transfer them to fabric. You can bring a piece of your own clothing or start with a simple canvas bag provided during this course. If you choose your own clothing, best bring something made from thick natural fibres to guarantee that the paint properly sticks to it. Best are cotton, cotton canvas, linen or denim.
All materials provided, suitable for all experience levels.
WORKSHOP 2
Hand-painted Jewellery
There are two dates to choose from for this workshop.
Saturday 21st February 2026 / 2pm to 4:30pm £30
This is the second workshop of four. All workshops can be booked separately and are not part of a course.
Starting with small pieces of wood, this course takes you step by step through the process of painting unique jewellery using acrylic paints. The course starts with an introduction into the materials (brushes, paints, painting mediums and glaze) and colour mixing, before helping you develop an idea and sketch for your jewellery. During the course, you will be able to paint one pair of earrings or a pendant and assemble it with fittings and hooks. You can choose your own art style – from abstract block colours to detailed illustrations with fine brush strokes.
All materials provided, suitable for all experience levels.
WORKSHOP 3
Landscape Paintings for Beginners
Saturday 7th March 2026 / 2pm to 5pm £40
This is the third of four separate workshops. All workshops can be booked separately and are not part of a course.
Discover your creative spark and dive into landscape painting with acrylics. This course teaches you the basics of acrylic landscape painting and covers:
Materials (brushes, pallet knife, paints, canvas vs paper, painting mediums)
Colour theory and colour mixing
Painting techniques (from blending to visible brush strokes and structure)
Ideas for multi-media techniques (inks, acrylic markers, collage)
Composition, light and perspectives
Outdoor sketches
All materials including canvases are provided, but please bring some ideas for a landscape you would like to paint. These can be sketches, photos of locations or online references – anything that inspires you to paint.
WORKSHOP 4
Hand-Painted Easter and Spring Decorations
Saturday 21st March 2026 / 2pm to 4pm £25
This is the fourth of six separate workshops. All workshops can be booked separately and are not part of a course.
Bring some colours into early spring! In this 2-hours-course you will paint colourful spring and Easter decorations, using natural wood slices and acrylic paints. The course will teach you how to prepare the wood, paint base coats and add floral and Easter themed illustrations, before sealing the wood with an acrylic glaze to make it durable. The course will also cover easy decorative styles, like printing with plant and flower cuts and stencils. You will be able to finish 1-2 decorations – depending on how much detail you want to include – to take home after the course.
All materials provided, suitable for all experience levels.
OTHER USEFUL STUFF
For details on who each workshop is suitable for and what materials are included, please refer to the individual workshop descriptions.
The Meet Point Coffee Summertown at the entrance to The Cluster offers delicious coffees and snacks.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION
Please note that The Cluster is an old building and is not fully accessible. There is uneven block paving outside and a small step into the building. The workshop is held on the first floor, which can only be accessed via stairs.
Toilets are located on the ground floor. Please note that there are no accessible or wheelchair-friendly toilets in the building.
If you have any questions about accessibility, please get in touch with Jessica prior to booking.
REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY
Life happens and in case you can’t make it to the class or it’s not the right one for you, we offer a full refund up to 5 days before the workshop date. Alternatively, you can swap the class for another available class in this course series. Additional charges may apply, if you choose a longer class (e.g. acrylic landscape paintings).
If you have to cancel within five days of the workshop, please get in touch with Jessica and we’ll try to find a solution, including transferring your spot to another workshop or to someone else.
If the course is cancelled by the class tutor or the venue, we guarantee a full refund within two weeks. Alternatively, you can also switch to another workshop in the series.
If the workshop is cancelled by the tutor or venue, you will receive a full refund.
