Autumn Equinox: Botanical Tetrapak Printmaking

Step into the Garden at the turning of the season and mark the Autumn Equinox, a moment of balance between light and dark, when the year begins to turn inward.

This has long been a time of gathering and keeping. Seed heads, grasses, and late flowers were collected not only for their beauty, but for what they carried with them: protection, remembrance, the promise of return. As colour softens and structures are revealed, the garden offers a different kind of richness: texture, silhouette, and form.

In this full-day workshop, we'll take inspiration from these seasonal shifts to create a layered botanical print that reflects the mood of early autumn.

We'll begin outdoors with observational drawing, focusing on seed heads, dried stems, and late-season plants. You'll explore line, shape, and composition, gathering visual material to develop into your own design.

Back in the studio, you'll translate your drawings into a tetrapak printing plate, learning how to etch your design and build an image through mark-making. We'll then look at colour mixing, ink application, and composition in greater depth, before printing your work using a press onto beautiful, textured papers.

Guided by Emma Bond, botanical illustrator and printmaker, this workshop is an in-depth, process-led experience, with time to refine your ideas and experiment with colour and layering.

Working slowly and intuitively, you'll create a finished, hand-printed artwork that captures the essence of the season, something to take home as a record of both place and time.

No prior experience is needed, just curiosity, a willingness to experiment, and a love of working with your hands.