Free drawing workshops to help find stories of the Land of the Fanns

Do you have stories about the place where you live? Are there ancient buildings with fascinating histories? Are there woods full of mystery and legends? Does your favourite walk pass through land rich in tales and characters? Then the Land of the Fanns team wants to hear from you.  

Working with renowned Purfleet-based arts organisation Kinetika, the Land of the Fanns Landscape Partnership Project is asking local people and communities to identify and share 100 stories gathered across the Land of the Fanns area. These stories will be written up, illustrated, recorded and eventually turned into 100 silk flags. The flags and stories will form part of a celebratory Walking Arts Festival planned for late spring 2020.

Over this summer 2019, the Land of the Fanns are collecting stories and everyone is invited to share theirs. During August, Kinetika is running free drawing workshops to help explore the stories from the landscape of the Land of the Fanns, aiming to inspire memories about people’s connection to the Land of the Fanns landscape. 

The drawing workshops are led by professional artist Jo Beal, who will provide top tips and techniques to help you reflect on and capture your experience of the locations and your personal connection to the landscape. No previous drawing experience is necessary.  The workshops take place on 3^rd, 4^th and 17^th August at various locations:

Saturday 3^rd August

• Drawing workshop – St Mary’s Church, Great Warley.
• 10.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. 
• St Mary the Virgin Church, , Great Warley Street, Great Warley, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 3JP

• Drawing workshop – Warley Place Nature Reserve
• 1.30 – 4.30 p.m.

Sunday 4^th August

• Drawing workshop – Haven Plotlands Museum TBC
• 10.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
• Haven Plotlands Museum, Essex Wildlife Trust, Lower Dunton Road, Basildon, Essex, SS16 6EB

• Drawing workshop – Havering Country Park
• 1.30 – 4.00 p.m.
• Pinewood Road, Havering-Atte-Bower. RM4 1PB. 

Saturday 17^th August

• Drawing workshop – Upminster Tithe Barn Museum   TBC
• 10.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.

Saturday 17^th August

• Drawing workshop – Grays Gorge
• 1.30 – 4.00 p.m.
• Meet in the Car Park at Drake Community Centre Drake Rd, Chafford Hundred, Grays RM16 6BZ
  

There will also be sessions on Friday 16th August from 1.30pm – 4.40pm to share stories at Bulphan Village Hall. No need to book, just come to the Village Hall for a cup of tea and a chat about the local landscape and what it means to you. From 2.30pm until 4.00 pm, take part in a walk and draw session around the village to inspire stories and memories about the local landscape.

The workshops are all free and open to all but need to be boked via Eventbrite. Follow the link from the website. To find out more about the 100 stories, please go to http://www.landofthefanns.org/projects/b2-2-community-mapping/