A Year of Light – Tam Bundle

Lesson projects

• Main Lesson: Bringers of Light. We’ll paint a playful scene of a young girl with a bright smile and a bird perched on her head, symbolising the theme of Guidance and Light Bringers. As we work with mixed media to capture the sunlight and shadows on her face, we’ll reflect on how certain beings, whether people, animals, or even symbols like the North Star, serve as guides, bringing light and joy into our lives. The bird acts as a ‘light bringer’ in this piece, inviting us to consider how animals and companions can illuminate our paths. Through this warm, expressive painting, we’ll celebrate the figures in our lives that offer guidance, love, and light, helping us to find our way.
• Main Lesson: Sunset Love. We’ll capture a tranquil moment of a couple sitting near a tree, their figures gently backlit by the warm hues of the setting sun. Through gentle gradients, luminous highlights, and expressive details, we’ll focus on creating a scene that symbolises connection, reflection, and the light within us all. This piece will encourage you to connect with your own inner radiance, expressing its beauty and power through art.
• Main Lesson: Guiding Light. We’ll create a serene scene of a sweet kitten sitting peacefully by a still pond, gazing up at the glowing full moon as it casts its radiant light across the water. The moonlight serves as a metaphor for clarity and insight, illuminating the darkness and reflecting moments of understanding and awareness. Technically we’ll look at how to paint a backlit figure that also has ‘rim lighting’ which often happens when a subject is lit up from behind.
• Main Lesson: Galactic Bear. We’ll create an ethereal painting of a bear infused with a galaxy’s sparkling light, symbolising the vast marvel of life and the universe. We will work with layered watercolours and mixed media supplies. Theme wise; we’ll blend the beauty of starlight with the strength of the bear, who serves as a guide and protector. For previous year long courses, I have loved creating guides or protectors in the beginning of the year as a symbolic way to set ourselves up for the year with a loving guide or protector. I love the idea of having a Galactic Guardian guiding us! 😊 🐻 ♥️ Technically we’ll learn how to create “light in the dark”, we’ll explore how stars shine through the night and how to convey this with paint and mixed media. I also love how a painting like this can remind us and how we, too, can find our way even in life’s darker moments.
• Main Lesson: The Clearing. I wanted to start gently with a lesson that requires minimal drawing and focuses mostly and only using watercolours paints. Theme wise we are going to paint a small figure who’s just come out of a dark forest standing on the precipice of entering a clearing that is filled with light. I loved how this design could represent the beginning of our year, as we are all together standing at the beginning of a journey with the light! ✨🙌✨ It also represents the coming back of the light. Technically we are going to learn how to create backlit/ darker shadows in the forest and contrasted with the clearing are where the sun is shining through.
• Bonus Lesson: Star Touched. We’ll bring to life a charming, whimsical mouse holding a radiant, glowing star. With its oversized ears, soft fur, and endearing expression, this little creature embodies wonder and innocence. Surrounded by a sprinkle of golden stars, the scene captures a magical moment of connection to light and hope. Using watercolour and mixed media, we’ll explore how to create the warm, luminous glow of the star and contrast it with the rich, earthy tones of the mouse and its cosy attire. This piece invites us to reflect on how even the smallest lights can illuminate our path, offering clarity, insight, and a sense of purpose amidst the darkness. Let’s celebrate those tiny sparks of understanding that guide and inspire us. ✨🙌
• Bonus Lesson: The Angel of Light. We will be creating a sweet little angel of light who is a symbol of hope, renewal, and the promise of new beginnings. Surrounded by a celestial sky filled with radiant stars, our angel will embody the light that guides us through moments of change and rebirth.
• Bonus Lesson: We are Stardust. For this lesson my inspiration was the universe, life and the cosmos itself! With a beautiful whimsical painting revelling in the wonder of life itself, we will be creating a sweet painting of a little girl, reaching out to the expansive sky filled with stars. I hope for this painting to be a reminder of the fact that we are cosmically connected and that life, as challenging as it sometimes can be, is truly a beautiful and awe-inspiring thing!
• Taster Session: Sunshine Boy Joy. Join me for a heartwarming art class where we’ll paint a joyful little boy beaming with pure light and happiness! In this piece, we’ll capture the magic of a sunny beach day, where the boy’s radiant smile and glowing face reflect both the sunlight and the emotions of pure joy. Together, we’ll explore how to paint light effects, including a bright sun in the sky and its reflections on the boy’s features. Through mixed media techniques, we’ll combine literal light and emotional warmth, creating a piece that embodies the beauty of happiness and sunny days.
• Taster Session: Light & Bright. In this joyful and uplifting art lesson, you will paint a vibrant and colorful moth using expressive watercolors and mixed media techniques. Together, we’ll focus on working with bright, happy colors that lift our spirits and make our hearts feel light and full of joy. This class is all about embracing imperfection and allowing yourself to paint freely in a loose, childlike, and expressive style. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or new to painting, this class is designed to encourage creativity and fun. Come join us for an inspiring, heartwarming creative experience!