Family Art Space - 2025

Join us for our twice monthly Family Art Space. Each session on Saturday mornings we will make art inspired by different artists, themes or creative traditions.

These fun exploratory and experimental sessions are aimed at children between the ages of 7 - 11yrs (school year 3 to year 6).

All materials will be provided.

These are family art workshops and an adult is required to stay with their child throughout the duration of the class.

Themes for these sessions:

Saturday 11 January 11am to 12pm

Mini box diorama with Squirrel Ink.
Using paper, scissors and our imaginations we will make our own mini worlds, tiny enough to fit in your pocket.

Saturday 25 January 11am to 12pm

Spirit of Animal with Lisa-Marie Gibbs
Using drawing & storytelling, we will bring to you tales of magical creatures from across cultures and then invite you to create your own animal spirit stories.

Saturday 8 February 11am to 12pm

Charcoal journey
A lesson in how to use and have fun with charcoal. We will take your drawings on a journey that will unfold before your eyes during our session.

Saturday 22 February

The Lost Museum
Join us to draw artefacts from Benin, explore the hidden stories, energies and beauty held within them. We will use charcoal drawing & mixed media to re-create our own stories inspired by this collection of objects.

During these sessions particiants will explore:

Drawing

Collage

Illustration

Charcoal mark making

Story telling through imagery

Creative thinking

Artistic processes

These sessions will be hosted by Squirrel Ink and Lisa-Marie Gibbs on alternate weeks.

Squirrel Ink is an artist who loves to explore everyday magic in her art works.

She studied at Wimbledon College of Arts UAL for her MA in Drawing and is also a qualified Early Years Teacher.

Find out more about her work on instagram: @squirrel.ink

Lisa-Marie Gibbs is an artist who has been helping different communities across Reading for over 25 years. She works with people both near and far, and this has changed how she makes her own art.
Lisa-Marie's art looks at feelings and challenges that people face, showing how creativity can help us feel better. She loves to explore important ideas about being human, like love, loss, and memories.

To allow our workshops to be accessible to all we are able to offer our workshops for a nominal fee and we have a limited number of free places for each session.

Please get in touch if you would like more information about our free spaces.

By attending this workshop you are agreeing to act in accordance with our workshop behaviour policy which can be viewed here: https://www.jelly.org.uk/policies

Find us in our next space on the 1st Floor in Broad St Mall. We are the last unit nearest the public toilets.

Inclusivity, safety, respect, confidentiality and consent are fundamental principles at Jelly workshops and events.

Frequently asked questions:

We are a small team working behind the scenes answering your questions. If you email us via eventbrite or via our website we will answer as soon as we can.

Where are you based?

Our studios are located within Broad St Mall. You can find us on the first floor. We are the last unit before the toilets and exit to the carpark. If you get lost please ask any Broad St Mall security guard and they will direct you.

If I cannot make my paid workshop, can I transfer my ticket to another event or get a refund?

We are able to offer a refund or transfer your ticket to a future event if you contact us a minimum of 7 days before the event starts. After this time we cannot offer any refunds or transfers. 48 hours before the event you can contact us to enquire about a waiting list and we will endeavour to transfer your ticket.

Can I arrive early?

To allow ample time for our workshop host to prepare the space and set everything up, we kindly request that you arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before the scheduled start time. This allows us to create a welcoming atmosphere and ensure everything is ready for your arrival.

If you're curious about the space or would like to introduce your children to the workshop environment beforehand, we're more than happy to accommodate your request. Contact us and we can provide you with photos of the space or arrange a visit prior to the workshop. We want to make sure you and your family feel comfortable and excited about the experience!

As a charity we rely on donations and ticket sales to pay our artists and models. We always keep ticket costs to a minimum and when possible offer a limited number of tickets as a ‘pay what you can’ and a donation option if you are able to pay more.

Host or Publisher Jelly