Libby Mitchell

Hi everyone!My name is Libby and I have been a travelling artist/ curator for the last several years, now happily settled in a beautiful studio in Edinburgh overlooking the Pentland Hills. My studio is my sanctuary and it thrills me to be able to welcome you to my nest for half-day workshops with emphasis on building a sustainable Art practice :)I studied Visual Art in Melbourne, Australia at a wonderful family-run college and my teachers and fellow pupils became my family away from home for two of the best years of my life. It was in Australia I began experimenting with homemade paints, using Ochres I would gather on my walks. Since then, the goal of my studio and my practice is to have as little impact on the environment at possible - which includes eliminating toxins/chemical run off when I wash my brushes. Did you know acrylic paint contains plastic? :(Well obviously, the clue is in the name! But every time you wash your brushes, all that plastic runs straight into our rivers and oceans, and as artists whose inspiration so often comes from nature, I feel we have a duty to be proactive in sustainability.The labels on store-bought paints produced on mass never provide us with information about how something was made, the origin of raw materials, who produced it and under which conditions, what it contains, and what impact it had on our environment during the manufacturing process! I constantly found myself questioning the ethics behind my materials which is why I started making my own and really hung to the connection I was making to my surroundings in the process.These classes are designed not only as a wonderful opportunity to socialise and build connections with fellow artists following the aftermath of social-distancing, but they are also ideal for those wanting to build a more environmentally friendly practice. I always wish to encourage teachers who work with children to attend, or anyone with the ability to spread the knowledge! Everyone is welcome here and my studio will always be a safe haven to myself and the doors always open to other artists from all walks of life My studio is located on the 6th floor of WASPS Riverside House, EH11 3AF. There is elevator access, but if you would like to book onto the course and have any questions about any accessibility before doing so, please do not hesitate to get in touch.It is worth noting that private sessions for Hen-dos, birthday celebrations or baby showers are available for parties of up to six, please message me to enquire!