Botanical Art: Cacti with Artist Monair Hyman at Leeds Central Library

Making, painting, creating, getting out of your head and into your hands are things that can never be undervalued in our busy contemporary world. Let yourself be guided into the process by professional artist Monair Hymen, in a one-off workshop at Leeds Central Library. She will be facilitating people to produce drawings inspired by examples in the art library books and special collections before bringing those ideas to life with paint.

Inspired by the natural forms of cacti, you’ll be gently encouraged and guided by Monair to produce botanical drawings. You will then learn how to colour mix and combine your ideas, creating a final piece you can be truly proud of. Don’t be intimidated by the complex details, all plants can be broken down into manageable shapes and have you producing a stunning final piece. However, the focus is not on just making something impressive at the end of the workshop, the real treat is the process of creating whether that end result is something you expected to make or not. 

Monair Hymen is a British painter with years of experience in watercolour. She graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a first-class honours in Fine Art Painting. Her work has been exhibited in both the UK and internationally across continents. Although her current artistic research is centered around personal narratives and historical archives, her aesthetics have often taken strong influence from botanical subjects and natural forms, making her an excellent person to guide you into the world of painting plants. 

The workshop is open to people aged 14+ at all levels of ability, with materials provided. You’ll be painting with best quality Windsor and Newton watercolour paints which will be yours to take home with you at the end of the session. Begin with a workshop, but continue your artistic pursuits beyond the library with your paint palette at home.