Would you like to experience the Orkney landscape in a new way?  

With a passion for both education and art, an important part of my process is planning and running creative workshops for children, adults and families. I really enjoy helping others to develop their own creativity.  In these workshops we enjoy using traditional art materials and experiment with local  pigments to respond creatively to this landscape.​
Contact me so that we can discuss a bespoke outdoor workshop for you. 
"I contacted Katherine Diaper after seeing her work in a local gallery in Stromness.  I liked her paintings because of her use of light, lines and expression.  I asked her if she would tutor me and help me to ‘get out of the lines’ and be more abstract with my watercolours.
My four 2-hour sessions with Katherine made me grow as an artist.  All of the sessions were outdoors and started with exercises to make me aware of the beauty and nature of the location we were at.  With her instruction and techniques, I realised I had to look at the surroundings and interpret them in my style.
Katherine is a supportive, enthusiastic teacher and my time with her was so incredible.  I am so excited to have new materials to work with, a new found freedom in my painting and an entire new world opened up for me.
Thank you Katherine and let’s paint again in 2020."    Mitch Barrett
This 'Riches of the Shore' workshop was filmed for the Orkney International Science Festival in September 2020 with fellow artists Rebecca Marr, Fiona Sanderson and Marine Biologist Andrew Want. In the last 15 minutes of the film I describe how to forage for and use found pigments to create sketches on the shore at Warebeth. 
Previous workshops:
  • 'Exploring and Experimenting' a series of workshops with artist Ingrid Budge for the children and young people supported by Women's Aid Orkney, organised through the Culture Collective: Pier Arts Centre and funded by Creative Scotland
  • 'Landscape and Light' a series of workshops with artist Ingrid Budge for the P4/5 class at Dounby School funded through Creative Scotland's Small Grants Scheme  June 2021. See blog post 'Experiencing Landscape and Light with the children from Dounby School on the Pier Arts Centre website https://www.pierartscentre.com/blog/18/8/2021/experiencing-landscape-and-light-with-children-from-dounby-school​
  • One to one outdoor sketching tutorials - supporting folk to respond to the Orkney landscape in a variety of media (ongoing)
  • Foraging for pigments and brushes for the Orkney International Science Festival, September 2019 and 2020 
  • Art workshop for the pupils of Rousay primary school with the RSPB on Egilsay, March 2019
  • Family workshop investigating limpets for the Orkney International Science Festival, September 2018
  • Landscape lines, mark making on the shore, a community workshop at the Kelp Store on Papa Westray, July 2018
  • Weather station creative workshop with Fiona Sanderson for British Science Week at the Kelp Store on Papa Westray, March 2018 
  • Beach workshop with Fiona Sanderson for the OY Festival at the Kelp Store on Papa Westray, November 2017
  • Beach workshop, with Fiona Sanderson for the Orkney Nature Festival with the RSPB at Warebeth near Stromness, September 2017