Floral Dreamlines – Abstracting Native Flowers with Caroline Reid (NEW)

Explore the unique spirit of Australian native flowers in this fun, mixed-media workshop!

Guided by master pastelliste Caroline Reid, students will experiment with blind drawing,
coloured acrylic inks, calligraphy ink, lines and vibrant soft pastel to create a variety dynamic abstract floral works inspired by hakea, orchids, waratahs and banksias.

A joyful day of expressive looseness, experimentation and discovering the hidden rhythms of native flowers Leave with a suite of vibrant artworks and a fresh approach to abstraction.

Dates: 10 May 2026
Day/Time: Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Location: NatureArt Lab, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, ACT

If this course books out, please contact us if you would like to be added to a wait list for this or future classes.

Course Description:

A Playful Day of Abstraction: Exploring the Secret Life of Native Flowers
Led by a master pastelliste, Caroline Reid, this lively and fun one-day workshop invites you to dive into the unique world of Australian native flowers—hakea, orchids, waratahs,
banksias and more. We’ll explore their bold structures, hidden rhythms and wild personalities through a process-first approach to abstraction.

The day begins with fun blind-drawing and mark-making warm-ups that disconnect the eye from the hand, loosening control and opening the door to spontaneity. These quirky,
imperfect, wonderfully alive marks become the seeds for further exploration using coloured inks, vibrant soft pastel, black calligraphy ink and gestural Sharpie lines. As the layers build, the natural flow, form and movement of each flower begin to reveal itself in unexpected ways out of direct control. 

Across a series of short, energetic projects, you’ll experiment freely with mixed media—embracing line, colour, contrast, fluidity, accident and play. The workshop culminates in adding a final, luminous touch of soft pastel to bring light, energy and focus to your abstract compositions.

By the end of the day, you’ll walk away with a collection of vibrant abstract works, a deeper understanding of the exciting qualities of Australian flora, and a toolkit of adventurous techniques to energise your ongoing art practice.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn the technique of blind drawing

• Handle acrylic inks and pens in a controlled but experimental way

• Learn to make expressive and beautiful marks

• Learn to apply soft pastel to different papers with other media

Level of experience:

Suitable for beginners and those wishing to further their practice in painting with pastels.

Materials List: 

NB: Mandatory Course Materials: We provide professional tutoring and you must bring your own materials or you will not be able to complete the class exercises.

NB: This course is for soft pastels NOT oil pastels

Paper will be supplied by the tutor and purchased directly (approx. $20).

Other materials:

• BYO native flower/s from your garden or florist
• Blue masking tape
• Wet wipes
• Black Sharpie-type pens of different sizes and shapes
• Paper towel
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Microfibre cloth
• One inch wide rough flat cheap bristle brush
  

About the tutor:

“Love Where You Live”
Caroline Reid is a contemporary landscape artist based in Canberra, on Ngunnawal Country in Australia. She draws deep inspiration from the rugged, semi-alpine terrain that surrounds her—flanked by mountain ranges to the east and west, and the Snowy Mountains to the south. Though art has always been part of her life, Caroline spent many years working in science and industry policy, leaving little time to pursue a professional art career. It was through en plein air painting that she reconnected with her creative practice, using it as a path to physical and emotional recovery, grounded in her profound care for the natural world. For Caroline, the life force in nature is endlessly restorative. She is especially drawn to the wild beauty of Kosciuszko National Park and the remote areas of Namadgi National Park.

There, the movement of water and the warmth of sunlight are more than just
elements—they’re the vital energies that breathe life into the landscapes she paints.
Her work spans a variety of styles, from realism to impressionism to abstraction, with a
particular love for soft pastel and watercolour as her mediums of choice.

NatureArt Lab Awards:

• 2022, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Promoting Sustainability, ACT
• 2024, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Building Communities, ACT

Image credits: Caroline Reid