Painting the Grounds: Emma Weekes’ Nature Residency

For one week in early March, the grounds surrounding the Daler-Rowney factory in Bracknell became both studio and subject for watercolour artist Emma Weekes. Taking advantage of a run of bright weather, Emma spent her residency painting outdoors, observing the trees, birds and small seasonal details that exist around the site.

Known for her close observation of wildlife and natural landscapes, Emma’s work often begins outside, sketching and painting directly from life. Watercolour suits this approach particularly well, allowing her to respond quickly to movement, light and subtle colour changes in the environment. The residency in Bracknell offered the ideal setting for this way of working, with woodland pockets and mature trees surrounding the factory grounds.

Throughout the week, Emma focused on capturing the everyday nature found on site. One of her main subjects was an old oak tree near the factory – its textured bark and twisting branches becoming a central study across several paintings. The base of the tree was scattered with fallen leaves, which Emma painted as small studies in tone and colour, reflecting the quiet transition between seasons.

Birdlife also featured strongly in her work during the residency. Among the species she painted were the familiar European robin and the distinctive Eurasian green woodpecker, both spotted among the trees surrounding the site. Painting outdoors allowed Emma to capture quick moments of movement and behaviour, working rapidly to record what she observed before it changed.

“I love to paint the nature and birds that are native to my surroundings at the time. It’s like my little personal nod of gratitude to nature for the calm and joy it gives me.”

The sunny weather made it possible to spend long stretches of time painting outside, moving between locations around the woodlands as the light shifted throughout the day. What might appear to be a familiar setting gradually revealed itself as a rich subject for observation, from the patterns of bark on the oak tree to the flashes of colour from birds moving through the branches.

During the residency, Emma worked with the same materials she regularly uses in her own practice. At the centre of her kit was the Aquafine Watercolour 48 Half Pan Set, which provides a wide colour range in a compact format suited to painting on location. This allowed her to quickly mix the greens, browns and warm earth tones found across the woodland setting.

She paired the set with Aquafine Watercolour Brushes, whose soft synthetic fibres offer good water retention while maintaining the control needed for both loose washes and fine detail – particularly when painting birds and foliage. Emma’s go-to brushes include a Round 8, Round 6, Script 1 and Liner 10/0, tools she frequently recommends when students and followers ask about the brushes she relies on in her everyday practice.

Emma also worked on Aquafine Texture Watercolour Paper, a cold-pressed surface that provides a balanced texture for watercolour. The subtle tooth helped hold pigment while still allowing smooth blends across washes, which proved particularly effective when painting the bark of the oak tree and the layered colours of fallen leaves.

While the factory in Bracknell is known as the home of one of the UK’s longest-standing manufacturers of artists’ materials, the surrounding environment supports a surprising amount of wildlife. Mature trees and nearby woodland corridors create natural habitats for birds and insects, offering constant inspiration for artists who take the time to observe them.

Emma’s week-long residency highlighted how much can be found in familiar surroundings. By slowing down and painting directly from life, she created a series of watercolours that document the natural details around the factory, from birds moving through the branches to the quiet presence of the old oak tree.

For a few sunny days, the grounds became a temporary open-air studio, where the landscape around the factory and the materials made within it came together through the act of painting.

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