MAKE SPACE TO BREATHE & CREATE
Through ink, stillness and mindful mark-making,
Rod McIntosh offers workshops, courses and studio experiences designed to reconnect people with gesture, process and the quiet power of making by hand.
From curious beginners to established collectors, all are welcome.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CREATIVE EXPERIENCE
These are not traditional art classes.
Sessions combine ink practice, breath, movement and observation to create a slower, more attentive way of making. Inspired by Ensō practice, monochrome painting and years of studio exploration, each experience encourages presence over perfection.
Participants often leave feeling calmer, more grounded and creatively reconnected.
A guided introduction to the traditional practice of wet mounting, exploring paper, paste, pressure, and patience through a slower material process.
This hands-on workshop introduces the traditional process of wet mounting used within East Asian scroll and paper mounting practices.
Working with handmade papers, paste, moisture, and brush techniques, participants are guided through the careful rhythm of preparing, mounting, and handling delicate materials.
Alongside practical demonstrations, the session includes insight into the historical and cultural origins of wet mounting traditions, with references to Japanese and Chinese studio practices and terminology.
This is not a fast craft workshop, but an invitation into attentiveness, material sensitivity, and the quieter disciplines of studio practice.
Participants often leave with a deeper appreciation for process, material behaviour, and the meditative qualities of repetitive hand work.
There is no expectation for prior experience or perfection in outcome.
Who This Is For
Beginners welcome
Suitable for artists, printmakers, paper lovers, and curious beginners
Ideal for those interested in traditional craft processes and slower making practices
Small group format
No prior mounting experience required
Sample Session Rhythm
Arrival tea & introduction
Historical overview & studio examples
Introduction to papers, paste, and tools
Demonstration of wet mounting process
Guided practical session
Drying, handling, and troubleshooting discussion
Closing reflections & questions
Practical Details
Location: Artist’s Studio, Kent
Date: X
Arrival: 9.30am
Session begins: 10.00am
Duration: 3 hours
Group size: Maximum 6 people
Age guidance: 16+
Accessibility: The studio does not currently have ramp access
Materials included: Yes
What to wear: Comfortable clothing suitable for studio work
Parking: Parking available on drive
Nearest station: Wye (taxis must be pre-booked)
A 90 minute guided experience in ink, breath, and repetition.
A guided ink practice exploring attention, breath, and repetition through the act of mark making.
This is not a workshop in technique, but an invitation into process, presence, and release.
You are guided through simple, repeated gestures that gradually build into your own embodied Ensō practice.
Participants often leave with a quieter sense of attention, a personal mark making ritual, and a renewed relationship to process over outcome.
There is no expectation to perform, share, or “be good” at art.
Who This Is For
Beginners welcome
No artistic experience required
Suitable for creatives, runners, reflective practitioners, or anyone seeking slower attention
Small group format
Sample Session Rhythm
Arrival tea & grounding
Introduction to materials and ritual
Guided mark making practice
Reflective pause
Repetition & personal exploration
Closing circle / journaling
Practical Details
Location: Artist’s Own Studio, Kent
Date: X
Arrival: 9.30am
Session begins: 10.00am
Duration: 90 minutes
Group size: Maximum 6 people
Age guidance: 16+
Accessibility: The studio does not currently have ramp access
Materials included: Yes
What to wear: Comfortable clothing suitable for working with ink
Parking: Parking available on drive
Nearest station: Wye (taxis must be pre-booked)
A Private Ink & Mark Making Masterclass
A hosted studio experience exploring ink, breath, gesture, and attention through the quieter rituals of painting practice.
Join Rod in his country studio and immerse yourself in the daily rituals and processes that sit at the centre of his life and painting practice.
In a world of constant digital stimulation, Rod creates quietly powerful work using analogue materials and time-honoured methods. This immersive experience invites participants to step away from distraction and enter a slower rhythm of attention, breath, and presence.
Through guided instruction, demonstrations, conversation, and self-directed exploration, participants are introduced to the emotional and physical language of abstract mark making.
Working with Rod’s signature black ink, traditional Asian papers, and mindful brush techniques, the session explores the relationship between gesture, movement, breath, and awareness.
Participants are guided through simple breath-led exercises used within Rod’s own practice, learning to approach painting not as performance, but as an embodied act of attention.
Limited to just two participants, the experience allows space for deeper conversation, slower observation, and highly personalised guidance throughout the day.
Throughout the experience, you are encouraged to cultivate confidence through brevity of mark, intuitive movement, and moments of creative flow. The resulting ink works become visual records of presence — artefacts of process, stillness, and lived experience.
No previous artistic experience is required — only a willingness to slow down and pay attention.
Participants often leave with a renewed sense of calm, a deeper connection to process, and a more embodied relationship with creativity and attention.
Who This Is For
Beginners welcome
No artistic experience required
Suitable for creatives, collectors, reflective practitioners, and those seeking a slower, more intentional experience
Ideal for individuals interested in process-led creativity and mindful practice
Intimate two-person experience
What You Will Experience
Participants may experience:
Guided mark making exercises
Breath-led attention practices
Demonstrations of brush handling and ink techniques
Exploration of gesture, repetition, and flow state
Personal reflection and journaling moments
Insight into Rod’s studio rituals and working process
Shared conversation over a hosted lunch
Highly personalised guidance throughout the day
There is no expectation to perform, share, or “be good” at art.
Sample Day Rhythm
Arrival tea & grounding
Introduction to materials, ritual, and studio practice
Guided breath and mark making exercises
Demonstration and personal exploration
Reflective pause & journaling
Hosted vegetarian lunch in the house or garden
Afternoon ink practice & personalised guidance
Closing reflections and integration
The Studio & Shared Lunch
Part of the experience includes a shared vegetarian lunch hosted by Rod in the house or garden, depending on the season and weather.
The meal is intentionally woven into the rhythm of the day — an opportunity to slow down further, step away from devices, and continue conversations around creativity, attention, and practice in a relaxed domestic setting.
Home-made vegetarian food and refreshments are provided throughout the day. Dietary requirements or allergies can be catered for with advance notice.
Practical Details
Location: Artist’s Studio, Kent
Date: X
Arrival: 9.30am
Session begins: 10.00am
Duration: Full Day Experience (approx. 6 hours)
Participants: Maximum 2 people
Age guidance: 18+
Accessibility: The studio does not currently have ramp access
Materials included: Yes
What to wear: Comfortable clothing suitable for working with ink
Parking: Parking available on drive
Nearest station: Wye (taxis must be pre-booked)
Inside Kent readers receive 15% off workshops and courses.
Discount already applied to booking link.
“Communication was top-notch and the final outcome was even better than we imagined. A great experience all around.”
Former CustomerGet In Touch
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