About the event

Spend a summer evening at Walthamstow Wetlands exploring the textures, movement, and plant life of one of London's most remarkable nature reserves.

As the light softens across the reservoirs, the wetlands begin to shift. Grasses and seed heads catch the evening air, water reflects the changing sky, and plant forms reveal their structure in silhouette and shadow.

This is a chance to slow down, look closely, and respond creatively to the landscape at this time of day.

We’ll begin with a short walk around the Engine House and the surrounding area, gathering inspiration from the immediate environment. We’ll use simple observational sketching as a way to notice and record what you see.

Back in the classroom, you’ll develop your sketches into a print design using Tetrapak, a versatile printmaking material made from recycled cartons.

You’ll learn how to transfer and etch your design, before experimenting with ink and hand-printing techniques to bring your work to life.

This relaxed, process-led session encourages exploration and play, with space to experiment and follow your ideas as they develop.

Led by Emma Bond, botanical illustrator and printmaker, the workshop is suitable for beginners as well as those looking to reconnect with creative practice.

By the end of the evening, you’ll have created your own botanical print inspired by the wetlands!

About your tutor

Emma Bond is a Walthamstow-based illustrator and botanical printmaker whose practice centres on observing the natural world, with a focus on pattern, texture, and colour.

Working primarily with recycled Tetrapak, she creates hand-built collagraph plates through cutting, scoring, and layering, producing richly textured surfaces that hold and release ink in subtle and often unpredictable ways.

Through close attention to natural forms, her work draws out quiet details and repeating patterns, reflecting an ongoing interest in process, material, and the understated rhythms found in nature.

Important information

Templates and visual references will be available if you’d prefer a starting point, and all materials are provided, along with a handout so you can continue printing at home.

Please bring an apron or old t-shirt to protect your clothes.

This event is aimed at adults aged 18+, but can be inclusive for young people aged 11 and above, who must be accompanied by an adult.