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Tuesday 11am - 5pm Wednesday 11am - 5pm Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 11am - 5pm

Royal Watercolour Society

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Royal Watercolour Society

The oldest watercolour Society in the world with Member artists producing artworks in any and all water based media on paper

The Royal Watercolour Society represents the finest watercolour painting in Britain; it is the oldest watercolour society in the world, established in 1804. Members' work embraces both established and experimental practices and the exhibitions reflect these different approaches. The RWS has defined 'a watercolour' to mean 'a painting in a water-based medium on a paper-based support'. This definiti

on allows a vast range of work of infinite variety. RWS Exhibitions are held twice a year at Bankside Gallery – the home of the Royal Watercolour Society, in the spring and autumn. The RWS also exhibits jointly with the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) in the summer and at Christmas.

01/06/2026

Missed the chance to visit Royal Watercolour Society at the RWS Gallery?

The exhibition may be paused throughout June, but the works remain available to view online via our website. Explore a wide variety of original works on paper by our talented RWS Members, featuring watercolour, gouache, acrylic, and much more.

🔗 View works online via our website

For all sales enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Red Balcony Study, Valletta Malta
by Peter Quinn RWS
watercolour
40 x 30cm
£650 Framed

29/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who visited Royal Watercolour Society at the RWS Gallery over the last few weeks!

It’s been wonderful welcoming both new and familiar faces to the gallery and sharing this exhibition with you all. We’re so grateful for the conversations, support, and enthusiasm throughout the show.

The exhibition will now pause for the month of June as we welcome a solo exhibition by Modupeola Fadugba to the gallery. We’re excited to host this special presentation and encourage you to visit during its run.

Royal Watercolour Society will return from July 11th with a refreshed exhibition and many new works on display.

15/05/2026

🌷 Spring Courses 🌷

Thank you to everyone who has joined us so far this programme! We’ve loved seeing both familiar and new faces at the RWS Gallery, and the wonderful work our students have been producing.

The programme is now in full swing, and there are still a few places remaining on the upcoming workshops below. If you’d like to join us this season, be sure to book soon to avoid missing out!

Mastering Light and Atmosphere: Watercolour Landscapes Inspired by J.M.W. Turner & John Constable
with Neil Pittaway RWS
Saturday 16th May 2026

Abstracting the Garden in Gouache: Inspired by Patrick Heron & Albert Irvin
with Tessa Pearson ARWS
Wednesday 20th May 2026

Finding Your Voice Through Still Life: Inspired by Mary Fedden & Winifred Nicholson
with Wendy Jacob RWS
Friday 22nd of May 2026

Workshops take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website ~

Image: a student's work from Chloe Cheese's recent workshop Still Life at the Table: Inspired by Pierre Bonnard.

13/05/2026

WORKSHOP: Finding Your Voice Through Still Life: Inspired by Mary Fedden & Winifred Nicholson
with Wendy Jacob RWS
Friday 22nd of May 2026

This workshop explores still life through the work of Mary Fedden and Winifred Nicholson, using gouache, a versatile medium that allows for layering, building colour, and working with both detail and bold, expressive shapes.

These two women artists had very different but equally powerful approaches to still life. Nicholson responded directly to her subjects, creating paintings full of light, space, and atmosphere, while Fedden drew on a personal visual vocabulary of objects and places, composing bold, structured images with dense, vibrant colour. Both were exceptional colourists, yet their approaches diverge in tone and saturation. Working from arranged objects, you’ll be encouraged to experiment, gain confidence, and let your own voice flourish.

This workshop is suitable for beginners.

This workshop will take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website. Limited availability ~

On the Table: Poppies, Pears and Grapes
by Wendy Jacob RWS
gouache
27 x 27cm

10/05/2026

WORKSHOP: Abstracting the Garden in Gouache: Inspired by Patrick Heron & Albert Irvin
with Tessa Pearson RWS
Wednesday 20th May 2026

Explore the energy and colour of plants and gardens through abstract gouache painting, inspired by the bold, vibrant work of Patrick Heron and Albert Irvin. In this workshop, you’ll experiment with mark-making, layering, composition, and colour to create lively, expressive interpretations of botanical forms.

Suitable for all levels, the session encourages playful exploration, creativity, and a confident, hands-on approach to abstract painting.

This workshop will take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website. Limited availability ~

Prairie Pops Yellow
by Tessa Pearson RWS
gouache

07/05/2026

WORKSHOP: Mastering Light and Atmosphere: Watercolour Landscapes Inspired by J.M.W. Turner & John Constable
with Neil Pittaway RWS
Saturday 16th May 2026

Celebrate the legacy of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable in this hands-on watercolour workshop. Inspired by their mastery of light, weather, and atmospheric landscapes, participants will explore layering, washes, and tonal variation to capture mood and movement in the British countryside. Through demonstration and guided practice, you’ll develop skills in composition, brushwork, and capturing the fleeting effects of light, creating watercolour landscapes that are luminous and dynamic.

Suitable for all levels of ability including beginners and those willing to have a go.

This workshop will take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through the link in our bio. Limited availability ~

The Blue Rigi, Sunrise 1842
by Joseph Mallord William Turner
watercolour

01/05/2026

🚨 DEADLINE APPROACHING 🚨

Would you like to become an Associate Member of the Royal Watercolour Society?

Apply for membership of the Royal Watercolour Society and become part of a vibrant network of practising artists. Applications are open to professional artists working in water-based media on paper.

As a Member, you’ll join a respected and active network, connecting with other artists, sharing ideas, and exhibiting your work together throughout the year. Opportunities include two major group exhibitions annually, as well as joint exhibitions with the Royal Society of Printmakers at Bankside Gallery, alongside further chances to exhibit and sell your work at Bankside Gallery, RWS Gallery, and other venues.

Deadline: 11.59pm Tuesday 5th May 2026

🔗 Apply through our website

Image: Kingston Lane (detail) by Greg Becker ARWS, watercolour & ink on paper

30/04/2026

WORKSHOP: Everyday Characters: Observational Drawing Inspired by Sir Quentin Blake
with Julia Midgley RWS
Friday 15th May 2026

Explore the joy of capturing people and everyday moments with lively, expressive line in this observational drawing workshop. Inspired by Sir Quentin Blake’s playful, character-filled sketches, you will practise capturing the gestures, posture, and personalities of people at large whilst translating them quickly onto the page. Through rapid, responsive drawing on location, you’ll develop skills in observation, proportion, and expressive mark-making, developing your own illustrative language.

This course will begin with direct observational drawings in the morning out on location in Trafalgar Square and St James Park. In the afternoon, you will produce a finished drawing in the gallery, based on the work produced earlier in the day. Throughout this workshop there will be plenty of handy hints and techniques explained, all designed to break down any inhibitions or concerns that drawing movement or people at large is in any way daunting.

This workshop is designed for all abilities and celebrates honesty, movement, and humour in everyday life, offering a relaxed, supportive space to draw the people and moments around you with energy and expression. Whilst quite high levels of concentration are required, it will be fun, eye opening, and confidence building.

This workshop will take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website. Limited availability ~

Itchy Nose in the Art Shop
by Julia Midgley RWS
ink & watercolour
25 x 16cm

23/04/2026

🎨 SPRING WORKSHOPS 🎨

Our Spring 2026 programme is just around the corner!

Join us for a series of inspiring 1-day art courses led by Member artists of the Royal Watercolour Society. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from practising artists working at the forefront of water-based painting today.

Each artist will explore the work that inspires them, from David Hockney to Vanessa Bell, offering fresh insights and creative energy to develop your own practice.

Tickets are still available - book your place while you can!

Expressive Landscapes in Watercolour: Inspired by Kurt Jackson
with Sophie Knight RWS
Tuesday 5th May 2026

Still Rooms, Living Stories: Painting Interiors Inspired by Vanessa Bell
with Lottie Cole RWS
Wednesday 6th May 2026

Watercolour and the Contemporary English Landscape Inspired by David Hockney
with Suzy Fasht RWS
Saturday 9th May 2026

Still Life at the Table: Inspired by Pierre Bonnard
with Chloe Cheese RWS
Thursday 14th of May 2026

Everyday Characters: Observational Drawing Inspired by Sir Quentin Blake
with Julia Midgley RWS
Friday 15th May 2026

Mastering Light and Atmosphere: Watercolour Landscapes Inspired by J.M.W. Turner & John
Constable
with Neil Pittaway RWS
Saturday 16th May 2026

Abstracting the Garden in Gouache: Inspired by Patrick Heron & Albert Irvin
with Tessa Pearson ARWS
Wednesday 20th May 2026

Seen As They Are: Portraits in Watercolour Inspired by Alice Neel
with Mark Entwisle RWS
Thursday 21st May 2026

Finding Your Voice Through Still Life: Inspired by Mary Fedden & Winifred Nicholson
with Wendy Jacob RWS
Friday 22nd of May 2026

Workshops take place at RWS Gallery on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website ~

Image credit: A selection of paintings by Mark Entwisle RWS

20/04/2026

WORKSHOP: Still Life at the Table: Inspired by Pierre Bonnard
with Chloe Cheese RWS
Thursday 14th of May 2026

Explore the richness of colour, composition, and imagination through still life painting in the style of Pierre Bonnard’s intimate domestic scenes. You’ll set up a tabletop arrangement, make observational drawings, and then develop expressive watercolour paintings full of bold colour and playful detail.

This workshop is suitable for all levels and encourages experimentation and a fresh approach to everyday objects.

~ More information and tickets are available through our website. Limited availability ~

Still Life on a Red Checkered Tablecloth (detail)
by Pierre Bonnard
watercolour, gouache & pencil

Address

RWS Gallery
London
WC2H7HA

Opening Hours

Tuesday	11am - 5pm
Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm

Telephone

+442079287521

Website

http://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk/

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