insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 15 - May 2016 | Page 41

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT IT’S never too late TO LEARN cont. Floristry Flower arranging is a beautiful hobby to have; with it you not only brighten up your own world, but that of many others too. Plus it can become a great home-based business if you want it to. You are never too old to study floristry, and once you understand the basics of colour and design, which should take just a few lessons, and most of which you will probably already know from other avenues in your life, then you can go ahead and make the most wonderful floral displays. Fill your house with colour, and make stunning gifts for friends and family members too. Many colleges and universities offer part-time floristry and flower arranging courses, and so do Kent Adult Education, Aspire Sussex, and East Calligraphy Sussex Adult Education. There are also many courses run by industry experts, including The Flower School in Gravesend (www.flowersgravesend.co.uk/flowerschool.htm) and The Sussex Flower School in East Hoathly (www.thesussexflowerschool.co.uk). Guitar Playing the guitar is a freeing experience – it’s portable music that you can enjoy at home, on holiday, on the beach, round a campfire… If you’ve got your guitar with you, you can have music too. The great thing about the guitar is that after just one or two lessons you will know enough – whatever your age – to be able to play a few short songs, and perhaps even work out some of your own. Guitar is also a great way to socialise and meet other people, whether you choose to learn in a group environment or you find a local crowd to jam with. To try guitar in Kent, visit www.guitarlessons1st.co.uk. In Sussex why not visit the Sussex Academy of Music (www.sussexmusic.com)? There are also a number of free-to-join guitar groups who meet regularly in both Kent and Sussex, such as The Farningham Guitar Club near Eynsford (www.farninghamguitarclub.co.uk) and the West Sussex Guitar Club in Bognor Regis (www.westsussexguitar.org). Calligraphy, the art of decorative handwriting, is a beautiful thing. So it’s no wonder that many people wish they could do it; it looks impressive, makes even the simplest of notes look attractive, and is a skill that can be learned quickly. How quickly? Some say, with a lot of practise and dedication, it can be mastered within a week. But there’s no rush – even if it takes you longer than that, enjoy the process and once you do know how to do it with ease you can show off your new-found skill as much as you like! Calligraphy courses in Kent and Sussex include The Calligraphy Studio in Sandwich (www.calligraphystudio.org), Sun In The Wood in Sittingbourne (www.suninthewoodcraftdays.co.uk), Alphabition in Nutley (www.alphabition.co.uk) and Ewan Clayton Calligraphy in Brighton (www.ewanclayton.co.uk). 41