Workshop: Surreal Creatures with Nicola Hooper

Step into the uncanny and unleash your imagination in Surreal Creatures, a hands-on workshop exploring the strange beauty of human–animal transformation. Inspired by the surrealist game Exquisite Corpse and the blurred boundaries revealed by current pathogen transmission outbreaks between animals and humans. Hooper looks into our darker relationships with the animal world.

Guided by artist Hooper, experiment with polyester plate lithography, expressive pen drawing and fluid watercolour techniques to make your own creations. Using pre-prepared printing plates and reticulated washes, you will layer, distort and reassemble forms into mesmerising creatures that are at once familiar and unsettling.

Perfect for curious creatives, this immersive workshop combines playful collaboration with bold visual storytelling.

Designed for ages 17+, this workshop requires no prior experience, just a willingness to explore the beautifully bizarre!

Cover image courtesy of the artist, Nicola Hooper.