Illustration and photo by Edward Luke Thrush.

As part of Healing Gardens of Bab at Selfridges, Queer Botany and local illustrator EL Thrush have teamed up to host illustration workshops around plants and art. The session will work with real plant samples exploring the media of ink and pen. ​

Based more in the meditative and expressive quality of drawing rather than a scientific approach, we will warm up with some brief exercises to get familiar with the media, followed by a couple of longer drawing exercises. We will also discuss scientific and cultural correlations between queerness and plants. ​

All skill levels are welcome. All materials will be provided (although you are welcome to bring your own) along with plants that you can take home. This will be a space space to play, observe and learn. ​Expect flowery language, gender (and paint) fluidity, and a queered appreciation of the natural world around us.

Healing Gardens of Bab sits as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival and is hosted by Fierce. It is an artistic response to our colonial history that celebrates what Empire tried (and failed) to stamp out.

Selfridges have partnered with Fierce to host an exhibition and performance space as part of the festival. Customers are invited to join and explore a variety of exhibitions, workshops, DJ's and live performances throughout July as part of the festival at Selfridges Birmingham.

During the festival, we will be hosting workshops in-store over the weekend. Workshops are free to attend and can be booked through Eventbrite.

Times: 2:00pm – 3:30pm / 4:00pm – 5:30pm

About your facilitators:

Sixto-Juan Zavala (he/him), a designer and illustrator from the United States.

Edward Luke Thrush (he/him), a designer, illustrator and artist based between Birmingham and London, UK.