A DAY AT THE CEDARS, September 2026
To celebrate the much-anticipated opening of the new Heysen Art Gallery, I am delighted to offer art enthusiasts A Day at The Cedars on Sunday 13, 2026.
Enjoy a guided tour of Hans Heysen’s historic home and studio, followed by a viewing of the newly opened, architecturally designed Heysen Art Gallery —an exciting new cultural destination in the Adelaide Hills.
Following this we will have Tea and Scones at the Cedars Cafe, which overlooks the properties and gardens. After this we will spend time photographing the iconic Heysen’s Gumtrees on the property. These photo’s will be used as reference for the Sketching Workshop. Here participants will create expressive charcoal and coloured conte’ drawings on high-quality art paper in the Cedars Cafe.
ITINERARY
11:00 - 12:15pm Guided Tour of Hans Heysen’s House, Studio and New Gallery
Enjoy a guided tour of Hans Heysen’s historic home and studio, followed by a viewing of the newly opened Cedars Art Gallery. The full tour duration is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, with some flexibility depending on the group’s schedule.
12:30 - 1:45pm Tea & Scones at The Cedars Kitchen
Indulge in a 10-piece high tea featuring a selection of sweet and savoury delights, served with The Cedars’ specialty Heysen tea and freshly brewed coffee.
2:00 - 2:30pm Photographing Gum Trees
Explore the beautiful grounds of The Cedars and find your favourite gum tree. Photograph it from a variety of angles and perspectives. Like Heysen, we will be searching for a “Star Gum”—a tree that resonates with you and becomes the inspiration for your own Gum Tree Portrait.
2:30 - 4:00pm Charcoal Drawing Workshop at the Cedars Cafe
This 1.5-hour workshop focuses on creating an expressive portrait of a Gum Tree. I will guide you through a range of approaches using charcoal, a versatile and beautiful medium capable of producing both subtle and dramatic effects.
You will be encouraged to set aside any fears of drawing and simply respond to the character and essence of your chosen tree. We will begin with a series of quick, intuitive sketches before developing a more considered final drawing at a relaxed pace. Time permitting, try the coloured Conte’ sticks and/or pencils for a COLOUR Sketch of your Gum Tree.
All materials are supplied, including high-quality art paper, charcoal sticks/pencils and conte’, kneadable erasers, masking tape and drawing boards.