A pre-recorded online 5 day course

Once registered, students have access to the films for as long as you need.

This year more than ever we have been confined to our homes, many of us turning to it as a subject matter, for its familiarity, and personal significance - whether comforting, or claustrophobic. But if you are finding drawing yet another tea pot just a little uninspiring, this 5 day course will give you a fresh way of looking at the everyday, and aims to encourage a regular practice on a small scale. All the work will be done in a sketchbook, with guided exercises and suggested self-study throughout. It can be seen as a way into a new subject, making you see your home life with new eyes, maybe inspiring more work to develop from it. Or, it might help you rediscover the joy of keeping a sketchbook as a visual diary, for no other purpose than the process itself, a record of these times. There will be 5 sessions, which you can choose to do in 5 consecutive days, or, take your time, and see how much work can come out of each online session, let the sketchbook fill up over days or even weeks.

Experiments in Watercolour - Pre-recorded

Once registered, students have access to the films for as long as you need.

Experiments in Watercolour is a three day practical course led by Simon Carter. The course aims to have a fresh look at the medium of watercolour and how it might be used in an expressive, experimental and contemporary way. The course will not be about technique, but will seek to use watercolour in a bold and painterly manner.

As we are more confined to our studios in the current situation, we will gather a group of natural objects to construct a surrogate ‘landscape'. You will need to gather together a group of natural objects prior to the course starting (further instructions below).

For each day there is approximately an hour and a half long video where Simon practically demonstrates and talks about the processes that can be used to explore your subject and build paintings. These demonstrations encourage you to be bold and experimental in your approach.

Coming to your Senses

A 5 day online pre-recorded sketchbook course for working freely and experimentally outdoors - on holiday, in the landscape, by the sea.

Come to your senses - and spend time being creative in the great outdoors in this 5 day prerecorded course led by Katie Sollohub, inspirational teacher, artist, and experienced yoga and meditation practitioner. This course will give you a fresh way of looking at the everyday, and aims to encourage a regular practice on a small scale. There are 17 short films ranging from approximately 10 minutes to an hour long.

Once registered, students have access to the films for as long as you need.

Now Offered as an Pre-recorded Online Course - Once registered, students have access to the films for as long as you need.

A Handful of Objects is designed as a three day course led by Simon Carter, looking at how you can create energetic and inventive compositions based around objects and activity in the studio. There are 3 films, plus a short introductory film, that last for an average of 1 hour. Working in your own studio you collect a group of objects together that you will start making paintings from using direct observation, seeing how inventive you can be while staying true to the familiar objects. You will then look at constructing larger pieces in a process of collaging and building, looking to find big compositions based on still life but with the lyricism and breadth of landscape.

Gather a group of favourite objects: two man-made things, two natural things, two patterned things and reproductions of two favourite paintings. For the first 2 sessions of the course it would be best to work with acrylic paint on paper, painting, collaging, glueing together, building an image. Looking to make something large, dramatic, disruptive and daring. Making paintings from this dymanic collage could be done in oils if you prefer

Now Offered as an Pre-recorded Online Course - Once purchased you have unlimited access to the recordings.

Drawing and painting self-portraits, looking at yourself in the mirror, is a grounding, challenging and invigorating experience. You are in good company as many of the great painters in history made Self Portraits. You are free to invent and take risks, as there is no one to offend or judge the likeness other than yourself. It is a chance to contemplate, scrutenise and explore how to capture more than just a likeness; to convey with feeling the mood of the gaze, to enjoy the sculptural qualities of the subject and materials. During this 3 day course Emily will have a large mirror in her studio so that she can draw and paint herself, live on camera, to demonstrate and also work alongisde you. She will lead you through processes that help you become confident at manipulating the materials so that they become the subject. She will suggest ways of layering marks and shapes taken from observation to help you invent more expressive ways of making the features of the face. A fleeting glance, the tilt of the head, rubbing through, redrawing and editing provide a fertile ground, with its layered materials and moments, to offer you powerful images that hold your gaze.

By the end of the 3 days you will have lots of drawings and painted studies that will be full of good material for many paintings. You will also have begun at least two paintings. Emily will encourage you to continue these paintings after the course has finished.

Artists’ work that might inspire you: Matisse, Picasso, Chantal Joffe, Maggie Hambling, Stephen Chambers (‘The Court of Redonda’ series), , Bonnard self portraits, John Skinner, Frank Auerbach, Katie Sollohub, Francis Bacon, Dennis Creffied, David Bomberg and the Rembrant late paintings.

Course date is Sunday September 1^st - Saturday Sep 7^th 2024 (teaching course Mon-Fri)

Cost - from £1995; ( + £200 single room supplement ) for accommodation, food, tuition and materials.

This retreat is set in the beautiful coastal Nature Reserve at the Western end of the Algarve. A short walk from the fishing village of Salema, and the rugged untouched coves nearby, you will be staying at the villa of artist Ros Hodges where you will be treated to the most delicious food and relaxing surroundings including a pool. During the 5 days you will be immersed in this spectacular, expansive landscape, using walking drawing and writing to travel through it, absorb it, and engage creatively with it. You will be gently guided and supported in the space throughout by Katie NB. All of your materials, food and shared accommodation* are included in the price.

Course date is September 8^th - 14th 2024

Cost - from £1995 ( + £200 single room supplement ) for accommodation, food, tuition and materials.

Inspiration for your painting this week will come from your experiences of being in the beautiful coastal Nature Reserve at the Western end of the Algarve. A short walk from the fishing village of Salema, and the rugged untouched coves nearby, you will be staying at the villa of artist Ros Hodges where you will be treated to the most delicious food and relaxing surroundings, including a pool. During the 5 days you will be immersed in this spectacular, expansive landscape making paintings. Walking on the paths brushing past wild fennel, navigating between sun bleached plants, across hills down to the beach and sea you will make paintings that capture the place and fleeting experiences. Colour will be an important theme to explore; to give an equivalent to the glowing red earth, rugged vistas to the sea, the wiry, bleached vegetation and beautiful light. Even the invisible and intangible sensations of heat, breeze, birdsong, space and your mood can be translated into colour and marks.

Course Dates Sept 11^th -  13^th  (Wed - Friday) 2024

Choose which sessions in the year you would like to come. Booking ahead is essential to secure your place.

These sessions are designed for artists who need encouragement and support to become more confident and self-motivated with their painting.

Course Dates: 16^th- 19^th September  2024 (Monday - Thursday)

A four day practical course led by Simon Carter. Starting with a day’s drawing on the beach at Worthing, the course will look at understanding and unpacking these initial drawings and at ways of using them to fuel work in the studio.

Course Dates Sept 30^th - Oct 4^th (Mon - Friday) 2024