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EMILY BALL AT SEAWHITE‍

CONTEMPORARY DRAWING AND PAINTING COURSES‍

LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR

Emily reflects on 2025 at the Seawhite Studio

Dear  ‍Visitor ‍

‍It has been another full and exciting year both at the studio, in person and online, but also with all of my international travelling to teach. I always feel so fortunate to work with such generous and talented artists. I am constantly inspired not just by their work but by their stories, their playfulness and perseverance. It is so helpful and important to connect with such wonderful people from all over the world and to find a common language through painting and drawing.  

images: Emily teaching at the McRae Studios, Orlando Florida

In this final newsletter for 2025, I wanted to reflect on some of my personal highlights from a year of teaching and panting at the studio – and beyond.  The newsletter also contains contributions from Katie, with whom I have loved team-teaching several courses this year, and (I am delighted to say) enthusiastic students offering their thoughts on their Seawhite Studio experience.

A big thank you to all my tutors who continue to work so hard and inspire us; Katie Sollohub, Nick Bodimeade, Simon Carter, Julian Brown and Joe Packer. They have such a wealth of knowledge that they share so generously.

A big hug and thank you to those who work behind the scenes helping things run smoothly; Angie Hunter who calmly looks after all the admin and Jane Nash who puts together these lovely newsletters and social media posts.

Finally a massive thank-you to my wonderful husband, Luke. He is the man behind the camera, the steadying force, the voice of encouragement when things don't go quite to plan.     

We all wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, creative 2026.

~ Emily‍

Team-Teaching with Katie‍

“The level of support, personal understanding, professional expertise and direction of the course was outstanding. Emily and Katie are such different personalities who can offer a whole spectrum of ideas between them whilst listening to the group and staying with their individual integrity.” Julia, Summer School‍

There are so many highpoints it is difficult to single them out. Most recently Katie Sollohub and I have been doing alot of teaching together and I just love it. We continue to play and spark off one another but now we both recognise and celebrate the wealth of knowledge that we have in our maturity. Rather than settling and being self-satisfied we are more playful, more daring and love sharing this with our students. We trust the creative process and feel at liberty to push it further.....with a smile. It's serious play that does not just help create paintings and drawings but is an integral part of who we are and our everyday lives. ‍

Images: Emily and Katie together in the studio

"I love working with Emily, sharing our passion for the subject and the materials, whether in the studio, out in the landscape, or online, where we get to work with artists all over the world. It feels so important, especially now, to maintain this creative community by whatever means. ~ Katie‍

Working from Nature

in the Landscape

Image: Emily working outdoors‍

Taking students out into the landscape to work is a particular favourite thing to do. Taking away the fear, handing them the materials and watching them love the experience. A vivid memory for me is teaching Up on the Chalk Downs in May.  The chalk under our feet, the Skylarks singing and the sun shining....what's not to love!‍

Images: students making studies on location; students work produced during Up on the Chalk Downs (Emily Ball)

“I loved being given exercises up on the hill ,with everything I needed to make studies. Using materials I would not usually use was good. Emily's suggested studies made me excited, less overwhelmed...I trusted the process and felt immersed in my surroundings.  Emily is a very generous teacher, encouraging while at the same time pushing you to challenge and question decisions and try again -which is exactly what I needed.” ~  Sandra Roche, Up on the Chalk Downs‍

Images: students making studies on location during the Colour & Light on the Downs course (Katie Sollohub)

"I have loved exploring with students the power of drawing to explore our own innate creative urges through and with the body. This physical, embodied approach  has extended  beyond the studio: walking in the landscape, being part of the landscape, immersed in it, responding with all of our senses - up on the Downs in sunshine and rain for Colour and Light in June, at Highdown Gardens in the height of the summer for the Summer School Garden course, and more recently revelling in the saturated autumn colour of Sheffield Park for the Autumn Trees course.” ~ Katie‍

“I enjoyed everything about the course - Emily and Katie's combined creative and teaching experience and encouragement, the camaraderie of the group, the panoramic Downs, the focus on creativity - in the landscape - away from home.  Spending time really looking and seeing the landscape and discovering different ways of portraying the views abstractly.” ~ Anna Hewitt, Colour & Light on the Downs

Images: students making studies on location during Summer in the Garden at Highdown and Autumn Trees (KatieSollohub)

My return to the Algarve in September provided a landscape that was in stark contrast to the Sussex Downs: hot dry hills and a rugged, rocky coastline.  It’s a beautiful landscape that required a different approach. There we were completely immersed, without any other distractions; being cooked for and looked after from the moment we arrived at the villa. Drawing the sunrise and sunset, walking, writing and having space to think and be. A truly special experience.‍

Im‍age: study made in Portugal (Emily Ball)

“I came back so much inspired by all women, doing what they love, traveling, socializing. Location. Food. Uninterrupted time. The most productive [aspect] was the change of the context  - no daily household tasks and isolation from usual social circle. The fact of the food being prepped for us was amazing. Also a variety of materials to try, that I do not have necessarily at home. And having a tutor everyday - support and a great resource.  Special thanks to Emily for her time and being so genuinely invested in us.” ~ Aleksandra Voroncenko

Im‍age: students work station at the villa in Portugal (Emily Ball)‍

Paint Fit Studio Retreat

Image: Emily's work station during Paint Fit ‍

Paint Fit is a very special course for me. I am continually impressed by the work and discussions that come from this two week online course each year. It is a big commitment from everyone and it is very rewarding to get the feedback from so many that it has helped them feel able to work with focus, and personal expression, without fear but full of curiosity feeding their love of painting.‍

“Thank you for a beautifully organised and smooth two weeks! Renewal and lots of surprises!! Emily brings such fresh energy and is so generous to each participant. We are all in different places, spaces and times … it is not a ladder or a race … but a tender adventure!” ~ Brenda Kelliher

“Every tutorial offered something new, thought provoking, practical and challenging; I loved the way Emily provided a commentary as she was working and the references to other artists, theory and literature. So enriching. I found myself wishing I could do it all again armed with the knowledge of the wonderful exercises and advice Emily gave. I am buzzing with ideas for taking my work forward.” ~ Kathy Thomson

Image: Emily teaching during Paint Fit Live Online‍

Painting the Figure: Embellished Eve

Image: Small collage/painting study of Eve on the Chaise Longue (Emily Ball)

 Back in the studio, I am currently loving working with my daughter and making paintings about her, and the fabulous costume that she has created specifically for our costumed figure course, Embellishing the Body, earlier this month. This course was a joy to be part of!  With Katie leading and Eve modelling her fabulous designs, it was a very special three days and the studio  felt vibrant and humming with creativity!  It was a great way to round out one year and set myself up for the start of another.  This body of  work  will continue and hopefully will be the start of a whole series of paintings and other courses and other costumes. ‍

Im‍age: large drawings of Eve. made during Embellishing the Body (Emily Ball)

“This was a wonderful experience.  Thank you to Katie, to Eve and to Emily, who whilst not teaching, was an inspirational presence in the room…I really enjoyed Katie’s warm-up exercises and also, the conversations and the books during breaks.  You have created such a great atmosphere in the studio… liberating, spacious, no judgements and a sense of being valued.” ~ Maxine Taylor‍

Im‍ages below: Eve in her bespoke costume; Emily making painting studies of Eve (Katie Sollohub)

Farewell 2025, Welcome 2026

Thank you to everyone who has come on our courses and supported the studio over the past year.  We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and sense of community you bring to the Seawhite Studio. Keep painting and come and see us again in 2026 for a rich and diverse programme of courses that you won’t want to miss.  We’ll be sharing more details about these in future newsletters.  However, if you can’t wait – or would like to treat yourself or someone else to a brilliant Christmas present – you can head over to our website by clicking on the button below:‍

www.emilyballatseawhite.co.uk‍ | Contact |  ‍ ‍Unsubscribe ‍