(Painting days: 18th - 20th June)
Join Maria Rose for a ‘plein air’ painting retreat at Westcott Barton, capturing the beauty of mid- Summer in Devon, outdoors, in a fresh and immediate way.
Maria will introduce the principles of ‘plein air’ painting, helping you to simplify the process of working outdoors from life. You will gain confidence to paint within a shorter space of time, respond quickly and intuitively to changing subject matter, improve your colour theory and application of oil paint and react more instinctively, to create lively and fresh landscape paintings responding directly to nature.
There will be a wealth of different subject matter, ranging from rural landscapes, vernacular buildings, garden and floral and the rugged North Devon coastline. Maria will be providing in-depth demos to explain the fundamentals of painting outdoors and will provide lots of guidance you while you paint.
Maria Rose ROI (Royal Institute of Oil Painters) part of the UK’s growing plein air movement, painting mainly outdoors to create softly evocative en plein air landscapes, working spontaneously to capture mood and light.
Maria is a member of the Royal Institute of Oil painters (ROI) and has exhibited widely, including the South West Academy, the Chelsea Art Society, the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the New English Art Club and is a member of the British Plein Air Painters. Maria was a contestant on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2018.
Please visit Maria's website for further information and to see examples of her work.
Upon your arrival on the Wednesday afternoon, at around 3pm, you will be greeted by the team at Westcott Barton. The week will begin with a relaxed afternoon, settling into the accommodation, meeting fellow students. The evening will finish with a group dinner.
The teaching days start are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The days will begin with access to the studio from 9:30 with teaching starting at 10:00 with an in-depth demo, with time for your own painting the rest of the morning.
Tea, coffee and biscuits are freely available to help yourself to during studio breaks.
Lunch will be available from 12:30pm.
The afternoon sessions will start around 1:30pm with another demo and then more time outside painting. Maria will be on hand to guide you throughout.
We will aim to finish at around 4.30pm.
The studio will be available at all times if weather is not favourable or if you just fancy a break inside.
A trip to the North Devon coast will take place on one of the teaching days (weather permitting) with transport included.
Departure is on the Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
This course will best suit those with some experience with oils or acrylics, who are looking to gain experience working outside from life.
Oils or Acrylics on canvas or boards.
Participants are asked to bring their own paints and equipment. Some materials can be provided by prior arrangement. Maria will be teaching in oils, but acrylic painters are also welcomed on this course.
An outdoor sketching easel or pochade and tripod, your preferred paints (oils or acrylics), a selection of small panels or canvasses to work on each teaching day, (aim for 2-3 panels per day and smaller is better for plein air e.g. 24 x 30cm), hog and synthetic bristle brushes, low odour paint thinner, sketchpad and preferred sketching tools (pencils, charcoal etc).
A PDF document containing full details about recommended paint colours, brush sizes, grounds and studio sundries will be emailed to you nearer the time of the course.
Please bring clothing suitable for extended periods outdoors in all weathers!
Studio easels and chairs provided for use in the indoor studio.
- Accommodation and meals during your stay, including an evening meal on day of arrival and breakfast on day of departure.
Single occupancy in secure room, with own bathroom facilities: £855 per person.
Single occupancy room or shared room (twin or double), but sharing bathroom facilities: £810 per person (minimum booking for two and both must be participating in retreat).
Non-participating partners sharing a course participant's room are welcome: £450 per person (includes meals) . This option is subject to availability.
We welcome non-residential participants on our retreats/courses - please enquire for further details.
The form can either be printed and completed by hand or filled out on your computer (Adobe PDF reader required). If the latter, please make sure you save the PDF once you have added your details and then email this back to us.
RETREAT BOOKING FORM (PDF) - please right click and save to your computer.
If you are travelling to Westcott Barton by car, please refer to our Location page for directions.
We suggest you download what3words and then use Google Maps within the app to provide you with directions to us. Please enter our full address and not just the postcode.
It is possible to pre-book a taxi from Barnstaple station. Please contact either VIP Taxi on 07868 311 773 and speak to Martin, or B-Line Taxis on 01271 322117.
If you are planning to travel by another means of transport please contact us for assistance.
