Explore the timeless art of capturing everyday objects in an abstracted and modern light.

This course will encourage you to look closely at fruit, vessels and cut flowers and simplify them to their core components. The aim is to distil the subject to a flavour - to not overly describe a thing, but to suggest it.

• Experiment with expressive mark-making, colour combinations and a mix of materials. This course will ignite your creativity, expand your visual language and deepen your understanding of composition, colour and form.

• Explore collage and mark-making as tools to simplify shapes and add dynamic elements to your compositions. Discover how to use these techniques to infuse your work with spontaneity and energy.

• Learn how to arrange objects in a compelling manner and master the interplay of light and shadow to create depth and atmosphere in your paintings.

• Dive deeper into the world of colour theory and texture as you discover how to infuse your still life paintings with vibrancy and dimension. You'll learn how to evoke mood and emotion through your choice of colours and textures.

Throughout the weekend, you will experiment with techniques to get into a flow state and free up your process to discover avenues for creative expression. You will work on board in a range of media, including oil paint, ink and pastel.

Inspiration will be sought from investigating artists such as the Bloomsbury Group artists, Ivon Hitchens, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, as well as contemporary artists whose work is concerned with still life.

Through feedback and critiques, you'll refine your techniques and develop a greater sense of confidence in your artistic expression.

By the end of the course, you will have combined all you have discovered in the creation of your own contemporary still life paintings.

Included

On this course, the College will supply most of the materials, including paper and two boards per student, plus acrylic paint, mediums, pastels and charcoal to share amongst the group.

What students need to bring

A- variety of brushes in a good range of shapes and sizes

• Palettes
• Palette knives
• 2B/4B pencil
• If you have specific materials you would like to bring, such as favourite paints and brushes, then please feel free.
• Any source material such as photos of favourite flowers in bouquets, from magazines, etc.
• If you have a favourite vase or any items of interest you would like to include in the composition, then please bring them along.

Available to buy

Available from shop: A good variety of general drawing and painting materials, including acrylic paints, paper, boards, brushes, palettes and acrylic paint mediums.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 7.15pm for registration. Students arriving earlier are welcome to purchase dinner in the College Dining Room from 6pm.
Students meet their tutor in the Bar at 7.30pm prompt to go to studios.
First Teaching session: 7.30pm - 9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am - 5pm
Morning session: 9.15am - 12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm - 2pm*
Afternoon session: 2pm - 5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm
Teaching finishes: 3pm

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am. Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

*Lunch can be purchased on campus, view options

Terms & Conditions