Online Art Club 1 - Still Life (x4 recorded sessions)

Mixed Media / Still Life

Purchase

Course details

Watch all four sessions recorded from our new online Art Club. Discover new ideas to spark your creativity and have fun making art with no pressure.

Across the four sessions of our first online art club series, we explore Still Life, using the domestic space as our starting point, moving from simple arrangements to more complex compositions for inspiration. There is a gentle introduction to colour and working with both wet and dry media, we explore line, pattern and texture and the different stages of building a painting.

Led by two tutors with distinct but complementary practices, participants are encouraged to work in different ways. Iona works with familiar objects in a loose, instinctive way, bringing focus to composition and intuitive colour expression, while Camilla introduces a more abstract approach, guiding participants to experiment with colour, form, and mark-making to create expressive, interpretive compositions.

Each session is designed to be fun and relaxed, giving you the chance to switch off, unwind, and enjoy dedicated time for your creativity—something you can dive into and stay inspired by. Within the sessions there will be warm-up exercises and gentle direction to ease you in. Draw and paint alongside the tutor, using inspiration from your own surroundings or the same reference materials they provide. We wrap up each session by looking at the work of other artists, such as Winifred Nicholson, Rose Hilton, William Scott and Ellsworth Kelly to spark ideas and deepen your learning.

You’ll also have the opportunity to share your work on our Facebook page and connect with fellow participants, helping you build confidence and feel part of a supportive creative community.

Each session is approximately 1 hour and 30mins long

Session 1 – WATCH NOW – Painting the ordinary
Session 2 – WATCH NOW – Still Life Composition
Session 3 – WATCH NOW – Abstract Still Life
Session 4 – WATCH NOW – Organic Still Life

What will I learn?

  • Build a consistent and enjoyable weekly creative habit.
  • Open your mind and increase your confidence by exploring a range of subjects and experimenting with different approaches.
  • Connect with a supportive community of tutors and peers.
  • Feel more creatively engaged, using the sessions as dedicated time to unwind, experiment, and draw inspiration from artists past and present.
  • Develop confidence in creating still life compositions, progressing from simple arrangements to more complex and layered works inspired by the domestic space.

Who would this course suit?

These sessions are perfect for anyone looking to gently reintroduce creativity into their weekly routine, whether you’re a complete beginner or someone returning to art after a break. It suits people who want a relaxed, pressure-free space to explore drawing and painting, connect with others, and nurture their creative wellbeing.

Online Art Club 1 – Still Life (x4 recorded sessions)

Mixed Media / Still Life

Purchase

How does an online course work?

Upon purchase, the course will be available to access through your account. The sessions are designed to be flexible, allowing you to engage with them in a way that suits your learning style.

Some artists prefer to watch a lesson from start to finish before spending time drawing and painting in response to the demonstrations. Others choose to move through all the lessons first, then revisit the sections that resonate most and explore those ideas more deeply in their own time.

You are free to approach the course in whatever way works best for you. The videos can be paused while you work and are available to watch on demand as often as you wish, for up to 90 days after purchase. Each pre-recorded session is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes in length.

You will be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world. You can also share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting and tagging us @stives painting

Taught by

Camilla
Dixon

View Camilla’s Work

I find tutoring to be a constantly evolving project. It supports my creative work as it requires that I not only understand my processes but can apply them in a way that is useful to other people in their quest for creative flow. Harnessing a fluid and responsive working method, can address all sorts of practical or emotional obstacles that students face. It can be quite literally life-changing.

Iona
Sanders

View Iona’s Work

My approach to teaching is to give students the confidence to be free and intuitive in their practice, to lose themselves in their creativity, and to find their inner voice. Focusing on their own journey, banishing doubt and building positivity will be key to their enjoyment and fulfilment on the course.

What to Bring

You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop or a tablet with audio.

Suggested Materials for the Still Life Sessions: Pencil, sketching paper, white/black/grey paint plus a section of colours of your choice. Several brushes small/med/large, painting surface, water, cloth. Iona will be painting in acrylics but you may choose to use other paints, if you already have others to use. A selection of crayons/pastels and collage materials. A full list of suggested materials will be available to see in your learning portal once you have purchased the course.

Timings and Breaks

Watch now at your leisure with plenty of opportunity to watch again as often as you like and let the ideas percolate.

You can revisit as often as you like for up to 90 days after purchasing the course.

FAQs

Art Courses

Do you have to be experienced to come to the School?

No prior experience is required to join most of our art courses. The School of Painting is a friendly and welcoming environment for all ages and abilities, including complete beginners.

Our drop-in life drawing classes and short workshops are perfect if you’re trying painting for the first time. Many of our longer courses are also suitable for beginners, as our tutors are experienced in supporting mixed ability groups. If a course requires previous experience, this will be clearly stated on the course page.

Online Art Courses

Do I need a webcam/any equipment?

For our webinar sessions which are broadcast on the internet and no webcam or microphone is needed as you just need to be able to see/hear hosts and you can communicate using the chat function. You can watch using a PC, Smart TV or tablet. A phone isn’t ideal as you will struggle to see enough unless you can miracast to a screen or smart TV.

For the longer online courses on Zoom you will need a laptop or tablet with audio and camera enabled so you can have a screen near where you are working. If you have a PC without camera or speakers, you can purchase a plug and play webcam for approx £25 which connects to a usb port. You will also need reasonable broadband connection and speed.

All the art materials and equipment needed to participate in the course will be listed in full on the online learning platform, for live webinars this will be a minimum of two weeks before the session starts.

I have registered for the webinar but I can't find my joining link

You can access all the resources and joining link for your webinar via our online learning platform. You will need to have set up an account on our online learning platform in advance. You can do this during the checkout process when purchasing your webinar. If you are having trouble accessing your online account, please contact [email protected]. You can use a PC or tablet or even cast from your phone to watch on your Smart TV.

I paid for the session but missed it, how can I watch?

Currently all our online sessions are recorded and you can access the recording on our online learning platform until it expires. Usually 60 days for a webinar, 90 – 180 days for multipart webinars or online courses.

Studio Courses

Can I bring my dog?

The studios are busy places with lots of equipment and not suitable for bringing a pet dog. We can accommodate assistance dogs with prior notice so we can make suitable adjustments. If you wish to bring an assistance dog please call 01736 797180 or email [email protected]

Can you help me choose the right course?

Yes, our friendly and knowledgeable team are always happy to help you choose the best course for your needs, whether you’re a beginner or looking to develop specific skills.

Please call us on 01736 797180 to discuss your options.

How do I get my work home?

Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and for our 3 day courses we will give you a plastic folder with a handle. These are also available to purchase for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.

Please note: For the course Bigger, Bolder, Braver with Boo Mallinson, we will provide a large A1 size plastic folder for your work but please consider how you will be able to transport the larger canvases home safely before signing up for the course as we will not be able to store large paintings in the studio. On this course you will be painting on a 50cms x 50cms and a 1m x 1m canvas alongside smaller pieces.

For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home, postal costs will be borne by you.

What do I need to bring?

Absolutely nothing! All materials and aprons are provided although some people do like to bring their own set of brushes.

What do I do for lunch?

Courses allow an hour’s break for lunch and there are numerous places nearby or you are welcome to bring a packed lunch into the studio.

What times do courses run?

Most of our courses start at 10am and end at 4.30pm on the first day. Subsequent days we start at 9.30am ending at 4pm.

Short workshops start at 10am in the Summer and 9.30am/ 1.30pm during September festival


Booking a Course

How do I reserve a place on a course?

You can book your place online or by calling us on 01736 797180.

If you need time to arrange accommodation, we can hold a provisional booking for 24 hours. To secure your place, a £100 deposit is required, with the remaining balance due 12 weeks before the course start date.

About St Ives

Where can I park near the School?

The nearest long-stay car parks are:

Island Car Park
Barnoon Long Stay Car Park

Both are approximately a 5-minute walk from the School.

During the busy summer months, you may find it easier to park at Trenwith Car Park near the leisure centre and walk into town. A shuttle bus often runs back up the hill from near Tate St Ives.

How do I get to the School of Painting in St Ives?

By train:

The nearest mainline station is St Erth, which is approximately a 15-minute taxi journey away. From there, you can also take the St Ives Bay Line, which runs every 30 minutes. The School is a 10-minute walk from St Ives station.

By car:

Take the M5 to Exeter, then follow the A30 into Cornwall. After passing Hayle, exit at the St Erth roundabout towards St Ives. Continue through Lelant and Carbis Bay into St Ives..

Where can I stay in St Ives?

St Ives offers a wide range of accommodation, including hotels, guest houses, and self-catering options. You can explore options on our website, or contact us directly on 01736 797180 if you’d like personalised recommendations.

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