As artists, how do we turn our direct experiences of the landscape into a visual vocabulary? And how can we incorporate physical elements into rich textures?

This course is about exploring how different textural aspects of the natural world can be represented in painting. Kieran will share with you how being and working outdoors can transform your practice through direct experience.

The landscape surrounding us in St Ives will be our starting point with its rugged coastline and expanse of sea and sky. The course starts with expressive sketchbook studies using water based mixed-media and drawing materials, working from direct observation of the sea and rocks.

Through making references to Joan Eardley, Anselm Kiefer and Picasso, learn how to develop your studies into oil paintings which incorporate ‘found objects’ from the landscape including sand, grit and other textural materials to reflect the textural quality of the natural world.

Included in this course will be discussion on different ways of analysing and critiquing your image making, where we explore different ideas about the reasons why an image may be successful or unsuccessful, and how we understand the ingredients of a composition.

What will I learn?

1. Learn how to develop a plein air practice.
2. Explore how to mix a range of media to create textural and spontaneous responses to the landscape in your sketchbook.
3. Learn a more immediate way of gathering ideas inside and outside of the studio.
4. Build confidence in a freer and more expressive way of working.
5. Gain insights into how other artists incorporate the landscape into their paintings.

What to Bring

Timings and Breaks

The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.

All course days after that start at 9.30am and finish at 4pm and there will be an hour for lunch. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.