Liz Hough

Ways of Abstracting

Mixed Media / Abstract

We haven’t scheduled this course yet. Please email us to register your interest for future availability.

Register Interest

Join artist Liz Hough in our studio to demystify abstract painting and explore alternative ways of seeing the world around you. Fire up your creativity with this one hour live online session designed to inspire and get you making and investigating at home.

Liz Hough, After the Rainbow, 2020, 60x80cm, mixed media

This is a practical one hour demo to help demystify the art of abstraction and motivate you by building confidence. In this session Liz explores with you what abstract art can be about and the possibilities it contains with examples and practical demonstrations and tasks set.

This session is a great taster for Liz’s March five month course Abstraction – Landscape a Sense of Place. We will investigate key questions an artist can ask about what is abstraction. Our search for answers will take us through art history, practical demos and tasks for you to do at home.

You won’t be seen or heard in the session but you can ask questions using the chat function. Share your work live with others on social media using the #schoolofpainting. You can watch the session live or later. We record it so we can let you revisit the session to refresh your memory for up to two weeks after.

Once you have booked a session, you will receive a link on the morning of the broadcast. All you need to do is follow the link. You will also be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with our community of fellow students from around the world.

What will I learn?


Delve deeper into why particular artists make abstract work.

Get insights into how to create dynamic compositions using paint, mixed media and collage

Approaches to loosening up your way of working


Would this session suit me?

Anyone with an interest in art, not just painters should love this session. It’s ideal if you need to loosen up your approach and equally rewarding for beginners. Great for those who would like to get more out of their visits to galleries.

How Does an online session work?

Once you have booked, we will send you a link an hour before the session starts so you can join in live. These sessions will be broadcast on You Tube or Zoom and all you need to do is follow the link ten minutes before the start time. You can watch this on a PC, or tablet and maybe even cast to your Smart TV from your phone.

You can put questions to the tutor using the chat function during the session. The sessions are recorded and you will be able to watch again at your leisure as many times as you want for up to 1 week. You will also be invited to join our Facebook Alumni group so you can share your discoveries with fellow students from around the world.

Ways of Abstracting

Mixed Media / Abstract

We haven’t scheduled this course yet. Please email us to register your interest for future availability.

Register Interest

Taught by

Liz
Hough

View Liz’s Work

Liz Hough’s paintings offer a vivid exploration of seasonal moments, drawing the viewer into intimate narratives of place and memory. Each painting is carefully selected to convey time spent in both summer and winter, where the artist’s use of colour and mixed media brings life to the black-and-white sketches she creates en plein air.

What to Bring

You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop, tablet with audio. You might be able to cast from your phone to a smart tv if you have Chromecast or mirrorcast enabled.

Phones are not really suitable to watch a webinar on as the presenter will be hard to see when they share their screen with you, unless you can cast to your Smart Tv.

Timings and Breaks

At 4.50 please click the link to join the live session.

We will start at 5 pm and work for 1 hour. We will pause for questions at different points during the session you can pose any questions to the artist using the chat function.

We will be sending you a recording of the session so you can revisit as often as you like for up to a week after broadcast.

What our students say

I want to just say how much I’ve enjoyed this course! Liz has made it so interesting and inspiring. I’ll be signing up for her upcoming online course!

Victoria Waugh

There was a lot more in the course than expected. Liz’s demonstration broke down any sense of preciousness. Her openness, instinct, love of materials and creative ‘play’ are terrifically inspiring to let go and explore.

FAQs

In Person Courses

How large are your art classes?

Our studio courses are taught in small groups of around 10 to 12 people, allowing tutors to provide individual guidance alongside group demonstrations and discussions.

What is included in an art course?

Course fees include professional tuition from a practising artist and use of the School’s studio facilities. Materials and equipment are all included in our in person courses, workshops and life drawing sessions – so you can just turn up and get started. Teas and coffees are also provided throughout the day.

Can I attend an art course on my own?

Absolutely. Many students come to St Ives School of Painting independently. Courses offer a welcoming and sociable environment, with plenty of opportunities to meet other people who share an interest in making and learning.

How do I choose the right art course?

Start by considering how you would like to work. You may want to learn a particular medium, improve a skill such as drawing or colour mixing, explore a subject such as landscape or still life, or develop a more personal approach. Each course page explains the content, materials, level and teaching approach to help you decide. Our friendly, helpful team are always available to help further.

Please call us on 01736 797180 to discuss your options or email [email protected].

Do I need any previous art experience?

Not always. We offer courses for all levels, including complete beginners, intermediate students and more experienced artists. You can look for the experience level listed on the individual course page to find the most suitable option for you. If you need any guidance on what course might suit you best, contact on our friendly team on 01736 797180 and they will be able to help.

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?

You don’t need to bring anything with you unless we specify beforehand. All materials, aprons and tools are provided, however some people do like to bring along their favourite set of brushes or sketchbooks.

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


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]

Choosing an Art Course

Do you run life drawing classes in St Ives?

Yes. We hold regular life drawing sessions in St Ives, including Thursday evening and Saturday morning classes. These welcoming, tutored sessions are open to a range of experience levels and provide an opportunity to practise drawing from a life model. Our life drawing sessions are held just a 5 minute walk from our studios at The Island Centre.

Do you offer art courses for adults?

Yes. We run art classes and courses for adults throughout the year, from accessible introductory workshops to more intensive courses for people looking to deepen their creative practice.

What types of painting can I learn?

Our courses cover a wide range of approaches, including oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolour, gouache, landscape painting, still life, portraiture and abstraction. We also offer courses exploring colour, composition, mark-making and creative confidence.

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