Art Courses in St Ives
Find your creative escape with our in-person art courses in St Ives. Taught by more than 30 practising artists in our historic studios overlooking Porthmeor Beach, courses explore subjects from still life to the Cornish landscape. Choose from focused one-day workshops and immersive multi-day courses, with welcoming options for every level.
Discover art courses in St Ives taught by practising artists in our historic Porthmeor Studios, overlooking the beach. Open to complete beginners and experienced artists alike, our small-group courses combine professional tuition, individual guidance and plenty of time to experiment.
We run studio courses throughout the year, from multi-day Cornwall art holidays to focused artist retreats. Explore landscape, still life, portraiture and the figure – or, if you cannot join us in St Ives, learn from the comfort of your own home with an online art course.
Sea, Sky + Lanyon
Short Art Workshops – Acrylic – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000qBwyt
Active Instance: a02Nz00000epWejIAE, 22-Sep-2026
Capture the atmosphere and energy of the Cornish coast in a loose, expressive way. With inspiration from Peter Lanyon, the focus is on interpretation rather than realism.
| 22 Sep – 3 hour(s) 13:30 – £60 | Full | Request |
Painting Your Perspective
Art Courses – Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000doxN7
Active Instance: a02Nz00000R1Nz8IAF, 25-Sep-2026
Are you ready to develop a stronger sense of personal style and meaning in your art? Discover how to unleash your imagination, let go, and confidently create work that expresses your unique perspective.
Painting Your Perspective
Art Courses – Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000doxN7
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jf9bhIAA, 24-Sep-2027
Are you ready to develop a stronger sense of personal style and meaning in your art? Discover how to unleash your imagination, let go, and confidently create work that expresses your unique perspective.
Developing Drawing Skills
Art Courses – Drawing – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVj2
Active Instance: a02Nz00000QiQELIA3, 28-Sep-2026
Learn to master the power of the simple line. Working from subjects in and around the studios, create compelling observational drawings and equip yourself with an entirely new creative toolbox.
Developing Drawing Skills
Art Courses – Drawing – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVj2
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iDTZ7IAO, 29-Nov-2027
Learn to master the power of the simple line. Working from subjects in and around the studios, create compelling observational drawings and equip yourself with an entirely new creative toolbox.
Liberating Landscape
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ngA0N
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ijWlZIAU, 01-Oct-2026
On this one-day workshop Iona Sanders will help you to find new ways in to creating expressive and lively acrylic landscape paintings.
| 1 Oct – 3 hour(s) 09:00 – £60 | Full | Request |
The Realistic Portrait
Art Courses – Oil – Figure
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000A91VN
Active Instance: a02Nz00000Sm9NRIAZ, 05-Oct-2026
How do you paint realistic portraits with great accuracy and detail? Learn how to master light and shadow and the basics of the classical sight size technique.
The Realistic Portrait
Art Courses – Oil – Figure
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000A91VN
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwN57IAE, 22-Apr-2027
How do you paint realistic portraits with great accuracy and detail? Learn how to master light and shadow and the basics of the classical sight size technique.
The Realistic Portrait
Art Courses – Oil – Figure
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000A91VN
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwKDiIAM, 11-Nov-2027
How do you paint realistic portraits with great accuracy and detail? Learn how to master light and shadow and the basics of the classical sight size technique.
The Alchemy of Bookmaking
Art Courses – Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000joGNp
Active Instance: a02Nz00000XLkrLIAT, 10-Oct-2026
Explore bookmaking beyond the traditional. Using Gelli printing, collage, and stitch, this course focuses on playful experimentation and creative freedom, resulting in a unique, hand-made book.
| 10 – 11 Oct – 2 days – £295 | Book |
Expressive Painting in the Elements
Art Courses – Acrylic – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000Qq76U
Active Instance: a02Nz00000QMfqLIAT, 12-Oct-2026
Explore expressionist painting in the elements with artist Amy Albright as you immerse yourself in the Cornish landscape to sketch and paint with playfulness and emotion.
Expressive Painting in the Elements
Art Courses – Acrylic – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000Qq76U
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iCTEeIAO, 19-Apr-2027
Explore expressionist painting in the elements with artist Amy Albright as you immerse yourself in the Cornish landscape to sketch and paint with playfulness and emotion.
Expressive Painting in the Elements
Art Courses – Acrylic – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000Qq76U
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iCarBIAS, 11-Oct-2027
Explore expressionist painting in the elements with artist Amy Albright as you immerse yourself in the Cornish landscape to sketch and paint with playfulness and emotion.
Studio Still Life – Inspired by Matisse
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000kmSh4
Active Instance: a02Nz00000WTX6FIAX, 16-Oct-2026
A fun exploration into Matisse’s studio and interiors, the rooms, the windows – the gardens and sea beyond. This course is all about colour, pattern and line, explored in a playful and vibrant way.
Studio Still Life – Inspired by Matisse
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000kmSh4
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iCNKYIA4, 01-Oct-2027
A fun exploration into Matisse’s studio and interiors, the rooms, the windows – the gardens and sea beyond. This course is all about colour, pattern and line, explored in a playful and vibrant way.
Exploring Colour
Art Courses – Ink – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000c96LH
Active Instance: a02Nz00000QqhujIAB, 19-Oct-2026
Explore the fluid, vibrant world of acrylic inks in this hands-on course designed to help build confidence in using colour in a more expressive way.
| 19 – 21 Oct – 3 days – £445 | Last 3 places | Book |
Discover Painting II
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ZrDsb
Active Instance: a02Nz00000R1IReIAN, 23-Oct-2026
Are you ready to loosen up, push forward, and explore what is next in your painting journey? This new course will push your practice further-towards greater confidence and personal expression.
Discover Painting II
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ZrDsb
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jf8pJIAQ, 12-Mar-2027
Are you ready to loosen up, push forward, and explore what is next in your painting journey? This new course will push your practice further-towards greater confidence and personal expression.
Painting Landscape with a Palette Knife
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000006we6y
Active Instance: a02Nz00000QQ6yuIAD, 26-Oct-2026
Artist Gary Long shares expert techniques for using a palette knife to bring texture, depth, and energy to your oil paintings. Build confidence by combining knife work with brushstrokes to create dynamic landscapes.
| 26 – 28 Oct – 3 days – £445 | Full | Request |
Light + Landscape
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000003To1b
Active Instance: a02Nz00000YVcYTIA1, 30-Oct-2026
Have you ever noticed that being in some landscapes can feel as though you are in a painting by Turner or Rothko? How did it come about that a landscape reminds you of a painting and not the other way around? Discover how to evoke the engulfing experience of being in the landscape.
Light + Landscape
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000003To1b
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jemwtIAA, 25-Oct-2027
Have you ever noticed that being in some landscapes can feel as though you are in a painting by Turner or Rothko? How did it come about that a landscape reminds you of a painting and not the other way around? Discover how to evoke the engulfing experience of being in the landscape.
Landscape to Abstraction: Inspired by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K2sNf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000SvjOYIAZ, 30-Oct-2026
Coinciding with Tate St Ives’ major Wilhelmina Barns-Graham retrospective, this three-day course explores how observations of landscape can be transformed through colour, rhythm and abstraction.
Landscape to Abstraction: Inspired by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K2sNf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000kWjtxIAC, 05-Apr-2027
Coinciding with Tate St Ives’ major Wilhelmina Barns-Graham retrospective, this three-day course explores how observations of landscape can be transformed through colour, rhythm and abstraction.
Landscape to Abstraction: Inspired by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K2sNf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000kWaafIAC, 31-Aug-2027
Coinciding with Tate St Ives’ major Wilhelmina Barns-Graham retrospective, this three-day course explores how observations of landscape can be transformed through colour, rhythm and abstraction.
Poetry of Process
Art Courses – Oil – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVjf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000R0udpIAB, 02-Nov-2026
This mixed media course liberates you from expectations and encourages you to embrace the happy accident. Develop your painting in several directions through the act of painting itself, treading that fruitful bridge between intention and invention.
Poetry of Process
Art Courses – Oil – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVjf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ip0hNIAQ, 12-Apr-2027
This mixed media course liberates you from expectations and encourages you to embrace the happy accident. Develop your painting in several directions through the act of painting itself, treading that fruitful bridge between intention and invention.
Poetry of Process
Art Courses – Oil – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVjf
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ip0uHIAQ, 06-Dec-2027
This mixed media course liberates you from expectations and encourages you to embrace the happy accident. Develop your painting in several directions through the act of painting itself, treading that fruitful bridge between intention and invention.
Vibrant Florals
Short Art Workshops – Mixed Media – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000USldw
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hXyO2IAK, 07-Nov-2026
A playful and process-led workshop exploring the possibilities of mixed media painting through drawing, composition and mark-making.
| 7 Nov – 1 day – £120 | Last place | Book |
Getting Started with Mixed Media Landscape
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000nKFSF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000TTRXHIA5, 09-Nov-2026
This inspiring course offers exciting new ways to creatively absorb your spectacular St Ives surroundings. With an encouraging and experimental approach, establish a solid foundation in mixed media painting.
Getting Started with Mixed Media Landscape
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000nKFSF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iKx4DIAS, 03-May-2027
This inspiring course offers exciting new ways to creatively absorb your spectacular St Ives surroundings. With an encouraging and experimental approach, establish a solid foundation in mixed media painting.
Getting Started with Mixed Media Landscape
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000nKFSF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iKv0oIAC, 01-Nov-2027
This inspiring course offers exciting new ways to creatively absorb your spectacular St Ives surroundings. With an encouraging and experimental approach, establish a solid foundation in mixed media painting.
Approaching Abstraction
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000FHLJt
Active Instance: a02Nz00000OeWo9IAF, 13-Nov-2026
Free up your practice and work more intuitively on this playful abstract painting course that will help you build a more expressive and expansive visual vocabulary.
Approaching Abstraction
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000FHLJt
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huneoIAA, 01-Mar-2027
Free up your practice and work more intuitively on this playful abstract painting course that will help you build a more expressive and expansive visual vocabulary.
Approaching Abstraction
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000FHLJt
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huoKjIAI, 22-Nov-2027
Free up your practice and work more intuitively on this playful abstract painting course that will help you build a more expressive and expansive visual vocabulary.
Painting Still Life in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000NBp8U
Active Instance: a02Nz00000Sm9X7IAJ, 16-Nov-2026
Craft a striking layered oil painting that evokes depth and volume through the masterful use of texture, colour, and chiaroscuro.
| 16 – 18 Nov – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Abstracting Place: From Sketchbook to Painting
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000jhFuj
Active Instance: a02Nz00000XCkdZIAT, 20-Nov-2026
Learn how to begin abstract paintings with confidence, using place, process and experimentation.
Abstracting Place: From Sketchbook to Painting
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000jhFuj
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwJKrIAM, 24-May-2027
Learn how to begin abstract paintings with confidence, using place, process and experimentation.
Abstracting Place: From Sketchbook to Painting
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000jhFuj
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwJW9IAM, 15-Oct-2027
Learn how to begin abstract paintings with confidence, using place, process and experimentation.
Joan Eardley – Land, Sea, People + Place
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000BqLnQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000QiLZeIAN, 23-Nov-2026
Join artist Jill Eisele on a painter’s pilgrimage into the world of Joan Eardley. This three-day course taps into the rich seam of Eardley’s work, inspiring you to explore place, people, landscape and mark making in your own work.
Joan Eardley – Land, Sea, People + Place
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000BqLnQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hupqHIAQ, 08-Nov-2027
Join artist Jill Eisele on a painter’s pilgrimage into the world of Joan Eardley. This three-day course taps into the rich seam of Eardley’s work, inspiring you to explore place, people, landscape and mark making in your own work.
Painterly Printmaking
Art Courses – Printmaking
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000qZ2AQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000OoXe5IAF, 25-Nov-2026
Explore a creative and experimental approach to a variety of printmaking techniques including monoprinting and collagraph. Use a professional press in the historic Porthmeor Print Workshop to create stunning, multi-layered prints.
Painterly Printmaking
Art Courses – Printmaking
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000qZ2AQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hurSHIAY, 14-Apr-2027
Explore a creative and experimental approach to a variety of printmaking techniques including monoprinting and collagraph. Use a professional press in the historic Porthmeor Print Workshop to create stunning, multi-layered prints.
Painterly Printmaking
Art Courses – Printmaking
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000qZ2AQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hurVVIAY, 24-Nov-2027
Explore a creative and experimental approach to a variety of printmaking techniques including monoprinting and collagraph. Use a professional press in the historic Porthmeor Print Workshop to create stunning, multi-layered prints.
Artist Retreat Weekend – Autumn
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000G2ceX
Active Instance: a02Nz00000XCaRLIA1, 27-Nov-2026
Remember and revive your reasons for making art and reboot your practice. As part of a small group, benefit from directed exercises, peer feedback and 1-1 mentoring from two professional artists.
Artist Retreat Weekend – Autumn
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000G2ceX
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jfB0nIAE, 19-Nov-2027
Remember and revive your reasons for making art and reboot your practice. As part of a small group, benefit from directed exercises, peer feedback and 1-1 mentoring from two professional artists.
Ignite: A Creative Kickstart to the Year
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000aGzxJ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iYTuHIAW, 16-Jan-2027
Start the new year with clarity, momentum, and creative fire with our January Retreat – your space to reset and reignite. Option to include 7 nights luxury accommodation
Ignite: A Creative Kickstart to the Year
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000aGzxJ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000kOc5mIAC, 16-Jan-2027
Start the new year with clarity, momentum, and creative fire with our January Retreat – your space to reset and reignite. Option to include 7 nights luxury accommodation
Ignite: A Creative Kickstart to the Year
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000aGzxJ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000kOf5xIAC, 16-Jan-2027
Start the new year with clarity, momentum, and creative fire with our January Retreat – your space to reset and reignite. Option to include 7 nights luxury accommodation
Porthmeor Masters
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000dPLqn
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hj8WvIAI, 25-Jan-2027
Our newest year-long artist development programme, offering advanced studio workshops and 1-1 mentoring, designed for graduates of the Porthmeor Programme or similar.
| 25 Jan – 17 Nov 2027 – 6 x 3 days over 10 months – £2950 | Full | Request |
The Elements + Art of Drawing
Art Courses – Drawing
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000ITLaJ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iCZVJIA4, 01-Feb-2027
Why learn to draw? Drawing can both underpin and free-up your painting practice, and drawing doesn’t need to be ‘correct’ to be fun or creative!
| 1 – 4 Feb 2027 – 4 days – £575 | Book |
Painting Landscapes in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000wz6aF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jdWqzIAE, 05-Feb-2027
Discover new ways to approach landscape painting in oils, building practical skills while finding a painting language that feels distinctly your own.
Painting Landscapes in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000wz6aF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jdbygIAA, 09-Jul-2027
Discover new ways to approach landscape painting in oils, building practical skills while finding a painting language that feels distinctly your own.
Contemporary Figure Painting
Art Courses in St Ives – Oil – Figure
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000IQd6p
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huo2zIAA, 08-Feb-2027
Explore figure painting through the bold, dynamic lens of David Park, embracing confident mark-making, vibrant colour, and a more intuitive approach to painting with oils.
| 8 – 10 Feb 2027 – 3 days – £475 | Book |
Discover Painting
Art Courses – Acrylic – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000jsnpr
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jf8XZIAY, 12-Feb-2027
A fast track into painting with acrylics. Learn to guide your own way through colour, composition and critique to paint from the heart with confidence.
| 12 – 14 Feb 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Beginners Oil Painting
Art Courses – Oil – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVjN
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hx54vIAA, 15-Feb-2027
A thorough introduction to this versatile and accessible medium: learn simple and dynamic approaches to painting with oils, responding to landscape and working from still life in the studio.
Beginners Oil Painting
Art Courses – Oil – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVjN
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hxBBZIA2, 19-Jul-2027
A thorough introduction to this versatile and accessible medium: learn simple and dynamic approaches to painting with oils, responding to landscape and working from still life in the studio.
Everyone Can Draw (1)
Art Courses – Drawing – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000JO1w9
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iL0WjIAK, 15-Feb-2027
Maybe you are eager to express your ideas on paper, but something is stopping you — a lack of confidence, fear of making mistakes, or not knowing where to start. If that sounds familiar, this workshop is for you.
| 15 Feb 2027 – 1 day – £145 | Book |
Seeing In Colour
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000hOkgy
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iosLdIAI, 16-Feb-2027
A vibrant one-day workshop exploring colour, composition and expressive still-life painting, inspired by modern artists and focused on building confidence and creative freedom.
| 16 Feb 2027 – 1 day – £145 | Book |
Japanese Woodblock Printing
Art Courses – Printmaking – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5eeQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iohDNIAY, 19-Feb-2027
Inspired by the semi-abstract modernist tradition of St Ives, experienced woodblock artist Adrian Holmes teaches you to compose, carve and print your own designs using authentic Japanese tools and paper.
| 19 – 21 Feb 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Contemporary Composition: Still Life Re-imagined
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ZvklC
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ioWTBIA2, 19-Feb-2027
Would you like to create a simple still life that is bold and striking? Emma McClure will share with you the secrets of using vibrant colour and playful compositions to create your own painting.
Contemporary Composition: Still Life Re-imagined
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ZvklC
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ioWjJIAU, 03-Dec-2027
Would you like to create a simple still life that is bold and striking? Emma McClure will share with you the secrets of using vibrant colour and playful compositions to create your own painting.
Banish Fear of Failure
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000NUxYG
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hupVJIAY, 22-Feb-2027
An introduction to finding ways into creating lively, expressive paintings through intuitive and instinctual responses to the world around you.
Banish Fear of Failure
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000NUxYG
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hupa9IAA, 12-Jul-2027
An introduction to finding ways into creating lively, expressive paintings through intuitive and instinctual responses to the world around you.
Artist Retreat Weekend – Spring
Art Courses – Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000G2GQo
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huqO9IAI, 26-Feb-2027
A developmental weekend working with two professional artists, combining 1-1 tutorials with a fun practical weekend of painting. Aimed at those with an art practice.
| 26 – 28 Feb 2027 – 3 days – £550 | Book |
Porthmeor Programme (Studio)
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000IREqS
Active Instance: a02Nz00000cYbSKIA0, 05-Mar-2027
A ten month intensive course to develop you as an artist, enabling you to find and express your individual creative voice. Led by a personal tutor and a host of guest artists.
| 5 – 7 Mar 2027 – 24 days over 10 Months – £3750 | Apply |
Porthmeor Seascapes
Art Courses – Pastel – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000001u8aE
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ewKCDIA2, 08-Mar-2027
Drawing inspiration from the awe-inspiring St Ives coastline, dive into pastel painting and discover unique techniques that are possible when painting with soft pastels.
Porthmeor Seascapes
Art Courses – Pastel – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000001u8aE
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ewKFRIA2, 17-Sep-2027
Drawing inspiration from the awe-inspiring St Ives coastline, dive into pastel painting and discover unique techniques that are possible when painting with soft pastels.
Evolving with Soft Pastels – Discover Your Artistic Voice
Art Courses – Pastel – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000e6WHV
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ewSpjIAE, 12-Mar-2027
Join practising artist, Nina Squire, for a 3-day immersive workshop designed for those who have some experience of using soft pastels.
| 12 – 14 Mar 2027 – 3 days – £505 | Book |
Seeing In Colour
Art Courses – Acrylic – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000vpMNX
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ioyyvIAA, 19-Mar-2027
Explore colour, composition and expressive still-life painting, inspired by modern artists, while building confidence and creative freedom.
| 19 – 21 Mar 2027 – 3 days – £475 | Book |
Beginners Watercolour
Art Courses – Watercolour – Beginners
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5elA
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i54ZVIAY, 19-Mar-2027
An ideal first step to watercolour painting. Discover the essential techniques of this luminous and rewarding medium. Build confidence through demonstrations, theory and practice, using different papers, tools and approaches.
| 19 – 21 Mar 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Contemporary Landscape
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000i3ctX
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ip0HZIAY, 22-Mar-2027
Learn to use diverse techniques and innovative painting exercises to explore your own personal approach to landscape painting today. We will look at a range of contemporary landscape painters and how they use paint to explore their individuality within this genre.
Contemporary Landscape
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000i3ctX
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ip0PdIAI, 20-Sep-2027
Learn to use diverse techniques and innovative painting exercises to explore your own personal approach to landscape painting today. We will look at a range of contemporary landscape painters and how they use paint to explore their individuality within this genre.
Paper Lithography: Marks, Surface + Process
Art Courses – Printmaking – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000dKiZV
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwLjFIAU, 30-Mar-2027
Discover the magic of paper lithography, with time to print, experiment and explore the possibilities of this highly accessible technique.
| 30 Mar – 1 Apr 2027 – 3 days – £495 | Book |
Landscape Artist Retreat
Art Courses – Painting – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000k1Qlz
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hvu80IAA, 16-Apr-2027
Join artist Liz Hough for an immersive retreat, inviting you to reconnect with landscape through drawing, painting, and thoughtful exploration in and around St Ives.
Landscape Artist Retreat
Art Courses – Painting – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000k1Qlz
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwCUgIAM, 30-Jul-2027
Join artist Liz Hough for an immersive retreat, inviting you to reconnect with landscape through drawing, painting, and thoughtful exploration in and around St Ives.
Capturing St Ives
Art Courses – Water-based – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a001r00000nKF2g
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i54o1IAA, 30-Apr-2027
Use the simple yet powerful technique of line and wash to study St Ives’ buildings, cottages and cobbled streets and bring them to life in the studio.
| 30 Apr – 2 May 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Framed by Light: Painting Interiors with a window
Art Courses – Oil – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000cBOXQ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huoRBIAY, 07-May-2027
Step into the quiet drama of light falling through a window and discover how it transforms an interior into a subject rich with atmosphere, tone, and meaning.
| 7 – 9 May 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Where Sea Meets Land
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000002g9CZ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huoB3IAI, 10-May-2027
Learn the secrets to capturing the dramatic encounter between sea and land in oils. Convey that fleeting moment when a wave crashes on the shore, its drama, energy and movement in this seascape oil painting course.
Where Sea Meets Land
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000002g9CZ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hueTVIAY, 04-Oct-2027
Learn the secrets to capturing the dramatic encounter between sea and land in oils. Convey that fleeting moment when a wave crashes on the shore, its drama, energy and movement in this seascape oil painting course.
Watercolour Painting en plein air
Art Courses – Watercolour – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqBDF
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i560DIAQ, 31-May-2027
Learn the skills of painting en plein air with watercolours, observing and painting what you see, outside in the St. Ives landscape with watercolour artist David Webb.
| 31 May – 2 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Abstract Painting: From Garden to Studio
Art Courses – Acrylic – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000jp1BV
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iozRxIAI, 04-Jun-2027
Explore an immersive and intuitive approach to abstract painting, developing expressive work through drawing and painting on location and in the studio.
| 4 – 6 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £475 | Book |
Abstract Landscapes: Inspired by Lanyon
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5mqA
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hwKjxIAE, 07-Jun-2027
Create lively contemporary paintings inspired by Peter Lanyon’s dynamic approach to landscape.
| 7 – 11 Jun 2027 – 5 days – £625 | Book |
Artist Retreat Weekend – June
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000khEzl
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jf98fIAA, 18-Jun-2027
If you’re feeling creatively stuck, or simply ready to explore your practice more deeply, this 3 day course offers the space to reconnect with your ideas, build confidence and rediscover your artistic voice.
| 18 – 20 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Turner Sea + Sky
Art Courses – Watercolour – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000dogvP
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i5549IAA, 18-Jun-2027
Reveal a fresh and immediate approach to watercolour, emulating Turner’s rapidly made and highly expressive studies, known as ‘colour beginnings’. Create vibrant seascapes that evoke the boundlessness of sea and sky.
| 18 – 20 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Atmospheric Perspective in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqC3m
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hulEwIAI, 21-Jun-2027
Join artist Kieran Stiles and explore the phenomenon of ‘atmospheric perspective’, where we see objects in the distance as more blue. Since the 15th Century, artists have experimented with this idea in order to create a greater sense of depth and perspective in a painting.
| 21 – 23 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Painting the Coast Path
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqT3r
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jAuGjIAK, 28-Jun-2027
Have you ever noticed how your best ideas come about while walking? Boost your creativity and step out with us into West Cornwall’s landscape with inspirational tuition in drawing and painting.
| 28 – 30 Jun 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Seascape Impressions in Watercolour
Art Courses – Watercolour – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000BqRvx
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i4v6SIAQ, 09-Jul-2027
Explore unique techniques of watercolour and how it can be used to portray the atmosphere of sea, sky and coast in an impressionistic style.
| 9 – 11 Jul 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
The Thick + the Thin of it: Painting the Ocean
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqBBj
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huUdmIAE, 16-Jul-2027
This course revels in the bounty of materials available to you as a painter. Use differences in texture and viscosity to describe organic coastal forms. Combine sheer washes and sprays with thicker, impasto marks by layering, scraping and saturating, building the dramatic expanse of the sea.
| 16 – 18 Jul 2027 – 3 days – £550 | Book |
The Minimalist Landscape
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000ITbZo
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jer26IAA, 23-Jul-2027
How can you resist the urge to over complicate a painting? Learn the art of simplicity in your landscapes so everything matters more and learn to make meaning out of less.
| 23 – 25 Jul 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Inspired by Barbara Hepworth
Art Courses – Drawing – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqC6h
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i55YnIAI, 26-Jul-2027
Discover the ideas and influence of St Ives Modernist, Barbara Hepworth-exploring form, space, nature and abstraction through drawing and painting, both en plein air in her sculpture garden and the Porthmeor studios.
| 26 – 28 Jul 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Loose Landscape: Line + Wash
Art Courses – Watercolour – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000v8lsB
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iKwheIAC, 06-Aug-2027
Join David for this brand-new course and discover a looser, more expressive way of responding to the landscape through line and watercolour wash.
| 6 – 8 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Changing Tides
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000IKvfk
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huXLaIAM, 09-Aug-2027
Explore the ever-changing ebbing and flowing of the ocean and learn how to create the effect of light shimmering on water in oils.
| 9 – 11 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
A Coast of Colour
Art Courses – Acrylic – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000nIWi0
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iozmvIAA, 13-Aug-2027
Discover the joy of painting the coast with bold colour, expressive marks and an intuitive, impressionistic response to the landscape.
| 13 – 15 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £475 | Book |
Experimental Approaches to Watercolour
Art Courses – Watercolour – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J000002hKnB
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i5066IAA, 16-Aug-2027
Develop a free and energetic approach to painting with watercolour. Learn to create contemporary, striking pieces, launching you on a whole new adventure in watercolour painting.
| 16 – 18 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Looking For Colour
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000PHiMS
Active Instance: a02Nz00000kgK37IAE, 20-Aug-2027
Discover a vibrant world of colour in the back streets, gardens and harbour of St Ives. This course will ignite and motivate your passion for finding colour and help you gain confidence to use new colour stories in your own art practice.
| 20 – 22 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Dynamic Landscape in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000jssXA
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hupiDIAQ, 23-Aug-2027
Moving between en plein air sketching on the cliffs and beaches around St Ives and developing work back in the studio, create intuitive and expressive responses to the landscape using oil paints and oil bars.
Dynamic Landscape in Oils
Art Courses – Oil – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000jssXA
Active Instance: a02Nz00000hupn3IAA, 26-Nov-2027
Moving between en plein air sketching on the cliffs and beaches around St Ives and developing work back in the studio, create intuitive and expressive responses to the landscape using oil paints and oil bars.
Japanese Woodblock: Abstract Horizons
Art Courses – Printmaking – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000Z3OJW
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iosNKIAY, 27-Aug-2027
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist looking to loosen up your process, this course is a chance to explore a unique Cornish fusion of modernist abstraction and traditional woodblock print.
| 27 – 29 Aug 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Expressive Landscape Painting
Art Courses – Acrylic – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000002D1Jr
Active Instance: a02Nz00000iCYXdIAO, 06-Sep-2027
Working both en plein air and in the studio create landscape paintings that are authentic, evocative and original, in the unique surrounds of the coast in St Ives.
| 6 – 8 Sep 2027 – 3 days – £475 | Book |
St Ives in Watercolour
Art Courses – Watercolour – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5QhU
Active Instance: a02Nz00000i4u3yIAA, 10-Sep-2027
Join artist David Webb for this exploration through the streets and thoroughfares of St Ives. Working in watercolour, learn how to capture the character of this unique location.
| 10 – 12 Sep 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
The Texture of Nature
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqBvn
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huqpZIAQ, 13-Sep-2027
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?
| 13 – 15 Sep 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Unlocking Your Creativity
Kitty Hillier
Art Courses – Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00w000000bCVkJ
Active Instance: a02Nz00000jehVoIAI, 08-Oct-2027
This transformational course gives you space to explore your personal approach to making art. Structured creative exercises will help silence those doubting gremlins, generate new ideas and reignite the artist in you.
| 8 – 10 Oct 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Harnessing Chance in Painting
Art Courses – Mixed Media – Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000ITUYI
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huqeHIAQ, 22-Oct-2027
Whether you are a beginner or have a creative practice, this course liberates you from expectations. Explore the techniques of parsemage and automatic drawing to create exquisite paintings in a free and unself-conscious way.
| 22 – 24 Oct 2027 – 3 days – £465 | Book |
Still Life Variations
Art Courses – Drawing – Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5lKl
Active Instance: a02Nz00000huoarIAA, 29-Oct-2027
Discover how to turn simple everyday objects into expressive still-life oil paintings, focusing on light, mood, and refined composition.
| 29 – 31 Oct 2027 – 3 days – £525 | Book |
Find the right art course for you
Our programme offers different ways to learn, whether you want to understand the foundations of a new medium, strengthen a particular skill or find a more personal and expressive approach to your work.
Explore colour, composition and technique through our acrylic painting lessons, or combine materials and experiment with new processes on our mixed media art courses. If you are interested in traditional painting methods, you can build your confidence with oil painting, while our regular tutored life drawing sessions offer an opportunity to develop your observational skills.
Courses are clearly labelled by experience level, making it easier to find an option that suits you. Each course page explains what you will explore, the materials you will use and what experience, if any, is recommended.
Short Art Classes and
Multi-Day Courses
You do not need a full week to learn at our Cornwall art school. Our short art classes include 3-hour and 1-day workshops exploring a different medium or subject – ideal for adding a creative experience to your time in St Ives.
For more time in the studio, our two, three and four-day courses combine demonstrations and practical exercises allowing you to develop your skills and ideas.
For longer-term development, the Porthmeor Programme combines workshops, one-to-one tutorials and independent practice across the year.
What our students say
Transformative in terms of artistic process.
I loved learning new colour mixes; different mark making; wildly different landscapes. I have been to many course there and this was one of the best.
The space and facilities in the school were excellent, great equipment and light with individual stations. The tutor’s knowledge of colour mixing and creating a varied palette was excellent.
I’ve wanted to paint abstracts for some time now but needed some guidance on how to start. This course has got me up and running. I’m looking forward to spending more time using the techniques Natalie demonstrated.
It was beyond my expectations. The inspiring surroundings, fabulous teacher and wonderful cohort.
I liked everything about the course, it was what it said in the course description. Thank you, I enjoyed spending time in such a lovely warm encouraging environment.
These online sessions are consistently fabulous, and this one did not disappoint. Gave me an insight into Paula Rego’s work as well as Gary’s thoughtful and insightful commentary as he paints and draws his wonderful images.
The resources and the space to work in were excellent. The tutoring was wonderfully inspiring and supportive. I felt encouraged and supported all through and learnt new things.
The Location
Why learn to paint in the heart of St Ives?
Artists have been drawn to St Ives for generations, inspired by its distinctive light, Atlantic coastline and long artistic history. Based in the historic Porthmeor Studios since 1938, St Ives School of Painting offers the opportunity to learn in a place closely connected to the development of modern British art.
Our studios look directly over Porthmeor Beach, placing the landscape, sea and changing weather within view. Depending on the course, you might work outside, gather observations around St Ives or use the coastline as a starting point before developing your ideas in the studio.
Every course is led by a practising artist who brings their own professional experience, methods and perspective to their teaching. Small class sizes provide opportunities for individual guidance, while the supportive studio environment encourages you to try new approaches and learn alongside others.
This combination of expert tuition, historic studios and an inspiring coastal setting makes our courses ideal for anyone looking for creative holidays in Cornwall. Escape everyday life and enjoying learning and making in a supportive environment.
The Experience
Make the most out of your time in St Ives
Students join us from across the UK and beyond, often planning a short break or longer holiday around their course. St Ives is accessible by road and rail, and our studios are close to beaches, galleries, cafés and the South West Coast Path.
Choose from hotels, guest houses and self-catering accommodation in St Ives, with options within walking distance. Outside the studio, visit Tate St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and a whole range of independent galleries. Explore our guide to things to do in St Ives to plan your stay in St Ives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our St Ives Art Courses
How far in advance are new studio art classes listed?
We typically release our full programme of yearlong art courses in early autumn. Summer workshops are released in the spring. Booking early is recommended, particularly if your course takes place during the busier spring and summer months.
Do I need to provide my own art materials?
All materials for our in-person art courses are provided, so you can just turn up and get creative. For our longer development courses, you may be required to bring examples of your work – we will let you know in advance.
Can I sign up for email notifications when new courses are released?
Yes, you can sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates on our courses and events. Sign up here to receive 20% off your first online art course.