Studio Journal
Welcome to our Studio Journal, where we share creative inspiration and ideas, stories from artists past and present, and useful guides to St Ives and beyond.
Stay Connected, Stay Inspired.
Even if you can’t make it to St Ives, there are still plenty of ways for us to stay connected and keep your creativity flowing. Here are a few ways we can continue to inspire and support you from wherever you are! Follow us on Social Media From artist interviews, course previews and how to…
In Conversation: Meg, Studio Manager
At the heart of the studio is Meg, our Studio Manager, whose role weaves together organisation, creativity, and care. We caught up with her to hear more about her day-to-day, her own artistic practice, and what makes the studio such a special place to be. Meg, Studio Manager Life in the Studio First thing on…
St Ives Food & Drink Festival
Join us at this year’s St Ives Food & Drink Festival where you can try join us in the community tent, enter our prize draw and ‘make your mark’! Taking place on the stunning Porthminster Beach on Friday 15th – Sunday 17th May, the festival will host a line-up of culinary talent, artisan markets, craft…
In Conversation: Lesley Plumridge
We’re pleased to welcome artist Lesley Plumridge to our team of artist tutors for 2026. Based at the creative hub of Krowji in Redruth, Lesley is a mixed media designer and maker whose work thrives on experimentation, curiosity, and play. A graduate of Falmouth University (BA First Class Honours in Textile Design, 2005), her practice…
How to Start Painting after 20 Years
We often hear from people who haven’t painted in years and aren’t sure where to begin. Recently, one of our own team decided to find out for herself. From Office Manager to Amateur Artist “I haven’t painted in over 20 years… where do I even start?” It’s something we hear all the time from prospective…
Art Club Collective: Term One
Welcome to the first edition of The Art Club Collective – a space where we gather together the stories, moments, and artwork that emerge from inside Art Club each month. At the end of every term, we will take a step back and look at what’s been created – not just on ours canvases, but…
The Art of Paying Attention
Why painting might be the antidote to our distracted world. We spend much of our day looking – but rarely noticing. Painting asks something very different of us. To create art, you have to slow down. You have to look carefully. The subtle colours inside a shadow, the way light shifts across a surface, the…
Peter Lanyon: Flight, Landscape, + the Spirit of St Ives
Few British artists are as inseparable from place as Peter Lanyon. His art is not just inspired by Cornwall – it moves through it, shaped by wind, cliffs, sea, and lived experience. Nowhere is this connection more felt than in St Ives, the artistic community that became both his home and the centre of his…
In Conversation: Helen Ward
We’re pleased to welcome artist Helen Ward to our team of artist tutors for 2026. Helen is a visual artist whose work embraces experimentation, chance, and the creative possibilities of “mistake making,” developing a distinctive visual language that captures both observation and thought. Helen graduated from Farnham University with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art,…
The Art of Regular Creativity
Somewhere along the way, making art can start to feel complicated. Life gets busy. Energy gets stretched. Expectations creep in. And the thing that once felt freeing slowly turns into something we keep meaning to get back to. “I’ll make time when things calm down.”“I’ll start again when I feel inspired.”“I don’t want to make…
The Rise of Gelli Printing: Why This Playful Printmaking Technique Is Everywhere
In recent years, Gelli Printing has surged in popularity across the creative world. From professional artists and illustrators to hobbyists, teachers, and journalers, more people than ever are discovering the joy of this accessible and experimental form of printmaking. Scroll through social media or wander into a modern art studio, and chances are you’ll spot…
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