Iona Sanders
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.
Iona was born in the far west of Cornwall and has spent most of her life there. Coming from an artistic background, Iona has developed her style organically; teaching herself and initially working her practice around her young family and career, before immersing herself in painting full time in her late 30s.
She is highly responsive to her surroundings, selecting objects from her everyday environment, and imbuing them with a quietly observed dignity and grace of form. The objects chosen speak about the artist’s life as much as she conveys their reality to the viewer.
What our students say
Really enjoyed the tutor – found myself chuckling quite a bit at the genuine nature and relatability of her comments and experiences. If I ever make it to St. Ives in person, I would definitely take her class(es).
I went on a journey over 3 days from feeling that I was someone with all the gear and no idea to being someone who felt like an artist. Miraculous!
Iona is positive and pushes comfort zones in a supportive and caring manner.
Iona was professional, fun, positive and encouraging.
Really enjoyable, really encouraging. I’m inspired to carry on painting and to be confident as an artist.
Perfect balance of talk and experiment. Encouraging and inspiring.
I now feel ready to start playing and experimenting with paint.
Iona is a really enthusiastic tutor and very motivating – even when the session is recorded. I really liked the way her approach provided some broad ways of working and was not prescriptive. It gave plenty of scope for adapting her process to my own style. I came away with some useful ideas for developing composition and a much clearer understanding of the way acrylics can be layered.
Great course, I feel like there’s a lot of exercises to continue using that will help in future work. Iona is very encouraging and I enjoyed it.
Courses with Iona Sanders
Banish Fear of Failure
Art Courses - Mixed Media - Abstract
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000NUxYG
Active Instance: a02Nz00000Q8kOdIAJ, 13-Jul-2026
An introduction to finding ways into creating lively, expressive paintings through intuitive and instinctual responses to the world around you.
| 13 - 15 Jul - 3 days - £445 | Book |
Banish Fear of Failure
Online Pre-recorded - Acrylic - Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000Qq4k0
Active Instance: a024J00000DzBGHQA3, 11-Feb-2027
Banish fear of failure and find your inner voice on this two part online course with tutor Iona Sanders.
| £55 | Book |
Exploring Acrylics
Online Pre-recorded - Acrylic - Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000NXojn
Active Instance: a024J00000DOfmmQAD, 11-Feb-2027
Explore working wet on wet in acrylics and loosen up your approach with this fun and intuitive course discovering your inner voice.
| £30 - 1.5hr | Book |
Liberating Landscape
Art Courses - Acrylic - Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000ngA0N
Active Instance: a02Nz00000cv2SDIAY, 28-May-2026
On this one-day workshop Iona Sanders will help you to find new ways in to creating expressive and lively acrylic landscape paintings.
| 28 May - 1 day 10:00 - £140 | Book |
Online Art Club 1 - Still Life (x4 recorded sessions)
Online Art Club - Mixed Media - Still Life
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000mgYWK
Active Instance: a02Nz00000bqL9WIAU, 01-Jan-2027
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.
| £95 - 4 x 90 min sessions | Book |
School of Painting Online - Art Club - Figure (x4 Sessions)
Online Art Club - Mixed Media - Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000iugD0
Active Instance: a02Nz00000YYmOPIA1, 07-Oct-2026
A relaxed online art club, to spark creativity, explore new ideas and have fun making art with no pressure.
| 7 Oct - watch until 5 Jan - £95 | Book |
School of Painting Online - Art Club - Interiors (x4 Recorded Sessions)
Online Art Club - Mixed Media - Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000q1Yg5
Active Instance: a02Nz00000ehsPVIAY, 01-Sep-2027
In our second term of art club we will explore interiors, documenting the everyday as our starting point, moving from quick sketching and painting, to looking in more depth at pattern, layering and embellishing.
| £95 - 4 x 90 min sessions | Book |
School of Painting Online - Art Club - Landscape (x4 Sessions)
Online Art Club - Mixed Media - Personal Development
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000iub20
Active Instance: a02Nz00000YY9YSIA1, 27-May-2026
The third term of art club explores landscape, taking inspiration wherever you are, urban or rural, a view from your window, an imaginary place or memory.
| 27 May - watch until 25 Aug - £95 | Book |