From the foothills of the Black Mountains to the Brecon Beacons
Tutors
There are two painting tutors, Niel Bally and Veronica Gibson. We are also joined by geologist Professor James Goff, who gives a guided tour and talk about the surrounding landscape on Saturday morning.
Course structure
Duration: Five days, from Saturday to Wednesday.
Fees: £375 (£75 per day).
Fees include use of the studio, house and garden, studio equipment, lunch and refreshments. The studio is open from 9.30am to 8pm.
The course takes 12 and is suitable for intermediate and advanced levels, with three places left for beginners. This is a great opportunity for those who want time to immerse themselves in a varied landscape, explore different approaches to the art form and experiment with materials. The course offers all the facilities of a unique home, garden and working studio.
Saturday morning start
The course starts on Saturday morning with a talk and tour by Professor James Goff, a renowned geologist. James will guide you around the immediate area and explain the landscape, its history, how it was formed and how it works. He will take you to some of the best painting locations, such as the moors, local quarry and waterfalls. We return for lunch and begin drawing in the afternoon.
Plein-air drawing by A. Poloya
Anna Knight, Black Hill
Andy Thornley, Ruin, ink and mixed media
Deborah Macklin, Black Mountains
Veronica Gibson, visiting tutor
Drawing is encouraged for the first two days to help you become familiar with the area and gain confidence and flow. We use wet and dry media, or a mix of both, as well as line and wash. Some people may start painting in oils or acrylics by Sunday afternoon, while others may begin on Monday morning. Others may choose to continue with the drawing processes discovered during the first few days. There is a fine dividing line between drawing and painting, as the examples show.
Beverley Thornley, Footpath 20
Edith Slee, Footpath 20
Subject matter and location
Explore the location and surroundings to see the wealth of subject matter available on this landscape painting course. Within half a mile of the studio is the Pwll-y-Wrach nature reserve, a 40-acre woodland with waterfalls, tributaries and an old disused quarry. Llangorse Lake, the largest natural lake in South Wales, is five miles away, while the River Wye at Glasbury is three miles in the other direction.
The Black Mountains overlook the area, with a continuous average ridge height of 2,000 feet. Much of the landscape is accessible on foot or by road, and large stretches of National Park land are free to roam. Two large commons above us offer panoramic views of the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. The house and walled garden also have a 25-mile view across the Wye Valley towards West Wales.
Ways of working
The emphasis is on plein-air methods, which means painting and drawing outside in the landscape. You may work continuously on location when conditions are favourable. Alternatively, you can make studies, drawings and notes before returning to the studio to create an independent work. This approach encourages you to rely more on visual memory and a subjective response. Constable and Turner were great exponents of this method, and it is also a practical way of dealing with inclement weather.
Over the last 12 years we have lost only a few days to bad weather, although conditions can never be guaranteed. Everyone has space to work and display work in the studio. Teaching runs from 10am to 5pm each day, and the studio remains open for anyone who wants to continue working until dusk. Late afternoon and evening offer some of the best light in which to experience the landscape.
Natalie Bedford
Tuition
There are two painting tutors, Niel Bally and Veronica Gibson, as well as Professor James Goff, who gives the Saturday morning tour of the landscape and its history. Each morning we review the previous day’s work. Time is also set aside for optional group instruction in paint handling and drawing methods.
The group naturally spreads out to preferred locations, often in twos or threes. Tuition takes place in the studio, and Veronica and Niel also visit people working out in the landscape.
View the Landscape Course gallery for more examples of paintings and drawings produced over recent years.
Materials and what to bring
We try to avoid burdening you with an unnecessary list of paints and equipment that could cost more than the course itself. We have supplies, equipment, paper and painting surfaces available. Six weeks before the course starts, we send a list of anything you may need and can discuss the details then.
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