Brambles Art Retreat : Courses

Peter Davies B.A.Hons & Janet Brady M.Des R.C.A.

"Our courses are loose enough to allow creativity to flourish, and structured enough to develop style and skills.
We are very hands on and teach by example, in small groups, and offer lots of demos.
Complete beginners will be amazed by what they can achieve.
More experienced painters will enjoy working in and benefit from the creative and stimulating environment"

Peter was an abstract artist,working in oil and acrylic, his recent work is more realistic, he enjoys the effect of paint. Most recently he is working on a collection of nudes in oil. A graduate of N.E.L.P. The move to Devon has inspired him to paint again. "We are so fortunate to have such wonderful scenery. Every time we explore the countryside we find more great places to sketch and paint. I enjoy working with other artists and find all the differing styles fascinating."

"We love it here, we were drawn back here. As children we came to the West Country on holiday, we must have only been a few miles apart. We have always wanted to live down here. It's a great place to bring up a family and to take time to smell the roses."

Janets first love is a watercolour closely followed by drawing. Recently she has begun to work in Acrylic and is working on seascapes and sunsets. A graduate of Preston Polytechnic and The Royal College of Art. Fourteen years as a fashion designer, Nine of them travelling the world for Burberry's of London, Devon is an enormous contrast, but a welcome one.The combination of teaching and painting suits me down to the ground, I love it.

We had a very busy fifth season, our summer months were packed full with visitors. You really need to book early to get the dates you want. We have lots of returning guests, which is lovely as their annual visit is just like meeting old friends. We even managed a visit to York to stay with "the Whaleys." They have been regular visitors to Brambles and this year was their fourth visit.

I have also taught Life Drawing Adult Education classes, which were been fun and challenging. So much so we are putting on our own courses again in 2008.
I was also a family Learning tutor teaching Art and Craft to parents with their children.
The aim of the courses was to entice adults back into education, by boosting their confidence.

I spent time on a project with a year 9 group of boys from a London School making sculptures and creating art with nature in the rivers and streams on Dartmoor. It was great, such freedom, the kids had a ball.

I was a trustee of D.A.I.S.I. Devon Arts In Schools Initiative, DAISI supports and encourages creativity through the arts within the school community. Working closely with teachers, governors and artists, DAISI strengthens the relationship between the arts and education sectors. It arranges arts education projects in schools.

In 2006 we supported " The Big Draw" (a national event) by giving some of our time, and all the materials, to the local school Lifton County Primary. We taught 67 children in ks2. Using 9 different media in several drawing styles. The day culminated in the children producing four large drawings, dramatic views, of the school. It was an action packed day, very lively and productive.
Our second session was with the younger children in KS1, this was more challenging as their drawing skills were much less developed. We had lots of fun with charcoal, chalk, pens and pencils for half a day.

This year I really explored working with Acrylic. I now paint dramatic seascapes in Watercolour and Acrylic or both. It was a challenge to change media, I felt like a child, frustrated and impatient to get results. Practice make perfect, the more I did the better they got. I enjoy the freedomm of Acrylic and hope I will continue in this medium in 2008.
In June 2007 I had an exhibition for three months at a beautiful country hotel nearby "The Horn of Plenty" I exhibited 18 pieces of work around the hotel. Local press where very interested and supportive.