Painting Trips & Tuition
From half-day tuition to painting holidays to multi week trips bottom of the world, there are options for everybody. To keep updated on all painting holidays and tuition opportunities please subscribe.
The residential trips are fun-filled weeks of laughter and creativity, enrichment and adventure, which will be both relaxing and fulfilling. They are a great way to develop and hone your artistic skills alongside other like minded people.
““I learned a great deal more than I ever have before on a course. Thanks for your patience, humour, excellent teaching skills and lovely personal art work to inspire us all. I look forward to another week under your tuition Karen, wherever it might be. Thank you so much”. ”
Painting Holidays
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Bulgaria 25th May - 4th June 2027
Bulgaria is a surprising jewel in Europe’s crown. Home to stunning national parks of evergreen forest, lakes and snow-capped mountains, a rich cultural heritage, and an incredible history spanning 8,000 years.
Some highlights . . .
Explore the diverse cities of Sofia and Plovdiv
Enjoy authentic Bulgarian cuisine and culture in the Rhodope mountain villages
Learn about wine production in the Upper Thracian Plain and enjoy a tasting
Experience the brief harvesting season of Rosa Damascena
Walk the cobbled streets of Koprivshtitsa – a living museum
Travel through the stunning mountainous landscapes of central Bulgariaription goes here
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Montenegro - Painting & Wild Swimming 14th - 21st June 2026 & 6th -13th September 2026
This week-long painting holiday will bring you inspiration and art in abundance from your base at stunning Lake Skadar in Montenegro!
Your accommodation for the week is in two beautifully restored villa farmhouses in the secluded hill village of Zabes, by Virpazar, gateway to the lake and National Park. Here you will find landscapes and subjects galore on your doorstep as well as at the glorious Adriatic coast nearby.
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Dartmoor Wild Beauty - 21st – 25th September 2026
Five unhurried days of painting, observing and creating in the heart of Dartmoor.
Set within a private valley, this intimate retreat allows us to respond artistically to the moor’s ever changing light, colour and atmosphere.
Hone your sketching and painting skills, learn new ones, and enjoy time out in this beautiful environment
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Sun, Sapphire and Spice - 5th February - 18th February 2027
Sri Lanka – often referred to as the Pearl of the India ocean – is a small island that packs a big punch when it comes to diverse national parks, tropical beaches, picturesque villages, and some of the world’s most spectacular train journeys. With its golden sandy beaches, azure blue waters and warm tropical climate, Sri Lanka is a year-round destination for holidaymakers seeking sun, sand and sea. The island has a rich cultural heritage that dates back over 2,000 years.
I’m so excited to be leading this new Art Safari from the west coast and on through the lush interior, finishing up in the colourful harbour city of Galle.
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Undiscovered Montenegro 6th - 13th June & 12th-19th Sept 2027
Accommodation for the week is Villa Miela, a beautifully restored villa farmhouse in the secluded hill village of Zabes, by Virpazar, gateway to the lake and National Park.
Here you will find landscapes and subjects galore on your doorstep as well as at the glorious Adriatic coast nearby. Mountains climb from the lush green valley in never-ending shades of grey, birds flit from the wooded hillside, while an ancient fortress and the lake also come into view.
Wild swimming optional. Dalmatian Pelicans can be spotted in June….cription goes here
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Alpine Meadows and Wildlife of Slovenia 24th - 30th June 2027
Karen will encourage you to produce a sketchbook of exciting drawings and paintings that result from your observations and experiences in Slovenia.
Not only will this be a personal visual diary full of wonderful memories, but it will also provide you with invaluable information towards main pieces of work.
Karen will give mini demonstrations and tutorials throughout the holiday and be there to give you as much help as you need.
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New Zealand - Land of the long white cloud - TBA 2027/2028
Register below and receive the details in your inbox as soon as they become available.
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An Arctic Expedition: Glaciers and Polar Bears in the Arctic 3rd-12th June 2026
Embark on a unique Arctic adventure aboard our classic 46-meter, two-masted schooner, as we journey to nearly 80° north, tracing the edge of the sea ice in the breathtaking high Arctic. Here, the sky stretches endlessly, and the vast, awe-inspiring landscape is impossible to fully grasp. Cliffs teeming with hundreds of thousands of nesting birds, tiny patches of shelter nurturing miniature plants, and wildlife like walruses basking under the midnight sun and polar bears hunting seals along the ice will leave you speechless.
Explore shores marked by ancient whale bones, unmarked graves, and remnants of past human endeavors, such as trappers’ huts, mining relics, and intriguing landmarks.
Explore the enchanting world of botany, exploring flowers, foliage and fungi!
Join me for a captivating 4-part virtual workshop series that takes you deep into the enchanting world of botany, exploring flowers, foliage and fungi. We will take on botanicals in a loose and painterly way, always enjoying the depths of colour, the perfections of form, and the imperfections of nature, occasionally dwelling on the life cycles of different plants.
Express yourself with plants! Botanical illustration has long held an important place in science, history and art, so join us to make botanicals part of your own portfolio – in a painterly way. In loose style you can learn to record our natural world in its most beautiful form.
Each session, we will focus on new topics during this intriguing art workshop series. We will work in pencil, ink, charcoal and watercolour. Each session contains intensive tutorials and demos where I aim to enthuse and sharpen your sketching and painting skills!
Tuition
“I would like to thank you for a very enjoyable Appraisal Monday night. We all learnt something worthwhile from your generous and instructive observations. I think you have a knack of being gently critical, but giving interesting guidance, which we all appreciated. Thanks again Karen..”
All abilities, Indoor or Outdoors, One 2 One or Groups, or looking to dip your brush into paint for the very first time, beginners become improvers very quickly.
I can provide full day or half-day tuition, tailored to suit your needs and budget.
Please contact me if you are interested in receiving more information about tuition.
My philosophy when it comes to teaching: Patience, kindness, repetition and reward when applicable.
I offer encouragement and I never put people down. A lot of my students are shy. It's so easy for people to say they are rubbish and never paint again – this often happens in school. I am aware that adults need to regain confidence a lot of the time.
