big sky art Blog 6 - Jake Winkle's fabulous course

How lucky we were to be able to hold Jake Winkle’s first course with big sky art at the beginning of March, pre the ‘lock-down’ due to COVID 19. In the midst of this anxious and terrible time, it is good to lood back to happier days, and to anticipate more to come with postponed Course dates for 5 other tutors (John Tookey, Gareth Jones, Andrew Pitt, Elaine Searle and Ian McManus - all of whom are delighted to be able to come to us much later this year.)

We get some very good feedback on all our courses, but for Jake Winkle the feedback was exceptional. Thirteen painters staying at The White House thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even if they did end up exhausted having produced 2 paintings each day! And extremely good paintings they were too for Jake is an inspirational and tireless teacher who put heart and soul into giving his pupils a week to remember.

Delighted to report that Jake will be returning to Big Sky Art in March 2021 - several of this year’s pupils have already booked their place. Dates will be confirmed in due course.

The only conceivably chink of light in present circumstances is that we will all have more time for our art - so get painting everyone!

big sky art - BLOG 5 - COVID 19 - Course dates altered

With all of us in the midst of the COVID 19 nightmare, it might help to know that big sky art have re-scheduled five courses - Tutors John Tookey, Andrew Pitt, Gareth Jones, Elaine Searle and Ian McManus have all agreed to postpone their courses until after the outbreak is over. We are immensely grateful to them, and it is good to having something to look forward to. Please see the Course Dates pages for more information.

big sky art - blog 4. Looking forward to 2020

Now our 2019 season it is over, It is time to look ahead to 2020 and we are delighted to be including several new tutors in the big sky art team:

Jake Winkle - ‘Go wild in Watercolour’ - 1 - 6 March
Jake is an exciting and charismatic painter who will need no introduction to many of you. He concentrates on dramatic animal watercolours and has a distincitive signature style. Inspired by light and movement in the world around him, he paints wildlife with a passion and energy which you can’t take yours eyes away from. Appropriately for the time of year, this course will be mainly studio-based and very carefully prepared. It is bound to be extremely popular and enjoyable, so make sure you book your place soon.

Elaine Searle - Botanical art, plant portraits - 10 - 15 May
Award-winning botanical artist, Elaine Searle tutors many workshops the world over. On this, her first course for big sky art, we are delighted to welcome her at a significant time of the year - just a week before the Chelsea Flower Show. In her plant portraiture, she likes to ‘reveal the character of the sitter, be they shy beauty or thumping thug’, and her inspiring masterclass will be largely studio based.

Gareth Jones - Soft pastels - land and seascapes - 14 - 17 June. Three day course.
Having lived for some years in Norfolk, Gareth is looking forward to joining us from his present home in Wales. He is a wonderful pastel artist, specialising in seascapes, whose work appears in many noted galleries. His passion for the medium and his skill in putting over techniques inspires beginners and more experienced artists alike. If you fancy trying pastels for the first time, this is the course for you.

Grahame Booth - Watercolour - Landscape and beyond - July 5 - 10
Grahame, hailing from Northern Ireland, considers himself to be a watercolour impressionist, believing that ‘plein air’ observation, sketching and painting out of doors is the key to success in the medium. With a devoted following and many admirers, Grahame is a particularly sympathetic tutor whose logical approach will help his students to paint landscapes full of light, excitement and impact.

Tony Allain - Pastel painting - ‘Chasing the Light’ - September 13 - 18
We are incredibly fortunate to have Tony Allain, a pastel painter of the highest reputation, with us in Norfolk next year, as he spends a great deal of his time teaching abroad. Quite simply a master of the medium, Tony’s work is very exciting - full of colour and flooded with light. He will share his unique working methods with his pupils, starting each day with a demonstration with heaps of challenges and loads of individual help at the easel. Mainly studio-based, the course will include some plein air work and sketching when weather permits. NB. COURSE FILLING UP QUICKLY - BOOK NOW TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE.

Joseph Zbukvic - Watercolour masterclass - September 27 - October 3rd.
Needing no introduction to watercolourists the world over, Joseph will have the warmest of welcomes as he joins us for his first ever residential masterclass in the UK. A legendary artist and brilliant teacher, Joseph’s global renown has ensured that this course is already booked up. Nevertheless, we do have a waiting list, so please contact us if you would like to put your name down now.

Chris Forsey - Mixed media - October 25 - 30
Chris is a well-known and very popular artist and tutor, working in acrylics, watercolour and mixed media. He has many years tutoring experience and enjoys giving lively and informative painting demonstrations, favouring landscape and architectural subjects. Chris’s art is dynamic, full of texture and mark-making, and his courses most entertaining, instructive and enjoyable.

All our super tutors in 2019 will be returning to big sky art in 2020, and you can catch up their course dates elsewhere on the website. Just to remind you, these are:

Sarah Wimperis - Tim Fisher - Ian McManus
John Tookey- Andrew Pitt - Jem Bowden
John Hoar - Steve Hall

big sky art - blog 2

Herman Pekel’s recent Big Sky Art residential art course took place at the end of May. A smallish group of 8 students had the pleasure of being taught by one of the foremost watercolourists in the world. Herman, Alvara Castagnet and Joseph Zbuvic are known as the ‘Big Three’, all of them hailing from Melbourne which seems to produce wonderful painters. It was an amazing experience to watch Herman’s demos - of nearby locations, including Burnham Market, Burnham Overy Staithe, Thornham and a corner of the farm which surrounds The White House. An absolute master of the ‘wet into wet’ technique, Herman told his class on Day 1 that he wouldnt rest until they had mastered that technique along with ‘dry brush’ which he says is an essential tool in a watercolourist’s amoury. Amazingly, most of us pulled off some satisfactory paintings, and thoroughly benefitted from being taken out of our comfort zone. Herman’s energetic and enthusiastic personality was inspiring, and he took enormous trouble to help individuals throughout the 4 days. As usual The White House gained full marks for its comfort and luxury and the dinners produced by Steve at Burn Valley catering were simply superb.

For another rave review of Herman Pekel’s art course, visit the blog of one of Brian Tucker, one of the artists taking part, at www.brianswatercolours.blog.

Hopefully we can persuade Herman to return in 2020, and the meantime we look forward to John Tookey’s 3 day watercolour and pastel course in early June. It is nearly full, but there is still a space for last minute bookings.