YOUR CREATIVE RETREAT
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Painting - 5 Day watercolour course, Flowers & the Way of the Brush with Paul Riley.
Following a series of bestselling books on watercolour painting including "Flower Painting", "Intimate Landscapes" and "The Watercolour Workshop", Paul Riley’s latest book is The Magic of Watercolour Flowers and this is the classic and popular accompanying course to the title.
Special Effects Glazing Workshop with Linda Bloomfield - SOLD OUT.
This is a two day special effects glazing course for intermediate potters with the master of glazes and author of best-selling books on glazes Linda Bloomfield. In this hands on and practical course, you will develop and mix glazes which will be fired and analysed during the course.
Pottery - Intermediate Throwing 3 day residential course with Rapaela Seck - SOLD OUT
This long weekend course is for intermediate potters. If you want to improve your throwing skills, this dedicated time and space with expert tuition will help you develop your ceramic practice. This course will include techniques for preparing and wedging your clay, centering on the wheel, throwing a basic cylinder, turning and trimming pots, attaching handles and exploring other forms including bowls, mugs, jugs, and plates.
Pottery - 5 Day Raku course with Tim Andrews - SOLD OUT.
We are delighted that master potter Tim Andrews joins us again in 2024. Tim is known internationally for his distinctive raku pottery and for his book ‘Raku‘* a comprehensive overview of raku, covering the history, clay types and firing of raku, as well as the glazes, techniques and reduction processes. Tim makes individual work, black and white with linear decoration, or burnished muted coloured slips. The pieces are usually thrown, although some work is hand-built.
MUD & WATER - A weekend of open water swimming & pottery.
We created this new course in 2023 offering tutored sessions in both outdoor swimming and pottery led by hugely talented and experienced potters Laurel Keeley and Jodie Crook Giles and Outdoor Swimming Society Director Kari Furre. It was a huge success so its back for 2024.
PASTEL WITHOUT BOUNDARIES – A Mixed Media Process with Sarah Bee.
This 4 day course will focus on methods to achieve vibrant and expressive mark making in the landscape using soft pastel as the primary medium in a mixed media process. Sarah Bee PS has been a member of The Pastel Society, and part of the Federation of British Artists, for almost 20 years.
During this time she has made it her mission to lift pastel painting from the doldrums of a long held dull and traditional reputation into the deserved spotlight of inspiring contemporary art.
Silkscreen monoprints- the painterly print - 5 Day course with Tessa Pearson.
Silkscreen monoprints- the painterly print. In this course Tessa will introduce you to the fabulous techniques for making monoprints using a silkscreen. This very experimental and unpredictable printmaking method uses no prepared matrix and each print is basically a one off painting created from layers of handpainted and drawn imagery pulled through a screen .
Painting - 5 day course, Intuitive Abstract Painting in Acrylic + Mixed Media with Kate Trafeli - SOLD OUT.
An experimental intuitive painting course working with acrylics and mixed media, this course is suitable for painters of all abilities. It will be particularly useful if you have some painting experience and want to experiment with abstraction and how you use colour, or if you have a more experience but you want to free up from your current style and spend some time experimenting with a different approach.
Pottery - 5 Day course with Laurel Keeley-SOLD OUT.
This is an immersive five day intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied, often enhanced with Gold Lustre.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Painting - 5 Day course, A bold approach with Tessa Pearson.
A bold approach to sketchbook to painting is our new course with vibrant artist Tessa Pearson. You will spend time drawing the surrounding gardens and hedgerows using a variety of mixed media including resists, pastels, watercolour, inks and crayons to create lively spontaneous sketchbook studies which we will then translate into more considered paintings in the studio, capturing the energy and characteristics of the direct observation.
Painting & Drawing for Improvers - 5 Day course with Francine & Susi.
This inspiring and enjoyable drawing & painting course for improvers is for those that have taken part in beginners courses and want to progress their work.
Francine Lawrence and Susi Hoyle have taught over 2000 people to draw and given them the confidence to keep drawing.
Painting - 5 day course, Watercolour Waterscapes by the Dart with Paul Riley
This watercolour painting course with Paul Riley makes the most of the stunning area around Coombe by taking participants on location painting following the water from our stream at Coombe, to the River Dart in Dittisham and out to sea at Blackpool sands.
Pottery - Five day pottery throwing course with Sabine Nemet.
We are delighted to announce a new pottery tutor in 2023, the utterly brilliant and talented Sabine Nemet. Sabine will be teaching a five day throwing course, focusing on the shapes and forms she makes and is known for.
MUD & WATER - 5 days of open water swimming & pottery.
We are excited to announce this new course offering tutored sessions in both outdoor swimming and pottery led by hugely talented and experinced potters Laurel Keeley and Jodie Crook Giles and Outdoor Swimming Society Director Kari Furre.
Ceramics - Slab built and Slip-painted Ceramics – Responding to Place - 5 Day course with Anna Lambert.
This is an immersive five day intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Anna Lambert. Anna builds her work from a white earthenware mixed clay, using a variety of techniques including slab-building, using both soft and firm slabs, modelling and painting with slips.
Her ideas reflect an interest in place, exploring narratives relating to land and water management in her locality and the regeneration of orchards.
Painting & Drawing for Beginners - Immersive 5 Day course.
This inspiring and enjoyable drawing & painting course for beginners is for people who have always wanted to draw and paint but just don’t know where to start or want to develop their work. If you are familiar with the fear of the blank page, have the feeling that you can’t draw, or you want to expand your skills, this course is suitable for you.
Francine Lawrence and Susi Hoyle have taught over 2000 people to draw and given them the confidence to keep drawing.
Pottery - 5 Day course with Laurel Keeley.
This is an immersive five day intensive pottery residential for intermediate potters focusing on handbuilding with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Painting - 5 Day course, Watercolour Abstract Landscapes with Paul Riley.
This course is designed to explore the process of abstracting from the figurative world of nature and to careful editing and composition to leave space for your watercolours to ‘breathe’. The landscape tradition in watercolour has been long established. The methods and techniques are familiar to beginners and advanced alike. This course proposes a refreshing new way of tackling the much loved English and even International landscape. An exciting and adventurous new method of looking involves abstraction
Pottery - 5 Day Teapot Throwing Course with Tim Andrews.
An intermediate pottery throwing course focusing on all the elements of making a teapot and cups. Tim has taught around the world for over thirty years - workshops, lecturing, FE & HE. He trained originally with David Leach and at Dartington. Tim exhibits internationally - most recently in Japan, China and Australia. He is the author of two books on Raku ceramics, is fellow of the CPA and honorary President of the West Country Potters Association.
Ceramics - Dylan Bowen - Making and decorating dynamic slip decorated earthenware.
Dylan Bowen. Making and decorating dynamic slip decorated earthenware - During this course Dylan will demonstrate and teach various techniques based on his own work.
Introduction to Pottery Course - Beginners Pottery weekend.
A three day course designed specifically for anyone wanting to work with clay for the first time. This course led by our regular class pottery tutor Verran Townsend and you will have a chance to both handbill and throw on the wheel.
DISCOVER COLOUR IN THE LANDSCAPE – Soft Pastel and Mixed Media with Sarah Bee - 1 place available.
Join Sarah on this course and have guidance to the limitless and varied mark making opportunities possible within her methods.
Achieve energetic work in the studio as an interpretation of sketches, words and information gathered outside in the stunning South Devon landscape. Sarah will demonstrate regularly, and offer frequent individual tuition
Introduction to Pottery Weekend with Verran Townsend - 2 places left.
A three day course designed specifically for anyone wanting to work with clay for the first time. This course led by our regular class pottery tutor Verran Townsend and you will have a chance to both handbill and throw on the wheel.
Painting - 5 day course, Intuitive Abstract Painting in Acrylic + Mixed Media with Kate Trafeli - 1 place released.
An experimental intuitive painting course working with acrylics and mixed media, this course is suitable for painters of all abilities. It will be particularly useful if you have some painting experience and want to experiment with abstraction and how you use colour, or if you have a more experience but you want to free up from your current style and spend some time experimenting with a different approach.
2 day Pottery Essential GLAZING Guide course.
This two-day course is for potters who already have some basic glaze knowledge and want to learn how to mix and develop glazes. We’ll be covering the fundamentals of glaze chemistry in an accessible way, exploring how to fix glaze faults, and learning how to alter glaze recipes to develop your own glaze.
Pottery - Weekend with Laurel Keeley
This is a lovely weekend intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley and her only weekend course in 2024. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Introduction to Pottery - A weekend course with Verran Townsend.
A three day course designed specifically for anyone wanting to work with clay for the first time. This course led by our regular class pottery tutor Verran Townsend and you will have a chance to both handbill and throw on the wheel.
Ceramics - Platters and Place: an introduction to painting and mark-making with slips- 3 Day course with Anna Lambert - 1 place released.
Learn how to develop designs for simple slab built ceramic platters and tiles. You will discover ways to build complex and layered surfaces with tonal and coloured slips, using combinations of surface pattern techniques.
We will start with the rolling of slabs for plates and test pieces. We will then spend time around Coombe Farm, drawing and gathering ideas for the workshop.
Pottery - Intermediate throwing weekend with Jodie Crook Giles - 1 place available.
This long weekend course is for intermediate potters. If you want to improve your throwing skills, this dedicated time and space with expert tuition will help you develop your ceramic practice. This course will include techniques for preparing and wedging your clay, centering on the wheel, throwing a basic cylinder, turning and trimming pots, attaching handles and exploring other forms including bowls, mugs, jugs, and plates.
Painting - 5 Day Course Contemporary Landscapes in Ink & Watercolour with Max Naylor.
On this course you will work initially from observation, collecting imagery from the inspiring surroundings at Coombe. Later we will explore your findings and working from imagination you will start to transform them into exciting new compositions whilst developing your own particular visual language.
Painting - 3 day course, Intuitive Abstract Painting in Acrylic + Mixed Media with Kate Trafeli - SOLD OUT
An experimental intuitive painting course working with acrylics and mixed media, this course is suitable for painters of all abilities. It will be particularly useful if you have some painting experience and want to experiment with abstraction and how you use colour, or if you have a more experience but you want to free up from your current style and spend some time experimenting with a different approach.
Pottery - TASTER SESSION - SOLD OUT
This Pottery taster session is for anyone that wants to have a go at working with clay and/or the experience of working in the pottery at Coombe. You will be tutored by a professional potter and have the opportunity to handbuild and throw at the wheel.
Painting - Watercolour 5 Day course with Paul Riley Trees for all Seasons.
Trees for all seasons is a new watercolour painting course led by Coombe lead artist and founder Paul Riley. During the five days you will explore trees in depth and learn techniques for painting them in detail and how to abstract trees in the landscape.
Pottery - Weekend with Laurel Keeley - SOLD OUT
This is a lovely weekend intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley and her only weekend course in 2022. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied, often enhanced with Gold Lustre.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Pottery for Beginners - Weekend Course with Verran Townsend - SOLD OUT
A three day course designed specifically for anyone wanting to work with clay for the first time. This course led by our regular class pottery tutor Verran Townsend and you will have a chance to both handbill and throw on the wheel.
Ceramics - Dylan Bowen - Making and decorating dynamic slip decorated earthenware - 1 place released
Dylan Bowen. Making and decorating dynamic slip decorated earthenware - During this course Dylan will demonstrate and teach various techniques based on his own work.
Ceramics - Platters and Place: an introduction to painting and mark-making with slips- 3 Day course with Anna Lambert - 1 place released.
Learn how to develop designs for simple slab built ceramic platters and tiles. You will discover ways to build complex and layered surfaces with tonal and coloured slips, using combinations of surface pattern techniques.
We will start with the rolling of slabs for plates and test pieces. We will then spend time around Coombe Farm, drawing and gathering ideas for the workshop.
Powerful Pastels - 4 day Course, A Mixed Media approach with Sarah Bee * 1 PLACE RELEASED
This is our second course in 2022 with Sarah Bee and we are delighted that she’s returning again this year and that we can regularly offer a pastel tutor to our stable of professional artists. All our artists share their skills and knowledge with you, enabling you to advance your work in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Sarah has a huge amount of knowledge and skill and a fantastic process that results in powerful paintings. Her work has always been informed by nature
Pottery - 5 Day Raku course with Tim Andrews - SOLD OUT
We are delighted that master potter Tim Andrews joins us again in 2022. Tim is known internationally for his distinctive raku pottery and for his book ‘Raku‘* a comprehensive overview of raku, covering the history, clay types and firing of raku, as well as the glazes, techniques and reduction processes. Tim makes individual work, black and white with linear decoration, or burnished muted coloured slips. The pieces are usually thrown, although some work is hand-built.
Pottery - 5 Day course with Laurel Keeley - SOLD OUT
This is an immersive five day intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Powerful Pastels - 4 Day course, A Mixed Media approach with Sarah Bee - 2 places left/available
This is our first course in 2022 with Sarah Bee and we are delighted that she’s returning again this year and that we can regularly offer a pastel tutor to our stable of professional artists. All our artists share their skills and knowledge with you, enabling you to advance your work in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Sarah has a huge amount of knowledge and skill and a fantastic process that results in powerful paintings. Her work has always been informed by nature
2 day course: Intermediate Glazing - developing your own glaze.
This two-day course is for potters who already have some basic glaze knowledge and want to learn how to mix and develop glazes. We’ll be covering the fundamentals of glaze chemistry in an accessible way, exploring how to fix glaze faults, and learning how to alter glaze recipes to develop your own glaze.
Silkscreen monoprints- the painterly print - 5 Day course with Tessa Pearson - 1 PLACE LEFT
Silkscreen monoprints- the painterly print. In this course Tessa will introduce you to the fabulous techniques for making monoprints using a silkscreen. This very experimental and unpredictable printmaking method uses no prepared matrix and each print is basically a one off painting created from layers of handpainted and drawn imagery pulled through a screen .
Pottery - Intermediate Throwing 3 day residential course with Rapaela Seck - SOLD OUT
This long weekend course is for intermediate potters. If you want to improve your throwing skills, this dedicated time and space with expert tuition will help you develop your ceramic practice. This course will include techniques for preparing and wedging your clay, centering on the wheel, throwing a basic cylinder, turning and trimming pots, attaching handles and exploring other forms including bowls, mugs, jugs, and plates.
Pottery - Weekend with Laurel Keeley - SOLD OUT
This is a lovely weekend intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied, often enhanced with Gold Lustre.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Pottery - 5 Day course with Chris Taylor - SOLD OUT
A 5 day pottery course focusing on surface decoration specifically the use of decals, slips and screen printing onto clay. You will also have the chance to throw and hand build the work you will be decorating.
Pottery - Weekend course with Laurel Keeley - SOLD OUT
This is a lovely weekend intensive pottery residential with the internationally recognised potter Laurel Keeley. Laurel works with coloured slips and drawn line in stoneware and porcelain clays, with glazes and oxides applied, often enhanced with Gold Lustre.
The slab bowls, plates and pots are vehicles for figurative designs of fish and fields, rivers, canals and glimpses of the world through windows. More recently she has been working with images of gardens and landscape, her method informed by painting.
Printmaking - 5 Day Mezzotint Course with Sarah Gillespie
A five day mezzotint printmaking course with master printmaker Sarah Gillespie. We launched this new Mezzotint course in 2019, despite being a very unique course, where you really spend time and attention slowing down to create each plate, it was a huge success so we’re thrilled to be offering it again in 2020.
Pottery - 5 Day Raku course with Tim Andrews - SOLD OUT
We are delighted that master potter Tim Andrews joins us again in 2020. Tim is known internationally for his distinctive raku pottery and for his book ‘Raku‘* a comprehensive overview of raku, covering the history, clay types and firing of raku, as well as the glazes, techniques and reduction processes. Tim makes individual work, black and white with linear decoration, or burnished muted coloured slips. The pieces are usually thrown, although some work is hand-built.
Painting - 5 day course with Bettina Schroeder
Bettina has been teaching at Coombe for many years as well as courses she runs herself in Scotland and abroad. Her relaxed courses are suitable for all, from absolute beginners to accomplished painters. They are designed to help you to make the most of your abilities and to find a personal approach and her tuition will be mainly in watercolour, which enables you to experiment and work freely but other media are also welcome.
Painting - 5 day course, Acrylic + Mixed Media, Unlock your Creativity with Gerry Dudgeon - SOLD OUT
If you are keen on experimentation and want to experiment with different media, to draw and get to grips with colour, this is an ideal course for you.
Gerry has taught throughout his professional painting career most recently one day master classes from his studio in Dorset. As a regular exhibitor at Coombe Gallery since the mid 90s we are delighted to build on those one-day courses by offering his intensive residential courses at Coombe, which have been sell outs year-on-year.
FAQs
What is your cancellation policy?
A deposit of £150 is required at the time of booking, this is to secure your place on the course and is non-refundable and non transferrable unless we are cancelling the course in which case you will be refunded. The balance of course fees are required three weeks before your course starts. They are also non-refundable and non transferable, therefore we suggest you take out adequate travel insurance at the time of booking to ensure you are covered in the event that you are unable to attend your course. Download our full Terms & Conditions for courses here
Is there availability on the course I want?
SOLD OUT courses will be marked as 'Sold Out', and there will not be an option to ‘add to cart’ other courses will have availability.
I can only eat certain things, will this be a problem?
Not at all, when you book your place the booking form will ask you for our dietary and/or access requirements so just let us know and we’ll cater for you accordingly.
Do I have to have lots of experience?
No, all our courses are suitable for all abilities except where expressly described i.e. painting for beginners. The rest of the courses are suitable for all, from artists making a living from their work, to complete beginners and we welcome this mix.
What is the cost of a course?
Course prices range from £370 + VAT for a long-weekend to £815 + VAT for a 5-day residential course full board - see each specific course for exact prices.
Do you take waiting lists?
Yes, please email us to join a waiting list for a specific course or tutor or email us here.
How do I get from Totnes train station to Coombe?
Recommended taxi companies from Totnes are Badger Cabs or And Some Cabs. If you let us know when your train time we can see if others would like to share a taxi with you. Sometimes we are also able to pick you up depending on arrival times so do check with us. At the end of the course, we can give you a lift back to Totnes train station.
If I book as a resident, will I have to share a bedroom?
No all our rooms are for single occupancy unless you expressly wish to share a double room with a partner, in which case just let us know at the time of booking, for everyone else all rooms are for single occupancy.
How do I book on to a course?
Click onto the course for more information and online booking OR call us and we can either book you in over the phone or send you a booking form in the post 01803 722 352.
I’m not sure which course is best for me, can someone advise me?
Yes of course, give us a ring to discuss your interests and level of experience and we can advise you on different options and answer any other queries you may have 01803 722352.
Question not answered?
If your question isn’t answered here, please do get in contact with us