Our Events Programme for 2012 will be available soon for download
See Who’s Who? – to find out more about the course and event leaders
MARCH
The essentials for acrylic painting, including palette knife and brush techniques
with Kate Bentley
Wednesday 7th to Thursday 8th March
Course level – beginners
Acrylics are seen as an attractive and easy medium for the amateur painter to get to grips with. However, Kate firmly believes that you still need a good foundation course in the basic essentials and skills required to use this diverse medium to its limits (whilst still having fun of course!)
The course will initially concentrate on materials, colour mixing, under-painting, medium usage, not forgetting brush and palette knife technique.
We will move swiftly on to practical exercises to help you learn quickly and effectively the skills you need to advance to a painting.
For those wishing to progress towards a simple painting, Kate will demonstrate by a follow-me type demonstration to help you gain confidence in your newly acquired skills.
These skills are also transferable to those interested in progressing into oil paint in the future.
A materials list is provided.
Materials can be hired where necessary at an extra cost to the client.
The course commences on Wednesday with coffee at 10.00am and concludes with tea at 4.00pm on the Thursday.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments, is £235.
A Lenten pilgrimage in Art and Theology with Linda Birch and Trevor Pitt
Monday 19th to Friday 23rd March
NOW FULLY BOOKED
Course level – beginners and established painters are welcome
Lent is an invitation to spiritual and creative exploration and participants will be invited to join a range of activities as they wish. Linda is a professional artist, writer and teacher and will offer daily painting sessions. Trevor is a priest and theologian and will lead daily worship and offer theological reflections on the work of particular artists. There will also be time for discussion, film, walking and personal reflection.
Participants who are painting may bring their chosen medium. If weather allows we may paint or draw a little outside so please bring outdoor wear and a small seat and easel if you use one.
The course will commence with coffee at 10.30am on Monday and conclude after breakfast on Friday.
The cost per person, to include all meals and accommodation, will be £315.
APRIL
Getting started with bold and bright watercolours with Kate Bentley
Thursday 26th to Friday 27th April
Course level – beginners/improvers
This course is designed to kick-start the beginner, or indeed to improve the improver, in the exciting use of watercolours.
Often seen as a difficult and wishy-washy medium, Kate will challenge these preconceptions with her tried and tested approach. The course will initially concentrate on materials, colour mixing and brush technique. This will be followed by 1 or 2 practical exercises to help you learn the skills you need to advance to a painting quickly and effectively.
For those wishing to progress away from exercises and towards a simple painting, Kate will demonstrate step by step, in a follow-me type demonstration to help you achieve one of your first masterpieces!
A Materials list is provided.
Materials can be hired where necessary at an extra cost to the client.
The course commences on Thursday with coffee at 10.00am
and concludes with tea at 4.00pm on Friday
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments, is £235.
MAY
Space and Silence Day for Pentecost – time for reflection and prayer at Rydal Hall
Thursday 10th May
Helen Marshall will lead a day at Rydal Hall reflecting on our openness to the Spirit through prayer and silence in preparation for the season of Pentecost. It will include two short talks, times of prayer and structured silence, as well as the option of a simple Eucharist at midday. The day is the second in a series of four days throughout the year reflecting the Christian seasons. They offer individuals a brief oasis of space in busy lives to reflect upon the spiritual life and to pray in the peace and beauty of Rydal.
The day will commence with coffee at 9.30am and conclude with tea at 4.00pm.
The cost per person, including a simple lunch and refreshments, is £20.00
JULY
Sketching and painting in the Lake District with Sue Ford
Monday 16th to Friday 20th July
NOW FULLY BOOKED
This course will explore picture development using mainly watercolour and pen and wash, plus some pastel, acrylic and mixed media.
Painting will be in the studio and around Rydal Hall’s Estate.
Sue gives guidance tailored to individual needs; apart from the daily demonstrations there will be plenty of opportunity for one to one tuition. Beginners are warmly welcome as well as those wishing to develop their techniques in a particular area.
There will be lots of practical advice. Sue will start with picture planning and composition through to presenting the final picture.
Participants should bring their preferred medium and a small seat and easel for use outside. Full details of requirements/materials are available on booking. Sue will have watercolour paper and pastel papers for sale.
The course will commence with coffee at 10.00am on Monday and conclude after breakfast on Friday.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments, is £295.
For any information regarding the course please contact Sue, Tel: 01642 712926, Email: sue_ford@email.com www.sueford.co.uk
SEPTEMBER
Expressive semi-abstracts in acrylics with Kate Bentley
Tuesday 4th to Saturday 8th September
Course level – any level (absolute beginners not recommended)
The aim of this course is to encourage the student who needs to be challenged or has become bored with their work/style or maybe those who want to develop a looser, more individual style and want to fling some paint around!
Kate will ensure all the essential practical painting techniques have been understood by the group before we move on to discuss possible ways of developing ideas. Initially we will take inspiration from other artists, looking at their styles/influences and painting methods.
We will then follow this up by 1 or 2 group exercises which will help in translating these skills and suggestions into paint and in helping you to move away from traditional copying of subject matter.
Further development of your own work, a scrapbook of ideas/samples and a wealth of ideas to work on, are the main objectives of this course.
Kate will give a short presentation on her work on the first evening.
Films /documentaries of an artistic nature will be shown on subsequent evenings.
A materials list is provided.
Materials can be hired where necessary at an extra cost to the client.
The course commences with coffee on the 4th at 10.30am
and concludes with lunch at 1.00pm on the 8th.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments is £595.
Icon Painting with the Revd Christopher Perrin
Monday 17th to Friday 21st September
Each person will paint an icon of about A4 size using traditional techniques of egg tempera on a gessoed board (proplasmos technique), with gold leaf for the background.
For those painting their first icon, the model will be ‘Christ Pantocrator’ (head & shoulders only).
For those who have already done Christ Pantocrator, the model will be ‘Vladimir, Mother of God’.
Those who have done the above can paint an icon of their own choice.
The course will commence with coffee at 10.30am on the 17th and conclude after tea on the 21st.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments is £475.
Mountains, Majesty and Mystery with Revd Robert Williamson and Revd John Dixon
Monday 24th to Friday 28th September
Described as ‘the two vivacious vicars’, Robert Williamson, Vicar of St. Cuthbert’s Darlington and John Dixon, Vicar of Hawkshead, lead this week of walks and retreat in the surrounding fells of Rydal Hall. The walks will be led by John, with Robert leading the meditations before, after and possibly during the walks. The walks will be tailored to the capabilities of the participants and of course the weather! The worship will include music, poetry and paintings.
The retreat will commence with tea at 4.00pm on Monday afternoon and conclude after breakfast on Friday.
The cost per person, including all meals and accommodation, is £315.
Celtic Saints with the Revd Cameron Butland
Monday 24th to Friday 28th September
Some of the earliest saints of Britain have associations with Cumbria. This week of talks, walks, visits and activities will explore their world within the scenery that Oswald, Cuthbert, Herbert and Kentigern would recognise. There is some moderate walking along some of the ancient pilgrim ways, and the opportunity to learn more about the symbols and art of the illuminated manuscripts of the sixth and seventh century. All of this is rooted in the experience of Celtic style worship and prayer, using modern forms of Iona worship.
The course will commence with tea at 4.00pm on Monday and conclude after breakfast on Friday.
The cost per person, including all meals and accommodation, is £315.
Space and Silence Day for Michaelmas – time for reflection and prayer at Rydal Hall
Thursday 27th September
George Howe, Diocesan Director of Ordinands, will lead a day at Rydal Hall for the season of Michaelmas (St Michael and All Angels’ Day is on 29th September). He will reflect on how God speaks to us through others, in calling us to discipleship and service. It will include two short talks, times of prayer and structured silence, as well as the option of a simple Eucharist at midday. The day is the third in a series of four days throughout the year reflecting the Christian seasons. They offer individuals a brief oasis of space in busy lives to reflect upon the spiritual life and to pray in the peace and beauty of Rydal.
The day will commence with coffee at 9.30am and conclude with tea at 4.00pm.
The cost per person, including a simple lunch and refreshments, is £20.00
OCTOBER
Mediterranean moods in watercolours with Kate Bentley
Tuesday 9th to Thursday 11th October
Course level – all levels
Do you have a drawer (or computer) full of your holiday photos from Venice to Athens and Provence to Seville, all waiting to be painted but you don’t know where to start?
If so, this could be the course for you to overcome your plight!
Taking the Mediterranean landscape/townscape as a source of inspiration, Kate will demonstrate how to tackle this sometimes tricky subject.
“I have taught extensively abroad for P&O Cruises, Authentic Adventures and Solo holidays”, Kate says. “The key is to change your palette away from our typically English colours to help create the ambience of the hotter climates, otherwise you will fall at the first hurdle.”
Kate will help you choose your colours more effectively and teach you a few trade secrets along the way! If you have a foreign trip booked for this year or next, this course can be an ideal warm-up exercise to painting abroad.
This course is designed around a series of follow-me type demonstrations and is therefore suitable for all levels
Kate will give a short presentation on her work on the first evening.
Films /documentaries of an artistic nature will be shown on subsequent evenings.
A materials list is provided.
Materials can be hired where necessary at an extra cost to the client.
The course commences with coffee at 10.30am on the 9th and concludes with tea at 3.00pm on the 11th.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments, is £345.
NOVEMBER
Special Effects with experimental watercolours with Kate Bentley
Monday 12th to Friday 16th November
Course level – improvers or beginners with an understanding of basic skills
Deemed to be one of Kate’s most popular courses because, let’s face it, underneath it all we all like to have a bit of fun splattering paint about.
Wildly pushing the boundaries of conventional watercolours, this course isn’t for the faint-hearted or illustrative types.
This course is all about texture, colour, being bold, being experimental and most of all taking risks!
The week will be jammed-packed full of ideas and tips and tricks of the trade.
Your aim for the end of the week…less on the lines of 5 finished paintings, more on the lines of a scrap book full of ideas , paintings in progress and maybe a masterpiece in the making!
Kate will give a short presentation on her work on the first evening.
Films /documentaries of an artistic nature will be shown on subsequent evenings.
A materials list is provided.
Materials can be hired where necessary at an extra cost to the client.
The course commences with coffee at 10.30am on the 12th and concludes after lunch on the 16th.
The cost per person, including tuition, accommodation and all meals and refreshments is £595.
Memory, Hope and Imagination – a pre-Advent retreat with Linda Birch and Trevor Pitt
Monday 26th to Friday 30th November
Course level – all abilities, beginners included. Non-painters are welcome
The programme is designed to explore the major themes of this stage in the Christian year and participants will be invited to join in a range of activities as they wish. Trevor will provide theological and spiritual input using the resources of classical and contemporary artists. Linda will offer daily sessions and practical advice for painters. The retreat is open to all, painters and non-painters alike. There will be time for daily worship, discussion, film, walking and personal reflection.
Participants who are painting should bring their chosen medium. If weather allows we may paint or draw a little outside so please bring outdoor wear and a small seat and easel if you use one.
The course will commence with coffee at 10.30am on Monday and conclude after breakfast on Friday.
The cost per person, to include all meals and accommodation, is £315.
DECEMBER
Space and Silence Day for Advent – time for reflection and prayer at Rydal Hall
Thursday 13th December
Sister Ann-Marie is a priest and the Spirituality Adviser for this diocese. She will be leading a day during Advent on some of the most ancient of Christian prayers – the O Antiphons. These seven short prayers are sung before and after the Magnificat at Choral Evensong, and each one addresses Christ by one of his titles, praising the Saviour by a different name and in a different way. It will include two short talks, times of prayer and structured silence, as well as the option of a simple Eucharist at midday. The day is the fourth in a series of four days throughout the year reflecting the Christian seasons. They offer individuals a brief oasis of space in busy lives to reflect upon the spiritual life and to pray in the peace and beauty of Rydal.
The day will commence with coffee at 9.30am and conclude with tea at 4.00pm.
The cost per person, including a simple lunch and refreshments, is £20.00.
Christmas at Rydal Hall (5 nights)
Saturday 22nd to Thursday 27th December 2012
Come and join us to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas! Whether you come on your own or with friends our House Party combines a strong Christian emphasis with plenty of fun, friendship and wonderful Christmas fare. A variety of day and evening activities will provide plenty of fun and games with something for everyone, including traditional carols, Christmas Communion and, weather permitting, the opportunity to walk to local points of interest.
Our time together will commence with afternoon tea on the 22nd and conclude after breakfast on the 27th.
The cost per person, including all meals and accommodation, is £475.
Who’s who?
About the Event leaders
| Kate Bentley Kate is an experienced art tutor annually running a comprehensive programme of private art courses. She has taught groups internationally for painting holiday specialist Authentic Adventures, Solo’s Holidays and P & O Cruises. She has also taught for Adult Education Colleges in Kendal and South Lakes, lectured at Blackburn and Carlisle FE Colleges and taught as a summer school tutor at Marlborough College. Kate’s work has shown in a number of larger respected venues including The Royal Institute of Watercolour Artists, The Royal Watercolour Society, The Affordable Arts Fair, The Society of Women Artists and The Lakes Artists Society.Kate’s awards include: 2010 – The Rheged Award – The Lakes Artists Society. 2008 – The Windsor and Newton Choice Award – The Society of Women Artists 2005 – Portrait Award- Granada TV. Finalist-for TV programme “A Brush with Fame”Read reviews from Kate’s courses at http://www.katebentley.co.uk/painting-workshops. |
| Linda Birch M.S.I.A.D. Linda trained as a painter and book illustrator and has worked freelance on over 150 published books. She has also worked for BBC’s Jackanory series and also Bagpuss and The Clangers series. She is the author of several books on painting including The Indoor Artist (pub Harper Collins), Dynamic Watercolours (pub. David & Charles), You can paint Oils (pub Harper Collins) illustrator/co-author: Journey to Jerusalem, (with Trevor Pitt, pub. John Hunt) Drawing and Painting Animals ( pub. David & Charles). As a painter she has had numerous one-person shows and has exhibited at The Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) She writes for, and reviews regularly, Leisure Painter magazine. Linda teaches courses at The Bowes Museum Co. Durham and residential courses in The Lake District. She is married to Trevor Pitt and is a Franciscan tertiary. |
| The Revd Canon Trevor Pitt Canon Trevor Pitt is an experienced parish priest and theologian. He studied in England and New York before ordination in 1970, since when, after parish ministry in Sheffield and Kent, he taught theology and liturgy at university level for thirty years in Canterbury and Durham. He has written and spoken widely on worship, preaching and spirituality in theological education. He published Journey to Jerusalem in 2001 in collaboration with Linda Birch, having led many study visits to the Holy Land. He now works ecumenically, in retirement, as a priest and Associate Methodist minister in his local parish and ecumenical partnership in County Durham. |
| The Revd Christopher Perrins Christopher Perrins is originally from Southport, and after reading Geology at Durham, had a career in accountancy in Liverpool. He then went to St Stephen’s House theological college in Oxford and was ordained priest in 2003 and deacon in 2004, serving his title at Warrington Parish Church of St Elphin with St John’s Mission. Following this he was been Team Vicar at St Aidan’s in the Walton-on-the-Hill Team, Liverpool. Having always liked art in one form or another, he first painted an icon in 2005 at a course in Liverpool being given by Christi Paslaru, a Romanian iconographer. Since then he has been on a number of other courses and is currently in the third year of a Diploma in Iconography and Wall Painting run by The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts. |
| The Revd Cameron Butland Cameron has a lifelong interest in spirituality and relating this to everyday living. He is the author of ‘Work in Worship’, published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1994, and the series of annual prayer books, ‘Our Daily Bread’ from 1990 to 2005. As a tutor and leader of contemplative prayer in the traditions of St Anthony of Egypt through to John Main, he has lead many groups in exploring spirituality. As a speaker and teacher, Cameron has had a considerable role in education. He is invited to speak regularly on topics relating to spirituality, church history and regularly runs courses on Celtic Spirituality. Presently he is parish priest of Grasmere and Rydal in Cumbria, as well as Chaplain to Rydal Hall. |
| Sue Ford Sue lives in the beautiful surroundings of the North Yorkshire Moors coastal villages of Staithes and Whitby. Fantastic scenery and contrast provides inspiration for Sue’s paintings. Working in contemporary/traditional styles, she likes to experiment with different subjects and effects, using strong use of colours and play of light. She exhibits in London and solo exhibitions at Washington Wild Life Centre, Danby Visitor Centre and the Pannett Gallery in Whitby.Sue has written several painting articles for Leisure Painter and The Paint magazines and is a professional member of Art Profile and Teaching Arts (SAA) She teaches weekly art classes for Further Education, weekend workshops and residential holidays at Balmoral Castle, Scarborough, Missenden Abbey, Sardinia and Corsica. 2012 painting holidays include Menorca and Corsica. Sue also does demonstrations to Art Societies. Visit: www.sueford.co.uk for more information. |
| The Revd Canon Robert Williamson Robert has been leading walking retreats at Rydal Hall for the past fourteen years. He is married to Sheilagh and has a son. Robert was a priest in the Diocese of Carlisle for many years and is now Vicar of St Cuthbert’s, Darlington. His hobbies are poetry, mountains, food and football. The first three are major parts of his walking retreats. |
| The Revd John Dixon John Dixon was born in Cumbria and has lived in the Lake District for a good part of his life. He is vicar of Hawkshead, Sawrey, Rusland and Satterthwaite, and lives in Hawkshead with his family. He has been involved in this Rydal Hall walking retreat for thirteen years. |
