The Beauty of Etchings
Inspiration The beauty of the etching process is multifaceted. Firstly, the technique enables an art…
At Backbury House Retreats we specialise in offering expertly planned drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and well-being courses.
In summary, we offer everything from taster sessions through to our fully inclusive retreat packages which include social activities and accommodation.
Furthermore, we believe that we offer a truly special place to visit in Herefordshire. This is due to the picturesque and panoramic setting offering an inspirational and magical space.
In conclusion, a visit to Backbury House Retreats enables you to develop and nurture your creativity and well-being.
All of our courses are delivered by a fully qualified art teacher with nearly 30 years’ teaching experience. In addition, we limit the number of attendees on our courses so that we can offer tailored-made support for every ability level.
In summary, we provide:
Please note that full details for all of our course options are detailed on the following pages:
Weekly Classes and Workshops / Courses and Retreats / Online Course
For your convenience, you can purchase our classes, courses, retreats and workshops online through our Events & Bookings page. Once purchased, you will receive a booking confirmation plus helpful event information all via email.
So, once you have read all about our different programmes on the relevant pages and have made your course choice, visit our Events & Bookings page to complete your ticket purchase.
In summary, taster sessions offer a short introduction to a particular technique. They offer the basics in a subject in order to boost confidence levels and inspire you to learn more.
Therefore, all of our weekend courses and retreats offer an option of a Saturday Introductory Experience. So visit the courses and retreats menu to select a course or retreat and discover more.
In addition, we also offer a rolling programme of beginner’s workshops every month. You can choose between our Beginner’s Watercolour Workshop or Beginner’s Photography Workshop. So visit our events calendar to view more details and to book your place.
Sat 11 May 24
Aimed specifically at beginners wishing to improve their watercolour painting skills.
3-hour Workshop tickets available.
18-19 May 24
Suitable for all abilities.
Saturday Experience and Weekend Course tickets available.
08-09 Jun 24
Suitable for all abilities.
Saturday Experience and Weekend Course tickets available.
Sat 22 June 24
Aimed specifically at beginners wishing to improve their photography skills.
3-hour Workshop tickets available.
With this in mind, we have compiled an online exhibition to regularly feature our student’s artwork. Without a doubt, we think that you will agree that they have produced some amazing pieces.
We hope that you will enjoy viewing the lovely artworks and are inspired to learn more.
If so, why not purchase a gift voucher for a creative workshop or a Saturday Introductory Experience. We also have vouchers for our art courses and retreats.
In summary, the digital gift vouchers can be:
In addition, if you open an account on My Account page, you can accumulate purchased vouchers in a total balance which can then be redeemed on a future purchase of your choice.
In our online shop we have a wonderful selection of original framed artworks by Sharon Brookes.
Sharon has been a practising artist alongside her art teaching career since obtaining her BA (Hons) in 1993.
In short, she is drawn to depicting fine detail in her artwork together with an expressive quality and characterful subjects.
In summary, the artwork available to purchase online includes:
So shop now to view and purchase the full range of artworks.
In order to offer a useful source of technical knowledge and inspiration, we periodically publish our know-how posts. In addition, if you sign up to our newsletter, you will automatically be sent the latest posts. So we hope that you will enjoy reading them and find them informative. Just click on the titles to view the full articles.
Inspiration The beauty of the etching process is multifaceted. Firstly, the technique enables an art…
Nature journals are documents that usually contain both illustrations and text and are inspired by t…
Sometimes when painting with watercolour, it can be frustrating to capture fine detail, even when us…
Here at Backbury House, there is a long-established vineyard. All in all, we have approximately one acre of mature Phoenix grape vines.
Subsequently, we are fortunate enough to be able to create our own white wine. Furthermore, our wine is professionally produced at a nearby winery and is similar in taste to a Sauvignon Blanc.
For our guests’ enjoyment, our retreats include an opportunity to sample our unique house wine and develop their wine appreciation.
Follow us on social media and be alerted as soon as new programmes and offers are published
We are an award-winning art centre in Herefordshire. We offer professionally led art, photography and creative well-being courses for all ability levels.
"Sharon was perfect! We clicked immediately and it was like having coffee with a friend. Despite my zero knowledge re watercolours, she was very patient. She was easy to understand and had the right approach, tools and tips to allow one to learn very quickly. I came away feeling very excited to try by myself. I would highly recommend Sharon's experiences. And her coffee, biscuit and views are all A++! Thanks Sharon!"
"I bought this experience for my dad for this Birthday. He enjoys taking photos but always wanted to learn how to take really good ones - he loved the experience! Found Sharon friendly and helpful, and came away with a lot of new skills and enthusiasm for photography. Would recommend!"
"Sharon organised a great workshop on studio portraits, creating a friendly atmosphere to experiment with various creative techniques. The session was great fun and I was amazed by the results you can achieve just using simple everyday materials if you get the light right. Highly recommended"