Retreat: “To withdraw to a quiet or secluded place”
Oxford English Dictionary

Art retreats in Herefordshire

An Artist’s Paradise.

At Backbury House Retreats we specialise in offering expertly planned courses in: drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and creative mindfulness.

In summary, we offer lots of choice including monthly taster sessions, weekly art classes as well as weekend courses. There are also bespoke options available too.

Furthermore, we believe that we offer a truly special art retreat in the UK. This is due to the picturesque and panoramic setting offering an inspirational and magical space to enjoy.

In conclusion, a visit to Backbury House Retreats really is an opportunity not to be missed!

About our award-winning art retreat.

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 tailor-made support for every ability level.

In summary, we provide:

  • Weekly art classes offering tuition in a range of subject areas throughout the year.
  • Monthly workshops in creative techniques including: beginner’s photography and watercolour painting plus seasonal workshops such as Christmas crafts.
  • Art courses including: Animal Painting, Landscape Drawing & Painting plus Printmaking.
  • Creative mindfulness courses including: Developing Creative Flow, Nature Journalling and Slow Stitching.
  • Photography courses including: Creative Portraiture plus Landscape and Still Life.
  • Private classes and workshops upon request.
  • An online course in mindful drawing.

Please note that full details for all of our course options are detailed on the following pages:

Regular Classes and Workshops / Weekend Courses / Online Course

art courses at Backbury House Retreats
beginner's watercolour art class at Backbury House Retreats

Are you looking for a taster session?

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, we offer a rolling programme of beginner’s workshops every month. In particular, 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.

An overview of our award-winning art retreat:

  • To begin with, you will be in safe hands. This is due to the fact that our art courses are expertly planned and delivered.
  • Reassuringly, every course programme is fully supported and therefore suitable for all ability levels.
  • Due to our well-designed courses, you will be able to develop your confidence and skill levels within a guided progression of tasks.
  • In general, you will be able to take time for yourself and foster your self-expression and creativity with an art retreat.
  • Equally important is the fact that, taking part in creative pursuits helps to destress and rebalance the mind and spirit.
  • Finally, you will meet like-minded individuals to share experiences with and develop a supportive network for your creative pursuits.
Creative well-being course in nature journalling at Backbury House Retreats
Ticket booking for art courses at Backbury House Retreats

How to purchase your course.

For your convenience, you can purchase our classes, courses and workshops online 24/7 through our Events & Bookings page. Once purchased, you will receive a booking confirmation plus helpful event information all via email.

So firstly, read all about our different programmes on the designated pages. Choose either our Art Classes and Workshops page or Courses Menu page.

Then, once you have made your course choice, visit our Events & Bookings page to complete your ticket purchase. Just select the appropriate event and then scroll down on the event page to the ticket purchase section.

Finally, if you are unable to complete your purchase online, then please get in touch so that we can help.

Will you require accommodation for your course?

Our studios are ideally situated for a great selection of places to stay, all within easy reach.

You could choose from luxury boutique hotels, traditional hostelries, budget options or even glamping!

So, head over to our accommodation page to view a selection of local options that we have provided for your convenience.

Just click the link.

Accommodation
Accommodation at Backbury House Retreats
Award-winning Backbury House Retreats

A Selection of Upcoming Events at our Art Retreat

beginner's watercolour workshop painting

September Beginner’s Watercolour

Sat 21 Sept 24

Aimed specifically at beginners wishing to improve their watercolour painting skills.

3-hour Workshop tickets available.

Details

Animal Painting

28-29 Sept 24

Suitable for all abilities.

Weekend Course tickets available.

Details
Beginner photographer taking a photo on a workshop.

Autumn Nature Journalling

12-13 Oct 24

Suitable for all abilities.

Weekend Course tickets available.

Details
landscape photography

October Beginner’s Photography

19 Oct 24

Aimed specifically at beginners wishing to improve their photography skills.

3-hour Workshop tickets available.

Details
View More Events

Looking for a special gift?

If so, why not purchase a gift voucher for a creative workshop or course?

Simply purchase a voucher from our shop page and you will then receive an email containing your voucher immediately.

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.

Gift Vouchers

Shop Vouchers

Have you visited our online shop?

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:

  • Limited edition framed expressive etchings
  • Framed original animal watercolour paintings
  • A range of high quality framed digital photographic prints

So shop now to view and purchase the full range of artworks.

Online Shop
Online shop at Backbury House Retreats

The Reference Library

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.

The Beauty of Etchings
Know How

The Beauty of Etchings

Posted on by Sharon Brookes

Inspiration The beauty of the etching process is multifaceted. Firstly, the technique enables an art…

How to develop a nature journal.
Know How

How to develop a nature journal.

Posted on by Sharon Brookes

Nature journals are documents that usually contain both illustrations and text and are inspired by t…

How to use pen and wash technique
Know How

How to use pen and wash technique

Posted on by Sharon Brookes

Sometimes when painting with watercolour, it can be frustrating to capture fine detail, even when us…

art retreat vineyard in Herefordshire

Backbury House Vineyard.

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.

To learn more about our wine, please visit our vineyard page by clicking the link below.

Learn More

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Quick links to our courses by category

Drawing, Painting & Printmaking
Creative Mindfulness
Photography
Online Courses

We are an award-winning art retreat in the heart of the Wye Valley in Herefordshire. We offer expertly led art, photography and creative mindfulness courses for all ability levels.

Testimonials

We are proud of our reputation for offering excellent creative programmes. Here are a few comments from recent participants...
Ronel Schoeman

Ronel Schoeman

Watercolour Workshop

"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!"

Ben Jones

Ben Jones

Beginners Photography Workshop

"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!"

Alan Jones

Alan Jones

Portrait Photography Retreat

"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"

Backbury House Retreats

Checkley, Hereford HR1 4NA
07584 081970

Contact Us