Irish Anthology –
Creating a Collection of Artist Books
Saturday 31st May to Sunday 8th June 2025
The Titanic Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland
I have always loved books...
and, in recent years, have found making artist books to be a lovely companion to my main practice of painting. I was gifted a box housing the tiniest books imaginable as a child. A set of fairy stories, all housed perfectly in a small, purpose-made container. Though they contained only the briefest summary of each story, with tiny illustrations, they were precious to me. These memories led me to imagine a set of artist-made books housed within a house – books that allowed the capturing of memories from a particular place in a particular time. The humble book form is so familiar to us. Yet books can be art, sculpture, a container for recording what we see and experience and all we can imagine. A wonderful way to remember a journey to a land such as Ireland.
We will sketch the places we visit—the landscape, castles, and buildings of Belfast—to capture inspiration for both the container and the various book forms.
This Art Escape Includes
- Five days instruction from Gillian
- Eight nights accommodation at the Titanic Hotel based on double occupancy
- All meals except for one lunch and one dinner
- Visit to Belfast Castle, The Ulster and Titanic Museums
- Some supplies
This workshop is organised by Kathie Vezzani of Bellissima Art Escapes. Please visit her website for further details and registration information.
Evocative Landscapes – Oil and Cold Wax Painting in Scotland
Sunday 8th to Sunday 15th June 2025
Inverness, Scotland
Join me in Inverness, Scotland 2025 for an Evocative Landscapes workshop using oil and cold wax.
The atmosphere of place is always at the heart of my landscape paintings—I seek to go beyond pure representation or replication and evoke a sense of place, memory, and emotion. Through multiple layers of colour, texture, and value, almost as much paint is removed as is laid down; this process can render the most beautiful and unexpected results.
Immersing ourselves in the landscape on our trips out, we will sketch the places we visit—the landscape, castles, and surrounding areas of Inverness – an evocative, soul-enriching place that will inspire the colours and atmosphere of our paintings.
This art escape includes:
- Five days' instruction from Gillian
- Seven nights accommodation at the Leonardo Hotel based on double occupancy
- All meals except for one dinner
- Visit to Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Dunrobin Castle and Gardens, Culloden Battlefield and Museum
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Some supplies
