An opportunity to access and paint in historic walled garden and surroundings of Brook Hall Estate & Gardens on the periphery of the City of Derry in the company of other artists.
The day includes a private tour of the arboretum and gardens by David Gilliland, the 6th generation of this private family home, followed by locally baked scones with teas and coffee and lunch served.
Your tutor for the day will be artist Sinéad Smyth, who has vast experience in facilitating and teaching en plein air painting in both oils and acrylics.
Participants are to bring their own materials and easels.
This event is only available for 15 artists and is suitable for beginners to advanced. Participants will receive high quality group based and one to one tuition during the day, developing a better understanding of their chosen media and the technical aspects of creating an en plein air painting.
Tuition focus will be on identifying individual styles and developing individual work, which connects the artist to this exquisite landscape, along the banks of the Foyle River.
Participating artists are welcome to invite a small number of family and friends to a pop-up exhibition of works at the end of the days painting in the visitor centre.
Brook Hall Estate & Gardens lies on the banks of the River Foyle little more than two miles from the City of Derry. This 18th Century demesne is home to one of the oldest and largest walled gardens in Ireland, built in the early 17th Century in connection with the Walled City of Derry, the garden is one of the oldest landmarks on the river. The house and gardens are surrounded by the first sustainable energy willow farm in Ireland.
Sinéad Smyth is a Donegal based visual artist who spent much of her youth in Derry as her father was a teacher in the city. She has 28 years’ experience in creative facilitation and teaching, including the Turner Prize, Thames Festival London, The British Council, City of Culture, Belfast City Council and other Council based projects in Donegal and Northern Ireland.
Her own paintings form part of several private and public collections. Sinéad is a professional member of Visual Artists Ireland, an invited member of The Drawing Box International and recently invited collaborator with the Irish EPA Multidisciplinary Creative Project at NUI Galway.
