Painting Holidays
I would like to welcome you this section of my website sharing my experiences and inviting you to participate on a creative holiday. I have been leading art holidays for over a decade and have been based in Spain, Turkey, the Uk and soon Greece with various small group holiday providers. I have been helped to create the itinerary and have acquired a vast range of experience as an art tutor in all media being able to demonstrate in a variety of locations which represent Plein Air painting locations. I offer myself as an art tutor visiting various art clubs, leisure centres and a range of holiday providers both in the UK and abroad.
Please scroll down the page to see all my different art holidays.
“An art break could be just the ticket for anyone
who picked up a paintbrush during lockdown.
Artist Anna Martin runs painting holidays in Turkey,
Spain and the UK. In Spain, stay in the pretty
white-washed village of Frigiliana in Andalucia and
practise painting in plein-air in Moorish gardens,
among ruins and on beaches. annamartin.co.uk”
Art Holidays in Greece
The holidays will be based the Lagou Raxi Hotel a Mediterranean Centre for Art, Gardens Plants and Design. It is therefore a wonderful opportunity for me to be invited along to run a watercolour course exclusively in these inspiring surroundings. I hope to be joined by past and new participants to capture a sense of place in Greece through a unique colour palette and freestyle approach. Our plein-air sessions will take place in the village, by the sea and at the villa Lagou Raxi Hotel. I will guide you to reveal the character of Lafkos, a beautiful and laid back traditional medieval village. The aim is to capture a sense of place in a loose, playful style. Whilst addressing the rudiments of drawing and perspective I will help you to focus on the main elements of a composition without getting too hung up on unnecessary detail.
Capture the authentic charm and traditions
Pelion villages, and stunning seascapes
VIBRANT WATERCOLOURS IN GREECE
24 – 31 May 2025
WATER MIXABLE OILS – DISCOVER AN EXCITING OUTSIDE MEDIUM
31 May to 07 June 2025
Gallery of art
Art Holidays in Turkey
As an artist in residence I am very fortunate to work with Creative Getaways a small independent company offering small group holidays of around of 6-8 people. Set on the Turquoise coast of Turkey is the enchanting historic town of Kalkan, which is our painting holiday base. It is a sophisticated place with its narrow streets leading to a picturesque harbour.It is renowned for its high quality restaurants, many set at roof top level. By night Kalkan has a bustling relaxed atmosphere with its narrow cobbled streets lined with small boutiques and atmospheric bars playing blues and jazz. On your painting holiday in Turkey you will have many opportunities to explore and capture this beautiful town. Our next trip in 2022 will be 4-11th April to book and for more information about our other trips please contact Creative Getaways directly.
Highlights of November 2021 painting trip to Kalkan
video of highlights of painting holidays in turkey
Painting Ruins
We feel so privileged to be able to set up with our easels and interpret the ancient Lycian Ruins dotted around Antalya. Here you can see a gallery of work in Xanthos, Patara and Tloss. I always start with a painting demonstration on location to encourage the group to make their interpretations emotionally charged and indicative of the history of the place through gestural liens and waxed of colour with the important elements as the focal points. Its incredible how people respond to what can seem like and overwhelming amount of information in a simplistic and effective way.
HIGHLIGHTS OF PAINTING AT VARIOUS LYCIAN SITES
Painting Holidays in Spain
Painting Holidays in Spain with Creative Getaways. I currently run painting holidays in Spain and have done so for the last decade. More recently I have been based in the white washed village of Frigiliana, Spain, which was voted the ‘prettiest village in Andalucía’ by the Spanish tourism authority. I enjoy the rewarding experience of acting as a creative catalyst for small groups in beautiful locations and am always amazed though never surprised at how people excel in a small friendly group dynamic on location even as complete beginners. My groups typically include a variety of levels from beginners to improvers and group sizes range from 4-12. I normally take people to paint in ‘plein-air’ mode on location such as Moorish castles, ancient Lycian ruins, beaches and mountain villages. I mainly demonstrate in acrylics and sometimes watercolour and offer sketching days as well as one on one help depending on the needs of the group and the medium which best suits the location.
Highlights of our painting holidays in Malaga with Creative Getaways.
Painting demos during Spanish painting holidays.
Painting Holidays in the UK
I am an art leader with HF Holidays a walking and special interest holiday company offering UK based trips in different art disciplines including Drawing and Sketching, Ramblers with a sketchbook, Watermixeable Oils and Acylic Painting. The trips are based in various locations in the UK and the painting sessions take place inside and outside the grounds of the properties owned by HF holidays throughout the year.
In addition I am running 3 day workshops in the Cotswolds based on small groups and a tailor made itinerary depending on the needs of the group. This could include painting and sketching on locations in the beautiful surroundings of the Cotswolds whether in a country estate, woodland or picturesque village.
Introduction to Drawing 26 Jan - 29 Jan 2024 , 23 Feb - 26 Feb 2024 https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/holidays-and-tours/3-night-introduction-to-drawing-holiday-in-the-cotswolds
Highlights of Drawing and Introduction to Water-based Oils highlights with HF Holidays in Bourton on the Water, Cotswolds.
Highlights of Pen and Wash Holiday with HF Holidays November 2021
Walking and Sketching Holidays
As a keen walker and traveller I really enjoy exploring dramatic landscapes. I have therefore developed a sample itinerary programme for leading walking and sketching holidays in Spain. This would provide an opportunity to walk and capture the views with a sketchbook, camera or iPad whilst exploring a coastline dotted with wild flowers ruins and rocky formations. The region of Andalucia with its year round sunny climate make it the perfect location for winter sun. I would run a follow up session to further the sketches into more resolved paintings depending on the location and weather conditions either in an indoor or outdoor studio. I also run urban sketching sessions in Malaga and Almeria.
This video is a sample itinerary of my walking and sketching holiday in Malaga
Incorporating the mind and body link into art
Painting Holidays
Demonstration at Patara
I use a free style of painting and demonstrate using a wealth of techniques acquired from a decade of experience of painting on location in Spain, Turkey, Greece, UK and the US. My aim is to create an environment to unleash an unhindered expressionist style using a vivid colour palette. I use demonstrations to help you to approach a painting from start to finish and you will learn how to freely describe your style in an emotional response to the subject matter. You will also learn about the use of warm and cool colours to create depth and vitality in a painting without getting hung up on unnecessary detail and you will come away with paintings that speak volumes about the locations offered on this luxurious trip.
Ultimately my aim is to draw out each individual’s creative which is surprisingly unique to each person and offer as much as individual help, guidance and feedback as is necessary throughout the week whilst aiming to address all the different levels of the group. In addition I have a resource of creativity thinking tips and techniques from my background in coaching useful to coaching people to be more resourceful in their techniques. I work mainly in acrylics but also demonstrate in water mixable oils, watercolour, pen and in pastels and drawing. I can also teach how to create art on various iPad art apps. I really encourage you to come and unleash your inner artist with like minded supportive and inspiring people.
During my work with groups I offer additional techniques to help achieve desired states for painting derived from my extensive background as an NLP practitioner, performance coach, incorporating yoga and meditation. I aim to offer a toolkit of helpful resources as a catalyst to help creative flow, access a ‘mindful’ state and use the whole body approach to painting. See more about this on my creativity coaching page.
Book your place on the next painting holiday in Spain and Turkey
Book your HF painting holiday in the Cotwolds
