Nature Sketching & Painting Retreat

Nature Sketching & Painting – Bailbrook House Bath – 2nd-4th October @ Bailbrook House Hotel Bath

This immersive weekend at the historic Bailbrook House, Bath is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature, your creativity, and yourself. Across three days, you’ll enjoy a balance of structured sessions, creative play, and mindful observation, guided by our expert artists:

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About your Retreat

Join artists Susan Yeates and Gemma Lane for a restorative weekend of sketching and painting at the historic Wotton House Hotel in Dorking, Surrey. Surrounded by stunning countryside, this immersive retreat will guide you through a journey of mark-making, botanical sketching, colour exploration, plein air studies, and expressive painting. Across three days, you’ll enjoy a balance of structured sessions, creative play, and mindful observation, with expert guidance to help you develop confidence and expression in your art. With time to relax, connect with like-minded creatives, and be inspired by nature, this retreat offers the perfect opportunity to nurture your creativity and return home with a sketchbook full of ideas and paintings brimming with colour and life.

• Susan Yeates –Susan is an award-winning artist, author, and creative mentor on a mission to get absolutely everyone sketching more. Known for her warm, encouraging teaching style, Susan believes that creativity should feel playful, personal, and pressure-free. She’s not your traditional art tutor—rather than telling you what to do and how to do it, she guides you gently through your own creative journey, helping your inner artist grow with confidence.

  Susan champions the idea that a sketchbook is a private, liberating space for exploration. Her approach invites students to embrace messy marks, spontaneous doodles, intuitive sketches, and joyful experimentation—creativity simply for the love of it. With her, you’ll pick up new skills, discover hidden talents, and reconnect with the simple pleasure of making art without rules or expectations.

  Her passion is simple: to inspire creativity, encourage playfulness, and help every student fall in love with their sketchbook.

• Gemma Lane –Gemma is the founder of Green Fox Workshops and a trained secondary school art teacher with over 15 years of experience. Since launching her business in 2016, Gemma has worked across the Bath, Bristol, and Somerset area in inspiring venues such as Bishops Palace in Wells, Tyntesfield National Trust in Bristol, Hestercombe House in Taunton, and the SS Great Britain.

  Driven by a passion for making art accessible to all, Gemma teaches a wide range of materials—from pencil and pen to more challenging mediums like oil paint and clay. Her nurturing and calm teaching style focuses on step-by-step guidance with constant encouragement, helping students build confidence while enjoying the process. Many of her students return again and again, drawn not only to her teaching methods but also to the social interaction and community her classes foster.

  Since 2022, Gemma has been supporting the home education community, tailoring sessions to spark curiosity and creativity in young learners. In collaboration with the Bristol Streams Hub, she helps students explore, experiment, and enjoy their artistic journey.

  Green Fox Workshops now offers a diverse range of experiences, including online sessions, hen dos, children’s parties, one-to-one tuition, sketching tours, and gift vouchers—bringing creativity to people of all ages and skill levels.

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Included in the Retreat (Full Package)

• 2 days of immersive workshops with expert tuition
• Private dining each evening with a three-course à la carte menu
• 2 course buffet lunch both days
• All materials provided for your projects
• Supportive and inclusive learning environment for all abilities
• Unlimited refreshemnts all day included homemade cakes and savouries
• Hotel fully accessible for wheelchair users
• Price: £829
• Payment plans available

Included in the Retreat (Non-Residential Package)

• Two full days of immersive workshops with expert tuition
• 2 course buffet lunch both days
• All materials provided for your projects
• A supportive and inclusive learning environment suitable for all abilities
• Unlimited refreshemnts all day included homemade cakes and savouries
• Hotel and workshop areas fully accessible for wheelchair users
• Price: £479

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What You’ll Learn:

• Botanical sketching and expressive mark-making
• Colour mixing, theory, and application
• Plein air studies and landscape painting
• Painting techniques for texture, detail, and depth

Sample Schedule Highlights:

• Arrival discussion and welcome session
• Hands-on sessions in sketching, colour studies, and painting
• Time for creative exploration and relaxation
• Expert guidance from Susan & Gemma throughout

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, this retreat offers the perfect mix of expert instruction, inspiration, and time to focus on your creativity. By the end of the weekend, you’ll leave with a sketchbook full of ideas and paintings brimming with colour and life.

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Payment & Booking Information

• To secure your place, a £350 non-refundable deposit is required.
• The final balance is due 10 weeks before the retreat (this means the remaining payment must be made 10 weeks prior to the first day of the retreat).
• Cancellations after the final payment are non-refundable.
• If you wish to pay in instalments, this can be arranged — just let us know.

To pay a deposit by Bank Transfer

Bank Transfer Details:

(If paying by bank transfer, please email enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk to confirm payment has been sent. We will reply with confirmation.)

Account Name: Arts and Crafts Retreats LTD

Sort Code: 04-00-03

Account Number: 04487572

Payment Reference: Your Name

Alternatively you can pay the deposit via PayPal please use this link – Click me to pay the depost via PayPal

New for 2026 – Payment Plans
If you’d like to pay for the retreat using a payment plan, we can offer monthly payments via bank transfer. Simply email us and we’ll be happy to arrange this for you (enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk)

Enquiries / Further Information

If you have any questions or require any further information, please feel free to contact us at enquiries@artandcraftretreats.co.uk, or visit our website www.artandcraftretreats.co.uk for details on all future retreats and featured tutors.

The Art and Craft Retreats Team 

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**Terms and Conditions**

To secure your place, a £350 non-refundable deposit is required.
The final balance is due 10 weeks before the retreat.
Cancellations after the final payment are non-refundable.
Payment plans can be arranged on request.

*A full list of T+C’s are available on the company website*

We advise all guests to purchase adequate travel insurance at the time of booking. This will ensure you are covered in the event of illness, unexpected travel issues, or the need to cancel.