Painting with Fibres, Felting Retreat with Sarah Waters

Learn how to create felt on the Casa Rosa Estate in the inspirational and rural Andalucian countryside, its orchards and gardens. Join Sarah Waters for a week’s retreat at the gorgeous hillside villa, Casa Rosa, in the foothills of mountains, an hours drive from Malaga, near the small town of Periana.


  • Tutor, Sarah Waters
  • April 15th – 22nd, 2023
  • £1,760, full board, single occupancy, en suite, all classes
  • £1,510 each, full board, shared occupancy, en suite, all classes
  • non-felting partners, sharing a room, £950 board and lodging
  • taxi service to and from airport if you arrive at our suggested time.
  • Suitable for all abilities

If you would like to find out more please send an email to Kate Measham using this button.


What to expect on this course

Sarah will be teaching you how to ‘paint’ with fibres using the ancient art of felt making. You will be taking old and traditional felt techniques into modern and current concepts of art.  During the week Sarah will guide you through a series of technical exercises that will inform your own creative outcomes, whether it is 2D felt art or more sculptural 3D work. You will focus on design and colour mixing of the fibres, cutting and layering techniques to produce samples and finished items. Sarah will also introduce you to nuno felting (incorporation of fabrics) to add an extra dimension to your designs.

You will work together as a group on set exercises but then apply the concepts learnt to your own individual style of learning and desired outcomes. Work at your own pace and with continual guidance from Sarah throughout the week.

Sarah Waters

Sarah Waters is an experienced, international artist and tutor, whose works with fibres are much sought after by private individuals and for collections.

Sarah is an artist with a passion for feltmaking that originates from her love of sheep.

Living in the New Forest, UK her work reflects her desire to connect with nature and the importance of sustainability. Sarah uses local fleeces where possible and is passionate about supporting the British Wool Industry.  Wool has been a very under valued resource over the past few years and Sarah wants to show the potential that it now has for the future, in our throw away society.

The work Sarah produces is not only functional but has colour, texture and tactile qualities. Using both traditional and innovative techniques she aims to show the diversity and qualities feltmaking can be taken to and pushes the boundaries with her work. 

Materials

Materials such as wools will be provided.

Sarah will advise Students what they need to bring nearer the time.


Sarah is very happy to answer any questions prior to the workshop Please contact her at sarahwatersartist@gmail.com and see her work at www.sarahwatersartist.com

Plein Air Painting in the Andalucian Countryside

with Sam Clayden


  • Tutor, Sam Clayden
  • April 22nd – 29th, 2023
  • £1,760, full board, single occupancy, en suite
  • £1,510 each, full board, shared occupancy, en suite
  • taxi service to and from airport if you arrive at our suggested time.
  • Suitable for all abilities


What to expect on Plein Air Painting in Andalucia

The Plein Air Landscape Painting workshop is designed for artists of all levels. The course will cover everything from composition, colour mixing and colour theory to drawing, brushwork and battling the potential impracticalities of working outside.

This intensive workshop will focus on capturing fleeting moments of light in the beautiful Andalucian landscape. Casa Rosa sits in a rural idyll surrounded by mountains, distant villages and olive groves. Students will paint multiple studies per day, of a variety of scenes and at a range of sizes. In addition there will be a few larger projects to work on over the course of two days. You can expect to be equipped with knowledge of the key principles of oil painting and experience of picture-making outside in constantly changing light conditions. 

Materials

A more comprehensive materials list will be issued with booking.

  • Canvases or panels
  • pochade box with tripod or field easel (optional, we have easels in the studio there)
  • Brushes 
  • Solvent + jar/tin (some solvent available at Casa Rosa)
  • Linseed or safflower oil + jar
  • Kitchen roll/rags
  • Backpack or means of carrying materials 

It is possible to have materials delivered to Casa Rosa if ordered some time in advance.

Sam Clayden

Sam Clayden is a portrait and landscape artist working in London.

Alongside working on commissions and personal projects for exhibition, he is an experienced teacher running drawing and painting workshops out of his Wimbledon studio. He is currently exhibiting with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries. 

When painting landscapes, Sam is primarily interested in capturing moments of light and atmosphere through attention to colour harmony, tone and shape. Having painted hundreds of landscape sketches whenever he has a spare moment, Sam believes anyone can learn to paint convincing impressions of nature so long as they are prepared to fail a lot along their journey.