Dartmoor Landscape Painting and Drawing 2010

This is a year-round programme centred in Okehampton, Devon, an historic market town, gateway to some of the most unspoilt scenery of the Dartmoor National Park.

This area is known as the ‘High Moor’, it has no crossing roads and is largely untouched by tourism. It is a dramatic landscape - huge empty moorland vistas with fantastic skyscapes silhouetting granite outcrops. There are forests, cascading rivers and waterfalls, clapper bridges, stone rows and circles, early industrial ruins with granite chimneys and tumbledown cottages, disused quarries with deep reflective pools of water. There are ancient bluebell woods, and wildflowers and wildlife in abundance.
The spectacular North Cornwall coastline is nearby, a landscape of crashing surf and vertiginous cliffs.
The programme is designed for all levels of experience and the enjoyment shared and level of art work produced are testament to the confidence and skill developed by many people who have started with Claire as complete beginners.

Emphasis is given to working on-site, weather permitting, and to painting as an interpretation and expression of light, colour, atmosphere, not just as physical description. The importance of group interaction, discussion and support is stressed, and everyone is encouraged to work in a personal way, developing an individual voice. All mediums are encouraged. There is good studio space available for all locations.

Claire has been painting and exhibiting as a professional for over 30 years. She is an experienced tutor at all levels, teaching for 13 years at Central St Martins College of Art in London and running specialist landscape painting courses for over 15 years. As the many regulars to her workshops will vouch, she offers a high level of sympathetic and individual tuition.

She is a fully qualified teacher and has a BA Fine Art from Reading University and an MA Fine Art from Chelsea School of Art. She completed an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London in September 2009.

Claire’s husband, David Panton, is co-director of the London-based organisation Acme Studios which develops and manages affordable studio space for artists. He is involved in the planning and organisation of the course programme and is an efficient ‘gofer’ on many of the trips.

Monty the dog is also an enthusiastic and well-behaved member of the team!

(photos by courtesy of Claire Smith and Richard Knights)