TUITION

David Howell is a full time painter working from a studio in Somerset, England, painting in watercolour, oils, and pastels, and concentrating particularly on marine and landscape subjects. He also paints equestrian pictures with particular emphasis on racing and associated activities. This will be the fourth year that David has joined us as a tutor, both in Angles sur l'Anglin and Ile de Re.  He can quite cheerfully alternate between encouraging enthusiastic amateurs and getting into serious discussion with advanced painters.

David is a regular exhibitor at galleries in the UK, the USA, Dubai, and Australia. Recently, he has had a sell out show in Melbourne Australia, and has exhibited at 'The World of Watercolours' at the Royal Academy, London, the 'Modern Marine Masters' Exhibition at Mystic Gallery in Connecticut USA, and was involved in 2 autumn shows in England, plus the Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition in London in October.  Another Australian show is been prepared for 2008.

Apart from with us on Ile de Re and Sainte Croix, David has taught at workshops at the Mall Galleries in London, with the Society of Equestrian Artists, and other locations, and whilst he enjoys tuition he is first and foremost a painter with a lot of experience and appreciation of the highs and occasional lows involved in painting good pictures. David's work has been published as limited edition prints, in book form, magazine articles and other publications, and his paintings hang in private and corporate collections in locations as diverse as boardrooms in the City of London to royal palaces in Arabia.

He is Vice-President of The Royal Society of Marine Artists.

This is, after all, a Painting Holiday with no formal exams at the end of your week.  The tuition is friendly and informal on a 'one to one' basis, allowing you to develop at your own pace knowing that the tutor is on hand to help with drawing, composition, perspective, colour mixing, colour theory, mixed media experiments etc.  David encourages students to develop powers of observation and personal vision and to experiment with media, enjoy painting and be creative.

Maybe David will be on his "push bike" on the sedate Ile de Re!  We wait and see.     Davids web site

Breakfast is taken at your leisure on the terrace of the hotel overlooking the charming harbour of Saint Martin de Re. Tutor will assemble painters in time for a start from about 9.30 ish. The location will be tutors choice, either in Saint Martin with its harbours, parks, quaint alleys, fortifications and beaches, or elsewhere on the island with the small harbours, markets, colourful fishing boats and yachts, pretty cottages, sandy beaches and seascapes, pine forests, vineyards, salt pans, lighthouses - the list is endless! Air-conditioned transport is provided when needed.

The morning painting session continues until lunchtime when you have the chance to sample the many seafront retaurants, snackbars and cafes. Painting continues in the afternoon, if you wish, and usually ends in time for a pre dinner aperitif or some retail therepy around the many boutigues and shops near your hotel. Painting is usually en Plein Air, but we do have a studio at the hotel overlooking the port.

The rest of the time is yours, to carry on painting, explore the island, or simply relax. Ile de Re is known as a paradise for cyclists - fancy hiring a bike or maybe a tandem from around the corner?

Guests who require less help and prefer to work alone have the freedom to do so with the advantage of being part of a group - nothing is compulsory.

WHAT WE PROVIDE.

Easels,boards and water containers, both in the studio, and for en Plein Air

Tables and proper chairs for studio work and portable stools for en Plein Air work.

Some of the finest locations right on your doorstep.  Buildings, reflections, harbours, beaches, lighthouses, trees, flowers, animals (including the local donkeys!),  people, landscapes, cliffs, cafe scenes, salt marshes, bridges, old water wheels, boatyards, oyster beds, old mills,  - the list is endless.

Half board accommodation with Breakfast,  a three-course Dinner with full choice from the hotel restaurant full menus including a la carte.  Local Ile de Re wines and after dinner coffee/teas.

Transport to locations outside Saint Martin de Re. 

WE DO NOT PROVIDE

Art materials, brushes, paints and paper.

WHAT TO BRING

Materials for your preferred media  e.g.  Pens,  Charcoal, Watercolours, Watercolour pencils, Oil Pastels, Acrylics etc.

Don't forget - paper, pencils,  sketchbook, putty eraser, brushes etc.

Sun hat, sun cream and beach towel.

David is always happy to discuss your choice of medium and any other aspect of the artistic contents of your Painting Holiday prior to departure.