Dorset Art Course

A four day residential art course: April 23rd-28th 2026

Building on the success of our Writing Retreats at Rushay, we offer a small group of artists the opportunity to stay at Rushay for four days (five nights), following a course in drawing, colour and sculpture.

The course, which is suitable for beginners and those with previous experience, will be led by Clare Trenchard, the acclaimed West Country sculptor and artist. Clare has exhibited widely in the UK and overseas. She is also a gifted tutor, generous and perceptive, and her weekly art classes in Dorset are always oversubscribed. You can see some of her work on her website.

Rushay is an Arts & Crafts country house set in its own gardens and grounds, with nine beautiful bedrooms between the house and cottage. With three further sitting rooms, the house provides plenty of space for quiet work and reflection. It stands a mile from the Dorset coast, on the edge of the Marshwood Vale.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, we want to inspire you, and fire your urge to work and create.

The course gives participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in their art and work, without distractions, guided and encouraged by one of England’s finest artists.

Aside from comfortable bedrooms and sitting rooms, we will be serving delicious meals, to leave you free to create.

The classes begin after breakfast, at 10am, with a short break for a light lunch, then on to 4pm – and tea, with cake.

How the four days will unfold:

Day 1.

Introduction to drawing ideas. Line, tone and mixed media.

Day 2.

Colour, collage, space and shape. Using colour imaginatively.

Day 3.

Drawing with colour using a model.

Day 4.

Shape, line and colour in the landscape / Sculpting in the studio (an option if we have a rainy day on the landscape day).

Clare studied sculpture at Chelsea School of Art where she graduated with a BA in Fine Art in 1978. Clare’s work concentrates on capturing the essence of the subject finding its strength, power and movement – “it’s the essence of the thing that’s important”, she says.