A Sense of Things: Colour, Pattern & Collections

Rotterdam/Dordrecht/Netherlands ‘26

Details:

Duration: 5 days

Price: £995 (approx. €1130)

Dates: Mon 8 - Fri 12 June 2026

Time: 10am - 5pm daily

Group size: 8 - 12 people

Studio location: Krimpen aan den IJssel, Rotterdam, Netherlands (exact location provided after booking)

Escape for a five-day drawing and painting workshop in the calm outskirts of Rotterdam, returning to creative studio of co-host, Hannah Bolsius, following this year’s sell-out event.

Hannah is an artist and teacher and her open-plan studio, a short train ride from the city, provides a generous space in which to create. A 19th-century Dutch barn styled with a quirky assortment of hand-picked curiosities, it offers a heap of inspiration to draw on throughout the week.

Venturing beyond the studio, this year we’ll be taking a one-day trip by boat to sketch in Dordrecht’s market garden and restaurant, Villa Augustus. Set in a restored water tower surrounded by lush gardens, Villa Augustus offers an artful blend of history, design, and nature. From the scent of herbs in the kitchen garden to the play of light across the glasshouse restaurant, every corner invites you to slow down, observe, and create.

Pattern, colour and creating collections form the theme of this year’s workshop, giving us a shared focus whilst leaving space for you to choose your own subject matter and personal direction. Whether it’s painting seasonal produce, printing industrial boats or drawing on the ephemera and design of Villa Augustus, there is a breadth of inspiration to build a portfolio of lively, energetic illustrations.

Throughout the week you’ll have the choice to work with your own preference of materials with guided demonstrations and tailored feedback, filling a book with characterfully imperfect illustrations. We’ll demonstrate a range of techniques, including watercolour, colour-pencil drawing, lino cutting, print-making, book binding, along with sharing tips for playful creativity and pushing your work in new directions.

By the end of the week you’ll have a mountain of visually sumptuous drawings, prints and paintings, inspired by visited interiors and local surroundings. Through individual conversation you’ll have a better sense of how to bring the best out of your work, along with ways to sustain a creative habit once you return home.

Suitable for adults with all levels of experience and ability from enthusiastic beginners to more established artists seeking new inspiration, this workshop covers new themes and processes and is therefore equally suitable for returning students who have attended my previous workshops or retreats.

Included:

• Daily group tuition and demonstrations (5 full workshop days)

• Individual feedback and guidance throughout the week

• Use of a creative open-plan studio space and private garden

• A one-day drawing excursion by boat to Villa Augustus via the old city of Dordrecht, returning via central Rotterdam for a visit to a large art supplies store

• Lunches provided by the excellent De Verre Hoeve

• Tea, coffee, and light refreshments during workshop hours

• Additional materials

• Local knowledge and recommendations