Join us for a Creative Sketching Art Retreat in Cornwall April 2025
Three night stay exploring and capturing the wild and rugged Lizard peninsula in Cornwall
Dear Reader,
If you’ve been around my newsletter a while you may remember I ran my first art retreat here on the Lizard peninsula earlier this year.
Here is a short film from our time last April together to give you a taste of the experience:
Here are some snaps from the time we had together
It was a wonderful time spent at the beautiful Penmenner house, exploring the Lizard, going on multiple sketch walks throughout the stay, learning art techniques, being entertained in the evening with stories of Lizard tales from local writer Robin Bates and eating home cooked hearty food prepared by Tregullas Farm and our B & B hosts Geoff and Susan.
We had a small but eager group of participants who attended and have since reported they all enjoyed their time away. Here are some of the lovely things they said:
It was a wonderful experience and I felt I learnt so much in a short space of time.
We had a fantastic time with a lovely group of people and made memories that we will cherish.
Things I enjoyed -quick 20 minute sketches, looking at value, exploring various mediums, making new friends, a farm visit with the most fantastic food and gentle encouraging guidance from Melanie.
So it is with great pleasure that I’m announcing I’ll be running it again in April 2025. And this time we are adding an extra day and night.
The dates, time and place
22nd-25th April 2025
Arrival 3pm Tuesday 22nd April
Departure after lunch on Friday 25th April
Penmenner House Lizard, Cornwall
Here is what you can expect from the stay:
Luxury en-suite accommodation with stunning sea views from the house
Cream tea on arrival day
Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
3 Light lunches
3 Evening meals with local produce and talks
Walks everyday
Art Technique sessions and time to sketch both in and out of your sketchbooks with a mix of media
One to one time with Mel and art feedback and encouragement
4 Sketch walks with handmade sketchbooks
Opportunity to explore, connect, understand and capture the Lizard landscape within a small intimate group
A bit about the Lizard
The Lizard Peninsula is a special place. Often referred to as the foot of Cornwall, the southern part of the peninsula is dominated by serpentine and the oceanic rock that was pushed up from the earth’s crust 350 million years ago.
Lizard point where we will be is right at the base of the peninsula and you’ll get to experience the rugged coast line and wildlife that inhabits the area. Lizard Lighthouse dominates the skyline and you’ll see sheep and cattle grazing on the slopes leading down to the sea.
From late April the entire area starts to burst into life with wildflowers coming into bloom along the coastal areas and hedgerows, making it the perfect time to come and see the area and experience its wild beauty.
Who is involved?
I’m partnering with several local businesses to bring you an authentic and meaningful experience. Here’s a little about them and what they will be contributing to the retreat:
Penmenner House is run by Lizard based couple Susan and Geoff and over the last 8 years they have created a beautiful, calming space to retreat to. They are literally nose to nose with the sea making it the perfect spot to adventure from and be inspired by.
They will be providing all the en-suite accommodation for your stay, a cream tea on arrival and the first evening meal using locally sourced produce. Each morning they will cook your breakfast and will be providing light lunches for each day. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be made available throughout your stay.
Accommodation limited to 5 rooms -4 double and 1 twin. Guests are welcome to bring non-sketching partners for a room supplement and join for meals and evening talks.
See the choice of rooms here.
Spaces are limited and provided on a first come, first served basis. Susan and Geoff will deal with all your accommodation and dietary enquiries directly.
Robin Bates a local writer will be our guest speaker at our first meal of the retreat. Robin has authored many local books on the area and walks around the area. He has seasoned knowledge on tales, legends and history of the Lizard and is fascinating to listen to.
The group loved listening to his stories last time that we just had to book him again!
Tregullas Farm is run by the Amiss family and they manage the National Trust farmland all around Lizard point. They will be hosting us for our second evening meal, providing a hearty dinner using their own grass fed lamb/beef produce. You’ll get to hear about their farming methods, products and how they steward the most southerly farm on the Lizard peninsula. We ate in the barn which had been strung up with fairy lights and we could watch the visiting swallows coming in to nest as we ate.
The final evening meal will be held in another local establishment and we’ll be celebrating and toasting the time and work that has been created over the retreat and getting chance to catch up with everyone and relax.
Melanie Chadwick - that’s me- artist and illustrator and lover of sketching on location around the Lizard Peninsula. I will be leading you in daily sketch walks (either morning or afternoon), art techniques and demos. I’ll be bringing a range of materials for you to try and we will be making work both inside and outside of our sketchbooks.
Whether you are a seasoned artist or just a beginner my emphasis will be on drawing from observation on location, capturing the essence of the Lizard landscape creatively, playing and working with a range of materials. It will be a time of exploration and experimentation and I hope you will enjoy the thrill of sketching on location and being outside. Our focus will be on creatively sketching the Lighthouse, the dramatic cliffs, rocks, and seascape looking at mark-making, building in layers, using a mix of mediums.
A list of art materials, sketching kit and retreat schedule will be provided beforehand and there will be paper and art materials on hand to use during your stay. We will also be making sketchbooks as we go. There will be time spent inside to demo techniques, or if the weather becomes too inclement and of course you will be free to draw anytime outside the schedule.
New for this year will be a zoom preparatory meet where we’ll schedule a time to meet a month in advance to say hello to everyone and I can answer any questions you may have.
The Cost
The retreat will be open to full board guests primarily although should there be demand and space a couple of slots may be available for day guests to join which will be advertised at a later date. The group size will be kept small and will be no bigger than 8 to ensure the group benefits from individual time with me and has a chance to connect with each other.
Prices start from £865 which includes all meals, lodging and art tuition and go up to £1505 depending on single/double occupancy and room type. Couples with non-sketching partners are welcome and are invited to join with mealtimes and attend our evening activities for a room and food supplement.
There are 5 rooms available Lighthouse (King), Atlantic (King), Pen Olver (Super King or Twin), Sunset (Double) and especially open for our retreat the Attic space (Double). They vary depending on size, bed, view. All have en-suite facilities equipped with toiletries, hairdryers TV and fresh milk.
Here are some cost scenarios of staying in the different rooms and includes the art and meals (price is the full final figure):
A single person joining the full retreat staying in the Sunset room would pay £865 total
A couple with a non-sketching partner joining with all meals staying in the Lighthouse room would pay £1240 total
Two friends both sketching staying in the twin in the Pen Olver room would pay £1505 total
A single person joining the full retreat staying in the Attic room would pay £970 total
A couple both sketching staying in the Atlantic room would pay £1475 total
To book follow this link to my site to pay the first initial deposit payment (£325) which secures your place and then Penmenner House will be in touch with you via email within 24 hours to sort your accommodation and remainder of the retreat fee which will need to be paid within 48hrs. If however you would prefer to pay in instalments once you have paid the initial £325 Susan and Geoff are happy to arrange this with you and will split the payment of your accommodation-please indicate this when asked.
It was such a lovely couple of days, you packed so much in, thank you for your care and planning, it made the trip away so very special.
I hope this has whet your appetite to come explore and experience everything the Lizard has to offer.
If you have any further questions do just get in touch and please read the handy FAQ page which also includes the art retreat terms and conditions.
This retreat sounds incredible! Can I ask how difficult would it be to get there by public transportation?
Oh this sounds lovely! My husband said he would do it with me but we couldn’t make it this year…Will you offer this next year? Hoping for a trip abroad for our 30th anniversary!