Creative Exploration at Cober Hill
17th - 21st November 2025
Embark on an enriching and inspiring week of artistic discovery at Cober Hill, nestled along the breathtaking North Yorkshire coast. Hosted by North Yorks Art School, this week-long residential retreat welcomes artists of all skill levels to hone their craft, explore new techniques, and connect with a vibrant, supportive community of fellow creatives.
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Over three days of expert-led tuition, participants will delve into three core disciplines spanning traditional and contemporary art. They are:
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Drawing with Chalk and Pastels with Jeremy Ford
Experimental Watercolour Techniques with Annie Quicke
Impressionist Oil Painting with Garth Bailey
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​Our accomplished tutors will guide you through immersive workshops, with additional optional evening sessions led by guest tutors Christopher Shaw and Linda Polkowski. Each workshop is crafted to spark inspiration, enhance skills, and foster creative confidence.
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The daily schedule features structured morning and afternoon sessions, with ample time for breaks, reflection, and informal discussions. The three primary disciplines rotate daily, ensuring all participants engage with each area. On the final day, we’ll gather to reflect on the week’s learning and showcase your favourite pieces in a group exhibition.
In addition, Life Drawing with Christopher Shaw and Art History with Linda Polkowski will be available for anyone wanting to continue their creative learning into the evening.
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Residential Details:
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Accommodation includes full board stay, including breakfast, lunch and evening meals.
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Room check-in from 3.00pm on Monday November 17 2025
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Room check-out by 10.30am on Friday November 21 2025
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Participants on the residential will be allocated their own en-suite bedroom at Cober Hill.
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Participants have full use of the lounge areas while staying at Cober Hill.
Materials: All workshop materials are provided.
Workshop Schedule:
Core Sessions - Tuesday–Thursday, 10.00am – 4.00pm
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Chalk and Pastels with Jeremy Ford
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Experimental Watercolour Techniques with Annie Quicke
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Impressionist Oil Painting with Garth Bailey
​Closing Session:
Following breakfast and check-out on Friday morning, the group will meet to reflect on the week's learning including a group discussion and an exhibition of participants favourite works. There will be a buffet lunch at 12.00pm at which point participants will then depart Cober Hill. ​
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​This retreat is available as a residential or non-residential option.
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Residential includes:
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Full board accommodation (including breakfast and evening meal).
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All materials for all workshops.
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Refreshments and Lunch.
Non-Residential includes:
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All materials for all workshops.
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Refreshments and Lunch.​​
Drawing with Chalk and Pastels
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Tutor: Jeremy Ford
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This workshop promises to be a wonderful day of learning how to handle pastels on a specific high-quality pastel paper with the wonderfully calm Jeremy Ford.
Your hands and fingers will get dirty with the rubbing, working and blending of the pastels on the paper, so it might be an idea to bring an apron as it could get a little messy.
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You will be using chalk pastels, not oil pastels. Materials are provided and Jeremy recommends you leave your pastels at home and use the ones he recommends.
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Skills covered:
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Pastel application and handling
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Blending and rubbing techniques
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Working with specialised materials
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Creative confidence in a messy medium
Experimental Watercolour Techniques
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Tutor: Annie Quicke
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This workshop is designed to unleash your creativity as you dive into the fluid and unpredictable world of watercolour painting with the charismatic Annie Quicke.
Expect to get hands-on, as you’ll be mixing, splashing, and layering an array of different watercolour products to create unique, expressive pieces.
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From watercolour paint, pencils and pens you will create a mixture of quick sketches and more realised drawings to help practice using these new mediums. ​
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Skills covered:
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How to use different watercolour mediums including paint, pencils, ink and pens
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Colour mixing and application
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Creating mood and light
Impressionist Oil Painting
Tutor: Garth Bailey
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Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Impressionist oil painting during this captivating workshop at Cober Hill with the always helpful and encouraging Garth Bailey.
This mostly classroom-based session invites artists of all levels to explore the techniques of Impressionism, capturing light, colour, and atmosphere with bold, expressive brushstrokes.
Weather permitting, we’ll take a brief stroll through the inspiring Cober Hill grounds to gather ideas and to sketch fleeting impressions of the landscape, which you’ll bring back to the studio to develop into your paintings.
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Skills covered:
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Impressionist brushstroke techniques
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Colour and light manipulation
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On location inspiration
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Layering and texture creation
Book Now
Click on the link below to secure your space
Pay For Your Residential in Instalments
North Yorks Art School are able to offer a bespoke payment plan for anyone unable to pay for the residential in one payment. With a 25% non-refundable deposit, you are able to secure your space. The final payment must be received by 17th October 2025.
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Click on the link below to arrange a repayment plan today.
Your Stay at Cober Hill​​
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Duration: Four nights, with full board accommodation included.
Check-in: From 3pm on Monday 17th November 2025.
Check-out: By 10.30am Friday 21st November 2025.
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Non-Residential options are available and include all materials, refreshments and lunch.
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Workshops take place Tuesday - Thursday 10am - 4pm.
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​Meal Times
Your buffet-style breakfast is available from 8.30am.
Lunch will be served at 1pm (12pm Friday).
Evening meals are served at 6.30pm.
Entertainment
Your group will have use of a private drawing room for the duration of your stay. This includes a TV, board games, a selection of classic literature as well as views of the gardens and, in the distance, the sea!
Cober Hill has wonderful grounds which you are free to explore. There is also a tennis court, croquet lawn and a bar. Participants are responsible for settling any bar bill at check-out. Cober Hill is a short distance from the North Sea and there are excellent transport links to Scarborough, Robin Hood's Bay, Whitby and beyond.
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Parking and Public Transport Links
There is ample parking at Cober Hill as well as good public transport links to the site.
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Your Masterclass
Unless otherwise stated, your masterclass will take place between 10am-4pm each day.
Extending Your Stay
Subject to room availability, you can also extend your stay. Please add a note at the time of booking and we will contact you to arrange any additional accommodation required.
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If needed, we will be able to provide secure storage for any luggage after check out.
​Accessible Rooms
There are a number of accessible rooms available at Cober Hill. Please confirm at the time of booking if you require an accessible room.
Guests
If you would like to stay at Cober Hill with someone who won't be attending the course, we will be able to arrange this for you. There will be an additional cost which we can confirm with you before booking. ​​
How to Find Us
bookaclass.com events in Cober Hill are located at:
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Cober Hill
Cloughton
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO13 0AR