(and what better place to find inspiration)
This will be my second year of running these Painting Holidays with a twist...
..the idea is pretty simple and a lot of fun, and I can't wait to dive into another one!!
See below for FULL DETAILS
THE DATES:
3 Full Days from Monday 16th - Friday 18th July 2026
£335 per person
PEMBROKESHIRE(details below)
"I highly recommend Tom’s workshops. He picked beautiful and interesting locations for our plein air experiences. He did easier to more challenging demonstrations to ease us in to painting and was so encouraging, giving each person the help and attention they needed to grow as a watercolourist. I loved this workshop and didn’t want it to end. Tom is such a gem of a teacher, kind and patient."
Each morning, I’ll be set up at a lovely spot where you can come and join me for some relaxed painting or sketching.
I’ll kick things off with a short demo and a little prompt to get you started, and then we’ll settle in to getting creative.
I’ll be around to give one-to-one guidance and tuition for anyone who’d like it (you’re totally free to use your art time however you wish, and I’m just there to help and guide as needed 🙂).
Once the morning session wraps up, I’ll head off—leaving you with the rest of the day free to explore, relax, or spend time with partners or family. It’s a holiday, after all!
We aim for four painting mornings and one full painting day in the middle of the week (ideally the Wednesday).
That said, the exact plan will depend a bit on the weather and tides, so things may shift around a little.
I’ve got loads of fantastic spots in mind, and I’ll finalise the itinerary closer to the time. (For a moreinformal insight into past weeks, be sure to checkout thisblog post)
One evening during the week, I’ll book a table at a lovely local pub or restaurant for a group meal.
It’s a really nice way to bring everyone together (including non-painting partners if they’d like to join), but of course, it’s completely optional—just like everything else on the trip.
I love this format as it's the perfect informal and fun way to get a group together for some painting and sketching—with just enough structure, plus plenty of guidance and tuition for those who’d like it.
At the same time, it leaves you free to actually have a holiday!
You might want to bring a partner, spouse, or family along… or maybe just enjoy some solo creative time.
Pembrokeshire is a big old place, so to reduce the extent of travel everyday I have chosen to focus the attention of this week on Mid (ish) Pembrokeshire - very roughly an area from Nolton Haven to St Davids.
There is plenty of accommodation in this area, with St Davids at its heart offering an excellent choice—not only for convenience but also for its facilities, restaurants, and character.
Just 10 minutes south, Solva is another wonderful option (and we spend a full day painting here mid-week).
Between and around these two spots you’ll also find many smaller villages and hidden gems with great places to stay.
In short: bring whatever you like!
After running a couple of these, I’ve found that keeping things lightweight and simple is usually best—but that can mean different things for different people, and as most spots on this week are very close to car parks there is freedom to bring more than you need:)
Some folks love to sketch and slosh on a bit of watercolour (line and wash is a great option). Watercolour is quick-drying, lightweight, and works well whether you're using just a sketchbook and a few materials, or going full kit.
While this isn’t a watercolour-specific holiday, I’ll be demoing in watercolour, along with a bit of sketching and line and wash too.
That said—acrylics, oils, or even any other random bits and bobs you love to use (from charcoal to pastels) are all very welcome.
Basically if you prefer to just sketch and take photos—great. Equally, if you want to set up an outdoor studio for four hours a day to work on a masterpiece—also great..and anything in-between.
Whatever suits you!
I will touch on some techniques, but most of the tuition will focus on how to choose a subject, how to look like an artist, and how to turn what you see into a painting.
Any specific techniques or approaches can be explored more in one-to-one time.
