Connect to the land of Eryri and draw your creative self out.
A course for intermediate and experienced art makers.
Through a series of facilitated exercises you will be guided to create a body of work to carry on working from once the course is over. The emphasis will be on finding and nurturing your own style and incorporating who you are with what you see and feel as an artist. The group will be a caring and safe space in which to explore, experiment and discover the artist within. We will also think about how we look at other peoples work and how that informs our own.
Retreat Highlights:
• Forest Bathing & Meditation: Connect with nature and restore your energy
• Guided Cacao: Open your heart and connect with your future self
• Journaling & Vision Boarding: Supported self-reflection and create a visual representation of your dreams to carry with you
• Sharing & Discussion Space: Enjoy a safe space to share, reflect, and grow
What to expect:
This course investigates mark making for new visions. Learn how to draw with your eyes, hand and heart in a mode of connected looking. You will learn to let go, experiment and build visual vocabulary. Working with exercises designed to develop your authentic autobiographical gesture you will build a portfolio of work to inspire ongoing study.
This retreat will help you:
To learn how to draw with your eyes, hand and heart in a mode of connected looking.
To learn to let go, experiment and build visual vocabulary.
To develop your authentic autobiographical gesture you will build a portfolio of work to inspire ongoing study.
Course Activities:
Drawing and painting
Led exercises to loosen up your practice and develop visual vocabulary
Experimental exercises
Reflection exercises
Group, partner and individual exercises
Emphasis on developing your own creative voice
Exploring methods to connect to the elements, the land and your self
Who is this retreat for?
A course for intermediate and experienced art makers.
Join us at Trigonos for a few days with award winning artist Dr Maria Hayes. During your time spent at our tranquil space, it will allow you the opportunity to connect with the environment, and go on a journey of discovery, finding and nurturing your own style and incorporating who you are with what you see and feel as an artist.
“The most valuable part of this course was the time away from other distractions to focus on creative practice. Learning to switch focus from the image being produced to looking and experiencing what is being drawn, without the critical voice interrupting. Meeting like minded people who have passion for creativity. The focus on curiosity, looking and being open to new possibilities.”
About the facilitator
Dr Maria Hayes is an award winning Fine Artist with a portfolio career. Hayes’s work seeks to extend her practice in ways that convey observed events with emotional connection.
Hayes has shown work extensively, often collaborates with performers, and performs drawing at live events. Her work is in national and international collections, including the National Library of Wales. In 2024 Hayes had work on show at the National Library as part of the National Treasures exhibition, featuring Canaletto. She also featured in a live streamed panel discussion investigating ‘What is Welsh Landscape?’
In 2013 Hayes was awarded a practice based PhD in Fine Art from Aberystwyth University.
Her creative practice informs her other roles as facilitator, researcher, trainer, project manager, producer and mentor. Hayes’s collaborations as an arts based methods facilitator include research projects with Aberystwyth, Bangor and Wrexham University. The work informs community consultation reports for Welsh Government to enable the implementation of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.
An insight to the day…
From 4pm Invitation to the space – set up your table.
7 pm Supper
8.15pm Meet and greet studio exercise
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Monday & Tuesday
9.30am Studio exercises
11.00 am Morning break
11.30am studio exercises
1pm Lunch
2pm Studio exercises
4pm Afternoon tea and cake
4.30pm – 6.00pm Studio exercises
7pm Supper
8.15pm – 9.15pm Talk and slides (subject: The Intelligent Eye), Free evening – could be used for further studio work, Maria will be available for short personal tutorials if requested. Or you may just want to relax.
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Last Day, Wednesday:
9.30am Studio exercises
11.00am Morning break
11.30am – 12.45pm Group reflection
1pm Lunch
2pm Goodbyes
NB: The studio will be available at all times for personal work.
Paper
A3 heavyweight cartridge paper sketchpad
A2 heavyweight cartridge paper sketchpad
(Single sheets for purchase from Maria)
A5/A6 notebook/sketchbook
Ink
Indian ink (black)
Pencils
B, 2B, 4B drawing pencils
Charcoal pencil
Pencil sharpener
Charcoal
Box of mixed sizes
Few sticks of compressed charcoal
Pastels
Pastels – chalk/soft pastels – small pack variety colours plus white
Oil pastels – small pack variety including white
Fixative
Small aerosol of odorless fixative (for use outside only please)
Brushes
Variety – large/medium/fine (Some will be provided)
Palette
For ink – or bring jam jars
Water pots
Or jam jars
Drawing board
Ideally up to A2 in size, although A3 will do
Masking tape
Paint
Acrylics/ Watercolours (and watercolour paper and brushes)
Coloured inks
Minimum red/yellow/blue
Optional
Inktense pencils or similar – variety of blues or a small tin with a range
Recommended suppliers by Dr Maria Hayes:
Cost
Residential – Prices are from £572 per person. Prices includes facilitator fees, accommodation and all-inclusive catering.
You can choose from the following options:
Single Occupancy -Double Bed Ensuite £752.00 per person, Single Bed Ensuite £722 per person, Single Bed Non-Ensuite £602.00 per person.
Shared Twin Occupancy - Double Bed Ensuite £602.00 per person, Single Bed Ensuite £587.00 per person, Single Bed Non-Ensuite £572.00 per person.
Non Residential – Price is £408 per person. Price includes facilitator fees, and all-inclusive catering except breakfast.
Concession - Trigonos offers 30% discount off residential rates, and 10% discount off for non-residential rates, for Nantlle Valley Residents, unemployed and retired.
Terms and Conditions
A non-refundable £100 deposit is required within fourteen days of booking to secure your place. The remaining balance is then due twenty-eight days before the event start date.
The deposit will be retained for any cancellations up to twenty-eight days beyond the event start date.
The full cost of the event will be retained for any cancellations made within twenty-eight days of the event start date.
We advise that you take out insurance to cover against any costs incurred should you have to cancel.