Painting at Culcreuch Castle with Katherine Cowtan

Private tuition in oil, watercolour or mixed media painting with Katherine Cowtan at Culcreuch Castle in Stirlingshire

Stay at a medieval Scottish castle and let its history and stunning surroundings inspire your art. Katherine Cowtan, artist in residence at Culcreuch Castle in Stirlingshire, will lead this 2 day private workshop.

At a glance

Activity: Oil or watercolour or watercolour with mixed media painting
Tutor: Katherine Cowtan
Duration: 2 full days of tuition, 3 overnight stays
Location: Culcreuch Castle, Fintry, Stirlingshire
Accommodation: Culcreuch Castle hotel
Price: from £875 per person, based on two sharing a room
Minimum participant number: 2
Suitable for any artistic skill level

Details

Your workshop and tutor – Katherine Cowtan

Katherine is the artist in residence at Culcreuch Castle and takes her inspiration from the surrounding hills, lochs and woods. She loves bringing guests from all over the world up close to the seasons, light and colours of the local landscape and guide them in their artistic work.  You can find out more about her and see examples of her work on her profile page.

You can work in either oils or watercolours, and mix in other mediums if you wish – we will check with you at the time of booking which medium you prefer. Katherine will take you on walks in the castle grounds and the local area. The workshop will cover:

Looking for subjects to paint
Taking reference photos
Sketching
Insight & intention
Developing an idea
Composition
Exploring possibilities
Developing a painting from sketches & photos or from life
Mixing colours & colour matching
Pen & wash
Painting with water mixable artisan oil paints.

Some activities are weather dependent and we will keep the daily schedule flexible to work around weather.

The workshop is suitable for beginners and more experienced painters alike and contents will be tailored to your skills level and interests.

If you chose to work in oils we can ship your finished pieces to your home address at an additional cost, once dry.

Culcreuch Castle & surroundings

Culcreuch Castle is a fine imposing former fortalice located in an impressive setting in the Campsie Fells near Stirling. Overlooking the larger of its private lochs, surrounded by parkland grounds and exotic trees and with the steeply wooded hillside behind, it has stood for the first four centuries of its life as the ancestral home of the Clan Galbraith. The main part of the Castle comprises a medieval tower with a Georgian wing added later. The walls are over 5′ 6″ thick in places.

Culcreuch Castle has many fine features, including a remarkable Bottle Dungeon, so called as the bottle shape meant a prisoner could not lie down, an Aumbry (normally only seen in ancient monasteries) and in the Chinese Bird Room hand painted oriental wall paper that dates from 1723.

The castle’s central location makes so many attractive things to do and see in your free time very accessible that making a choice will be tricky – walking by the gorgeous Loch Lomond National Park, hiking in the Campsie Fells, visiting Glengoyne Distillery, and much more. We’ll give you plenty of recommendations!

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Culcreuch Castle. Check in is from 2pm. We will have plenty recommendations of things to do and see in your information pack.

Days 2 and 3 – The art workshop runs from 10am to 4pm, including a lunch break.

Day 4 – departure day. Check out is by 11am.

Additional workshop and accommodation days can be arranged.

Price & what’s included

The price for this experience is £875 per person, based on two guests sharing a twin or double room. Here’s what’s included in the package price:

– 2 full days of private tuition
– 3 nights accommodation at Culcreuch Castle hotel (sharing a twin or double room)
– 3 x breakfasts
– 3 x lunches (soup and sandwiches)
– 3 x evening meals
– 2 x mid morning tea/coffee with shortbread
– 2 x mid afternoon tea/coffee with scone
– tea/coffee on arrival
– welcome drink on arrival evening
– art materials
– detailed pre-travel information, including insider recommendations of things to do and see
– welcome gift

We will send you a list of required materials in advance. Alternatively we can provide materials at cost. So…let us us know your preferred dates for a painting short break at Culcreuch Castle using the link below. We’ll get back to you with info on availability and price as soon as we can.

Enquire now