Finding your voice, A Botanical Art Retreat in Kilkenny with Mary Dillon

What is your voice in botanical art?

This retreat is designed to give you the time, tuition and creative space to explore that question.
With 26+ hours of tuition and dedicated studio time, we will work through a combination of demonstrations, practical exercises, observation, discussion, individual guidance and sustained painting.
The emphasis will not simply be on producing a finished painting. Instead, we will explore the process of botanical art—how we observe, interpret and respond to a plant, and how technical knowledge can become a foundation for something much more personal.
We will look closely at botanical structure, colour, light, form, composition, transparency and technique, while considering how each artist can develop an individual approach.

My aim is to encourage you to become more confident in your own decisions and to recognise that accuracy and scientific understanding need not restrict personal expression. They can, in fact, provide the foundation from which your own voice can emerge.

THE STUDIO:
Bright and spacious, it provides a relaxed environment in which to concentrate on your painting.

The small-group format allows plenty of opportunity for individual tuition, conversation and feedback, while also giving you uninterrupted time to work independently.

Across the five days there will be more than 26 hours of tuition and studio time, allowing us to explore ideas in depth rather than rushing through a series of exercises.

Tea, coffee, cakes and refreshments will be available throughout the day, and lunch will be provided each day.