Art Tutors
Our enthusiastic, down to earth and accomplished tuition is adaptable and suitable for all. There’s no need to worry about your ability or your desire to explore new techniques and inspirations, our tutors will happily adapt the course to your individual needs.
Resident and guest tutors provide daily art tuition and coaching in various disciplines, styles and media, according to the course, workshop or to our guests’ requirements. Our tutors are chosen for the wide experience of their disciplines; they are practicing and exhibiting artists with plenty of teaching experience and bags of enthusiasm, support and encouragement.
Resident Tutors
Anne Marie has lived in Aracena since 2007. Born in Holland, she studied fine art and is an artist and a highly respected teacher in fine arts, 3-dimensional design, modern sculpture and interior design. During her last years in Holland she was a coordinator in an arts training center. Since her emigration to Spain in 2005 she has been focusing on ceramics, assemblage and installations. In 2007 she won the prestigious ‘Premio de escultura Ibérica de la cuidad de Punta Umbría’. In 2011 she showed her successful textile installation ‘The invisible woman’ in Aracena which attracted a record number of visitors.
Currently she divides her time happily between sculpting, painting and teaching. Apart from Dutch, Anne Marie speaks English and Spanish fluently.
Margaret has always had a passion for painting and travelling. After a Fine Art Foundation in the UK, her studies and work in tourism took her to Mexico, Venezuela, Bermuda, the Antilles and Spain, where she was inspired by the sunlight, colours and culture of these lands which shaped and influenced her paintings. Margaret paints in oils and acrylics in an impasto, painterly style with impressionistic themes, exhibiting her work in the UK and abroad.
After visiting the Aracena region in 2004, Margaret set up her studio here and today the Finca Las Tobas studio is an artistic hub offering an unrivalled opportunity for people who want to practise art or spend time relaxing in a scenic and creative environment.
Guest Tutors
My work is all about imagination and the mind. At any moment an idea can come to me, and I physically see the final, realised image in all its glory – it’s a rush of excitement that never fails to inspire.
This process makes my work a necessity for me. The piece already exists in my memory, and the only way for me to see it again, or to share it with anyone else, is to make it actual; download it from the ether and record it in the medium that best describes the concept, be it photography, oils or digital media.
My interest and study of psychology and conceptual philosophy along with the shamanic creative catalysts of meditation and music provide my inspiration. I am motivated by my subconscious and lucid dreams to create vibrant, passionate and highly emotive pieces.
Antonella is a talented exhibiting artist working in oils, gouache, acrylic and watercolour. Her work particularly leans towards landscape painting whether it’s a surreal landscape from imagination, or one that is observed from natural surroundings. She is also a great lover of printing and drawing, and works regularly on private commissions. Antonella studied fine art at the Norwich University of Creative Arts and also holds a diploma for Art Therapy. She thoroughly enjoys teaching art, with experience of tutoring in day schools and specialist centres in the UK.
Antonella’s approach is to encourage an expressive and empowering experience for the student as well as the tutor! Everyone has a preferred medium, and so with flexible teaching methods she gives focus to each individual’s requirements, so that they can develop their own artistic techniques, reach new insights and hone creative skills.
Learn Spanish
With expert tuition, a relaxed open atmosphere, and plenty of inspiration to get the creative juices flowing, this holiday will develop your artistic skills as well as give you a chance to immerse yourself in the Spanish culture and language.
Tutors Margaret and Anne Marie will share basic Spanish with you. The local people usually don’t speak English and really do appreciate it when you speak their language. If you are interested in advanced Spanish lessons, this can be reserved at the time of booking. It’s an ideal opportunity to learn a language while enjoying your art holiday.
Not to worry though if linguistics is not for you, you’ll be well looked after by our guides and tutors who will organise everything and translate where needed.