Helen Hallows

The perfect creative break to get your landscape mojo back! Helen the tutor is not only a talented artist who will really inspire you, but a lovely person - funny, down to earth, and hugely considerate about what you want to get out of the course. It doesn't matter whether you're a practicing artist or haven't drawn since school, you'll be massively inspired to get into the landscape and create. The setting is stunning - it's my favourite part of Derbyshire, with beautiful landscapes to inspire straight out of the door in every direction. Plus, with lots to enjoy in the local area - Dovedale is just around the corner - perfect for walking and biking - it's also a great break for non-artistic partners. And if that all weren't enough, the hosts were wonderfully welcoming and provide totally delicious food. I couldn't recommend this course any higher - just the best experience!

This course was in a wonderful setting in one of the most beautiful parts of Derbyshire. Helen, the course tutor and talented artist, is easy to get along with and has just the right amount of 'push', which someone like me really needed. I enjoyed the challenges immensely, whether it was sketching in the hills or making stamps for printing out of rubbers! My head is now brimming with ideas to try out at home. I am not the fastest worker and found myself a bit short of time on the second day, but Helen helped me to 'catch up'. She intuitively knows what each person needs. We were all different and had differing abilities, which Helen recognised and each of us received excellent individual tuition. The venue, too, was quite wonderful, with amazing food and super friendly hosts. There is even a hot tub for total relaxation - imagine sitting in warm water and gazing out over the beautiful landscape. I would recommend this wonderful course to anyone - you will not be disappointed.5

This course was a wonderful experience for so many reasons. Helen had prepared really well and took time with each individual throughout the course, tailoring her suggestions and help according to need. She is an experienced, purposeful artist and you come away brimming with ideas, enthusiasm and "can do" plans. The location was splendid. Relaxing and calm yet stunning and inspiring. Our amazing hosts fed us so well, prepared the hot tub for us and were generally awesome.
The whole time away was a real treat and I can't recommend it highly enough.

'Back to Nature Art Retreat Holiday' is a creative break away- and for me it was a real self indulgence!. An artist and friend Helen Hallows ran the retreat with nothing short of perfection. Every day was structured, organised and personal, delivering an array of new ways for you to think, draw, print, mark and create highly skilled responses to the landscape around you. Helen is a very talented artist ( who will not let you tell her she is) who created an experience that wasn't just about ensuring we all produced artwork by the end of the course, Helen was more interested in how this course would empower us as artists by learning about layering new thought processes and actually engaging your hands and head together. Words can't really describe how much i have gained from engaging in this retreat With Helen Hallows. -It is just the perfect location, tutored by an amazing talented artist, with fantastic food catered by Beechenhill Farm and was absolutely amazing as they catered for my specific dietary requirement.. It was just an amazing experience i wish i could do all again.
All i would say is you need to go.... otherwise you may regret it later. I know i would !