Big announcement! New & Exciting Wildlife Art Retreat Lundy Island 2025

Reconnect with nature and creativity; be part of the conservation story...

Hello everyone! It's been a busy few months launching my book, delivering two incredible art retreats in South Africa and exploring new retreat venues in the UK.

I recently had the opportunity to visit & explore the beautiful U.K. Island of Lundy in February. It's such a beautiful place and I was fascinated by the abundance of wildlife. It's the most wonderful place to paint birds and nature so I am launching a brand new and very exclusive 5 day art retreat for May 2025.

Come and join me for a very special painting retreat on Lundy Island, an area of natural beauty and exceptional biodiversity, cushioned between the Bristol Chanel and the Atlantic Ocean just off the North Devon Coast. Owned by the National Trust and managed by Landmark Trust, the rugged beauty of Lundy will take your breathe away.

This Wildlife Art Retreat is available on two dates in 2025:

May 3rd-8th 2025

May 10th-15th 2025

Prices start from £2,200 for 5 nights. You can find out more about the retreat in this newsletter (below) & via my website-

https://www.sarahstokesartist.co.uk/lundy-island-art-retreat

Space for 10 guests for a more personal experience..

The accommodation at Lundy caters for just 10 guests and is suitable for artists of all levels, offering a perfect blend of nature, creativity, exploration and tranquility. It's a relaxed retreat with plenty of time to experience the wonders of the island and paint.

Wildlife painting

On this retreat you will get to create artwork based on the wildlife and scenery around you. Amongst other wildlife you will get to paint the iconic puffins after which the Island takes its name. You will get to explore wet into wet techniques to create the beautiful clear Atlantic Ocean that is the home to seals, dolphins, lobsters, crabs, corals and a plethora of sea life. Highland cattle that roam the island will also feature in some of our early tonal studies on the island.

You will learn how to:

• Better understand the role of shape and tone in bringing texture to wildlife, whether it be a bird or a mammal

• Get to grips with timing and pigment control needed to make the most out of watercolour

• Create any colour of your choice and harness the power of desaturated colours

• Use warm and cool colours to bring interest and harmony to your artwork 

• Find a harmony between loose and tighter brush strokes

• Develop skills in the area of edge control to depict convincing movement whether it be in a puffin’s wings or in the rolling waves

• Paint from a series of prepared reference photos as well as from images directly from your device

• Use masking fluid, acrylic ink, gel pens and scratching out techniques to create convincing sea foam and waves

For a full itinerary of the retreat, please click here. 

About Lundy Island

 I’ve handpicked this particular location because it offers such a varied array of subjects, from highland cows, mountain goat, deer and wild ponies through to puffins, seals and colourful rock pool inhabitants. Lundy Island offers dramatic cliffs, scenic coastlines and colourful underwater sea life, providing endless inspiration for painting and photography… and all this packed into a 3 mile radius.

The staff and volunteers working for Lundy Trust are all passionate conservationists and will be on hand to talk about the diversity of the island’s wildlife and their success story in restoring the number of rare breeds, most notably the Manx shearwater and Puffin populations. 40,000 rare breeds now thrive on its shores.

Steeped in history and an abundance of wildlife

 With a 4 mile “no-take” zone, Lundy Island boasts the UK’s first Marine Conservation Zones with protected habitats that are ideal for diving and snorkelling, offering glimpses of marine life and historic ship wrecks. During your stay on the island, you will be able to take part in guided walks, nature talks and rockpool rambles with the Lundy Trust Team (subject to availability). With 10,000 guillemots, 3,500 razorbills, 25,000 Manx Shearwater and nearly 1400 puffins, this tiny U.K. island is a refreshing success story when it comes to the fight against declining bird populations. And you can be part of the story by recording your sightings in the Island’s log book kept at the historic Marisco Tavern. What better place to paint surrounded by such inspiring sights. The island is steeped in history dating back to the still visible tablets of a 5th Century Celtic burial ground, the 13th Century Marisco Castle and a range of Victorian-era buildings, providing a rich tapestry of history and culture.

Spend your evenings Stargazing!

With limited access to the public, the internet and all but essential vehicles, Lundy offers a peaceful and secluded environment, perfect for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. The lights go out after midnight with only the Tavern maintaining a power supply. The island’s lack of light pollution creates exceptional conditions for star gazing, allowing visitors to enjoy clear views of the night sky. Lundy Island is a Dark Sky Discovery Site, an officially recognised place where anyone can stargaze.

Stay in Milcombe House, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean...

During your time in Lundy, you’ll get to stay in one of its iconic buildings, Milcombe House. Nestled within a cluster of trees and shrubs and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, this 19th Century villa abounds with historic features. This beautifully restored Georgian mansion offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, with a series of stone steps leading you to the rugged coastline. Built in 1835, the house itself offers no-frills, comfortable accommodation typical of Landmark Trust properties and a cosy atmosphere perfect for relaxation. The furnishings are simple and understated… the perfect setting in which to paint and unwind after a period of walking and exploration.

Find out more- https://www.sarahstokesartist.co.uk/lundy-island-art-retreat