Discover a Creative Break in North Devon
In our busy world, weekends can often feel just as rushed as the work week, packed with errands, commitments, never-ending to-do lists and chores that need to get done. It doesn’t even seem possible to get a break from the doom and gloom that we are constantly being fed by the news cycle and social media. All of this leaves us feeling more anxious than ever and desperate to get a bit of respite from it all.
Calm is often thought to be the opposite of anxiety, but research suggests that, actually, creativity is the antidote to anxiety as it helps us to engage the right side of the brain, which is associated with curiosity and emotional processing. Creative activities can therefore counteract the left side of the brain’s tendency towards anxious thoughts.
So what if you could press pause on the busyness and overwhelm, take a break from anxiety and take a moment to invite calm into your life? At The Carlton, we would like to invite you to spend a few days immersed in creativity, surrounded by fresh sea air, inspiring landscapes, and like-minded company. In collaboration with a local artist, we have created a unique weekend retreat in Ilfracombe, where you don’t have to choose between calm and creativity.
Whether you’re a complete beginner, someone who hasn’t picked up a pencil in years, or a practising artist yourself, this art retreat in North Devon offers the chance to reconnect with yourself, with nature, and with your imagination. With the rhythm of the tides as your backdrop, and an experienced local artist as your guide, you’ll spend time drawing, mark-making, and painting in a supportive and welcoming environment.
This isn’t about perfection or performance—it’s about presence. It’s about stepping away from the noise and giving yourself the gift of creative freedom, all while enjoying great food, coastal views, and the comfort of a warm hotel bed at the end of each day.
What to Expect from Your Art Retreat in North Devon
This weekend art retreat has been carefully designed to blend creative exploration with gentle discovery and is perfect for anyone looking for a more mindful holiday with an artistic twist. Food lovers and coastal explorers, in particular, will enjoy the perfect balance of structured artistic guidance and restorative downtime here on the beautiful North Devon coast.
You’ll develop your ability to see light and composition in new ways, capture movement and mood, and express your own emotional response to the North Devon landscape.
The retreat is carefully designed to balance indoor studio time with outdoor inspiration. You’ll explore Ilfracombe’s coastal paths and harbour views, observing the interplay of light and tide while learning how to translate these experiences into visual language. There will also be time to rest, reflect, and enjoy the company of like-minded guests. Each day builds on the last, guiding you from initial observations and sketches to a completed acrylic painting on canvas.
Day-by-Day Overview:
This art retreat in North Devon takes place from Friday, 26th September to Monday, 29th September 2025.
- Day One: Arrive at The Carlton, settle in, and enjoy a welcome dinner of locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients lovingly prepared by our chefs.
- Day Two: Begin your creative journey with hands-on mark-making in the studio and sketching outdoors.
- Day Three: Dive deeper into composition and colour memory. Use watercolours or pastels to plan your final artwork and start developing your chosen scene.
- Day Four: Bring everything together as you create your final acrylic piece on canvas.
Whether you come alone or with a friend, this is an enriching, supportive environment where you can lose yourself in the process and come away with something that’s truly your own and a reminder of your art retreat weekend in North Devon.
During your relaxing weekend retreat, you’ll experiment with different materials like pencil, pen, liquid charcoal, oil pastels, and watercolours. You’ll take sketching walks outdoors, observing how light, tide, and landscape inform your work. You’ll learn about colour theory through creative palettes such as the Zorn palette and Frida Kahlo’s vivid colour world. And finally, you’ll create a finished acrylic-on-canvas piece that you can take away with you as a memento of your experience.
Each day starts with a nourishing breakfast in Brasserie before you head off on a short walk to the studio in central Ilfracombe. The day ends back at the hotel as you enjoy a chef-prepared meal made from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Evenings are your own to relax and reflect, be that alone in contemplation or sharing a cocktail in Ilfracombe with newfound artistic friends on the same Devon art break.
Is This Creative Retreat in Ilfracombe Right for You?
Whether you’ve never really embraced your creative side or you regularly paint in your spare time, this creative retreat is designed to be welcoming, inspiring, and completely accessible. You don’t need any formal art training or advanced skills to take part; simply bring your curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to explore your artistic calling.
There is no pressure to create a masterpiece, so rest easy and focus on the mindfulness of the activity. You’ll be guided by an experienced tutor who will be on hand to support you through each stage, from playful mark-making to producing your final canvas. The emphasis is on observation, exploration, and the joy of creative discovery. This is not about perfection.
This artistic retreat is ideal for solo travellers or couples looking for a restful, enriching weekend that combines creative expression with natural beauty and outdoor exploration. If you’re someone who finds joy in walking, sketching, sea views, connecting with like-minded people, and appreciating good food, you’ll feel right at home on our art retreat in North Devon.
What’s Included in Your Art Retreat in North Devon?
This creative getaway includes a three-night stay at The Carlton Hotel in Ilfracombe, with breakfast and dinner included, and expert tuition and guidance by a local art expert. All equipment is also supplied, including materials and aprons.
If you have favourite brushes or your own equipment that you would rather use, please feel free to bring them. We recommend that you please dress for the weather, so pack sun-hats and sunscreen, woolly hats and fingerless gloves, waterproof clothing and sensible shoes for the beach or slippery conditions, because it can get chilly on the North Devon coast.
We also recommend you bring a mobile phone or a camera to assist in your referencing.
About the Tutor
Jane Perrin is a multi-media artist, originally from the North East coast of Scotland. She moved to Ilfracombe straight from Glasgow School of Art, where she studied fine art. Always an impatient painter, she turned to photography as her hand struggled to keep up with the ever-changing light. Photography soon became a full-time career and passion for Jane, and she achieved Fellowship with the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) and Associateship with the Royal Photographic Society (RPS)
Ilfracombe has been Jane’s home for 40 years, where she lives with her husband Carl, a born and bred local. Together, they share six children, all of whom have now found their own way in life.
Maturity has brought her some patience, and the coastline provides her inspiration. Jane’s art is mostly described as bringing happiness and joy. Colour is everything to Jane and she works in mixed media, enjoying pen and ink, watercolour, acrylic, oils, printing and photography. Her studio is open to the public, where she displays her work and runs classes for all abilities.
Book Your Creative Holiday in North Devon
So, if you’re longing to escape the hustle and gift your mind with some much-needed downtime, perhaps an art retreat in North Devon is exactly what you need.
Dates: Friday, 26th September to Monday, 29th September 2025
Cost: £679 based on a three-night stay, with bed, breakfast and dinner included. Price is for two people sharing a double- or twin-bedded room, assuming one art workshop participant.
Additional nights can be booked for £70pppn.
Upgrade to a Queen or King room from £25pppn.
Please call us on 01271 862446 to book your creative getaway or email eliot@ilfracombecarlton.co.uk for further information and to discuss pricing variations, for example, a different room type or two art workshop participants per room.