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The Art Academy Fine Art Painting Courses
Build Your Painting Skills | Realise Your Art Style | Sell Your Art

Norfolk's friendly art school for adults, helping you discover your creative potential through painting. What we offer:
🎨 Weekly Members Studio - Paint alongside fellow artists with Claire's guidance
🎨 Painting Workshops - Weekend masterclasses and one-day sessions for all levels
🎨 Special Events - Paint-along evenings, residential weekends, and location painting trips
Founded by professional artist Claire Frances Smith (40+ years experience), we focus on fundamental skills like colour mixing, brushwork, and composition.

🌸 Fabulous Flowers starts next week!Over four Wednesdays in October, we’ll be exploring flowers in acrylics, looking at ...
29/09/2026

🌸 Fabulous Flowers starts next week!

Over four Wednesdays in October, we’ll be exploring flowers in acrylics, looking at colour, shape and structure and how to turn natural forms into expressive paintings.

I’ll take you through guided drawing and paint-along exercises, including ways to simplify petals and leaves, before giving you time to develop your paintings in your own style with plenty of support along the way.

You don’t need lots of painting experience to join us. The course is suitable for complete beginners, improvers and more experienced artists, and all your materials are included.

🎨 Fabulous Flowers: 4-week acrylic painting course

📅 Wednesdays 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th October

⏰ 10.30am–12.30pm OR 2pm–4pm

📍 Claire Frances Smith Gallery & Workshop Pensthorpe

🎨 All materials + refreshments included
£220 | £198 concession rate*

Places are available to book now via the website.

*Concession available to Pensthorpe Members, Creative Chiro clients and Art Academy Members.

My Little Birds painting course starts at Pensthorpe on the 9th September 🐦🎨 Over four weeks, I’ll guide you through dra...
01/09/2026

My Little Birds painting course starts at Pensthorpe on the 9th September 🐦🎨

Over four weeks, I’ll guide you through drawing and painting these lovely little birds in acrylics, looking at their shapes, markings, colour and character along the way.

The course is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced painters, and all materials are included, so you can just come along and enjoy the painting.

📍 Pensthorpe , Norfolk
📅 Starts Wednesday 9 Sep
🕙 Morning and afternoon sessions available

Spaces are limited, so if you’d like to join me, you can book here; https://www.clairefrancessmithfineart.co.uk/painting-at-pensthorpe/p/littlebirds


31/08/2026

Would you love to paint but don’t know where to start? It’s nearly time for the beginning of our new painting courses with lots of instruction, demonstration and support from experienced artist and tutor Claire Frances Smith at The Art Academy Pensthorpe. It’s a time to relax and enjoy some time for yourself whilst learning a new skill and looking at the beauty of nature in a new light. No need to be nervous, these sessions are great for beginners or those who have dabbled with painting but would like some structured tuition to move forward.

06/02/2026

This is just the beginning of our 8 week course for those starting out with oils and acrylics. The learners have already made some stunning artwork and surprised themselves. Such a lovely, positive group. If you are a bit nervous but always wanted to learn to paint in a supportive and non-judgemental class, head to our website and let us know, so you can be the first to find out when the next Beginners Course starts after Easter. Start your new beginning...

06/02/2026

Treat yourself to a day of creative fun in this guided painting workshop. Suitable for those with a little experience, the painting will be demonstrated for you to follow on a large screen with clear visuals. Materials provided if its your first session with us. Booking is essential via our website.

02/02/2026

A quick look at the beautiful work created last week at our "Stormy Skies" guided workshop.
Such a lovely day watching all those colourful storms appearing using brushes and rags. If you missed this one check out our other sessions available to book from our website.

Address

Norwich

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 4:30pm

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