The Art Academy

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 arti

st Claire Frances Smith (40+ years experience), we focus on fundamental skills like colour mixing, brushwork, and composition.

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.

26/12/2025

8 Thursday evenings for complete beginners. A materials pack included, every technique demonstrated step-by-step.

You’ll paint simple landscapes and florals using acrylics and oils. No experience needed.

Starting 22nd January at Great Witchingham Village Hall, 6-8pm. £299

Link in bio for full dates and booking.

What a way to end the year! Our Festive Art Fair was such a success! our Members Studio artists displayed their work bea...
24/12/2025

What a way to end the year! Our Festive Art Fair was such a success! our Members Studio artists displayed their work beautifully and together we raised £506 for Alzheimer’s Research UK, which feels really special.

Watching everyone set up their work and chat with visitors reminded me why I love what we do here. Seeing artists take the step from “I’m just learning” to confidently displaying and selling work is one of my favourite things.

As we head into 2026, I’m looking forward to welcoming a new group of complete beginners on our Thursday evening course in January, continuing our Members Studio sessions (which just keep getting better), and adding lots more online lessons to the collection we’ve already launched.

I hope you’re finding time to paint over the festive period, even if it’s just half an hour with a cup of tea while everyone else is watching telly!

Claire x

11/12/2025

🖼️🎄Festive Art Market – Sunday 14th December

We’re really excited for the weekend! There will be something for everyone - landscapes, abstract, contemporary and traditional artwork.

It will be lovely to see you there:
📍 Great Witchingham Village Hall, Lenwade
🕐 11am - 3pm
🎟️ FREE entry & parking
🎁 Original paintings, prints & cards – perfect for gifts or treating yourself!

Plus, all refreshment purchases support Alzheimer’s Research UK 💜

Let us know in the comments if you’ll be popping along 👏

🖼️🎄Festive Art Market – Sunday 14th December We’re really excited for the weekend so we’re giving you a sneak preview of...
09/12/2025

🖼️🎄Festive Art Market – Sunday 14th December

We’re really excited for the weekend so we’re giving you a sneak preview of some of the artwork that will be available on the day 👏 swipe to see 👉

There will be something for everyone - landscapes, abstract, contemporary and traditional artwork.

It will be lovely to see you there:
📍 Great Witchingham Village Hall, Lenwade
🕐 11am - 3pm
🎟️ FREE entry & parking
🎁 Original paintings, prints & cards – perfect for gifts or treating yourself!

Plus, all refreshment purchases support Alzheimer’s Research UK 💜

Let us know in the comments if you’ll be popping along 👏

🎨✨ Festive Art Market – Sunday 14th DecemberSwipe to meet just some of our talented Members Studio artists and see the b...
19/11/2025

🎨✨ Festive Art Market – Sunday 14th December

Swipe to meet just some of our talented Members Studio artists and see the beautiful work they’ll be selling! From sweeping Norfolk landscapes to vibrant abstracts, there’s something for everyone.

Join us for an afternoon of art, community, and seasonal cheer:
📍 Great Witchingham Village Hall, Lenwade
🕐 11am - 3pm
🎟️ FREE entry & parking
🎁 Original paintings, prints & cards – perfect for gifts or treating yourself!

Plus, all refreshment purchases support Alzheimer’s Research UK 💜

Whether you’re an art lover or looking for unique gifts, come browse, chat with our artists, and take home something truly special.

We hope to see you there! 🎄Let us know in the comments if you’ll be popping along 👏

In my weekly Members Studio workshops, I share painting techniques through live demonstrations, showing you the methods ...
10/11/2025

In my weekly Members Studio workshops, I share painting techniques through live demonstrations, showing you the methods I use in my own work. You also have time to apply these skills to your own paintings. Last week I really enjoyed hosting a completely sold-out session where we painted ‘Misty Autumn Fields’. Here’s what we have lined up for November and December:

13th Nov - City Scene, Acrylic
Capture reflections on wet pavement, create atmospheric perspective with mist and buildings and use dramatic lighting to bring energy to a contemporary cityscape.

20th Nov - Dramatic Peak District Landscape, Oils - can be done in Acrylic
We’ll be painting a powerful winter landscape with dramatic storm clouds rolling over snow-dusted fields. This session will focus on creating mood and atmosphere, capturing the contrast between dark skies and bright snow and working with a limited palette to achieve impact. ONLY 6 SPACES LEFT

27th Nov - Little Robin, Oils - can be done in Acrylic
This session will focus on building up soft layers in oils, capturing fine details like feathers and texture and creating a peaceful, wintry atmosphere that makes this iconic seasonal subject so loveable.

4th Dec - Autumn Trees, Acrylic - can be done in Oils
We’ll be painting a sunlit autumn woodland path with vibrant foliage in rich golds, oranges and greens. We’ll capture dappled light filtering through the trees, create depth, and bring that magical autumn atmosphere to life.

If you like the look of some of the sessions, then you can simply book online as membership is free and currently open. You do not have to commit to a set number of sessions - just choose which you like: https://the-art-academy.co.uk/members-studio-book/p/individualsession

13/10/2025

Introduction to Gouache Painting with me at Jarrolds - Tuesday 14th October, 5.30-8pm

I’m really excited to be working with and again to paint ‘Birch Trees In Autumn’ using gouache paints.

The great thing is you get a goody bag worth £60 which has all the materials that you need which you can then take home with you!

It’s such a fun evening and I break everything down step-by-step so it’s suitable for everyone!

Book with Jarrolds via the link in the bio or comments.

🖼️ The Artist’s Letter ✉️ I’ve spent my summer putting together my new monthly fine art print club and I really hope you...
01/10/2025

🖼️ The Artist’s Letter ✉️

I’ve spent my summer putting together my new monthly fine art print club and I really hope you like it!

I wanted to find a way to share my paintings with as many people as possible and bring back that feeling of being excited about receiving a letter in the post!

For £7 per month (£10 if you are in the US or Europe) including shipping, I will send you a luxury A5 giclee print of one of my paintings and a personally written and signed letter from me, all packaged up like a little art treat! I also send you a free bonus print in your birthday month because I think birthdays should be special!

To get October’s print ‘Autumn Arriving’ posted to you then just sign up by 15th October https://www.clairefrancessmithfineart.co.uk/printclub

I really hope you’ll become one of my penpals, I wonder how far across the world my prints will go?! Let me know in the comments if you sign up where in the world you are!

Take a look at the process our Members Studio artists went through to paint reflections using oil paints.Dappled light, ...
13/08/2025

Take a look at the process our Members Studio artists went through to paint reflections using oil paints.

Dappled light, areas of shade and clean, soft edges all come together to create a version of what we see when we are drawn to reflections on the water.

We think it’s a particularly satisfying process…especially clip 4!

Swipe to the end see a mini gallery of just some of the results!

Have you tried painting reflections? How did you find it?

Address

Norwich

Opening Hours

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

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