Drawing & Stitch Retreat

The retreat

Your time at the Manor

Day by day

• Dates 4–7 September 2025 · 4 days / 3 nights
• Skill level All levels welcome

This creative retreat, led by artist Janet Haigh, is designed to draw inspiration from the rich and artisan surroundings of Court House Farm — from the vibrant flowers in the garden to carefully curated still lifes within the historic house.

Over the course of the retreat, you’ll be guided on a personal and creative journey — beginning with observational drawing and culminating in a unique, customised giclée print to take home.

Using a mix of group demonstrations, individual tutorials, and supportive “show and tell” sessions, you’ll explore how to translate initial sketches into richly layered textile responses using appliqué, stitch, and embellishment. You’ll also leave with a personal sketchbook — a beautiful and meaningful record of your creative development throughout the retreat.

What you’ll do

•  Welcome introduction from Janet Haigh
•  The story of Court House Farm and its gardens
•  Drawing around the house and garden
•  Janet introduces her own materials and creative methods
•  You’ll begin sketching, exploring your own style while incorporating new tools or techniques
•  “Show and Tell” group session to reflect on early sketches
•  One-to-one tutorials to discuss individual directions
•  Introduction of props and accessories (e.g. fabrics, backgrounds, ornaments, vases)
•  Start creating still life setups or formal compositions to draw from
•  Experiment with new media and mixed materials
•  Explore sources of inspiration: photographs, magazine cuttings, text, fabric swatches, and colour studies
•  Begin stitching or layering, working toward your final outcome
•  Final group sharing session to present work and reflect
•  Time to photograph your finished pieces