In 2022, master artists, Alan McGowan, Ginny Elston , Jonathan Schearer and Edna Dapo gave detailed artist talks and informative painting demonstrations, as well as your host, Gena Brodie Robbins. 2023 and future artist retreats will also highlight some of these artists, and will have a few new artists demonstrate and give workshops of equal caliber.

Gena Brodie Robbins, your host, will show you how to make the best of a limited palette, how to set up your en plein air easel for success when painting the grounds at Brodie Castle and othe off-site locations. Brodie is an expressive mark maker, but has been trained classically, and can help you to reach your creative goals while at the artist retreat at Brodie Castle. Brodie will also be facilitating a demo at Hopeman Beach showing you captivating techniques of how to quickly document your surroundings. Brodie will be giving critiques upon request, both in group and individual settings.

Contemporary painter and colorist, Ginny Elston will give you a new perspective on color approaches and explain how to apply color properties into your work while creating in the stables at Brodie Castle. A master colorist, Ginny can answer any questions you may have pertaining to color and composition and inspire you to think outside the box when using both contemporary and traditional approaches to color out on location or in the studio.

National Portrait Society of London Award Winner, Alan McGowen, will be giving an exciting artist talk and demonstration at Brodie castle on capturing the essence of the posed figure using a a live model which will be available for you to also use at the Brodie Castle Stables. Alan has been published in multiple publications and is one of the best figurative painters in the world. Enjoy simply watching Jonathan paint and learn from his informative techniques, or actively participate in painting the live model as well.

Award winning landscape painter, Jonathan Schearer, will demonstrate how to paint on-site, along the Moray Coast, showing you just how he sets up his en plein air palette to make the best use of your time out on location and how to economically use strokes of color to capture the sense of place. Jonathan paints in an expressive manner capturing the true essence of the Scottish landscape, tapping into the sounds and senses of his immediate surroundings.

Contemporary portrait and figure painter, Edna Dapo will be teaching you how to capture the historical portrait, just as the artists would have painted the posed portrait, during the Brodie Castle’s days of glory in the 1600’s. Dapo will also be out on location with us during her stay at Brodie Castle Sat - Tuesday. Dapo will also be facilitating critiques in both group and individual settings during her few days at the castle..

In the evenings, at the Brodie Castle Stables Art Studio and at various times throughout the day, one-on-one and group critiques will be available.