From the historic founding of the Royal Academy in 1768, when Angelica Kauffmann played a pivotal role as one of its first female members, to the globally celebrated sculptures of Barbara Hepworth, women artists based in Britain have consistently shaped the course of art history with some of the world's most extraordinary works.
In this engaging two-day course with Dr. Jan Cox, we delve into the lives and legacies of ground-breaking female artists. We begin with the Victorian pioneers: Lady Elizabeth Butler, known for her powerful depictions of military life, and Julia Margaret Cameron, whose evocative photography redefined portraiture. Moving into the twentieth century, we explore the works of iconic artists like Dora Carrington, the enigmatic painter and designer, Evelyn Dunbar, a celebrated war artist, and Dame Laura Knight, whose vibrant portrayals of the human form brought her international acclaim. This course highlights the diverse and transformative contributions these women made to the art world, illuminating their remarkable creativity and resilience.
Set in the peaceful Somerset countryside near Wincanton, Holbrook Manor is a graceful Georgian house combining heritage, comfort, and tranquillity. Its elegant architecture and landscaped gardens create a calm, inspiring setting, while cosy bedrooms and freshly prepared home-cooked meals ensure a relaxing stay. Guests can also enjoy complimentary use of the indoor pool, spa bath, sauna, and steam room.
With its serene atmosphere and warm hospitality, Holbrook Manor is the perfect place to learn, connect, and unwind.
The course runs from dinner on the first day (16th March) until lunch on the last day (18th March)
Prices (per-person)
Residential (Single Occupancy - En-suite): £590
Residential (Shared Occupancy - En-suite): £470
Non-resident: £320
*Bathroom is shared with just one other room.
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Dr Jan D. Cox received a first-class honours degree from Oxford Brookes University, where he was awarded the Jeanne Sheehy Memorial Prize. An MA from Bristol was followed by a PhD at Leeds investigating the impact of Nordic art in Europe in the 1880s. He has delivered conference papers in Britain, Scandinavia, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Germany and Canada.
Click here to find out more about Jan Cox and his other available courses
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Nestled in the Somerset countryside near Wincanton, Holbrook Manor is a charming Georgian house offering comfort, calm, and character — ideal for residential courses and retreats. With elegant rooms, home-cooked meals, and access to the indoor pool, spa bath, sauna, and steam room, it’s the perfect place to learn, relax, and recharge.
The venue has plenty of free parking, accessible course rooms and some accessible bedrooms. There are also a few bedrooms which are dog friendly.
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You can book either as a resident or as a non-resident student for this course.
RESIDENT (Single occupancy)
Each booking includes one place on the course plus bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and refreshments at break times (tea/coffee etc.) for the duration of the course.RESIDENT (Shared occupancy) [Double or Twin]*
Each booking includes one place on the course plus bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and refreshments at break times (tea/coffee etc.) for the duration of the course.*Rooms are for 2 people sharing only. Each guest staying must book one of these tickets.
NON-RESIDENT
Includes one place on the course plus lunch and refreshments at break times (tea/coffee etc.) for the duration of the course.
If, as a non-resident student, you wish to join the group for breakfast or dinner on any of the days then this can be arranged and charged separately. Simply send a request, no later than 2 weeks before the course start date, to info@neighbourhoodlearning.com -
The luxurious bedrooms at Pennard House are either doubles or twins. All of them are either en-suite except for one which has a private bathroom that can be booked at a reduced rate. There are two additional rooms which share a bathroom that can also be booked at a reduced rate.
All rooms come with towels included.
Rooms are allocated on a first come, first served basis. We will of course always try to accommodate requests where possible!
Check in is from 09:00 on the day of arrival
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Please note: The following timings are just for guidance. Confirmed timings will be released to students nearer the course start date.
DAY ONE
The course will have a first session from 20:00 - 21:00, after dinner on the first day.DAY TWO
The second day will begin from 09:30 and run with lunch and refreshment breaks until 16:30. There will be another after-dinner session from 20:00 - 21:00.DAY THREE
Our final day will run though from 09:30 until 13:00, at which point the course will finish with lunch. -
A pen and paper might be handy if you wish to make notes and an open mind!
