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An Introduction to Painting in Watercolours
with Gretta Barkley
Friday April 10th to Monday April 13th 2026
Enjoy a weekend in France with Gretta Barclay, the inspirational Watercolour artist who so impressed King Charles he wrote the foreword to her beautiful Hedgerow Calendar and whose botanically inspired gifts have been sold in some of Britain’s most revered shops, including Liberties and Harrods.
Relax & Enjoy
Stay in a delightful 13th century Priory, the home of Paula Dormer for the past nine years and Superhost on Airbnb. Le Prieuré Pressigny sits perched on the edge of a beautiful 10,000 year old river valley in the heart of woods in a beautiful rural corner of Nouvelle Aquitaine close to Poitiers.
Choose your course from one of six offered in 2026, run by Katya Lebedev, RHS Ivy Cultivar Registrar and Specialist Nursery owner..
Accommodation, meals and drinks provided, vegans and special dietary requirements catered for.
Limited to ten participants. Partners not participating in the course are welcome.
Itinerary
Friday
Arrive Friday from 4p.m. Afternoon tea on arrival.
Settle into your rooms, meet the other participants, enjoy a swim if weather permits, explore the garden!
7p.m. Dinner with Gretta. After dinner drinks and an introduction to the course from Gretta.
Saturday
8.30 am Breakfast
9.15 am Morning session
10.45 am Coffee and biscuits.
12.30 am Lunch break
2pm to 5.30pm Afternoon session
4.30 Tea and cake
7pm Drinks and canapés followed by a four course dinner.
Sunday
8.30 am Breakfast
9.15 am Morning session
10.45 am Coffee and biscuits.
12.30 am Lunch break
2pm to 5.30pm Afternoon session
4.30 Tea and cake
7pm Drinks and canapés followed by a four course dinner.
Monday
8.30am Breakfast
Guests leave after breakfast
Meals are prepared by your hostess, using many of the plants, fruits and herbs grown in the Priory garden or available from Plantes d’Avenir, a local nursery specialising in organically raised unusual plants.
Prices
Participant :Euros 950, 50% deposit on booking, 50% 30 days prior to the commencement date.
Non-participating partner or friend (sharing bedroom with participant). Euros 350
The cost does not include travel but we can pick you up from Poitiers where there are high speed trains to Paris, Lille and other destinations that connect to Europe and the UK as well as Poitiers Airport connecting to Stansted)
**Guests may stay on for extra nights by arrangement. Bed and breakfast is Euros 140. Dinner is Euros 65 and Lunch Euros 35) Please contact Paula if you would like to stay for additional nights before or after the course. (Whatsapp+33674045315).
Gretta Barkley
Imagine a little girl, light , pretty, brunette.
She wanders along a country lane,attracted by the green hedge teeming with wildlife.
From butterflies to dragonflies, from hawthorn blossom to wild roses, the colors and smells awaken her senses.
She stops, crosses the small space separating the road from the abundant wildlife and picks flowers and berries from the hedge. She carefully carries them home to her room and places them in a jar on her table.
She dips her brush in water, looks carefully at her subject, mixes her colours and begins to paint.
At fifteen, Gretta passed her "Advanced Level Art" exam (equivalent to the baccalaureate).
Attending the Vocational Graphics and Fine Art Pre- Diploma course at Colchester School of Artl, she developed her skills in graphic design and fine art while pursuing her passion for watercolour.
London attracted her and she began to illustrate children's books.
Gretta then moved to the wild coast of Scotland where, for a year, she immersed herself in capturing beautiful landscapes on canvas as well as the native flora.
Always passionate about the countryside and Britain's most beautiful counties, Gretta spent time in Suffolk and Devon, where Sanderson, the iconic British wallpaper and fabrics company, asked her to produce a collection based on hedges.
There followed a calendar, "A Season in a Hedgerow ", which caught the attention of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, now King Charles, who wrote the foreword.
Like many artists Gretta was drawn to the South of France by the clarity of light She stayed there for five years and then spent time painting in the Welsh mountains before settling in Devon.
Using her wonderful artistic skills Gretta developed her business skills and started a stationery and gift business using her beautiful botanical paintings and incorporating bygone perfumery labels on the cards and merchandise she sold.
Her designs sold in Harrods, Liberty and at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Her business rapidly developed internationally.
Having retired to France, Gretta is delighted to share with you her love of watercolour painting and to help you develop in the medium. The weekend course is the perfect introduction and Gretta will supply all the materials to start you on your way to mastering the art!
