Our vision
Being an artist requires us to find our voice and express our uniqueness and individuality.
Who we are
Creative Art Courses is an independent art studio in central Manchester proud to offer a wide range of courses in drawing, painting, mixed media, life drawing, and creativity.
Established
The studio was established in 2010 by lead tutor Brian Raymond. The studio has grown and flourished since then, supporting a wide range of students of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and interests.
Adult Learning focus
Creative Art Courses is proud to be a part of the Adult Community Education sector supporting continued learning through all our life stages.
Youth + Children
Youth and Children’s classes nurture children with age-appropriate teaching to suit children’s ongoing motor and cognitive development, while recognising their awesome creative dexterity.
Why choose us?
The vision for Creative Art Courses is of an art studio where everyone (of all abilities, backgrounds, ages) can come and be nurtured while learning and being creative in a safe and supportive studio environment.
Student focused learning
Students’ creative ideas and individuality is valued and listened to. Tutors encourage, support, guide, inspire, lead and allow creative freedom. Teaching offers an individual creative experience.
Structured teaching
Focused and structured teaching allows students to learn the technical skills and creativity they need to develop and grow as creative artists. Equally, students have time to explore and nurture the quiet voice of their creative spirits that will encourage their unique artistic vision to be witnessed.
Love art
Students are supported to improve their practical skills and understanding of the language of art.
Achieve your creative dreams
Courses, Classes, and Workshops enable students to grow towards becoming the visual artist they dream of becoming. Students’ diversity and individuality is passionately supported and celebrated – from absolute-beginners starting out in the arts to experienced artists regularly exhibiting their work.
Teaching is passionate, dynamic, ambitious, creative, underpinned with a knowledge of pedagogy, rigorous – and with a sense of humour is able to engage and challenge students. All students are well supported to be able to progress towards achieving their creative dreams.
Teaching is designed to guide students towards reaching their goal
of being a creative confident independent artist.
Courses and workshops cover 4-key areas to support students to develop into well-rounded creative artists – whether for their own enjoyment or with ambitions to exhibit and sell work.
Courses can be attended in a mix-and-match fashion that fits with available time. Those courses designated as Levels 1 or Level 2 ask students to self-assess their existing knowledge and skills, or ask students to have attended previous courses. This is to ensure students have the underpinning knowledge and skills and are ready to progress to the next level. This is stated on the course pages.
A Creative Art Studio
As a creative art studio, teaching is steeped in the Modernist and Expressionist traditions that puts the artist’s voice at the centre of creativity. Expressionism has been embraced by a wide range of Modernist artists throughout the 20th century and contemporary artists today.
With a foundation in empirical observation and drawing skills, choosing to follow the Expressionist tradition gives artists the opportunity to exploit the qualities of the materials they choose to use and discover unique styles with which to express themselves.
We are not a Realist art school
We don’t follow a Classical Realist tradition in the style of the traditional academy or ‘atelier’ that tend to train artists within a specific style of working, or narrowly follow the Photorealist style.
Courses focus on 4 aspects of being an artist
Perception + observation
Master the technical challenges of seeing, and drawing with accuracy
Materials + techniques
Explore a wide variety of materials to develop a vibrant visual language
Visual dynamics
Understand the dynamics behind image-making design and composition
Creativity + self-expression
Nurture your creativity to develop your own artistic style and vision
Courses are designed to teach Technical skills and Creativity
Think about it!
Technical skill on its own, is not the pot of gold you hope to find at the end of the rainbow.
Learning how to make satisfying, personal and expressive artwork – probably is.
