Holidays@CasaAna
Mixed Media Painting Holiday with Annabel Keatley
In this Mixed Media holiday you can learn how to translate your landscape drawings and sketches into vibrant mixed media acrylic and collage works. Annabel will guide you on the journey from confidently recording what you see and love in nature to working more abstractly with colour and self-expression in the studio. In this course you will have a lot of fun creating colourful and meaningful paintings with Annabel, who has been practising and teaching this method to painters of all levels for many years.
Next holidays:
6 - 12 February 2027
We have chosen these dates in February because winter is over in the Alpujarra; the almond blossom is looking its absolute best; and to paint in these Spring landscapes is really inspiring.
“We loved the way the course was structured, so that we felt a sense of achievement from Day 1… We enjoyed every single minute of our time at Casa Ana.”
— KATHERINE AND STEVEN
About the Holiday
For over 25 years Annabel has exhibited her paintings and taught workshops to all ages and levels as far afield as Russia, India and Jamaica as well as Spain and the UK.
Her love of colour and texture has led her over 35 years to experiment widely with different approaches and media to achieve variety of colour, depth and interest in her work.
“On this popular course we’ll use primarily acrylic paints and watercolour. We will learn how to use sketches as a starting point for mixed media paintings and collage as a way of bringing interest and experimentation into the work. We’ll focus on the landscape of the Alpujarra, colour mixing and harmony, strong composition, mark making, and creating different textures. Printmaking techniques, working with pastels and creating different surfaces to work on will all be explored.”
Annabel will encourage you to discover your own way of painting and develop intuition and confidence whilst having fun with the process and freeing yourself up.
This is an inspiring and diverse course which will really get you seeing and thinking differently. It’s suitable for all levels and contains a lot of practices you can easily continue with at home. It’s especially good for people who want to paint more but feel stuck, or want to develop a painting practice at home and have felt overwhelmed. For artists who are blocked and for beginners who are curious!
Programme Summary
Saturday
Evening: welcome drinks followed by dinner
Sunday
Morning: warming up exercises with watercolour - a refresher on techniques, materials and sketchbook practice.
Afternoon: walk around the village with sketchbooks and to view point. Juan and his donkey will transport materials.
Monday
Morning: introduction to Acrylics - colour mixing and harmony.
Afternoon: Exercises to free up, create depth, texture and strong composition
Tuesday
Morning: collage- experiment with the gel plate and mono printing techniques. Create your own library of unique collage papers.
Lunch in Pampaneira with time beforehand for shopping
Afternoon: creation of an artist’s book.
Evening: slide show
Wednesday
Morning: making works combining your sketchbook inspiration, collage papers and acrylic painting
Afternoon: free time
Thursday
Morning: continuation and Finishing of works.
Afternoon: exhibition of works with constructive and supportive feedback
Evening: farewell dinner at Casa Ana
Friday
After breakfast, departures
—
NB. You are welcome to bring your own water based medium if you prefer not to use acrylic paint.
Prices and bookings, 2027
Contact info@casa-ana.com for 2026 prices.
Prices are given for single occupancy of a room, with private bathroom. Discounts available if you share a room (see below).
Single room with private bathroom €1,425
Standard double or twin room with private bathroom €1,525
Large double or twin room with private bathroom €1,625
The Garden Room (large double with private bathroom) €1,725
Included in the price: tuition, materials (Arches watercolour paper and watercolour set, drawing materials and paper, white gouache and fluid watercolours), transport to and from painting locations, six nights bed and breakfast, 5 lunches, 5 dinners with a glass of wine, teas and coffees, excursions.
Not included: Flights, airport transfers, one dinner, drinks on excursion days, and the flamenco demonstration. Not provided: sketchbook and watercolour brushes. Please bring your own.
Special discounts: €100 off the advertised price if you share a double or twin room. €50 off if you are willing to share a bathroom with one other person (standard and single rooms only).
Please note these discounts are subject to availability of rooms.
Further information and bookings
To make a booking, or for further information about Casa Ana or the painting holiday, please contact Tinca at info@casa-ana.com
“Annabel is incredibly kind and supportive, going above and beyond to foster a relaxed and inspiring environment. She encourages participants to progress at their own pace, never rushing or pressuring anyone. By the end of the workshop you feel empowered, inspired, and capable of creating beautiful art.”
— PEARL
Accommodation and Food
Casa Ana is known for its stylish and comfortable accommodation, fabulous vegetarian cooking and stunning views of the Trevelez river gorge and the mountains beyond.
““Casa Ana provided fantastic vegetarian meals, with homemade desserts that were beyond delicious, fantastic hearty healthy food, beautiful breakfast”
The House
Staying at Casa Ana is like staying at a private house, simple, comfortable and welcoming. A place where you can feel at home.
The old Alpujarra-style buildings are arranged around a Moorish courtyard garden, planted with wisteria and roses. A few steps through the garden take you to the terraces with breathtaking views along the valley and into the mountains.
In the bedrooms we’ve kept the original chestnut beams with white walls and terracotta floors, comfortable beds, quality linens and a scattering of rugs.
The bathrooms are modern with rain showers, huge mirrors and hand-made tiles inspired by the Moorish designs of the Alhambra. A large sitting room gives onto a shady terrace with superb mountain views.
The Architect-designed dining room and kitchen are open plan and welcoming, giving onto a secluded south-facing terrace. For winter warmth there is underfloor central heating throughout (even in the bathrooms) and a fireplace in the sitting room.
“Casa Ana is a perfect place to bring a small group, especially for walking, writing, or personal development – you can have the place to yourselves. The mix of indoor and outdoor spaces provides a conducive and pleasing environment for this kind of activity. If you bring a group of 6 or more, you can opt to have lunches and dinners included, as we did, and I highly recommend this.”
— LORRAINE
The Garden
Casa Ana was made for outdoor living. Everywhere rooms open onto the Moorish garden, the courtyard or the terraces.
There are big shady pergolas where you can relax with a glass of wine, or a cup of coffee and a good book and secluded sunny corners where you can soak up the Andalucian sun and do nothing at all. At night you can sit out, gaze at the stars and watch the moonrise over the mountains.
Everywhere there are panoramic views, the scent of jasmine and orange blossom, and maybe the sound of goatbells or a nightingale or the river far below.
It’s what makes Casa Ana special.
“The Casa itself is beautiful, and has been lovingly and sympathetically restored... Anne and the staff couldn’t possibly be any friendlier. The surroundings are also stunning.”
— LYNNE