Croft Holidays as an Art and Photography Venue

Croft Holidays is set in a fantastic location for you to be able to pursue art and photography,  with spectacular views from the house as well as in surrounding areas within the Cairngorms National Park. All times of year offer their own appeal, from the summer with its purple hues, to the gold of autumn and the great winter light with frosty ice formations.

Anne is an amateur artist so the cottages are illustrated with some of her own and other people's art, mainly pastel and acrylic landscapes, as well as canvas prints of some of Ian's landscape photographs. Anne in interested in a wide variety of art from landscape to sculptural viruses to glass work, and has both landscapes and fused dichroic glass pendants available for sale, while Ian is interested in portraying the emotion of  landscape.

What is there to paint and photograph?

Ø       Scenery. The cottages are in the Cairngorms National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. There is thus plentiful material in terms of mountain and river scenery to paint, draw or photograph. Croft Holidays has outstanding views to the Cairngorm massif and also to the Monadhliath immediately behind the cottage. In summer there is a wild flower meadow containing a wide range of flowers from daisies to lupins.

Ø       Animals. Croft Holidays is located in a crofting area so there are lots of sheep! There are often horses kept in the field opposite and Highland cattle in the area.  The Scottish Highland wildlife park at Kincraig in only 5 miles away with a wide variety of indigenous and tundra animals from Scottish wildcats to tigers, wolves, and bison. Further afield Aviemore has reindeer and sled dogs.

Ø       Abstract. The area is peaceful and quiet to allow you to follow your own thoughts and dreams. It is also extremely colourful for development of work which reflects the local colour in the landscape.

What art resources are available at Croft Holidays?

Ø       Advice on suitable locations for drawing or photography.

Ø       Stable cottage has a non-slip lino floor and large table so is ideal for painting inside.

Ø       There is a large full height easel and a table top easel that can be borrowed.

Ø       Reference books covering art and photographic techniques as well as individual artists and photographers can be borrowed on payment of a refundable deposit. Please ask for these in advance so we can arrange this for you.

Ø       An art box containing a selection of art materials (paint, pastels, paper etc) will be available to hire.

Ø       Glass kiln. We have a new Skutt Firebox 14 glass fusing kiln and aim to start glass fusing tutorials for 2 or more people from Easter at £45 pp for 2 ½ hours, making 2 items each.

If this is not enough there are art exhibitions locally to inspire you. These are arranged by Creative Cairngorms,  http://www.creativecairngorms.co.uk/  and also by the Iona Gallery which is now run by the Society of Badenoch and Strathspey Artists.