Join the annual West Dean College Summer School (25 July to 14 August) and spend time learning a new skill, or enhancing an existing one. This year's Summer School programme will feature 28 creative art and craft courses, including 10 brand new courses. Develop your artistic skills while enjoying the beautiful flint faced Grade II* West Dean College, set in the heart of the outsta nding West Sussex countryside and close to the historic city of Chichester, well-known for its culture, beautiful beaches and harbours and South Downs walks.

Summer Schools are taught by professional tutors, all experts in their field. Each week includes tutor talks, swap-over sessions to other courses, an afternoon of organised visits to local art venues, an optional evening at the Chichester Festival Theatre, yoga, a party with entertainment and music on the last night and delicious home cooked food.

West Dean offers accommodation (including some superior rooms in the main building, a brick and flint faced country mansion), a steward's bar and a dining room both of which open onto the courtyard on summer evenings. Summer School students can also enjoy exploring the world-renowned, restored West Dean Gardens, take a dip in the open air swimming pool, or enjoy a spot of croquet on the lawns. The majority of courses are suitable for all levels of interest and experience, with one or two specifically aimed at either beginners or advanced students.

Week One 25 - 31 July

Experimental drawing. Mix mark-making techniques and innovative use of materials to produce large pieces, artists' books and sculpture with Freya Pocklington (£689 Suitable for all).

Oil painting water landscapes NEW. Water is a fascinating subject for a landscape painter. Learn to represent fluid and still water, working both outside and in the studio with Tom Benjamin (£675 Suitable for all).

Letterpress and relief printmaking. Combine image and text as you try printing with a press, by hand and relief printmaking. Tutor to be confirmed (£730 Suitable for all). Enamelling - traditional and contemporary techniques. Gain the confidence to make individual pieces of jewellery or silver with Joan Mackarell (£675 Suitable for all).

Sculpting in metals. Experience a variety of metalworking techniques to design and complete a three-dimensional sculpture with Mike Savage (£757 Suitable for all).

Exploring porcelain - form and surface. Explore the plastic nature of porcelain clay as you make forms inspired by manmade and natural surfaces. Use moulding, throwing and then mark-making with Jack Doherty (£777 Intermediate/Advanced).

Exploration in stone - stone carving. Learn to carve a variety of stone, as well as the use of tools, design and finishing processes with Paul Haughney (£675 Suitable for all).

Textile translations - creative felt making for textile art NEW. Create textile art using traditional felt making. Explore the nuno-felt process, colour, dyeing and overlaying to make a large work or themed set with Liz Clay (£685 Suitable for all).

Explore hand embroidery - the emotion of stitch. Discover a variety of hand embroidery stitches, three-dimensional stitching, attaching non-traditional materials and more with James Hunting (£711 Suitable for all).

Week Two 1-7 August

Painting the nude: context and process NEW. Develop an engaging study, using studio exercises and historical context with George Popesco (£741 Suitable for all).

Flotsam and jetsam: painting the lost and found NEW. Enhance your fine detail watercolour painting taking inspiration from the shoreline. Learn dry brush technique, texture and composition with Suzanne Balchin (£675 Suitable for all).

Woodcut printing inspired by West Dean. With an emphasis on cutting techniques and inking learn to print by hand and with a press with Merlyn Chesterman and Rod Nelson (£706 Suitable for all). Silversmithing - create vessels and sculptural jewellery. Work on individual projects and discover techniques, including sheet metal, raising, soldering and press forming with Abigail Brown (£675 Suitable for all).

Sculptural carving in wood. Using simple carving methods you will be encouraged to bring your ideas to life with Alex Jones (£675 Suitable for all). Animal sculpture - wire, scrim and paper clay NEW. Build graceful animal sculptures, consider anatomy and play with texture to highlight contours and details with Felicity Lloyd-Coombes (£775 Suitable for all).

Digital print design for textiles NEW. Use Adobe Photoshop to create unique designs based on photographs and leave with designs ready to send off for printing on fabric. Computer competence is essential. Tutor Emma Burton (£715 Beginner/Intermediate).

Dynamic textile printing. Explore a range of silkscreen print processes, including dye-pastes, pigment, resists, mark-making and colouring with Dawn Dupree (£675 Suitable for all).

Explore tapestry weaving. Gain an understanding of weaving techniques including circles and texture. Make a selection of woven samples with Caron Penney (£705 Beginners/Intermediate).

Week three 8-14 August

Painting in the Spring Gardens NEW. Develop a personal approach working with watercolour, drawing and painting both in the studio and around the Spring Gardens with Christine Forbes (£675 Suitable for all).

Printmaking with lino. Learn technical skills and experiment with various printmaking methods with Dale Devereux Barker (£711 Suitable for all). Explore fibre art and basketry. Combine basket making, textile art and sculpture while working with a range and basketry techniques. Develop these to make individual sculptural or woven objects with Tim Johnson (£711 Suitable for all).

Create your own jewellery - an individual approach. Gain skills and develop a personal style for your jewellery. Incorporate found objects and other unusual materials with Sarah Macrae (£675 Suitable for all).

Creative photography. Discover light, composition, lens use and camera settings with Roy Matthews (£717 Suitable for all).

Exploring sculptural themes - figure, landscape, abstract NEW. Using a variety of materials and exercises be inspired to express ideas and forms with Jon Edgar (£735 Suitable for all).

Machine embroidered animals in three dimensions NEW. Create a small three-dimensional embroidered animal, learn how to use water dissolvable fabric and manipulate stich with Lindsay Taylor (£675 Intermediate).

Teachers Bursary

West Dean College offers a 50% discount for teachers on the Summer School. Teachers interested in taking up this offer should call the Bookings Office on 0844 4994408 or email [email protected] with the name of their school, college or university and their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of courses as places cannot be guaranteed until two weeks prior to the start date of each course, and are subject to availability.

To be eligible for this offer you must be working as a teacher or teaching assistant in a primary school, or as a teacher, technician or teaching assistant in an art or technology department in a secondary school, college or university.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Courses include all lunches and dinners. For more information about Short Courses at West Dean and to browse the digital brochure visit www.westdean.org.uk. First time bookings receive a 10% discount (telephone bookings only call 02143 818300).

A teacher's bursary is available for Summer Schools. Teachers interested in taking up this offer should call the Bookings Office on 0844 4994408 or email [email protected] with the name of their school, college or university and their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of courses as places cannot be guaranteed until 16 July and are subject to availability.

To be eligible for this offer you must be working as a teacher or teaching assistant in a primary school, or as a teacher, technician or teaching assistant in an art or technology department in a secondary school, college or university.

ACCOMMODATION AT WEST DEAN

Wake up to beautiful views over the Sussex Downs in the stately splendour of a country mansion. The bedrooms are a mixture of contemporary and traditional styling. From £240 per person.

For more information about Short Courses at West Dean and to browse the digital brochure visit www.westdean.org.uk. First time bookings receive a 10% discount (telephone bookings only call +44 (0)2143 818300).

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Notes to editors

• West Dean College is part of The Edward James Foundation which also comprises West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and the West Dean Tapestry Studio. Charity No. 1126084.
• The award winning Gardens are open from 1 February - 20 December with special event days throughout the year; Annual House Opening (9 & 10 May), Design and Craft Fair (19 - 21 June), 20
• th Anniversary Chilli Fiesta (7 - 9 August), Half Term Halloween activities (26 - 31 October) and Father Christmas visits (12 & 13 and 19 & 20 December).
• All photography is free to use for editorial purposes.
• Any journalist interested in visiting the Gardens, attending a course or an event for news or review purposes or filming at West Dean should contact the Media Relations Team.
• West Dean College is situated on the A286, six miles north of Chichester and within easy access of Portsmouth, Guildford, Brighton and London.