Our Painting Classes in Action
Chichester's cathedral city elegance meets the joy of Bob Ross painting in an unforgettable creative day.
Chichester is an elegant cathedral city whose street plan still follows the grid laid out by the Romans nearly two thousand years ago. The four principal streets radiate from the ornate Market Cross at the city centre, and the magnificent Chichester Cathedral, founded in 1075, dominates the skyline with its distinctive spire — the only medieval cathedral spire visible from the sea in England. The city sits on the coastal plain between the South Downs and the sea, with Chichester Harbour to the south providing outstanding sailing waters and rich birdlife. The Festival Theatre, established by Sir Laurence Olivier in 1962, maintains an international reputation, while Pallant House Gallery holds one of the finest collections of modern British art outside London. The ancient city walls provide a pleasant walking route around the historic core, passing Bishop's Palace Gardens and the remnants of a Norman motte.
Chichester punches well above its weight in the visual arts. Pallant House Gallery is internationally recognised for its collection of twentieth-century British art, including major works by Henry Moore, Graham Sutherland, and Peter Blake. The gallery is housed in a beautifully restored Queen Anne townhouse with a contemporary extension. Chichester Cathedral itself contains significant artworks including a painting by Graham Sutherland, a tapestry by John Piper, and a window by Marc Chagall. The Oxmarket Gallery in the city centre and Candida Stevens Gallery provide additional exhibition space. The Chichester Art Trail opens private studios across the city each year, and the nearby Cass Sculpture Foundation at Goodwood showcases monumental contemporary sculpture in a woodland setting.
Chichester residents live in a city where art is embedded in everyday life, from the cathedral's treasures to Pallant House's modern masterpieces. A Bob Ross painting class appeals to people from Chichester because it brings art-making into their own hands rather than simply observing it in galleries. The structured, step-by-step approach means no prior experience is needed, which encourages those who have admired art their whole lives but never tried creating it. Participants from Chichester often find the wet-on-wet landscape technique particularly satisfying, as it mirrors the soft, luminous quality of the Sussex coastal plain light they know so well.
Whether you are a complete beginner or have some painting experience, Mark’s classes are designed to be relaxing, fun, and rewarding. You’ll go home with a finished oil painting you can be proud of. View upcoming class dates or try an online tutorial from the comfort of home.
Chichester occupies a position of extraordinary painterly richness — the Cathedral spire rising above the flat coastal plain visible from miles in every direction, Chichester Harbour to the south with its tidal channels, sailing boats, and sea light, and the South Downs rising steeply to the north. Turner painted Chichester Cathedral twice, finding in its pale stone spire rising above the harbour a composition of lasting beauty. In our Bob Ross classes you will learn the techniques that make harbour and cathedral landscape accessible — building a sky that sets off an architectural silhouette, painting tidal water with the characteristic shimmer that distinguishes Chichester Harbour, and establishing the gentle contours of downland behind. The wet-on-wet technique handles the quality of light on the Sussex coastal plain particularly well: that bright, clear illumination that comes from the wide skies and proximity of the sea. Participants from Chichester often recognise something of their home city's distinctive light in the painting they take home.
Distance: Approximately 115 miles • Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes
From Chichester, take the A27 east toward Arundel and continue past Worthing to Brighton. At Brighton, join the A23 north to the M23, then the M25 eastbound. Leave the M25 at junction 3 for the M20 eastbound, passing Maidstone, and continue to the A2 toward Canterbury. Exit onto the A2990 and A299 for Whitstable. The distance is approximately 115 miles, taking around 2 hours 15 minutes. A slightly shorter but slower alternative is to take the A286 north from Chichester to the A272, heading east through Petworth and Haywards Heath before joining the M23. By train, Southern Railway runs from Chichester to Brighton in under an hour, with onward connections to Ashford International and Whitstable.
Venue: Seasalter Christian Centre, Faversham Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 4AX
To book call: 07736 204 441
Join Mark’s next Bob Ross oil painting class. No experience needed — just bring yourself and a packed lunch. All materials provided.
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