Our Painting Classes in Action
Where Turner found the finest skies in Europe, you will find your own masterpiece waiting on the canvas.
The Isle of Thanet occupies Kent's north-eastern tip, a broad chalk peninsula bounded by the sea on three sides and separated from the mainland by the ancient Wantsum Channel, now silted to farmland. The district encompasses three distinctive seaside towns — Margate, Broadstairs, and Ramsgate — each with its own character and loyal following. Margate's dramatic renewal around the Turner Contemporary gallery has transformed the town from faded resort to cultural destination, its Georgian crescents and Victorian seafront architecture finding new life alongside independent shops and restaurants in the Old Town. Broadstairs retains the intimate charm that drew Charles Dickens to write David Copperfield here, its seven sandy bays and annual Folk Week creating a genteel atmosphere worlds apart from the typical English seaside. Ramsgate boasts the only Royal Harbour in the country, a testament to George IV's fondness for the town, and its Regency architecture rivals anything on the south coast. Between the towns, chalk cliffs and sweeping farmland create a landscape of enormous skies and shimmering coastal light that has captivated artists for over two centuries.
Thanet's artistic credentials are anchored by J.M.W. Turner himself, who declared the skies over Margate the loveliest in all Europe. He visited repeatedly throughout his life, lodging with his landlady Mrs Booth and producing some of his most luminous seascapes from the harbour and clifftops. The Turner Contemporary gallery, designed by David Chipperfield and opened in 2011 on the site of Turner's lodgings, has become one of the most significant contemporary art spaces outside London, drawing major international exhibitions. Tracey Emin, born and raised in Margate, has maintained a deep connection to the town, and her work frequently references its landscapes and light. The Thanet coast has nurtured a thriving community of working artists, with open studio events revealing painters, printmakers, and sculptors working in converted seafront buildings and railway arches. Broadstairs' Dickens connections bring literary and visual arts together each June during the annual Dickens Festival, while Ramsgate's Addington Street galleries showcase local and regional talent year-round.
Living beside some of England's most paintable coastline, Thanet residents watch the light change across the sea every single day — golden mornings over the North Foreland, dramatic sunsets behind Reculver Towers, winter storms lashing the harbour walls. A Bob Ross painting class takes that instinctive appreciation of colour and atmosphere and puts a brush in your hand. The wet-on-wet oil technique captures exactly the kind of soft, luminous skies and layered landscapes that define the Thanet coast, making it feel remarkably natural from the very first stroke. With our Whitstable studio just a short drive along the coast, it is the perfect creative day out without the hassle of a long journey — you could be home in time for fish and chips on the seafront.
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.
Thanet has one of the richest artistic histories of any corner of England, primarily because J.M.W. Turner spent his formative years in Margate and declared the skies over the North Sea the finest he had ever seen. That quality of light — the way it shifts between silver and gold, between storm and clarity, over the chalk coast and open sea — is still exactly as Turner described it. In our Bob Ross classes you will learn to paint this distinctive coastal light using the wet-on-wet technique, a method that's ideally suited to capturing the luminous, atmospheric skies of the Thanet coast. You will build cloud formations using a large brush loaded with Titanium White and grey, work the sea with horizontal fan brush strokes that suggest movement and depth, and bring in the white chalk cliffs with the palette knife — one of the most satisfying moments in any coastal painting. Participants from Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs often take home paintings that feel like a direct tribute to the Turner tradition.
Distance: Approximately 18 miles • Drive time: 25-30 minutes
From Thanet, the A299 Thanet Way provides a fast, direct route westbound to Whitstable. From Margate, join the A28 south to Birchington and pick up the A299; from Broadstairs or Ramsgate, the A256 connects to the A299 at Minster. The dual carriageway runs through open farmland with views across the marshes, reaching Whitstable in around 25 to 30 minutes. Seasalter Christian Centre is on Faversham Road on the eastern approach to Whitstable, so you will reach it just before the town centre. By train, services from Margate run along the coast through Herne Bay to Whitstable in approximately 30 minutes. Broadstairs and Ramsgate passengers can change at Margate or travel via Canterbury for a slightly longer but comfortable journey.
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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