Textile retreat 3rd-8th august 2025
Cloth: A Textile Retreat with Matthew Harris
3rd- 8th August 2025
Court House Farm and Gardens, Portishead, somerset, UK
summary
Join renowned textile artist Matthew Harris for six inspiring days of creative exploration. Enjoy expert tuition, hands-on making, and time to pause, with nourishing food and thoughtful conversations throughout at Court House Farm and Gardens.
Your retreat includes:
• Five nights’ accommodation in a beautiful historic manor
• Chef-prepared meals and refreshments, locally sourced where possible
• Inspiring talks, creative workshops, and expert guidance
• Visits to local places of interest and moments of calm in the gardens
Prices from £1950 (see full pricing below).
about the retreat
Join renowned textile artist Matthew Harris for a deeply inspiring 5-night creative retreat in the historic setting of Court House Farm, Portishead, Somerset. This immersive workshop-led retreat invites you to explore drawing, mark-making, and textile construction through playful and experimental processes. With expert guidance, chef-prepared meals, and time to relax among likeminded creatives, this retreat is designed to spark new ideas and bring joy to your creative practice- new or established.
Cost / Booking Details
This is a 5-night/ 6 day residential retreat
Date: 3rd–8th August 2025
Pricing (Residential)
£2550 – Own ensuite room SOLD OUT
£1950 - Own ensuite in off-site Annex (a recently renovated Victorian property just over the road) (3 left)
£2350 – Own room, shared bathroom (1 room left)
£2150 – Shared twin room
Contact us for details if you wish to bring a non-participating partner.
Deposit: £500 (non-refundable)
Balance due: 6 weeks before the retreat
Payment: By Bank Transfer or PayPal (PayPal fees apply)
All course fees are non-refundable unless we cancel, in which case full refunds or alternate dates will be offered. see more Terms & Conditions
If you’re traveling from abroad or wish to arrive early/stay longer, please reach out to discuss arrangements.
About Court House Farm
Court House Farm is a unique and inspiring setting for creative retreats in Somerset. Nestled in the coastal town of Portishead, just outside Bristol, this beautifully restored estate is a peaceful place to slow down and make art.
At its heart are two historic manor houses — one medieval, one Tudor — surrounded by abundant gardens, a small flower farm, and quiet corners to pause and reflect. Around them, a cluster of characterful farm buildings has been thoughtfully reimagined as creative spaces, from ancient stone barns to our beautifully converted cowshed (now cow-free and ready for making, not mucking!).
Just beyond our gates, you’ll find Portishead’s friendly high street, a scenic marina, and breath-taking coastal paths with some of the finest sunsets in Somerset.
During your stay, we may take a light-hearted trip to Clevedon, our nearby seaside town, home to the famous Clevedon Pier — one of the prettiest in England. And of course, expect plenty of flowers, thoughtful details, and space to breathe.
For more about Court House Farm — including our accommodation, gardens, and past retreats — explore the rest of our website. We’d love to share this special place with you.
What’s Included
Accommodation in a stunning medieval manor (1300sAD) or adjoining Tudor Manor house (1500sAD) the opportunity to stay in a beautifully renovated country house, steeped in history
Fully catered, chef prepared meals: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner with selected wines and all refreshments.
Expert teaching from Matthew Harris including talks, workshops and guided studio time
Daily guided mindfulness sessions / low key yoga! (optional)
Inspiring and engaging talk from History of Art professional
Flower Picking and Arranging in our beautiful flower garden
Fulfilling conversation with likeminded individuals
Visit from a textile trader bringing mouth-watering vintage textiles to purchase from her expeditions in France.
A local visit to a nearby cultural spot, Brunels suspension bridge, and / or the nearby Clevedon Pier- the prettiest in England!
Time to potter to the shops or walk to the nearby Marina or estuary to see the beautiful sunsets.
creative Itinerary
‘To Cut On Fold
To ….. To….. To ….. To ….. To ….. To ….. To ….. To….. To ….. ?’
Adventures in drawing and making for textiles
“Play continues to be a big factor in my studio, because that’s how one allows oneself to move in directions which one could not have foreseen.” — Richard Serra
Matthew’s workshops focus on adventurous, playful ways to generate visual and tactile inspiration for textiles. You will explore processes such as drawing, painting, stencilling, collage, and more to create a library of visual material inspired by observation and Serra’s verb list.
Day 1 — Drawing & Gathering
Immersive observational drawing exercises using line, shape, colour, pattern, and texture to gather visual material.
Days 2–4 — Response & Development
Playful experimentation with Serra’s verbs — roll, crease, stretch, knot, etc. — to manipulate both visual imagery and fabric. Techniques include stitching, appliqué, construction, and deconstruction.
Day 5 — Show & Tell
Final morning session to share your work, photograph your creations in the beautiful setting, and say farewells.
About Matthew Harris
Matthew Harris creates works in both paper and cloth, employing painting, cutting, and hand-stitching techniques. His improvisational process transforms observational drawings into layered, tactile textile pieces.
He has exhibited widely across the UK, Europe, the US, and Japan. His work is held in the Crafts Council Collection, the Whitworth Museum, the International Quilt Museum (Nebraska), and more. Notable projects include Scorched for the Bristol Beacon Concert Hall and Field Notes, a collaboration with composer Howard Skempton.
Matthew lives and works in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Learn more and visit Matthews website
