Loose & Free: Landscapes
with Daniel Butterworth
24-27 June 2027
2 days tuition | Acrylic | All levels
A dynamic two-day landscape painting retreat with acclaimed Australian artist Daniel Butterworth, exploring composition, light, colour, atmosphere and a freer, more expressive approach to painting.
Residential retreat at Greenhills Art Centre, Western Australian Wheatbelt
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2 Days Tuition
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Acrylic Painting
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Landscape
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All Levels Welcome
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Residential Retreat
Loose & Free: Landscape
Join Daniel Butterworth for two immersive days exploring a fresh, expressive approach to landscape painting.
Daniel’s landscapes are bold, immediate and full of energy. Rather than becoming caught up in detail, he encourages painters to respond to the bigger picture — considering shape, light, tone, composition, colour and the overall feeling of the scene.
Through demonstrations, discussion and individual guidance, Daniel will share the thinking and techniques behind his approach while encouraging you to work more freely and make stronger, more confident decisions.
This retreat is designed to help you simplify what you see, loosen your brushwork and develop a more personal response to the landscape.
Whether you are new to landscape painting or already experienced, Daniel’s teaching offers an opportunity to step away from overworking and discover a more direct, intuitive way of painting.
During the retreat you’ll explore
Simplifying the Landscape
Learn how to reduce a complex scene into stronger shapes, values and relationships rather than trying to paint every detail.
Composition
Explore how cropping, placement and the balance of shapes can create a stronger and more compelling painting.
Light & Tone
Develop a clearer understanding of tonal relationships and how light can be used to create depth, atmosphere and focus.
Colour
Experiment with colour more intuitively and discover how colour choices can strengthen mood and expression.
Expressive Brushwork
Move away from overly careful marks and develop a looser, more immediate way of applying paint.
Atmosphere
Explore ways to suggest distance, weather, light and mood without relying on excessive detail.
Loosening Up
Learn practical ways to avoid overworking and keep your paintings fresh, spontaneous and alive.
Developing Your Own Response
Daniel will encourage you to interpret the landscape in your own way rather than simply copying what is in front of you.
Your Retreat Schedule
Thursday 24 June
Arrive at Greenhills from 4pm, settle into your room and meet Daniel and your fellow participants before dinner.
Friday 25 June
Landscape — Day One
A full day of tuition, demonstrations and individual guidance with Daniel.
Saturday 26 June
Landscape — Day Two
Continue developing your paintings with Daniel’s guidance, building confidence and exploring a freer approach to landscape painting.
Sunday 27 June
Breakfast followed by departure.
Want the full Daniel Butterworth Experience?
Stay for both Retreats
Daniel will also be teaching Loose & Free: Portrait & Figure immediately before the Landscape retreat.
Arrive on Monday 21 June and stay through to Sunday 27 June for the complete experience:
6 nights at Greenhills
4 days tuition with Daniel
2 days Portrait & Figure
2 days Landscape
A free studio day between workshops
All meals and accommodation
21–27 June 2027
Thursday becomes a relaxed studio day between the two workshops — continue working on your portrait paintings, paint independently, explore Greenhills or simply enjoy some quiet time before the Landscape session begins.
VIEW THE PORTRAIT & FIGURE RETREAT
About Daniel Butterworth
Daniel Butterworth is an acclaimed Australian painter known for his bold, expressive approach across portraiture and figurative work and landscape painting.
A finalist in both the Archibald Prize and the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Daniel has developed a distinctive body of work characterised by energetic brushwork, strong colour, immediacy and an unconventional approach to the painted surface.
Born in 1973, Daniel came from a family that supported the arts and later studied Fine Arts at La Trobe University. His background also includes working as a signwriter, an experience that helped shape his practical and direct approach to materials and painting.
Daniel frequently explores portraiture and the figure, creating work that is at once highly personal, expressive and unmistakably contemporary.
Alongside his studio practice, Daniel is an experienced teacher whose workshops encourage painters to break away from overly controlled methods and approach painting with greater freedom, confidence and individuality.
His teaching is generous, energetic and highly individual, with demonstrations and one-to-one guidance throughout the workshop.
Follow Daniel
Keep up with Daniel's work, workshops and painting practice:
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Meet Daniel
Watch Daniel's painting process
The Greenhills Experience - More than a workshop
A retreat at Greenhills is designed to give you something difficult to find in everyday life — uninterrupted time to paint.
Your stay includes comfortable private accommodation in our historic homestead, all meals, morning and afternoon tea, tuition with Daniel and access to our large dedicated art studio.
With no daily travel, cooking or household distractions, your time can simply revolve around painting, learning, sharing meals and enjoying the company of a small group of fellow artists.
There is also time in the evenings to continue painting, talk about art or simply relax and enjoy the quiet Wheatbelt surroundings.
Your retreat includes:
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private accommodation at Greenhills
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all meals
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morning and afternoon tea
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two full days of tuition with Daniel
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generous access to the studio
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evening conversations and time with fellow artists
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airport transfers where applicable
Who should attend?
This retreat is suitable for painters of all experience levels.
You do not need to be an experienced landscape painter.
Daniel’s teaching is highly individual, so participants can work at a level appropriate to their own experience while exploring new ways of seeing and interpreting the landscape.
The retreat will particularly suit artists who would like to develop a freer and more expressive painting style, simplify complex landscape scenes, strengthen composition and tonal relationships, gain confidence with colour and brushwork, create a stronger sense of light and atmosphere, and move away from tight or overly controlled painting.
Materials
This retreat will be taught in acrylic and encourages a practical, uncomplicated approach to painting materials.
A complete materials list will be provided to participants before the retreat.
You are welcome to bring familiar brushes and materials that you already enjoy using.
Your retreat
$1590 per person — private room
Price includes GST
A 20% deposit secures your place. Monthly payment plans are available by prior arrangement. The full balance is due eight weeks before the retreat.
Your retreat includes two full days of tuition with Daniel, three nights' private accommodation at Greenhills, all meals, studio access and the full residential retreat experience.
Payment plans available
Prefer to spread the cost? Monthly payment options are available. Contact us for details.
Coming with a friend?
Save 10% each when sharing one of our limited twin rooms.
Independent Stay option
For participants staying nearby or travelling in their own caravan/motorhome, a limited number of non-residential places may be available.
Contact us for availability and pricing.
Spend Two Days Painting with Daniel Butterworth
Two days of tuition.
A small group.
No everyday distractions.
Just painting, conversation, good food and the opportunity to explore landscape painting with one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary painters.
24–27 June 2027
Places are limited.
Stay for Both Daniel Butterworth Retreats
Why stop after two days?
Combine Portrait & Figure with Daniel’s Landscape Retreat and spend six nights immersed in painting at Greenhills.
21–27 June 2027
4 days tuition
Portrait & Figure + Landscape
6 nights accommodation
All meals
Free studio day between workshops
$2980 per person
Price includes GST
Book Your Greenhills Retreat
Complete the form below and we'll send your deposit invoice to secure your place.