Loose & Free: Portrait & Figure
with Daniel Butterworth
21–24 June 2027
2 days tuition | Acrylic | All levels
A dynamic two-day painting retreat with acclaimed Australian artist Daniel Butterworth, exploring portraiture and the figure through expressive brushwork, bold composition, colour and a freer, more instinctive approach to painting.
Residential retreat at Greenhills Art Centre, Western Australian Wheatbelt
-
2 Days Tuition
-
Acrylic Painting
-
Portrait & Figure
-
All Levels Welcome
-
Residential Retreat
Loose & Free: Portrait & Figure
Experience Daniel Butterworth’s fresh and unconventional approach to portrait and figurative painting during two immersive days at Greenhills Art Centre.
Daniel’s work is bold, immediate and expressive. Rather than becoming caught up in perfect likeness or overly careful detail, he encourages painters to look at the whole painting — considering shape, colour, tone, composition and the energy of the mark.
Through demonstrations, discussion and individual guidance, Daniel will share the thinking and techniques behind his distinctive approach while encouraging you to develop greater confidence and freedom in your own painting.
This retreat is designed to help you move beyond tightness and overworking, experiment more freely and discover new ways of interpreting the human face and figure.
Whether you are relatively new to portrait painting or already have experience, Daniel’s approach offers an opportunity to look at portraiture differently and develop a more direct, expressive way of working.
During the retreat you’ll explore
Seeing Beyond Likeness
Learn to look beyond simply copying a face and consider the shapes, relationships, colour and character that make a portrait compelling.
Composition
Explore how placement, scale and cropping can dramatically change the impact of a portrait or figurative painting.
Light & Tone
Develop a stronger understanding of tonal relationships and how light can be used to give the subject form, atmosphere and presence.
Colour
Experiment with colour more intuitively and discover how unexpected colour choices can bring energy and individuality to a painting.
Expressive Brushwork
Move away from overly careful marks and develop a more immediate, confident and physical way of applying paint.
Scale & Proportion
Explore the relationship between scale, proportion and expression, and how exaggeration or simplification can strengthen a painting.
Loosening Up
Learn practical ways to move past hesitation, perfectionism and overworking so that your paintings retain freshness and spontaneity.
Developing Your Own Response
Daniel will encourage you to take what you learn and apply it to your own way of seeing, rather than trying to simply reproduce his style.
Your Retreat Schedule
Monday 21 June
Arrive at Greenhills from 4pm, settle into your room and meet Daniel and your fellow participants before dinner.
Tuesday 22 June
Portrait & Figure — Day One
A full day of tuition, demonstrations and individual guidance with Daniel.
Wednesday 23 June
Portrait & Figure — Day Two
Continue developing your paintings with Daniel’s guidance, building confidence and exploring a freer approach to portrait and figurative work.
Thursday 24 June
Breakfast followed by departure.
Or stay on and join Daniel’s Landscape Retreat beginning later that day.
Want to Keep Painting?
Stay for Daniel’s Landscape Retreat
Daniel will also be teaching Loose & Free: Landscape immediately following the Portrait & Figure retreat.
Stay at Greenhills for the complete experience and enjoy:
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, except Friday dinner
21–27 June 2027
Participants staying for both workshops can enjoy Thursday as a slower studio day — continue working on paintings from the portrait retreat, paint independently, explore Greenhills & York or simply relax before the Landscape session begins.
About Daniel Butterworth
Daniel Butterworth is an acclaimed Australian painter known for his bold, expressive approach to portraiture and figurative 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
-
private accommodation at Greenhills
-
all meals
-
morning and afternoon tea
-
two full days of tuition with Daniel
-
generous access to the studio
-
evening conversations and time with fellow artists
-
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 portrait painter.
Daniel’s teaching is highly individual, so participants can work at a level appropriate to their own experience while exploring new ways of approaching portraiture and the figure.
The retreat will particularly suit artists who would like to:
develop a freer and more expressive painting style
move away from tight or overly controlled painting
gain confidence with portraiture and the figure
experiment with colour and mark-making
strengthen composition and tonal relationships
learn from Daniel’s distinctive and unconventional approach.
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
$1,590 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.
Coming with a friend?
Save 10% each when sharing one of our limited twin rooms.
Twin Share — $1,431 per person
Independent Stay
For participants who live locally or prefer to arrange their own nearby accommodation, a limited number of Independent Stay places are available, subject to availability.
You'll still join us for tuition, meals and refreshments at Greenhills, studio access and the social side of the retreat — you simply arrange your own accommodation or bring an approved self-contained caravan or motorhome.
Independent Stay — $1,230 per person
Price includes GST.
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 portraiture and the figure with one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary painters.
21–24 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 private accommodation
All meals and refreshments at Greenhills, except Friday dinner
Free studio day between workshops
$2,980 per person — private room
Price includes GST.
On Friday evening, the group will dine at Lake Kimberley Bar & Grill at Whitegum Farm. Friday dinner and drinks are at guests' own expense.
Book Your Greenhills Retreat
Complete the form below and we'll send your deposit invoice to secure your place.