Alan Brain Art Studio-Gallery ~ Paintings and Art Tuition

Alan Brain's studio-gallery sits just outside New Milton, tucked away from the main drag. It's a working artist's space where you can watch paintings actually being made - not some sterile white-cube setup, but a proper creative environment with canvases stacked about and the smell of oil paint that tells you someone actually works here.

The work on display leans towards contemporary painting, and Brain clearly knows his craft. If you're into art, it's worth an hour of your time. You can browse at your own pace, ask questions about technique, and there's genuine conversation to be had rather than the usual gallery distance. Kids might find it interesting for twenty minutes, but unless they're already sketching themselves, don't expect them to linger.

What makes this worthwhile is that it's also an active tuition space. If you're staying at one of the Hoburne parks nearby - Naish is barely half a mile away - and you fancy a painting lesson or two, this is exactly the kind of local spot that makes a holiday feel less like box-ticking and more like actual experience. Phone ahead to check opening times and what's currently on the go; these working studios can keep odd hours depending on what Brain's tackling in the studio.

Not a major tick-the-box attraction. But genuinely useful if you want to get off the holiday park for a couple of hours and do something with a bit of substance.