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January 20-24, 2025
Join artist Anne Hebebrand for a week in beautiful Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico. Delve into the language of abstraction and explore how to create structure through the arranging of shapes, forms and color. This workshop is for beginners as well as more experienced students. Emphasis will be on helping you find techniques and design elements that work for you and are helpful once back home.
Anne is an engaged teacher and accomplished artist who fosters an environment where students can develop new skills, their personal voice and artistic sensibilities. She is passionate about helping her students on their creative journeys.
Any medium you would like to work with is great (oil, acrylic, gouache or collage).
Location: Todos Santos, Mexico
Instructor: Anne Hebebrand
Cost: $850
Website, email, 857-930-9849
February 18-26, 2025
Join our unique art workshop in South America and experience the stunning Caribbean coast from Puerto Colombia (Barranquilla) to Cartagena. Learn perspective drawing and the fundamentals of watercolors and taste the best of Colombian Caribbean food and culture. After an art class, try a "mojarra con arroz con coco" with a cold Colombian beer. Sketch on the beach, attend cooking demonstrations by local chefs, join a street food tour, and more. The price of CAD 3050 per person (around US$2250) includes eight-night double accommodation in well rated hotels, all ground transportation, all breakfasts, one lunch, two suppers, one street food tour, art instruction, cooking presentations, art supplies, and more. Single rooms available for CAD 810 (around US$ 600).
Location: Cartagena, Colombia
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$2250
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789
February 26 - March 7, 2025
Need to feed your creative soul? Fill it to the brim with creative transformation and fresh inspiration. We'll mix art class - watercolor, natural pigments, mixed media/collage - with carefully curated field trips in magical Oaxaca: a traditional Carnaval celebration featuring La Danza de Los Diabilitos (Dance of the Devils) the Tuesday before Lent begins, a massive Zapotec Sunday market, a studio visit with a master mask maker where we'll paint our own masks, a master alebrije (wooden carved figures) family studio, a papermaking studio using local natural fibers, a gorgeous art center housed in a renovated textile factory, and a guided street art walk in a hip barrio - all mixed in with art instruction and creative play time.
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
Instructor: Pedro Cruz Pacheco + Corrie McCluskey
Cost: $2595 (includes lodging)
Sponsor: Talismán Oaxaca / Oaxaca Dreams
Website, email, 707-327-2747
March 10-14, 2025
Join artist Anne Hebebrand for a week in beautiful Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico. Through the exploration of form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition, you will create a body of work that will continue to inspire you after the workshop. Broaden your artistic process through creative problem solving and give shape to new ideas. This workshop is for beginners as well as more experienced students.
Anne is an engaged teacher and accomplished artist who fosters an environment where students can develop new skills, their personal voice and artistic sensibilities. She is passionate about helping her students on their creative and artistic journeys.
Any medium you would like to work with is great (oil, acrylic, gouache or collage).
Location: Todos Santos, Mexico
Instructor: Anne Hebebrand
Cost: $850
Website, email, 857-930-9849
April 5-12, 2025
Join internationally renowned Sujata Shah with like-minded passionate quilters. Whether you are a seasoned quilter or a beginner, this retreat promises a journey of self-expression and artistic exploration. Enjoy a weeklong immersive stitching experience unlike any other. Set amidst the serene Béarnais countryside, an unknown part of SW France, with its rolling hills, vineyards and majestic Atlantic Pyrénées, this retreat offers the perfect environment to unwind, connect with nature, and unleash your creativity. This perfect soothing setting combined with focused expert instruction will give you long lasting joy and motivate you to undertake more ambitious quilted art works.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Sujata Shah
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $950 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
April 5-12, 2025
Amit Kapoor is a leading master of watercolor in India. Join us for a unique and exceptional watercolor painting workshop in Sicily with the Indian artist Amit Kapoor. It’s a beautiful opportunity for you to live and paint with a master artist in an authentic Sicilian farmhouse located just 500 m from the Mediterranean sea. Participants will learn Amit’s techniques and process to paint Plein-Air and in studio, how to be expressive with bold brush strokes and colourful palette. Limited single rooms for a supplement.
Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy
Instructor: Amit Kapoor
Cost: From € 2150
Sponsor: Salinara - Art Farm | Retreat Centre
Website, email
April 6-11, 2025
Discover Venice through the eye of an artist on this unique Watercolour Retreat. Immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere and picturesque beauty of the ancient city. 'La Serenissima', as Venice is also known, has inspired painters throughout centuries like no other place in the world. Watercolour artist and tutor John Skelcher will guide you through the processes and techniques of capturing the very essence of the Venetian grandeur with its winding canals and dreamy views across the lagoon. The are many quaint and tranquil spots, hidden away from the hustle and bustle, the perfect locations for and beginner and experienced artist alike for capturing the timeless charm of this magical city. Accommodation, tuition, breakfast and dinners, art materials incl.
Location: Venice, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From: € 2.150
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
April 11-16, 2025
Explore the magnificent Cinque Terre region on a fantastic artistic retreat. Monterosso al Mare is the perfect location for exploring the colourful buildings, coastal scene and atmospheric sunsets through the eye of an art, whilst soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the classic Italian ‘La dolce vita’ life-style, with relaxed meals and aperitivi. After your painting sessions, there is time to explore the coastal towns and walks, as well as relaxing on the beach. This retreat is a creative experience with a truly personal and luxurious touch.
Location: Cinque Terre, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: € 2.250
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4001
April 19-26, 2025
A Watercolor Painting Workshop with Anita Winter. Known all over the world for its beauty, Provence is the artist's dream destination. Anita Winter will lead a group of watercolor painters on this painting adventure. During the days, we will explore Luberon, and its spectacular countryside of vineyards and orchards, fascinating "perched" hill-top villages, outstanding natural produce and the light of Van Gogh and Cezanne. You will soon see why artists of all calibers are drawn to this alluring area.
Location: Bonnieux, Provence, France
Instructor: Anita Winter
Cost: $3,890
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000
April 19-26, 2025
Join Lucie Duclos for a fun week exploring the joys of mixed media. Immerse yourself in the amazing landscape of the majestic Pyrenees and create a series of postcards while exploring a variety of mixed media techniques. Discover new ways to create unique collage materials/fodder and experiment with painting, stamping, mark making, collaging, stencilling, printmaking, masking, drawing and stitching. Your postcard series will be like a travel journal, a way of observing and recording the colours, shapes, patterns and textures that shape our beautiful surroundings. The tone of this workshop is playful and experimental and is open to all levels, all you need is an open mind to explore and discover new horizons!
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Lucie Duclos
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $550 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
April 22-28, 2025
The artist’s book combines words and images in a structure that reinforces the ideas it contains. Inspired by our experiences in Italy, we fill books that will be a repository for our week together in Cortona. We will begin by talking about travel journals, documenting your experiences on this trip. We will integrate our imagery with handwritten text to design a book further develops the ideas. Whether traditional or contemporary, your book will be an expression of your own ideas, leaving ample room for experimentation and individual expression. Field trips to museums and outlying areas around Cortona will supplement our wanderings among the village itself, giving us ample inspiration for our books.
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Annie Cicale
Cost: From US$3,990.00 All-inclusive except airfare
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127
April 26 - May 2, 2025
At our core, we are all infinite creative beings and we all have a story to tell, yet often we allow our minds to get in the way of clearly channeling our truth. This is your invitation to explore the deep connection of yoga and movement as the means to tap into your innate creativity. Charee guides the group through Yoga practices that are suitable for all levels of experience. You will notice that by moving your body, stilling your mind, and letting go of the inner critic, and your creative spirit is unleashed.
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Charee Janelle
Cost: From US$3,649.00 All-inclusive except airfare
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127
May 7-14, 2025
Join Alyssa for a week of immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, and local color of the Tuscan landscape. Based in Beautiful Cortona, experience all the wonders Tuscany has to offer – the rolling countryside, picturesque hill towns, and breathtaking vistas through the eyes of the artist! With Alyssa’s guidance as a veteran plein-air painter and teaching artist who has spent the past two decades sharing her passion for travel and landscape painting throughout the US and Europe, this will be a week like no other! Get ready to improve your artistic knowledge, expand your creativity, build connections, and embed your experiences and memories of your Italian adventure in the beautiful artworks you create!
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Alyssa DeLaBruere
Cost: From US$3,990.00 All-inclusive except airfare
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127
May 12-17, 2025
Join us on our visits to the picturesque towns along the Amalfi coast, such as Positano and Sorrento. We'll stop at bottegas for tasting the world-famous local Limoncello, admiring the traditional local maiolica (ceramics) and treat ourselves to little breaks for aperitivi, fully indulging in the spirit of Italian life. Around every corner, there are views waiting to be captured, from coastal views to colourful buildings and little harbours. Stunning views across the Gulf of Naples from the terraces of the historic villa that is home to our retreat, are the perfect backdrop for our morning demonstrations, before heading out to explore the towns along the Amalfi Coast. Accommodation, half-board, tuition and all materials included.
Location: Sorrento, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: from € 2.350
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334903-4401
May 24-31, 2025
Chloe and Angela are known for their collaborative teaching, which brings together drawing and textile practice in innovative and inspiring ways. This is their second year at Atelier Clos Mirabel and this atelier is inspired by Matisse’s practice of ‘Drawing with Scissors’. It’s a week richly packed with their shared skills and knowledge in which you are encouraged to respond intuitively to the gardens and landscape of Atelier Clos Mirabel in colour, on paper and in textiles. Join Chloe & Angela, along with like-minded passionate makers, at this perfect soothing setting looking out towards the Atlantic Pyrenean mountain range.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Chloe Briggs & Angela Maddock
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £450 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
May 24-31, 2025
The Lake Como Experience - A Plein Air Watercolor Painting Workshop with Kathleen Lanzoni. Join us in Bellagio in 2025, as Kathleen Lanzoni takes a group of watercolor painters on this trip to northern Italy. During the week, this tour is designed to guide you to the finest spots along the shores of the picturesque Lake Como with its charming lakeside towns, its Renaissance architecture, Italian villas and terraced gardens. Daily we will plein air paint the beautiful towns, the lake scenes and the surrounding scenery. You will receive personal painting instruction each day. Whether you are a novice or experienced painter, this trip will be fun and an educational experience for all!
Location: Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy
Instructor: Kathleen Lanzoni
Cost: $3,990
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000
May 28 - June 4, 2025
Join Alison for a week of joyful exploration of Place, in the beautiful city of Cortona in the heart of Tuscany. In ancient squares, by fountains or in cafes, Alison will show you simple ways to capture buildings and include figures in your sketches. Overlooking vineyards and far off hills, we’ll explore how to simplify the scene to focus on important elements and create depth. Drawing and painting on loose pages rather than in a
watercolour journal, allows us to loosen up and have fun with experimental techniques and a variety of media.
We’ll work with watercolour, pen, ink, marker, on different papers, to create images, which we will curate into your personal concertina art book of your Cortona experience.
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Alison Watt
Cost: From US$3,850.00 All-inclusive except airfare
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127
May 30 - June 4, 2025
Explore the magnificent Cinque Terre region on a fantastic artistic retreat. Monterosso al Mare is the perfect location for exploring the colourful buildings, coastal scene and atmospheric sunsets through the eye of an art, whilst soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the classic Italian ‘La dolce vita’ life-style, with relaxed meals and aperitivi. After your painting sessions, there is time to explore the coastal towns and walks, as well as relaxing on the beach. This retreat is a creative experience with a truly personal and luxurious touch.
Location: Cinque Terre, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: € 2.250
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-3349034401
May 31 - June 7, 2025
A Sketchbook Journaling Workshop with Karen Ramsay. Widely considered one of the prettiest areas of Europe, the Italian Lakes were once a playground for nobility and royals, visible in the many palaces dotting the lake shores. We will be staying in the beautiful town of Bellagio, often called "the Pearl of Lake Como", situated by the foothills of the Swiss and Italian Alps. During the week, this tour is designed to guide you to the finest spots along the shores of the picturesque Lake Como with its charming lakeside towns, its Renaissance architecture, Italian villas and terraced gardens. The Italian Lakes region has a mesmerizing, timeless beauty where we will find endless inspiration to design, generate and create art.
Location: Bellagio, Italy
Instructor: Karen Ramsay
Cost: $3,990
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000
June 9-15, 2025
Join us on this fantastic art & gourmet sea-side retreat at the Riviera delle Palme, in the heart of Italy. We will spend six days creating beautiful watercolour paintings, capturing the infinite beauty of classic Italian scenes that surrounds us. We will be indulging in Italy’s delicious flavours & wines. Get hands on with truffle hunting and cooking and paint & sip in hill-side vineyards. Daily painting sessions, will take place in our studio, and there will be opportunities to make studies and paint on our excursions along the seaside, and to the countryside- and charming hill-top villages and towns.
Location: Riviera delle Palme, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From €2.400
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
June 10-19, 2025
A thought-provoking and inspirational art workshop open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Nine full days of plein air painting, art history/theory lectures, touring, and gastronomy in the most beautiful area of Tuscany. Our teaching approach and groups limited to eight participants allow us to offer personalized instruction and a stimulating environment that fosters creativity. Cost of CAD 4175 (around US$ 3050) includes instruction, 9-night single or double accommodation (limited single rooms available at no extra cost), all breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from and to the Arezzo train station, transportation to all painting sites (Montepulciano, Cortona, Pienza, etc.), train ticket to Florence, and a guided tour to the Uffizi Museum.
Location: Lucignano, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3050
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789
June 15-21, 2025
Join us on this fantastic Art & Wellness retreat at the beautiful sea-side at Italy’s Riviera delle Palme. We will spend six days painting, learning about the best ways to increase our creative brain and physical energy through the mediterranean diet brain-health focused exercises practicing beach Qui-Gong and Tai Chi. No Wellness retreat would be complete without a spa visit with reflexology of course. Deliciously healthy, fresh food is key to maintaining and improving creativity in all stages of live.We will get inspired by the infinite beauty of the classic Italian scenes that surround us from vineyards surrounded by ancient hill-top towns and panoramic coastal scenes. Here is all of Italy in magnificent panoramic views.
Location: Riviera delle Palme, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From €2.400
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
June 25 - July 6, 2025
A unique art workshop/art tour open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Seven days of plein-air painting, art history/theory lectures, and gastronomy in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence followed by four days visiting Barcelona’s top art sites and enjoying Catalan cuisine. The price of CAD 4700 per person (around US$ 3450) includes instruction, 11-night double accommodation, 11 breakfasts, 6 healthy lunches, 6 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from the Manosque train station to our lodge, transportation to all painting sites,TGV train ticket Avignon-Barcelona, transportation and entrance fees to all sites on schedule (Cézanne’s studio, La Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, Miró Museum, etc.). Limited single rooms for a supplement of CAD 875 (around US$ 650),
Location: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence & Barcelona, Spain
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3450
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789
June 25 - July 6, 2025
A unique art workshop/art tour open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Seven days of plein-air painting, art history/theory lectures, and gastronomy in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence followed by four days visiting Barcelona’s top art sites and enjoying Catalan cuisine. The price of CAD 4700 per person (around US$ 3450) includes instruction, 11-night double accommodation, 11 breakfasts, 6 healthy lunches, 6 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from the Manosque train station to our lodge, transportation to all painting sites, TGV train ticket Avignon-Barcelona, transportation and entrance fees to all sites on schedule (Cézanne’s studio, La Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, Miró Museum, etc.). Limited single rooms for a supplement of CAD 875 (around US$ 650).
Location: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence & Barcelona, France
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3450
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789
June 27 - July 2, 2025
Explore the magnificent Cinque Terre region on a fantastic artistic retreat. Monterosso al Mare is the perfect location for exploring the colourful buildings, coastal scene and atmospheric sunsets through the eye of an art, whilst soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the classic Italian ‘La dolce vita’ life-style, with relaxed meals and aperitivi. After your painting sessions, there is time to explore the coastal towns and walks, as well as relaxing on the beach. This retreat is a creative experience with a truly personal and luxurious touch.
Location: Cinque Terre, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: € 2.250
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334903-4401
July 12-18, 2025
All-inclusive oil painting retreat in stunning surrounding in the heart of the Italian countryside. Demonstrations, Art materials, excursions, cooking class, vineyard paint & sip, all meals (excl lunch excursion day), accommodation included.
Location: Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Instructor: John W. Skelcher
Cost: USD 2.500 single; Twin/Double USD 2.350 p.p.
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, 3349034401
July 19-26, 2025
Experience the beauty of South West France through the lens of Urban Sketching! Immerse yourself in the playful world of mixed media landscapes guided by Sketchbook artist Jenny Adam. This dynamic workshop with Jenny Adam offers a harmonious blend of techniques, allowing you to simplify nature’s complexity while infusing your artwork with texture, color, and emotion. We will work on location, discovering the landscapes and villages, but also make time for exploring art in the comfort of the atelier. Course Highlights include: Playful Drawing Techniques, Understanding Media Properties, and Exploratory Exercises.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Jenny Adam
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + 320€ tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
July 21-28, 2025
Many of the Dutch painters were influenced by the light in the flat countries. In July we will meet in Zwolle, the Netherlands. and the surrounding, which is in the province of Overijssel north-east of the Netherlands. Not only painting and sketching are in the program, but also stone carving, Monotype and print workshops, and exciting local stuff that a regular tourist won't be able to see or do, as Tali Lives here she is very involved in the "Arty" scene. will introduce you, to artists, places, landscapes, private gardens, and local homes. This all-inclusive art retreat boasts delicious meals, exclusive day trips, and lots of artmaking and PlainAir painting.
It will be a trip you won't forget.
Location: Zwolle, The Netherlands
Instructor: Tali Farchi
Cost: €3100 (early registration €2950)
Sponsor: Artist Table Tali Farchi
Website, email, +31 6 24903316
July 26 - August 1, 2025
All-inclusive inspirational painting, drawing & print-making retreat. Nestled amidst rolling hills, sunflower fields, vineyards and olive groves, there is an abundance of inspiration everywhere you look. Accommodation, all meals (excl one lunch on excursion day), demonstrations, all materials, excursions, cooking class, vineyard paint & sip included.
Location: Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Instructor: John W. Skelcher
Cost: USD 2.500 single; Twin/Double USD 2.300 p.p.
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +393349034401
August 2, 2025
This workshop will focus on working in abstraction while considering some basic fundamentals exploring composition, colour and expressive brushwork. This event is held at my Niagara-on-the-Lake studio. The studio is bright and spacious, and registration is limited to 10 people. Outdoor painting may be an option, weather permitting. In this workshop you will learn how to plan work as well as work intuitively to create a loose and confident painting which speaks to your unique style. No lugging of paints and materials! All GOLDEN Artist quality paints and mediums are included along with 16”x20” canvas. A healthy artisan lunch is included and all beverages. All participants will take home their abstract work along with an Artist Pack gift.
Location: Niagara, Canada
Instructor: Sandra Iafrate
Cost: $198
Website, email
August 16-23, 2025
Discover the Art of Paper Folding and 3D Construction with International Paper Artist Kate Colin. This course will consist of structured tuition combined with allocated time for guided exploration and development of personal projects which could be lighting, sculpture or functional pieces. This course is suitable for anyone interested in three-dimensional geometric form and working with paper as a base material. Suitable for all levels, students will be introduced to the basic principles of paper folding and learn all the necessary skills and techniques required to create a range of three-dimensional structures. There will also be a brief presentation about the history of paper folding and a review of some of its numerous contemporary applications.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Kate Colin
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £450 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
August 30 - September 6, 2025
Join Sherri Lynn Wood for a restorative week of abstract piecing at the beautiful Atelier Clos Mirabel in the French Pyrénées, designed to get you out of your head and into your hands and heart. Nurture a receptive approach to freestyle quilting where you become the conduit through which creativity and patterns flow and are expressed. Learn ruler-free piecing techniques and how to harness your rhythm of attention and emotional energy into shape, colour and pattern to tell the unfolding story of being you!
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Sherri Lynn Wood
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $750 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
August 31 - September 6, 2025
Join us on this fantastic Art & Wellness retreat at the beautiful sea-side at Italy’s Riviera delle Palme. We will spend six days painting, learning about the best ways to increase our creative brain and physical energy through the mediterranean diet brain-health focused exercises practicing beach Qui-Gong and Tai Chi. No Wellness retreat would be complete without a spa visit with reflexology of course. Deliciously healthy, fresh food is key to maintaining and improving creativity in all stages of live.We will get inspired by the infinite beauty of the classic Italian scenes that surround us from vineyards surrounded by ancient hill-top towns and panoramic coastal scenes. Here is all of Italy in magnificent panoramic views.
Location: Riviera delle Palme, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From €2.400
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
September 6-13, 2025
Throughout the week you will be introduced to the art of lino cut printmaking with Emily Robertson. Drawing inspiration from the luxuriant, natural environment of Clos Mirabel and its surrounds, Emily will guide you in the creation of your own lino cut prints. She will demonstrate the full lino printmaking process; drawing designs, carving & printing by hand. This course is suitable for any level of experience. You will be taught techniques that can easily be used for work you can create back home, as well as ways to improve the quality and even consistency of your prints.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Emily Robertson
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + 450€ tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
September 6-12, 2025
Join us on this fantastic art & gourmet sea-side retreat at the Riviera delle Palme, in the heart of Italy. We will spend six days creating beautiful watercolour paintings, capturing the infinite beauty of classic Italian scenes that surrounds us. We will be indulging in Italy’s delicious flavours & wines. Get hands on with truffle hunting and cooking and paint & sip in hill-side vineyards. Daily painting sessions, will take place in our studio, and there will be opportunities to make studies and paint on our excursions along the seaside, and to the countryside- and charming hill-top villages and towns.
Location: Riviera delle Palme, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From €2.400
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
September 15-20, 2025
Join us on our visits to the picturesque towns along the Amalfi coast, such as Positano and Sorrento. We'll stop at bottegas for tasting the world-famous local Limoncello, admiring the traditional local maiolica (ceramics) and treat ourselves to little breaks for aperitivi, fully indulging in the spirit of Italian life. Around every corner, there are views waiting to be captured, from coastal views to colourful buildings and little harbours. Stunning views across the Gulf of Naples from the terraces of the historic villa that is home to our retreat, are the perfect backdrop for our morning demonstrations, before heading out to explore the towns along the Amalfi Coast. Accommodation, half-board, tuition and all materials included.
Location: Sorrento, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: From €2.350
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
September 20-27, 2025
Join Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling for their 2nd workshop at the stunning Salinara Art Farm on the west coast of Sicily. Sicily is a unique island that has been shaped by many cultures over many thousands of years. Excursions and painting to surrounding salt pans with colorful sunset, fisherman boats, local markets, picturesque villages with narrow streets, churches, a never ending range of restaurants and cafés, blue skies and beautiful nature, jovial, kind and friendly people, traditional foods and great local wine, medieval hill town of Erice, Archeological Park of Selinunte with Greek temples. And many beaches where we can swim in the blue water of the Mediterranean Sea. Limited single rooms for a supplement.
Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy
Instructor: Theresa Goesling and Cindy Briggs
Cost: From € 3100
Sponsor: Salinara - Art Farm | Retreat Centre
Website, email
September 20-27, 2025
Join Jenny Muncaster for a fun week of inspiration and discovery. Jenny is committed to making creativity available to everyone, during this week-long painting holiday she will introduce you to different techniques using a whole range of wonderful art materials. Combining traditional & non-traditional methods & tools for exploring line, painting, print, texture & collage in your work. Using these new skills, capture & interpret your subject matter to create totally original artwork inspired by the beautiful surroundings of Clos Mirabel in the French Pyrenees. At the end of the workshop, you will have gained a tool kit of creative skills & techniques, a new artistic energy, and a portfolio of paintings to be proud of!
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Jenny Muncaster
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £350 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
September 27 - October 4, 2025
Join Yoni Mayeri at Atelier Clos Mirabel for a week-long photography workshop in the French Pyrenees ~ South West France. Enjoy wonderful surroundings, delightful accommodation and delicious meals. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Clos Mirabel, this course offers the perfect setting to practice and perfect your iPhoneography skills. Capture the beauty of lush gardens, sweeping landscapes, charming villages, and intricate botanical details. You will explore both the technical and artistic aspects of mobile photography, learning how to shoot stunning portraits, master macro and close-up photography, and document your travels. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, you’ll leave this course with a set of practical skills, newfound inspiration, and the confidence to take your iPhone photography to the next level.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Yoni Mayeri
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $495 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
October 1-10, 2025
A thought-provoking and inspirational art workshop open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Nine full days of plein air painting, art history/theory lectures, touring, and gastronomy in the most beautiful area of Tuscany. Our teaching approach and groups limited to eight participants allow us to offer personalized instruction and a stimulating environment that fosters creativity. Cost of CAD 4175 (around US$ 3050) includes instruction, 9-night single or double accommodation (limited single rooms available at no extra cost), all breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from and to the Arezzo train station, transportation to all painting sites (Montepulciano, Cortona, Pienza, etc.), train ticket to Florence, and a guided tour to the Uffizi Museum.
Location: Lucignano, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3050
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789
October 1-8, 2025
Join me for an unforgettable painting holiday in Alsace, a stunningly beautiful part of France famous for its charming scenery and clear light which has captivated artists through the centuries. We’ll have plenty of time to capture once-in-a-lifetime experiences on the pages of our watercolor journals as we explore all the charming villages of Alsace. In this week-long workshop, I’ll offer daily demonstrations of techniques for painting the subject matter you’ll encounter each day. And you’ll be painting right along with me, since we learn more by doing than by simply observing. The workshop is suitable for all levels, but some experience with drawing and watercolor would be helpful.
Location: Alsace, France
Instructor: Leslie Fehling
Cost: $3,840 before 1/30/25
Sponsor: French Escapade
Website, email, 510-483-5713
October 2-7, 2025
Explore the magnificent Cinque Terre region on a fantastic artistic retreat. Monterosso al Mare is the perfect location for exploring the colourful buildings, coastal scene and atmospheric sunsets through the eye of an art, whilst soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the classic Italian ‘La dolce vita’ life-style, with relaxed meals and aperitivi. After your painting sessions, there is time to explore the coastal towns and walks, as well as relaxing on the beach. This retreat is a creative experience with a truly personal and luxurious touch.
Location: Cinque Terre, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: € 2.250
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
October 4-11, 2025
Sicily – It's on everyone's bucket list, with colorful sunsets, olive groves, vineyards, and picturesque villages with narrow streets, a never ending range of restaurants and cafés, blue skies and beautiful nature, it’s a painters paradise… And it will be our home for 7 days. The workshop is hosted by the retreat center Salinara. Our daily watercolor routine will include daily demonstrations by Gary, along with time for individual instruction. Afternoons will vary between painting time, exploring the region on your own, or possible one of the many activities offered through Salinara – on designated days Gary will conduct group critique over cocktails before the evening meal. Limited single rooms for a supplement.
Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy
Instructor: Gary Tucker
Cost: From $2300
Sponsor: Salinara - Art Farm | Retreat Centre
Website, email
October 7-12, 2025
Discover Venice through the eye of an artist on this unique Watercolour Retreat. Immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere and picturesque beauty of the ancient city. 'La Serenissima', as Venice is also known, has inspired painters throughout centuries like no other place in the world. Watercolour artist and tutor John Skelcher will guide you through the processes and techniques of capturing the very essence of the Venetian grandeur with its winding canals and dreamy views across the lagoon. The are many quaint and tranquil spots, hidden away from the hustle and bustle, the perfect locations for and beginner and experienced artist alike for capturing the timeless charm of this magical city. Accommodation, tuition, breakfast and dinners, art materials incl.
Location: Venice, Italy
Instructor: John Skelcher
Cost: from: € 2.150
Sponsor: Painting Holiday Italy
Website, email, +39-334-903-4401
November 1-8, 2025
This course will focus on using colour in figurative painting to create atmospheric and expressive paintings. You will work from a life model, participating in exercises based in colour theory. You will try out techniques such as painting on a coloured ground and making colour paintings from black and white drawings. This foundational work will sharpen your observational skills and deepen your technical understanding of colour. Beyond these technical elements, we will explore how to use colour to express something of our inner lives. We will take inspiration from art history by studying artists such as Gwen John, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Sargy Mann, Pierre Bonnard, and Milton Avery. Throughout the course, you will benefit from personalized feedback and group discussions.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Katy Papineau
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £350 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
March 28 - April 4, 2026
Join Tara Faughnan for a week of improv quilting at the beautiful Atelier Clos Mirabel in the French Pyrénées. Explore vibrant colours, learn new techniques, and let your imagination run wild as you create beautiful small quilt studies. Tara will lead students in an inspirational workshop of sketching with textiles. In this class you will delve into colour interaction, the importance of value in creating movement, and how the use of shape can tell a story. Students will work through a variety of exercises to create several small design studies, and can work any of these into a full size quilt afterwards.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Tara Faughnan
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $950 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
April 11-18, 2026
Take time to relax and indulge yourself in nature, by creating your own botanical sketchbook in this week-long course with Dianne Sutherland. Whether you want a sketchbook to be part of your regular practice as an artist, or as an occasional activity for relaxation and to engage with nature, this course is an ideal starting point. You will be guided through the process of filling your pages with beautiful botanical drawings and paintings, working both indoors and outdoors in the surrounding area. We will explore subjects, such as leaves, flowers, dissections and all of the relevant plant parts as well as the surrounding plant habitat. You will also learn how to annotate your pages with written texts and plant stories.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Dianne Sutherland
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + 450€ tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
April 18-25, 2026
Learn my approach to painting on vellum during this five-day workshop at the beautiful Clos Mirabel in the south of France. We will begin by doing some exercises on small bits of vellum to learn technique and to get a feel for painting on this surface. Then, we will explore the grounds of Clos Mirabel to choose painting subjects – roses, hellebores, poppies, columbines, fruit trees, iris, and so much more will be blooming this time of the year. If we are lucky, there may even be a few vegetables ready in the garden. The workshop combines demonstrations, discussion of materials and techniques, hands-on time for developing skills, and lots of individual attention and feedback.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Denise Walser-Kolar
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $500 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
July 25 - August 1, 2026
Join Nina Johansson for a fun week exploring the joys of sketching. Create your own totally original artwork and discover a beautiful area of South West France. Sketching from observation is a great way to experience a place! In this course we will bring our sketching tools outside to explore Clos Mirabel and its surroundings, capturing them on paper. We will be using lines and colours – pencils, pens and brushes – to capture the look and feel of everything around us. The subjects will cover whatever we encounter during the course, landscapes, architecture, villages, people, botanicals, food – everything becomes interesting to investigate when you sketch. We will start out on location and use the atelier for continued work and explorations.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Nina Johansson
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + 350€ tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
August 22-29, 2026
Join textile artist and instructor Carolina Oneto in South West France for a week of playful experimentation. Participants will engage in an in-depth exploration of colour theory, learn a diverse array of complex piecing techniques, and use their newfound knowledge and skills to design their own unique imaginary place quilt. They will then carefully consider and select colours, shapes, and piecing techniques that fully capture the essence of their creative expression, bringing their designs into fruition through the art of sewing. This immersive, hands-on workshop serves as a platform for participants to explore, experiment, and ultimately realise their creative potential, empowering them to craft breathtaking quilts that serve as a tangible reflection of their individual style and artistic sensibilities.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Carolina Oneto
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $850 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
August 29 - September 5, 2026
Join basket weaving artist and instructor Annetta Kraayeveld in South West France for a week of playful experimentation with coloured paper, learning how to weave in an inventive way. This creative retreat incorporates traditional basketry techniques with a colourful non-traditional material – weaving small baskets and vessels with paper. Students of all skill levels are welcome, though some basket weaving experience is encouraged. We will start by painting paper and weaving 2 or 3 small sample baskets (with materials prepared by the instructor). The sample baskets allow students time to practice. When the painted paper has cured, students will weave additional vessels; either designing their own pieces or weaving designs included in the student booklet.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Annetta Kraayeveld
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $600 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
October 3-10, 2026
Join visual artist Sarah Grace Dye in South West France for a fun week of paper making, mark making and book arts. You will also learn about natural ink making and develop the skills to create one or many keepsakes that capture the essence of your time in this beautiful place. Telling a story is always done through layers. Memories are always formed through a collection of layers drawing together the unique insight of our five senses. During this course we will consider each of the layers that make up a place. How do we recognise, acknowledge and document these layers?
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Sarah Grace Dye
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
October 10-17, 2026
During this painting holiday, Ali will be exploring a variety of water-based media including watercolours, Brusho, water soluble pens & crayons, and acrylic inks. She will encourage you to experiment to your heart’s delight…and then guide you through planning and including some of these ideas in your paintings. Ali has a lot of exciting techniques to share. You will also be encouraged to use materials usually saved for the kitchen as well as materials from nature. You will be greatly encouraged to add texture and pattern and interest to your paintings. This could be anything from print to splattering techniques. Ali pushes her students to experiment and therefore evolve as artists. She is known for her enthusiastic and fun-loving approach.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Ali Hargreaves
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £300 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
October 17-24, 2026
Join textile artist Lora Avedian for a week of playful experimentation with textiles and hand embroidery, learning how to draw botanical motives with stitch. We will begin by creating experimental hand embroidery samples with the aim of developing nature-inspired hand embroidery techniques to make a textile artwork or embellish a pre-made item of our own. Looking at a variety of classic hand embroidery and embellishment techniques, you will learn how to play with scale and materials to create different qualities of line, 3D relief and texture, and how to combine this with three-dimensional fabric flowers. This will be an intensive and experimental week where you can learn Lora’s trade tips and tricks to create an original and dynamic mixed-media textile design of your own.
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Lora Avedian
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £445 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91
See also:
Art Books for Creativity & Style |
Tutorials for Creativity & Style