We explore the dramatic landscape of Doolin, County Clare, Ireland and translate its landscape, energy and lore into visual artwork. Our time together will be a balance between group excursions, individual exploration, and creation coupled with sharing and diving deeper into technique. We will establish a shared studio space as a center of operation as artists of any level work together in their preferred Media. Included in the retreat are 4 art workshops with Martin Bridge; field trips; 2 meals/day; housing and publication in an anthology of creativity (subject to vetting)—join us for this retreat of like-minded individuals connecting in various ways to the land in this very special place.
 
Location: Doolin, Ireland
Instructor: Martin Bridge
Cost: $1500-$2500 depending on accommodations
Sponsor: NatureCulture, and The Milk House
Website, email, 413-475-0650

Join internationally renowned Daisy Aschehoug with like-minded passionate quilters looking out towards the entire Atlantic Pyrenean mountain range. 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. In this workshop, we’ll move beyond the traditional and dive into innovative techniques and designs that highlight the versatility of the quarter circle. Whether you’re interested in dynamic layouts, modern twists, or unexpected applications, this workshop offers the tools to hone your curved piecing techniques and the inspiration to see your fabric and piecing in a whole new light. Join us to discover how a simple shape can lead to endless possibilities!
 
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Daisy Aschehoug
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $750 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91

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

Join us at the enchanting private country estate of renowned textile and interior designer Kathryn Ireland for a full week of blissful stitching! We have two September sessions, each led by respected contemporary embroidery artists Audrey Demarre and Sophie Baillet. All skill levels are welcome. You only need to be ready to lose yourself in a timeless, relaxing environment where you will be catered to by French chefs and a lush French countryside. Other than instruction and visits to brocantes, be prepared to luxuriate in time spent free from deadlines and impending schedules. Please join us and treat yourself!
 
Location: Rabastens, France
Instructor: Audrey Demarre/Sophie Baillet
Cost: $6200 to $6800
Sponsor: Artful France
Website, email, 831-316-4061

Join textile artist and instructor Fleur Woods in South West France for a week of playful experimentation with textiles and hand embroidery, learning how to draw floral motifs with stitch. Participants can expect to be taken on a joyful, exciting creative journey with Fleur as your guide. This retreat offers you the opportunity to create your own contemporary stitched artwork using a variety of textile, collage, embroidery and beading techniques. Inspired by the region and the Atelier, you will draw from an abundant selection of vintage & hand painted textiles and threads, as well as Fleur’s hand dyed wools to design and create unique artworks. A basic level of stitching is useful for this workshop. All materials are supplied.
 
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Fleur Woods
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $2500.00 NZD tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91

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

Experience a restorative week of organic abstract piecing at the beautiful Atelier Clos Mirabel in the French Pyrénées. Translate inspiration from the bloom of spring into grid-based and freestyle organic abstract quilts. Learn ruler-free curve piecing techniques including bias-strip piecing on the curve and S-curves. Experiment with curves and find your unique way of piecing them, to tell the story of your own creative blossoming. Invite yourself with curiosity and acceptance into the sweet space of a beginner’s mind where there are many paths to the solution, and where you have permission to flow and grow with your “mistakes.” Whoopee! This is a workshop for both beginners, and masters at their craft who long to be beginners again!
 
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Sherri Lynn Wood
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $850 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91

Join textile artist Davana Robedee in South West France for a week of experimentation with shibori techniques to create patterns on cloth. For thousands of years and all across the world, people have been fascinated by the magic of indigo dye. In this five-day retreat, students will learn how to create graduations of blue from light to dark, and do a deep dive into shibori exploration. We will start with folded and clamped resist using Itajime shibori and then learn several stitch resist shibori techniques. Davana will introduce techniques with step-by-step demonstrations, but will also discuss methods of creating depth, perspective, and imagery to develop one of a kind artworks. Each student will leave with beautifully dyed fabrics, scarves, or wearables.
 
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Davana Robedee
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + $950 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91

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

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

Delve into the art of rug hooking with the guidance of hooked design expert and artist, Graham Hollick. Graham will lead you through every step of the creative process. Enjoy an inspiring excursion to the Pyrenees National Park where you will collect inspiration through sketching or photography or gathering items such as leaver or feathers. Back in the studio you will be guided through the process of developing these into a design. You will acquire simple yet highly effective techniques such as collage, plein-air sketching, colour matching, and textiles analysis, and will be encouraged to use recycled strips of textiles. Graham, with his warm personality and great humour, will be there to support you at every turn.
 
Location: Pau, France
Instructor: Graham Hollick
Cost: 1595€ to 2895€ for accommodation + £350 tuition fee
Sponsor: Atelier Clos Mirabel
Website, email, +33.6.79.59.04.91