Anne Wickham Smith Aids Women in Guatemala
Anne Wickham Smith recently transformed the purpose for creating artwork, using the sale of her paintings to raise substantial funds to help the women of a Guatemalan village, Xela. In 2004, she took some oil painting lessons and was hooked, going on to study with the some of the best oil painters in the country…
Tech, Art and a Starry Night.
Think, marvelous. Think, spectacular. Think, cool. Very Cool. There is nothing to prepare you for what you encounter at Les Baux.
You step from bright, hot sunshine into the dark, refreshing, cavernous realm of a fantastic world. Impossible to accurately describe…
Indian Yellow: The Ethics of Color
Indian yellow is a strong transparent pigment favored by many artists for its tinting properties. This yellow-orange color’s most alluring characteristic is that it can be used to warm up a color. Added to pink it makes that color turn red. Added to Cerulean Blue it makes a vibrant green.
Experience more – extend your stay
Come to Paint, Stay to Explore. Your time with us will be full of wonderful painting spots, breathtaking views and charming villages. But why not take in more? Shouldn’t you extend your stay? Guests ask us “Where should visit?” before or after their workshop or art retreat. You have invested in an overseas trip and seeing more of what France and Europe have to offer just makes sense. It’s not hard to fall in love with France and here’s our advice on where to go. Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Paris Most of our guests prefer to stay in the South of France or to venture up to Paris, so that’s what we’ll focus on here. We use two principal locations for our workshops and retreats, a château near Avignon and another near Aix-en-Provence. It’s a no-brainer that if you come to one chateau and want to stay longer in Provence, you could simply opt to explore the area around the other. One château is about 30 minutes from Avignon and while there you can expect to visit some of the area’s most paintable places. However, there are other fabulous villages where we can’t paint due to the crowds or lack of facilities – in other words, they are not suitable for setting up painting gear. Since these locations are still a must-see, we usually squeeze in a drive-by and quick stop-off to shoot pictures on our Photo Safari, and they are well worth a return visit! This part of Provence is famous for its “perched” villages – villages built upon rocky hills, that leave the good arable land below open to farming grapes, olives, fruit and lavender in abundance. They vie for the Most Beautiful Villages in France designation. These locations are full of character with winding streets and jaw-dropping charm. Take loads of pictures to fuel inspiration for months, if not years. Turning back time Some of the villages perchés include Gordes, Bonnieux, Les Baux and Roussillon, each with its own character and flavor. A favorite is Lacoste, a hillside village that connects you to the past. Imagine it – a hilltop château overlooking the Luberon valley, with winding, stepped, cobbled streets that allow pedestrians to meander through the village below. There is a sense of both timelessness and anachronism in Lacoste. Made infamous by the Marquis de Sade who occupied the château in the mid-1700s, the village is now home to (SCAD) the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Study Abroad Program. You’ll often see art students in the village practicing contemporary art in the traditional surroundings of a medieval fortress village. The city of Avignon is one of the gems of Provence. It has a rich history and still boasts its walled, medieval center with the Palais de Papes (the Palace of the Popes) at its heart. The old city has great cafés and restaurants, charming shops and plenty to see. We don’t paint here as parking is a veritable nightmare due to the construction of a tram system around the walled city’s perimeter. But, for intrepid guests, it is virgin territory. Our other Chateau is outside of Aix-en-Provence, the home of Cézanne. Although we will be spending time in Aix, it is well worth another visit as there is so much to see and do in the ancient Roman Capital of Provence! It has some of the most impressive 17th-century architecture outside of Paris, with broad tree-lined streets, fountains galore (they say there are a thousand) and a thriving café scene. Oh, and Art Museums! The villages of Lourmarin and Cucuron are both visit-worthy, as are any of the other little villages tucked away in the nearby Luberon hills. Does a swim in the Mediterranean sound divine? Keep in mind that this is the South of France – so spending time by the Mediterranean Sea is a must! Our favorites fishing villages are Cassis and La Ciotat, and there are plenty more to explore. You can travel the coast all the way to the Italian border stopping to delight in Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Villefranche-Sur-Mer or Eze. Nothing compares to having lunch at one of these spots, watching the fishing boats unload their catches and of course, the seafood is as fresh as can be! Well, perhaps returning to a seaside bar for an evening glass of Rosé as the sun sets would be just as fine. From either Avignon or Aix-en-Provence, Paris is only 3 or 4 hours away by high-speed rail. Many guests love to explore the city of lights and love, France’s romantic capital. The museums in Paris are among the top rated in the world. Monet’s garden at Giverny can be reached easily from Paris. So different from the South, Paris can add another whole level of experience to your trip. As you can probably tell, we fell in love with France and could go on with more suggestions but part of the joy of this region is discovering it for yourself! Taking a diversion from your planned trip can often lead to you stumbling upon your own hidden treasure. Happy hunting! W.I.F. Blogger: Shirley Hambrick Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley has been part of the Workshops in France team over the last few years and attended over 10 of these trips. Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Workshops in France Scholarship 2019
Scholarship Recipient 2019: Kyle Ma Workshops in France is awarding a full scholarship to one of our retreats or workshops in 2019. We look at the artist’s work, his or her passion for painting, level of production and what he or she might attain by attending one of our Retreats or Workshops. Since the mission of Workshops in France is to impact artists beyond their actual participation at a retreat or workshop and to share our lives as artists and grow as a result, it seemed appropriate to create a scholarship program for young artists. We hope that by immersion in the world of artists, a younger painter might learn what is is to live a creative life and share the inspiration and wisdom that keeps us on our own creative path. Kyle Ma – 2019 Scholarship Student. Julie first noticed Kyle in 2017 in San Diego, when as a 16 year old, he was the youngest ever instructor at the Plein Air Convention. The young artist presented an on-stage painting demonstration which impressed the entire audience. Julie couldn’t help notice this remarkable talent. Kyle Ma is the artist to watch, a prodigy and a master in the making. Born in Taiwan, Kyle moved to Austin, Texas with his family at the age of 10. He started documenting the world at age 4, and transitioned from drawing to painting when he moved to Austin. His family traveled and he visited museums to look and study master painting. By 15 years old, he began to rake in awards and be featured in major national shows including being a finalist in Southwest Arts Magazine’s Art Excellence Competition and named the Plein Air Salon Best Artist Under 30. Solo Show – number three. Recently he had his third solo show. Yep, you read that correctly — his third one-man-show and at the age of 18! He had the first and the latest one with the Wilcox Gallery and the Second at Santa Barbara’s Waterhouse Gallery. This speaks not only to his talent but his ability and dedication to produce enough work for these shows. The latest show, aptly named Prodigious Prodigy was exhibited at the Wilcox Gallery, Wyoming. Owner, Mark Wilcox said of the artist “Most lifelong professionals would be happy to produce an average Kyle Ma painting. Professionals often comment that such talent shouldn’t come so early or easily. Kyle’s drive, focus, and hard work have made him an amazing artist at a young age.” Red dots attested to multiple sales. Capturing Beauty He was always captivated by art and the beauty of the world around him. His viewpoint is easily seen through his painting. “I just want to convey the beauty of what I see. People can go through life and never realize how beautiful the world actually is. I want viewers to realize what’s out there.” We are delighted that Kyle Ma has accepted the scholarship and chosen to participate in Quang Ho’s Workshop with our team at Châteauneuf de Gadagne in June 6 – 15, 2019. Kyle’s website. If you know of an artist who should be considered for the a future scholarship, please contact us with your recommendation.
Tim Horn Workshop in France
Tim Horn’s plein air workshop in Provence is at our château near Avignon. Tim Horn is an internationally admired and collected artist who specializes in landscapes, rural scenes and man-made objects, including cars. Most of all, he is a painter of light.
Traveling with Art Supplies
The Workshops in France team has taken the mystery out of traveling with art supplies. The TSA has imposed rules about traveling with all kinds of things, including paints. Every now and again, your bag might be the one that is chosen for a random search, but if you do as we do, you shouldn’t encounter any problems.
Les Baux-de-Provence Quarry of Light and Art
Les Baux-de-Provence is a gorgeous stone village with little shops, narrow streets and small squares. It is known as one of The Most Beautiful Villages in France for good reason!
Instructed Workshop or Uninstructed Retreat?
Instructed Workshop or Uninstructed Retreat – what’s the difference and what’s the correct choice? Since I have done both I thought I would share my insight. I first attended one of Workshops in France’s Art Retreat in 2014 and had very little idea of what to expect…
Au Revoir Peter Mayle
Sadly, Peter Mayle, the consummate English Francophile who charmingly flaunted the good life of Southern France, passed away in January. But his words live on and continue to inspire me and others like me, who think the grass is simply greener in Provence.