Can You Hear Me Now? Staying in Touch.
You are coming to France, Italy or anywhere in Europe for a one-of-a-kind art retreat, and will be immersed in the color, sight, sensation and utter creation of the experience. You don’t want it marred by aggravation when you can’t easily reach friends and loved ones back home…
Instagram for Artists
Why on Earth Should Artists be on Instagram? You are? Good for you! No? You may have your reasons.
Whatever the situation, you should understand why the platform is really a gift for artists. And it’s easily the best use of time and energy on social media.
Ultramarine Blue and its Adoring Artists
Look in your paint box and you’ll no doubt find Ultramarine Blue, the most widely sold color after white. Artists have adored this blue pigment for millennia. We forget sometimes that paint is simply ground up minerals mixed with a binder. In the case of Ultramarine, this rich pigment has a wonderful history.
Tips For Tipping in France
A Tip about Tipping Your guide to tipping in France. Don’t Tip Excessively! How much should you tip in France? Here’s a tip – over tipping can backfire. The French have high respect for their waiters. Very often they aren’t just waiting tables until they get a real job or because they aren’t qualified to do something else. In a nation that takes food so seriously, waiting tables is a respectable occupation. Waiters are paid a living wage and do not rely on tips to make ends meet as they often do in the U.S. and other countries. So, (and this is the tip) Don’t Tip Excessively! At the bottom of your bill you might see “service compris”. That means “service included”. A few coins after a coffee or a couple of Euros after a meal will suffice. We have had waiters chase us down after leaving a restaurant to give us back the excess tip. Embarrassing? Oui! Taxi Tipping? Another tip about tipping. As some of you may be using a taxi, you are expected to tip the driver. Some places advise you to round up the cost of the trip to the next Euro, but it depends on how long the taxi ride was. To be on the safe side, a tip of around 10% of the fare is acceptable. Most Important Tip of All Express gratitude. Be friendly and respectful of those who are serving you! It brings out the very best in those people waiting upon you, and the best out of yourself. It will make your stay so much more pleasant and with sweeter memories. 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.
Pencils. What does H or B or HB mean?
The mighty pencil, is it H or B or HB and what does it mean?
H is from HAUT. It means HIGH. There is a high quantity of binder creating a harder lead with less graphite deposit. The larger the H number, the lighter the stroke. So, if you need the lightest of touch, use the H pencils. They also stay sharper longer…
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.
Must-Knows for Eating Out in France
France is world famous for its incredible cuisine, and for good reason. The French love their food, and travelers often visit France for the sole purpose of eating their way around. As a foreigner – especially one that doesn’t speak French – you might be surprised with French dining customs, so here’s a few tips…
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…
Cure for the jetlag blues
The last thing you want when traveling is to be wide-eyed and awake at night and exhausted during the day. Fortunately, our guests often experience little jetlag when coming to Europe, and it tends to hold off until the return home. Either way, our artist coordinator, Julie Snyder, believes she’s found a solution…