Susan Lyon: Faces and Figures, A Personal Vision
No doubt you have heard that Workshops in France is hosting a workshop given by world-renowned contemporary figure and portrait painter Susan Lyon. You won’t want to miss! You can see some of her art here. She not only creates breathtaking paintings, but she is also in high demand as an instructor. Her workshops sell out quickly, as do her many instructional DVDs. When Susan saw a feature on PBS about the artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, she was inspired to be an artist. This prompted her to enroll in the Art Institute of Chicago. Although she says she really learned nothing at the Institute, Susan considers herself fortunate that her father later steered her toward the American Academy of Art because he knew an instructor there. It was there that her career actually blossomed. Stepping Stones to Success It’s no surprise that Susan is valued so highly as an instructor, her teaching style is positive and highly encouraging. She comes by it honestly, as she was impressed by her Life Drawing teacher at the American Academy of Art, Mr. Parks. He inspired her to enter into a career in fine art. She describes Mr. Parks as “like a grandfather—loving, and everyone just melted toward him.” At the time, she was also taking a class in Creative Illustration, and the teacher of that class was quite the opposite. He sought to intimidate students rather than take them under his wing. It’s no surprise then, that she made her career decision based on the work of the kind, nurturing teacher. Susan went from there to the Palette and Chisel Club, where, at the age of 23, she become the youngest winner of their prestigious gold medal. It was also there that she met fellow student and her future husband, Scott Burdick. After their marriage they wanted to explore the world, inspired by artists such as John Singer Sargent who traveled extensively, painting faces and figures of many lands. When not traveling, they live in rural North Carolina. “Curious” and “Peonies” by Susan Lyon Susan and Scott have certainly made their dreams come true, as can be seen through their collective body of work. Today, they reign as a royal couple of the painting world—and the best-kept secret of Susan Lyon’s upcoming workshop is that her husband Scott Burdick, will also be there to mentor and engage with all the workshop attendees. The workshop includes painting models on the estate, and also in the Provencal countryside. Don’t miss it! Pictured here: Susan Lyon, programs coordinator for WorkshopsInFrance Julie Snyder, and Scott Burdick in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence where an impromptu meeting led to the creation of the Susan Lyon Workshop in Provence. Register Here Blogger: Julie Snyder Julie Snyder is a professional artist and also the programs director of Workshops In France. A native of Scotland, she is a seasoned traveler who splits her time between California and France. You can learn more about her role with Workshops in France here.
Cost Saving Travel Tips and Best Time to Buy
When coming to a workshop, the cost of travel is obviously a major consideration. Many fly to Europe from all over the world, and such flights can carry a hefty price tag. Fortunately, since we have been doing this for quite a long time, we’ve pulled together some very useful tips…
Meet The Artists of Americans in Paris Paint Provence
Americans in Paris Paint Province was conceived to be a unique and historical, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a Château workshop with these five leading artists of our time. This workshop is a confluence of art, artists and learning that will take place September 27-October 6, 2020. It is a continuing program created by artist, writer and curator, Vanessa Rothe of Vanessa Rothe Fine Art and Workshops in France. Let’s meet these artists up close and personal! Casey Childs “My interest in the people around me comes from the idea that we look at people every day, but we never really stop to SEE them.” As artists, we can all take a lesson from this insightful statement made by Casey Childs, one of five leading artists of our time participating in our 2020 workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence. Casey goes on to say, “The goal of my portrait work is to capture the soul of the individual–not just their likeness.” It’s certainly no surprise that Casey is an award-winning painter of figurative and portrait work, featured in galleries all across America and in many art publications. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more from Casey’s points of view, observations and techniques—from Casey himself. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Michelle Dunaway As any artist knows, there are compliments, and then there are compliments that have a deep, everlasting effect on our souls. Michelle Dunaway who, like all of us, has long admired the work of portrait legend John Singer Sargent, received such a compliment following her painting demonstration at the 2015 Portrait Society conference. Richard Ormond, Sargent’s grand-nephew, who had been in the audience for the demonstration, came up to Michelle afterward and said, “I have spent most of my life concerned about preserving the legacy of Sargent’s painting, but after watching you paint I am no longer worried.” Michelle is an internationally exhibited and published artist, who can list among her many accomplishments several commissioned portraits of famed actress Jane Seymour. Michelle is teaching at only a handful of places in the coming years since she is working on some big projects that require extensive studio time, but you have the opportunity of learning from her by signing up for our workshop, Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here. Space is limited. David Gray You wouldn’t know it to see his breathtaking portrait work, but world-renowned portrait painter David Gray often finds himself ready to paint, but has failed to line up a model. It’s no problem—he simply turns to his own family. His daughter Lauren appears in an astounding painting entitled Blue Turban. He has also utilized his son Forest and his wife Jessica. No matter who is before him, he sees a quality in them well beyond the physical. “I’m not simply a ‘Realist’,” David says. “I find in my best work, my subjects hover somewhere between the visible natural realm and some place divine…” David has won many awards and has been published in major art publications, and his workshops are highly sought-after. He’ll be one of five artists teaching at our workshop. His focus will be on portraiture. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Olga Krimon “I take reality, I absorb it through the mill of my experiences and schooling, And then I produce a new carefully designed reality that evokes feelings and memories. This reality takes abstraction of strokes, edges, values and color relationships, and morphs them into a world that I imagined, that affects a viewer on a level deeper than words.” Anyone who has had the the serious pleasure of observing the paintings of world-renowned figure and still-life artist Olga Krimon will attest that she most certainly attains this ideal, again and again. Her paintings have been recognized with awards by the Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America and Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition. Olga is one of five leading artists of our time participating in our workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Vanessa Françoise Rothe You’ve probably heard by now of our upcoming once-in-a-lifetime workshop Americans In Paris Paint Provence. What you may not know is that Americans in Paris is actually the brainchild of world-renowned painter, author, designer and art curator Vanessa Françoise Rothe. The workshop is being presented by Vanessa in partnership with Workshops in France. Vanessa said that her inspiration for Americans in Paris “started out with the initial idea to inspire some of the American artists of today to travel to Paris where so many great artists had gained inspiration through the ages.” Vanessa is an art curator, writer and owns Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery. She is one of five leading artists of our time participating in our workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshop, September 27 – October 6 2020. Spaces are limited. Learn more about Americans in Paris Paint Provence and sign up here. Ready to register? Sign up now!
Joseph Zbukvic Video “The Three Amigos”
In September 2020, we will be hosting world-renowned watercolor artist, Joseph Zbukvic’s painting workshop in Provence. Joseph is one of the most highly regarded watercolor masters of our time, and it is hardly surprising that his work is quickly acquired by art lovers, or that his workshops sell out with waitlists.
Meet Vanessa Rothe—Founder of Americans in Paris
You may have already heard of our upcoming event called Americans in Paris Paint Provence, which will take place in September 27-October 6, 2020. This once-in-a-lifetime workshop is a co-presented by Americans in Paris and Workshops in France, and will feature instruction by 5 of today’s contemporary masters. Americans in Paris is the brainchild of Vanessa Rothe, renowned fine artist, curator, author and designer, headquartered in the famed art center of Laguna Beach, California. We recently sat down with Vanessa to learn more about this amazing program, how it came about and what it means. WIF: What was the inspiration for your creation of the Americans in Paris art project? Americans in Paris started out with the initial idea to inspire some of the American artists of today to travel to Paris where so many great artists had gained inspiration through the ages, to collect exciting new ideas for their works of art. Following in the footsteps of the great American painters before them, such as Sargent, Whistler, and Cassat, a group of American realist and impressionist artists would travel to Paris, the City of Light, architecture, and fine art and draw inspiration from all that the city offered. There they would copy in museums, study the masters, absorb the culture, share ideas and inspiration and paint together with the goal of reaching the next level of mastery in their work. WIF: How does a project like this tie in with the purposes of you and other artists? The main purpose is to create new exciting works with important and interesting subjects. Many great artists can paint, but a project such as the Americans in Paris inspires us with exquisite subjects. We learn from European masters not only for technique, but for subjects as well, and seeing European scenes and architecture Subject matter is a big part of sales and identity to an artist. Being French and having lived surrounded by these ideas, France is a big part of my works and my identity as an artist. It’s who I am, so it’s what I paint. My whole life. I always have ideas to paint, and they sell well since my subjects are as interesting, or as beautiful or as easy to look at as they are pleasing. Painting European scenes and selling them in California has made me stand out among other landscape painters here over the last 20 years. Americans in Paris allows me to share what I do and my recipe for success with friends to help them, and also to help raise the quality of art in America in general. These are top painters and they are benefit from this inspiration. For other artists, I’m trying to introduce them to more European subjects which are considered foreign and different and exciting. For collectors, the allure of the “ foreign” is always interesting, be it clothing, art, or food. WIF: Talk about your original Paris retreat, the Paris Seminar. In order to raise funds for the original retreat, I curated an exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York in 2016 for 12 select American realist and impressionist artists. Many works were sold and we were able to plan for the journey. The first trip to Paris was actually created as a workshop week in May of 2017 that I organized to give the artists valuable relative information about art history, as well as the humanities and group figure composition. The 12 American artists painted in Paris and the Grande Chaumiere atelier for one week together, and filled their sketchbooks and minds with new ideas, some inspired by the past. The group had lively evening discussions based on specific topics, just like creative groups of the past such as the Impressionists and Hemingway and Fitzgerald’s writing groups did in the Paris bistros and bars years before. Image Courtesy of Павел Котов. WIF: What do you feel attendees took away from that retreat? Tons of new ideas, subjects, and influences from one another. They all told me it was a game changer, and they were infused with new life and ideas! WIF: Why did you join forces with Julie Snyder for the upcoming Americans in Paris/Workshops in France joint retreat? I honestly needed hep with the organizational aspect—it’s too much for one person and Americans in Paris had grown with success. I decided then, that I wanted help from a workshop, and I felt that Julie was more than capable of helping make this joint venture great. It was the perfect choice. I’ve always admired and had been watching Julie’s workshops for years. I also knew her personally from our plein air conference, and we always got along. We’re like-minded artists and lovers of France, and I’m very excited that we are joining forces. WIF: This exclusive workshop-retreat is for both artists and collectors. What do you feel attendees will achieve? I feel they will walk away with the same inspirations as those on our 2017 retreat—infused with ideas and subjects. And with these 5 teachers, they will also learn to improve their technique. In addition to all that, they get to totally enjoy France. They can focus on their art and their inspirations, without the worry of where to eat and where to stay. We all can focus on our creating! It’s a huge win for us all. We are making art history. As writers and artists of the past grouped together to share ideas and common threads, we are weaving our ideas together and creating new art. I’m very honored to help the artists of today evolve new ideas, to inspire them in a way with what comes natural to me with my French history, to share the knowledge I have of art history, and to share the beauty of Provence. Learn more about Americans in Paris Paint Provence and sign up here. Casey Childs: Youthful Decadence.
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…
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…
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.
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.