Book your Jennifer McChristian and Mike Hernandez workshop in Scotland now
Painting Scotland with Jennifer McChristian and Mike Hernandez
Scottish Manor Estate, Angus, Scotland July 17—25, 2025
If you love to paint to capture the color, life an,d style of your surroundings, this is the workshop for you. Experience the expertise of not one, but two sought-after instructors, Jennifer McChristian and Mike Hernandez.
This Workshop takes place in and around the magnificent manor estate, where you will be painting both models and the natural world on the extensive grounds. Expect to become fully immersed in Scottish life and the surrounding countryside. Scotland boasts pristine waters and a fertile landscape that remains under the watchful stewardship of local farmers, landowners and the National Trust, to ensure that the land is unspoiled. Be prepared for a sensual feast that encompasses stunning color, flora, and fauna while you connect with the countryside and Scotland’s heritage.
After the stimulating and energetic masterclass around the estate, we will venture out and try out our new painting skills in the beautiful landscape, fishing villages and historic sites in Scotland. Evenings are spent on the estate for ongoing painting demonstrations, discussions, and art-related activities with the dynamic duo of instructors and your fellow attendees.
Other activities include visiting Dundee and the VA museum, Dunnotter Castle overlooking the North Sea, lochs, hills and glens, a whisky distillery for tasting, and of course, the village pub.
We invite you to enjoy a fantastic program of learning and strengthening your painting skills while based at our charming, historical château near Angus, Scotland.
Get ready for some painting and an immersive experience in the Provence, France. This once-in-a-lifetime inspiring and instructive workshop will be unforgettable.
The workshop experience is open to artists of all levels. Jane and Michele will take turns in leading the sessions so that you can learn from both of them. There will be demos, one-on-one painting sessions and critiques. You will explore different approaches and create art using the principles learned. You will also be plein air painting on the historic Château’s Estate. Sound like heaven? We thought so…
Between both Jane Hunt and Michele Usibelli, you will experience a comprehensive learning experience for painting that you can use and refer to and further your own work. Both are skilled still-life and landscape painters and what’s more is both Jane Hunt and Michele are familiar with the European landscape.
The instruction and accommodations are in a 13th-century château estate. See more images here. You will be able to venture out with the group and capture landscapes and scenes of life in France in the surrounding countryside. In addition to obtaining painting skills, you’ll also enjoy an immersive French experience.
You’ll be able to explore the neighboring villages, visit vineyards to taste the local vintages, and shop at local outdoor markets as part of your retail therapy.
Jennifer McChristian
Award winning artist, Jennifer McChristian, was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be an artist. Upon completing high school, McChristian began her art education at Dawson’s College in Montreal, Canada. In 1986, she and her family took permanent residency in California, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree with Honors from Otis Art Institute in 1990.
Jennifer proudly served in the Canadian and United States army reserves from 1985 through 1994.
McChristian was employed as a full-time animation artist and worked on projects for various animation studios including Disney and Nickelodeon. She has continued her studies under the tutelage of renowned artists Robert Blue, Karl Dempwolf, and Steve Huston. Her inspirations consist of notable artists such as John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn, Nicolai Fechin and Cecilia Beaux. McChristian primarily paints in oils and occasionally watercolors and gouache. She has an affinity for painting ‘en plein air’ and also enjoys creating studio works using her outdoor sketches as inspiration. “Painting is somewhat of a spiritual experience for me. Although challenging at times, the end result evokes within me a sense of elation, nostalgia and harmony”.
Since 2000, McChristian has devoted herself to painting full-time and actively participates in art events and community building programs. She conducts an ongoing, uninstructed figure drawing workshop three times a week out of her spacious studio (that she refers to as her ‘sanctuary’) located in the heart of Los Feliz Village, CA. In addition, McChristian teaches plein air painting workshops in various locations throughout the United States and abroad. McChristian also finds the time to pursue other artistic interests such as classical ballet. She believes learning is a never-ending process and continues to develop and refine her artistic talent through workshops, research, travel and frequent excursions to museums and galleries.
McChristian was the ‘Grand Prize’ winner of the 11th Annual PleinAir Salon Awards for her painting ‘Catalyst‘. She was also awarded ‘Best Landscape and Plein Air’ for the 2023 Almenara Art Prize for her painting ‘Still Standing‘.
Jennifer is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America (OPA) and an Associate Member of the American Impressionist Society (AIS).
Lavender Fields by Jane Hunt
Mike Hernandez
A native Angeleno, Mike Hernandez is a plein air painter skilled in gouache, oil and acrylic, who’s works have been featured in several online publications as well as galleries. His process began as a young child, painting still life images. Influenced by the likes of Edgar Payne, Sorolla and Franz Bischoff, Mike soon explored the foundations of color and light in the outdoors – striving to find the beauty in the ordinary.
With a palette that resides at the crossroads between industrial and landscapes, he finds inspiration anywhere from the Eastern Sierra range to the muddy concrete banks of the Los Angeles River. Mike studied at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, graduating with a B.A. in 1998.
Mike was a Production Designer and Art Director as well as a concept artist at Dreamworks Animation and worked on such films as Shrek, How to train your Dragon, Turbo, Penguins of Madagascar and many other films. Mike is also a member of a limited group of the finest painters in the US called PAPA as well as a nationwide sought-after workshop instructor. His works can be found in several private collections around the world foundations of color and light in the outdoors – striving to find the beauty in the ordinary.
““As an artist I strive to find the beauty in the unexpected. I like to think of it as reconstructing all of the puzzle pieces of reality.”
Works by Jennifer McChristian
Works by Mike Hernandez
This Workshop Includes:
- 5-day intensive masterclass with two world-class instructors.
- 9 days of artistic immersion in Scotland.
- Ongoing demos, discussions and evenings with the instructors.
- Tuition, all meals on the estate, wine, accommodation, and ground transportation. We eat out at our own expense – one/two lunches and one dinner are scheduled. Airfare not included.
- Paint, sketch and enjoy the good life in beautiful Scottish surroundings.
- Daily painting locations: Pristine natural landscapes, dramatic Scottish coastline, breathtaking castles and more.
- Balanced itinerary of painting, exploring and relaxation for artists of all media – all levels!
- Live, learn, and paint side-by-side with Jennifer and Mike and fellow artists.
- Additional Cultural tour – Museums, galleries and castles.
- Airport pickup from Aberdeen International Airport and Arbroath Train Station.
