Joseph Z Paints Provence
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. You can imagine what a triple threat it might be when Joseph joins two other internationally renowned watercolor masters to create a single painting. This is exactly what was done for Graeme Stevenson’s long-running Australian TV Series (now in its 20th season) Colour In Your Life, which profiles artists, their techniques, and their works. In this episode, Joseph was joined in his Fitzroy, Melbourne studio by watercolorists Herman Pekel and Alvaro Castagnet.
Colour In Your Life
The Colour In Your Life cameras rolled as these three extraordinary individuals—obviously fantastic friends and great admirers of each other’s work—created a breathtaking Melbourne street scene including a church, a train station and several buildings, with traffic, pedestrians and even the three of them (dubbed the “Three Amigos”) are worked into the painting. Brushing on color as if all three artists were taking instructions from a single mind, the work comes strikingly to life. They even make sure to deliberately switch places so that there won’t be three separate styles—it’s a unified whole from a combined fourth artist, if you will.
As an aside, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Graeme Stevenson, Colour In Your Life producer—who is a world-class artist in his own right—at the Plein Air Convention and Expo in San Francisco last April. I also met Joseph there for the first time and was able to present him with a lovely bottle of French wine with a custom Joseph Zbukvic wine label!
It’s amazing who you meet when you turn up at at such events, including the Figurative Art Convention and Expo, and of course our very own Workshops in France.
And, to sign up for our Joseph Zbukvic Workshop. Register here.
Detail from Joseph Zbukvic’s watercolor painting.
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.
Check out more blogs about art workshops, tips and hacks for artists traveling in France, Scotland and Italy.
The Allure of Gold Leaf with Olga Krimon
Captivated by the radiant shimmer of gold leaf in Olga Krimon’s innovative oil paintings, we knew we had to learn more about her artistic process. Renowned for her contemporary approach to figurative painting, Olga masterfully combines traditional oil painting techniques with bold experimentation, creating works seamlessly blending classic craftsmanship with modern sensibilities. Workshops In France hosts a workshop in Normandy, France, with Olga Krimon, May 2025.
Sargent And Spain Exhibition Delights
Being a frequent traveler, arguably his genius was the ability to capture the light of the Mediterranean. In this collection, you can see that particular Spanish light. It’s similar to the Mediterranean light we encounter in Provence and Tuscany. The take-away from this show is the inspiration and invigoration that comes from travel can ignite any artist and when you are Sargent, the world will look upon the pieces for generations to come.
5 Ways to Light Paintings
It makes a huge difference to how the artwork looks. Under poor light, a painting can disappear into the shadows, and if left in direct sunlight, it can be damaged forever.
Correctly lit artwork can completely inspire the viewer but if hung in a poorly lit location it will not have had the same impact.
