Join Veritas Jo Fazakerley for one week of drawing and painting the incredibly diverse flora of Clos Mirabel, using watercolours to capture the colours and textures of the plants.
About this course:
Join Veritas Jo as you immerse yourself in history through two plant species that stem thousands of years and create your own botanical story in watercolour. Banksia trees have evolved over 50 to 130 million years from ancestors that have migrated from prehistoric Gondwana. Kiwi Fruit are a more modern species dating to the Tang Dynasty 7-10 Centuries AD in China.
Enjoy the comradeship of your fellow participants and the beautiful hospitality of Atelier Clos Mirabel as you master the many intricacies of the art of watercolour. Celebrate your achievements, understanding and proficiency by taking home two finished spectacular art pieces of history ready for framing.
This inspiring retreat will focus on drawing and painting two gorgeous authentic art works in watercolour from actual subjects: An Australian Banksia flower, leaves and nut and the leaves and fruit of a Kiwi vine. You will choose your own Kiwi fruit vine specimen from the gardens of Clos Mirabel, whilst selecting your Banksia subject from those provided by Veritas Jo.
Both beginners and experienced artists will gain insight knowledge and practical skills in the art of watercolour as well as using electronic media as an adjunct. Veritas Jo is an accomplished watercolour botanic artist with a personal focus and experience on sharing and imparting her skills and knowledge to individuals at all levels. She believes that the learning process should be fun yet challenging and meticulous in helping you paint realistic botanical artworks.
Every day Veritas Jo will demonstrate the various stages of creating your two botanical paintings: Expertly avoiding what not to do as well as focussing on the finer details that result in an accomplished art work. Supporting this, Veritas Jo will provide all participants with a digital copy of the course book with detailed notes and illustrations of each stage of the retreat for you to keep and refer to.
Outline Programme of your Botanical Art week with Veritas Jo Fazakerley
Saturday
4.00 – Check-in time from 4pm onwards.
Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel
5.00 – Participant and course programme introductions including sharing participants’ and presenter’s goals.
6.00 – Welcome drinks and dinner
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning Studio Session: Drawing your Banksia flower, nut (seed pod) and leaves.
In this session you will gain knowledge and expertise in:
- Life cycle of the banksia
- Form and composition
- Foreshortening, drawing turning and folded leaves
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Atelier Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon Studio Session: Capturing your first transparent coat of watercolour. In this session you will gain know-how and capability in:
- Colour mixing – especially browns, greys and greens
- Establishing a clear light source
- Techniques for creating three-dimensional subjects
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Monday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning Studio Session: Painting the Banksia nut. In this session you will gain an understanding of and skills in:
- Using the Fibonacci spiral in plants
- Tonal separation
- Adding surface texture – e.g. tiny bumps
- Glazing and dry brushing
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Atelier Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon Studio Session: Painting the Banksia flower. In this session you will continue to apply the knowledge and expertise gained in the morning to painting the Banksia flower.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning Studio Session: Painting the Banksia leaves and finishing touches. You will gain an awareness that not all leaves are green through:
- Creating dead and decaying leaves in brown sepia
- Adding nibbles, blemishes and holes
- Shadows and tonal variations
- Creating multi-faceted colour textures through glazing
- Varying the outlines of the leaves. Finally, you will put refinements and finishing touches to your Banksia art piece by adding:
- Warm accents and highlights
- Richer darks and deepening shadows
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Atelier Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon Studio Session: Drawing your Kiwi Fruit Vine (leaves and fruit). After selecting a piece of kiwi vine from the garden that has about three fruit and leaves at different stages of growth and decay, you will start to draw your vine utilising the Fibonacci spiral as the basis for the composition of your drawing.
In particular looking at:
- Composition, using negative space and allowing the specimens to occupy the paper naturally
- Plant hierarchy
- Variations in clusters of kiwi fruit and movement in the vine
- Attention to the veining in the leaves (front and back)
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Wednesday – Free Day
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
We suggest wine tasting in local vineyard, exploring Pau or beyond. Alternatively, stay at Clos Mirabel and paint on your own. Please note lunch is not provided on this day.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Thursday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning Studio Session: Kiwi fruit.
In this session you will gain an understanding of and skills in:
- Determining the one dominant fruit
- Adding weight and depth to the form through colour variations
- Creating texture i.e. the little hairs and tiny scars
- Using hard and soft edges and shadows
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Atelier Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon Studio Session: Kiwi leaves
In this session you will gain an understanding of and skills in creating:
- Different leaf surfaces e.g. quilted and puckered qualities
- A hierarchy of leaves
- Elements of decay and nibbles
- Light sources and shadows
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Friday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning Studio Session: Continue work on Kiwi leaves. In this session you will continue to apply the skills learned to finish the kiwi leaves
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Atelier Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Afternoon Studio Session: Kiwi stems and finishing touches. In this session you will gain an understanding of and skills in creating:
- Botanical textures of stems – woody bark, weathered patches, nodes
- Curling and vanishing tendrils
Finally, you will also put refinements and finishing touches to your Kiwi Fruit vine art piece to give texture vocabulary through adding:
- Warm accents and highlights
- Richer darks and deepening shadows to create drama
- Spatial layering by adding shadows where tendrils and stems pass over leaves and fruit, leaves overlap. This will be followed by a review of the final works, final question and answer session and getting ready for evening exhibition.
6.00 – Evening exhibition in the art studio of Atelier Clos Mirabel with aperitif
7.00 – Farewell dinner in the Manor House
Saturday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast and departure.
Non-participating guests: We are more than happy to welcome accompanying partners, family or friends. There are plenty of activities to experience around Clos Mirabel, that will make your holiday unforgettable Click here for more information.
The Art Studio, offers a spacious open plan layout of 75 m2. It is available at all times during your stay. Click here for more information.
