Join Mary Dillon at Atelier Clos Mirabel for a week long botanical art workshop in the French Pyrenees ~ South West France. Enjoy wonderful surroundings, delightful accommodation and delicious meals.
About this course:
Join me in early July, 2025, as I return to Clos Mirabel to paint Summer flowers. Wild and garden flowers will be at their best, filling the air with delicious scents and delighting our eyes with an array of colour.
Everything about being in Clos Mirabel is special. From the warmth of your welcome by the family and team at Clos Mirabel to your first view of the Pyrenees, your beautifully appointed accommodation and the most delicious variety of locally sourced foods, you know that this will be a week for you!
The spacious art studio is a haven for artists. Taking your inspiration from the plants in the garden and the countryside you’ll practice some observational drawing and mark making.
Early in the week we’ll have an opportunity to travel towards the upper slopes of the Pyrenees to experience alpine plants in their natural habitat. After a gentle walk and some field sketching we’ll enjoy a simple lunch in a village Auberge.
Back in the studio we’ll explore the nuances of colour through easy exercises to help you grow in confidence in how you choose and use colour.
Exploring and practicing watercolour painting techniques in a simple but systematic way can be applied to painting any subject. Using controlled wet and damp techniques and finishing with dry techniques we will work in layers to create a painting that is both true to science and true to your emotional connection with your plant subject.
This week will be a week to rest well, eat well and to replenish your personal resources in the process of creating your botanical painting.
I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Botanical Painting Holiday – Programme Outline:
Saturday
4.00 – Check-in time from 4pm onwards. Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel
6.00 – An introduction to the course by Mary Dillion over welcome drinks
7.00 – 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Getting to know your subject…. Choosing, Lighting, Observing, Drawing, Composing
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Return to Studio to continue work with individual tuition
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Monday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Morning visit to the higher slopes of the Pyrenees to observe alpine plants in their natural habitat, followed by field sketching
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at local Auberge
2.30 – 4.00 Studio: Colour mixing and matching, practicing wet watercolour painting techniques and laying the first washes.
6.00 – An evening talk on prominent local landscape artists by Xavier with over aperitif
7.00 – 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.30 Breakfast
10.00 – 1.00 Studio: Mixing greens, painting petals, painting leaves, painting shadows
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Studio: Layering washes for impact
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Wednesday – day off
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
Free day to explore the locality. We suggest wine tasting in local vineyard, explore Pau or beyond.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Thursday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast
10.00 – 1.00 Studio: Learn and practice dry brush techniques. Building form and create texture in your painting.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Studio
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Friday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Studio: The Wow Factor! Finishing with finer details using dry brush techniques. Troubleshooting your painting. Bringing it all together.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Studio
6.00 – Evening exhibition in the art studio of Atelier Clos Mirabel with aperitif
7.00 – 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Saturday – Buffet Breakfast and departure (Check-out time 11am)
