Join Jane Davies in South West France for a week long workshop in Abstract Mixed Media. Drawing inspiration from the surroundings at Atelier Clos Mirabel we’ll record shapes, colours, textures, and more. Translating these into exciting studies and a small series using paint, collage, and drawing media.
About this course:
When you are very moved by a place, either because it is new and surprising or because it is familiar and meaningful, how do you approach your response in art? How might you approach a visual response in an abstract way?
In this workshop we will take our visual inspiration directly from the place – and what better place than the French Pyrénées? Instead of painting traditional landscapes we’ll use the visual material as the basis of abstract mixed media pieces.
This is an intermediate level class. You should be familiar with acrylic paints and materials and have some experience with colour-mixing and collage.
Abstract Mixed Media Workshop outline with Jane Davies
Saturday
4.00 – Check-in time from 4pm onwards
Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel.
6.00 – Welcome drinks and dinner
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Studio – Introduction to the scope of the class – How do you respond to place in an abstract way? Warm-up drawing exercises: pencil, graphite, crayon, oil pastel.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch
2.30 – 4.30 Studio – Drawing from objects in our environment, expanding the media to include paint.
6.30 – 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 Studio – Focus on colour: mixing colours in paint, recording colours from the environment.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Drawing outdoors (weather permitting, indoors if not), focus on line and shapes: drawing media and collage.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Tuesday
8.30– 9.30 Breakfast
10.00 – 1.00 Studio – Putting elements together
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Studio – Continuation from the morning, exploring ‘abstract’ and ‘abstraction’.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Wednesday – Free Day
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
Free day to explore the locality – we suggest wine tasting in a local vineyard, exploring Pau or beyond.
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Thursday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast
10.00 – 1.00 Studio – What makes a compelling image? Slide show, discussion, and work session continuing the exploration from Tuesday, putting elements together.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Studio – Students work in their media of choice on individual projects, developing abstract images from visual material gleaned from the immediate environment and experience at Clos Mirabel.
6.30 – 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 Studio – Continuation from Thursday afternoon
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Studio session, then group observations of the work done. (Not quite critique, but making meaningful observations of everyone’s work).
6.00 – Evening exhibition in the double living room of Clos Mirabel
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Saturday – Buffet Breakfast and departure (Check-out 11am)
Non-painting guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-painting guests, 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.
