Join UK Artist Jenny Muncaster for a fun-filled inspiring and playful taster week exploring mixed media.
About this course:
Jenny Muncaster is a professional artist based at The Colour Factory Studios & Gallery in Winchester, known for her vibrant mixed-media and acrylic work. Passionate about making creativity accessible, Jenny loves encouraging people to pick up a paintbrush and simply have a go!
During this week-long painting holiday, she brings that same enthusiasm to a unique creative experience. Step into a week bursting with colour, play, and hands-on making! Each day offers the chance to experiment with a different art material – inks, acrylics, graphite, collage, printing, and more so you can discover the mediums that excite you most. It’s like a mini art foundation course in one inspiring, joy-filled week.
Jenny will share her favourite tips and techniques, including ways to loosen up your style and develop fresh, original ideas inspired by her own process-led art techniques. You’ll explore colour, line, texture, print, and layering, and discover your own sense of playfulness while creating original artwork inspired by the stunning surroundings of Clos Mirabel.
By the end of the week, you’ll leave with a toolkit of new techniques, renewed creative confidence, and a collection of artwork to be proud of, plus a clear sense of which mediums inspire you to continue creating long after the holiday ends.
2027 Painting Holiday with Jenny Muncaster – Programme Outline Including a Day Painting in the Pyrenees
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 Components for a playful still life. Gathering seasonal goodies from Clos Mirabel to inspire our artwork. Fun exercises for loose drawing techniques for composition, colour, pattern with various materials. Jenny’s step by step still life workshop with mixed media collage.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Collage, stick and ink. Still Life contd. Combine all sorts of artists drawing, printing & paint skills. Jenny will be on hand to work on further techniques with you for generating fabulous mixed media compositions.
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 A look at acrylics. Discover their colour & consistencies, combining soft body, ink and fluid. Explore brush techniques alongside tips and tricks with nontraditional tools for fun effects.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Making a Zine: Experiment with layering and paint effects, turning your artwork into a fold-out mini mixed-media booklet for creative exploration. Sketching Techniques: Learn Jenny’s tips for capturing the character of the village and the beauty of the surrounding mountains in your sketches.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.15 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – Depart Clos Mirabel
10.00 – 1.00 Day out working en plein air in the Pyrenees mountains & local village. Individual interpretations using art materials of choice. Plein air painting/sketching in the mountains – take photos; make sketches. Inktense blocks, ink & graphite sticks available for all to try when out and about.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at a local Auberge
2.30 – 4.30 Sketching in the village. Fun with colour & collage with individual tuition from Jenny.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Please note this programme may be subject to change depending on the weather.
Please ensure you bring sensible walking shoes, layers, waterproof jacket, water bottle, sunscreen and a hat.
Wednesday – Free day (Lunch is not provided on the free day)
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
We suggest wine tasting in a local vineyard, exploring 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 of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 BEING MATISSE Fun together capturing the big expansive view with big & small sketches. Developing our ideas for landscapes in charcoal, graphite stick, paint & pen. Jennys demo for creating mini engravings using a stylus and acrylic etching plates.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Design & etch your own engraving of the landscape. A look at Aquafine watercolour inks. Experiment with painting small & simple, atmospheric landscape vignettes incorporating metallic foil effects for a touch of bling!
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 Free day of artwork at Clos Mirabel, with individual tuition throughout, with extra time to print your mini engravings. Working either en plein air, still life, or from our photographs and sketches. Experiment with combining any variety of the techniques & materials you have learnt for sketching, painting, print & mixed media.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.30 – 4.30 Studio work continued with individual tuition. Display artwork & get ready for evening celebration!
6.00 – Evening exhibition with aperitifs in the atelier of Clos Mirabel
7.00 – Farewell dinner – 4 courses in the Manor House or on the terrace
Saturday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet Breakfast and departure (Check-out 11am)
Itinerary
Re Jenny’s course itinerary. Jenny cannot give individual tuition separate to or which is distinctly different from the group course theme and itinerary.
We reserve the right to make adjustments to the programme content without prior notice. This is sometimes dependent on the time required to complete certain projects & the weather.
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.
