Join renowned artist Jenny Muncaster for a delightful painting holiday in South West France. Jenny loves sharing her passion for art and encouraging everyone to get their paint brushes out and simply have a go! Her course is enjoyable, confidence building and completely achievable for all levels.
About this course:
Jenny is committed to making creativity available to everyone, during this week-long painting holiday she will introduce you to different techniques using a whole range of wonderful art materials. Combining traditional & non-traditional methods & tools for exploring line, painting, print, texture & collage in your work. Using these new skills, capture & interpret your subject matter to create totally original artwork inspired by the beautiful surroundings of Clos Mirabel in the French Pyrenees.
At the end of the workshop, you will have gained a tool kit of creative skills & techniques, a new artistic energy, and a portfolio of paintings to be proud of!
2023 Painting Holiday Programme Outline including a Day Painting in the Pyrenees:
Saturday
Guests settle in and explore Clos Mirabel
Introductory chat about the course & demonstration in acrylics by Jenny Muncaster
Welcome drinks and dinner
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Discover four types of acrylics. Loose drawing & fun tips for sketchbooks. Techniques with ink, original, heavy body and fluid acrylics. Colour mixing with a limited palette. Mark making and WOW effects for creating & layering with pattern & print using System 3 acrylics, various tools & brushes.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Jenny’s step by step workshop for painting a Flower Field
6.30 – 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 landscapes & tips for urban sketching. Discover how to incorporate inks, acrylics & texture mediums. ‘Sketching with mixed media collage’, ideas with a fine liner, watercolour & collage.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Preparing texture surfaces from panoramas with acrylic mediums. Observation within the grounds and from photos. Learn how to incorporate colour on texture backgrounds for use on tomorrows plein air trip to the Pyrenees
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
10.00 – 1.00 Painting with texture & mixed media acrylics. Day out working en plein air in the Pyrenees mountains. Quick ink sketches based on observation, straight on to using our prepped texture grounds and adding colour & effect with individual tuition. Further art materials, pastels, pencils, acrylics & inks on hand for supplementary mixed media work.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at a local Auberge
2.00 – 4.00 Free time or Plein air painting/sketching in the village – take photos & make sketches
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Wednesday day off (Lunch is not provided on the free day)
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
We suggest wine tasting in local vineyard, explore Pau or beyond
6.00 – Optional Gelli plate printing workshop, open for everyone using nature finds in the grounds of Clos Mirabel
6.30 – 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 Components for a still life. Gathering seasonal goodies from Clos Mirabel to inspire our sketches & painting. Fun exercises for loose drawing & techniques for composition, colour, pattern & effect. Jenny’s step by step instructional still life workshop.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Still Life continued. Combine all sort of artists drawing, printing & paint skills. Jenny will be on hand to work on further techniques with you for generating fabulous mixed media work.
6.30 – 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 painting at Clos Mirabel, with individual tuition throughout. 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 mixed media. *Gelli plate printing demonstration of how to create artwork from your own photographs and sketches of the mountains/village.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Meet in the studio Individual tuition & get ready for evening exhibition
6.30 – Evening exhibition with aperitifs in the double living room of Clos Mirabel and Farewell dinner – 4 courses in the Manor House or on the terrace
Saturday – Buffet Breakfast and departure
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, full of natural light was designed by our Italian architect and offers a spacious open plan layout of 55 m2. It is available at all times during your stay. Click here for more information.
