Painting Retreat at the Château Dumas with Artists Helen Dardik and Carolyn Gavin
September 14 – 21, 2021 (8 days / 7 nights, Auty, Occitanie, France)
Join Helen Dardik and Carolyn Gavin, in partnership with UpTrek.com, for a week of painting in the South of France. We will stay at an authentic chateau, enjoy a stunning 22-acre private estate, draw our inspiration from quintessentially French medieval villages, and indulge in the exquisite local cuisine.
We’ll be using watercolors, gouache and acryla gouache and focusing on a variety of techniques, materials and topics, including:
introduction to new media (what are the materials and how to use them for best results)
composition
how to start and when to end
how to find colors that work together
how to loosen up and let the perfect imperfection happen
painting from within and painting from nature (the flower in front of you vs the flower inside you)
how to turn your failures into something new
monochrome schemes (when less is more)
abstract
cutouts
landscape
ACCOMMODATION:
We will stay at Château Dumas, a luxury 18th-century chateau perched on a hill in the stunning countryside of southern France. Recently restored, the chateau gained back its elegance and antique heritage and added all the modern conveniences needed for a comfortable stay. Located only an hour's drive from Toulouse, the vast 22-acre property features courtyards, orchards, and wild woodland. The estate will be our home exclusively for the week.
MEALS:
We will indulge in authentic French dishes prepared by the in-house chefs using only fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Refreshments are available throughout the day and dinners are always paired with some of the best French wines. All meals are included, except for two lunches on the full-day trips.
INCLUDED:
Painting workshop and individual tuition with artists Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik
7 nights of accommodation at Château Dumas
Meals: 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 7 dinners
All non-alcoholic drinks available at all times: coffee, tea, water
White or red local wine served with dinner (0.5 l / 17 fl oz per person, per day)
Use of basic art equipment: easels, art boards, water containers
Trip to Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and Les Jardins de Quercy
Trip to Montpezat-de-Quercy and wine tasting at a local winery
Private transportation for trips
Round trip private transfers at prearranged times from/to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS)
NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare
Travel insurance
2 lunches (on full-day trips)
Art materials
Extra costs guests might incur on their own
PRICES AND PAYMENT INFORMATION:
18 places available, all shared rooms can be two large singles or king-size beds
$3,900 USD – shared room, double occupancy
$4,900 USD – private room, single occupancy
No payment required upon signup. Once half the group has signed up, payment methods will be charged, the retreat becomes guaranteed and there will be no reimbursement. If the retreat is canceled due to COVID-19, other force majeure event, or circumstances out of artists Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik's control, the total cost of the retreat will be refunded.
***** SOLD OUT ****
