FRENCH PAINTING RETREAT
SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2022 in PROVENCE
Join Allison Wickey at the Rhone Retreat located in Gaujac, France for a once in a lifetime experience including daily painting instruction sessions, farm to table French Cuisine,
wines from local vineyards (it's Rosé country!), and
private tours of nearby attractions.
What is a painting retreat?
This 'all-level' painting retreat is designed to be suitable for people that have an interest in waking up their creative side in a non-competitive environment. The idea is to ease students into the creative process by immersing them in every stage of the process from learning to construct their own wood canvas, getting comfortable with creating color palettes, learning to work with plaster, finding your own style and talking about the importance of a creative outlet - what is holding you back?
But its not all work - there is plenty of play and discovery around Gaujac and surrounding villages! Wine tasting, anyone? Roman Ruins? There is so much to discover, stay busy on nearby walking trails or read by the pool - we honour our alone time and are very flexible with the groups needs.
We will work 3-5 hours a day and use the rest of the time to eat excellent French Country cuisine, relax by the pool, nap, walk around the villages and go on private tours of historical sites as well as farmers markets, boutiques, antique shopping and great food and local wine. One of the most valuable parts of the retreat is sharing stories and experiences with fellow attendees while supporting each other throughout the process. We laugh till our faces hurt over long dinners under the stars and make lifelong bonds.
Students will learn Allison's unique techniques, will pick up pointers from other students and will also notice they have developed their own techniques and new confidence in their creativity. Each student will leave with their own renditions of the French countryside and of course a Gulf Coast scene and whatever else you feel like painting - if necessary we will ship our works back to the US.
Example of what a week of a
painting retreat looks like:
*this is a flexible itinerary and is subject to change depending on weather and group decisions-
attendees can do as much or little as they want, food, wine and beds are available 24/7!
DAY 1: Arrival - you will be picked up at the train station in Avignon by our hosts in their comfy 9 person van and brought to the Retreat to get to know other attendees, walk around the property while sipping local wine and sit down for an excellent dinner.
DAY 2: Stroll into the main house for breakfast and either relax for a little or join me on a stroll up the road to visit 2600 year old Roman ruins.
Mid-morning we will hit the studio for 3-4 hours to make our canvas', get to know our tools and do some creative warmup exercises then break for lunch. If the group is up to it our hosts will take us to a nearby historical sight and by the shops to pick up those things you forgot. Late afternoon is your time to do whatever you want (hit the studio again, nap, sip wine etc) followed by dinner around 8pm in the outdoor dining area.
DAY 3: Breakfast and a walk then we will be learning the fundamentals of how to tint and paint with plaster while learning about how to create a color palette and will get our first pieces started. Picnic lunch at Chateau Neuf du Pape then depending on time back to the studio or free time then dinner.
DAY 4: Breakfast, walk then we decide where we would like to set up for a day of plein air painting which means 'painting outdoors' - village streets, an 11th century chapel or vineyards - so much to choose from. We will have a late lunch and a wine tasting then dinner at a local well known organic restaurant called La Maison walking distance from the retreat.
DAY 4: Breakfast, walk then we decide where we would like to set up for a day of plein air painting which means 'painting outdoors' - village streets, an 11th century chapel or vineyards - so much to choose from. We will have a late lunch and a wine tasting then dinner at a local well known organic restaurant called La Maison walking distance from the retreat.
DAY 5: Breakfast, walk and a trip into Uzès for the farmers market, great shopping and lunch in town.We will do our painting in the afternoon and will be perfecting our landscapes.We will also work on small pieces for a group exchange. By this time we will each be branching out into whatever groove we have fallen into and I will be giving instruction and helping students make sure their pieces will be done on time. We can make as many paintings as we want!
DAY 6: Breakfast/walk , time in the studio and a day trip to a village full of artists selling their work including pottery, clothing, paintings etc. We will finish up our works, do our painting exchange, have a casual photo shoot with our creations and sit down for our final group candlelight dinner.
DAY 7: Breakfast, walk and if needed we will finish up any paintings. Time to pack up and our hosts will drive you to Avignon to catch a train back to the airport.
Retreat FAQ's
How much is the Retreat?
$5000 for a room with shared bathroom, $6500 for a suite with a private bath. Tour attendees that do not wish to participate in the art workshops but are accompanying / rooming with a student in the workshop, may join our excursions and all planned tours, meals, etc for the full tour price less $500.00. (ie $4500 pp/do or $6000 pp/single). Airfare/ train fare not included.
What if I've never painted anything before and I'm scared?
This Retreat is for all levels - it is a small group (around 6 people) and that gives me time to instruct everyone on their level - its not a competitive atmosphere, we will all be learning!
How Many people will be at our Retreat?
At the most there will be 7 including Allison.
Do I need to bring my own supplies?
No, we will supply everything but if you have favourite
tools/brushes then bring them.
Are we on a strict schedule?
Not at all, there are opportunities throughout the day to do whatever you want and we decide amongst the group how our next day will look - we get a lot done but also have plenty of relaxation if you want!
What Clothing should I pack?
Definitely bring some comfy clothes for fall weather that can get 'painty' and casual travel outfits, comfy walking shoes and something for a nice dinner out - the average September temperature in Gaujac Gard is 56-77 degrees so bring some layers for mornings/evenings.
How do I sign up?
Go to americansinprovence.com, or click below
