Poppy Time!

You've seen them in photos and paintings: those shimmering fields full of glorious red poppies in Provence. (They're so gorgeous they actually stop traffic; people see them, pull over and spring from their cars, cameras and sketchbooks in hand.) Well here's your chance to experience them firsthand, with a well-known, fully bilingual artist/instructor as your guide. Oregon-based watercolor painter Jacqueline Newbold has two spaces left  in her spring "Paint the South of France" workshop, May 9th to 19th, and it's timed perfectly to coincide with the blooming of the coquelicot. Not so into poppies? No worries--the itinerary features many of the most-popular sites in the region such as the 11th-century clinic where Van Gogh painted 143 canvasses, the ancient hilltop village of Les Baux, the Luberon region, Isle sur le Sorgue, vineyards, markets and more. All skill and experience levels are welcome. The price ($2,650) includes 10 nights lodging at the Hotel du Soleil in St. Remy, breakfasts and lunches, watercolor demos, mixed media and watercolor journaling techniques, critiques and local transportation.  Jacqueline's website is here and all the trip info is here. To learn more and see more of her work, here's her blog, here's her Esty shop and here's her email. 

Painting: Newbold's "Coquelicots de Provence" (watercolor, 20” x 24”)