Painting Workshops in Provence in 2016

Many of my readers and clients ask about painting classes in Provence...and I've lined up some great instructors who are happy to give half- and full-day lessons for travelers. (Interested? Email me: whattodoinprovence@gmail.com) But if you're thinking of something longer and more comprehensive, you might consider a multi-day workshop...meaning, a trip devoted mostly or entirely to painting. Most last about a week, there are many offered this year all over Provence and a sampling appears below. I can't tell you which are best as I haven't experienced any of them myself. I've chosen these because they're either led by painters I know and admire...or they were recommended by people I trust...or they look really promising online. For specific questions, contact the organizer or instructor directly. And if you have another workshop to promote or recommend anywhere in the South of France, feel free leave the info and a link by clicking "comments" below this story. (The best way to comment is to choose Name/URL. Put your name as the name, put your website as the URL...then fire away.) In the next month or so, I hope to share some photography workshops as well. 

For those looking to avoid the heat and the crowds of summer, Penelope Anstice will lead a one-week workshop in Eygalieres, from April 3 to 10. Eygalieres is a small, very beautiful village 15 minutes east of St. Remy, about an hour north of Marseille. You can see all the info by clicking Penelope's name above or by checking her website here.

British artist Julian Merrow-Smith lives and paints in Provence full time. I think his work is exquisite and so do the thousands of people who follow his "Postcard from Provence" online art auctions. In 2016, he'll be offering seven- and eight-night painting getaways with his wife Ruth Phillips, a writer and musician, in May, July and October."There are no frills to this workshop," Julian says. "We usually visit one of the local markets; otherwise the week is all about painting—talking, living and breathing it together. Our aim, above all, is to give you the experience of living the painter's life in the south of France." The group stays in the lovely restored priory/B&B called La Madelene, in the countryside at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Julian also offers "self-catering" painting retreats for smaller budgets, for up to six people who stay in his rental house near Mont Ventoux. The full painting kit is provided (as it is in the workshops) and Julian is available to paint with the guests for up to three hours per day. For info on the worishops, click here.  For info on the independent stays, email: ruth@wintermane.

Jill Steenhuis is an Atlanta-born, French Impressionistic painter who lives in Aix en Provence, where she taught painting and drawing (at the American University) for ten years. In addition to leading Cezanne and Van Gogh walking tours for American museums and art lovers,  Jill offers week-long oil painting workshops in the Provencal countryside for all ability levels. (For those who share her passion for Cezanne and Van Gogh, special arrangements can be made to paint on the very sites where they did.)  "My joy comes from watching the beginner or more advanced painter climb a mountain in their creative way and in their inner soul," she says. Students may bring their own equipment or Jill will provide it. All ability levels are welcome and full details are on her site here.

French Escapade is offering seven different eight-day painting vacations in Provence this year--each led by a different instructor--plus one in the French Alps, one on the French Riviera and one in Giverny. Choose from oil painting, watercolor or journal sketching. Groups are seven to 12  students max. "We usually stay at the same accommodations for the entire tour so you can immerse yourself in the culture, meet the locals and feel at home without having to pack and unpack every day," says company founder Jackie Grandchamps.  "Best of all, we always choose an ideal base location and take you on a wide variety of nearby daily excursions." French Escapade also has workshops this year in Spain, Belgium/Holland and Tuscany; they'll add the Loire Valley in 2017. For all the details, click here.

This year, Workshops in France and The Art Engine are offering two uninstructed 10-Day Painting Retreat for Artists, led by Scottish artist Julie Snyder. There's one in June ("Lavender Season") and one in September ("Glorious Provence").  The package includes 10 days of artistic immersion (mentoring available) and daily painting sessions in locations such as private vineyards, charming villages, markets, on the Van Gogh trail, St. Remy and Les Baux and more. You'll stay in a château above the hillside village of Chateauneuf de Gadagne, not far from Avignon and the Luberon, and there's plenty to do for non-painting travel partners as well.  Click here for details.

Since 1990, David and Liz Atkinson have run Arts in Provence in the tiny hamlet of Les Bassacs, with its commanding views over  the Luberon Mountains and the Vaucluse. Surrounded by cherry orchards, vineyards and olive groves, Les Bassacs is within easy reach of the well-known Luberon villages of Gordes, Lacoste and Bonnieux. Workshops of varying lengths are led by different artists, reflecting a wide range of styles and themes. This year there are eleven of them, between late April and late September. All the info is here.

Ian Roberts is an Iowa-based artist leading two "Plein Air Painting in Provence" workshops this year. "No place continues to call me to paint like Provence does," he says. "And of course I'm not alone. Corot, Bonnard, van Gogh, Gaugain, Matisse, Cézanne and Picasso all came to live and work here. I know you too will love the quality of light, the folds of the earth, the old stone farm buildings and medieval hilltop villages, the poplars and cypresses." Workshops are based in the medieval village of Le Barroux, a place "so rich visually, so full of possibilities, each day you'll find something that sings to you." Lodging is in the village's only hotel, which has just 11 rooms. "Dinners are served on the terrace overlooking the valley below," Ian says. "With the sun setting after a long day of painting--and wine from just down the road--it's a great way to end the day." Info on Ian's workshops is here. 

Tessa Baker--who has lived in Provence since 1985--offers week-long watercolor workshops at her home in Lorgues, in the Var. Here you'll be surrounded by beauty, as vineyards, rolling hills and fields (lavender, sunflowers, poppies) surround the farmhouse Tessa shares with her husband David. Meanwhile chef Anna prepares the meals, served with wines from top chateaux, some of which are in walking distance. "And our picnics have certainly stolen a few hopeful glances, especially when we set up our table in the port of St Tropez!" Tessa says. Visits to the famous Gorges de Verdun, the village of Moustiers, the wine domaine Mas des Brun in Bandol and of course a local market are all part of the trip. The group paints at least six hours, most days. "We all have such a lovely time together and become such good friends," Tessa says, "it's hard to say goodbye." For info: tessabakerart@gmail.com or +33 6 11 25 29 72. You might also enjoy her blog here. 

"Whatever your reason is for opening up to a creative pursuit," says artist Andrew Petrov, " there is no better place to learn, practice, and enjoy the process of painting than in Provence!" This summer, in the picturesque and historic village of Saignon (which he considers his second home), Andrew is inviting painters of all levels to  "live and breathe art" with like-minded travelers. (He lived in Saignon full time before moving back to the US in 2012 ...and has offered workshops there since 2001.)  One of his 2016 workshops is already full, but the one scheduled for June 19 to 29 still has space. "If you know Saignon, you know it's the perfect setting for plein-air painting," he says, "and these dates should be ideal for lavender seekers." You'll find more info on Andrew's website here or contact him directly: monsieurandrewpetrov@gmail.com

Milan-based painter Francesco Fontana will teach in Provence again in 2016, as he has done since 2008. You'll stay in Isle sur la Sorgue, a charming village with a river running through it, known for its 250+ antique vendors and large Sunday market. Exact workshop dates will be announced soon but you can see the details--and Francesco's workshop in Paris and Giverny--on his website here. 

British artist Jill Douglas will teach a class at the legendary artists studios Ateliers Fourwinds on the outskirts of the pretty little town of Aureille, not far from Maussane and Arles. The property was formerly a quail farm and is surrounded by olive trees at the foot of Les Alpilles, the small mountain range in the Bouches-du-Rhône. “When I spent time painting here, it was life changing," Jill says. "After painting every day for two weeks I knew I was breaking through to a new level in my work.” Jill has created a course for artists of all levels from complete beginner to advanced, with work taking place in the studio as well as outside in the surrounding countryside. Accommodation is either at the Fourwinds or a nearby hotel and transport will be provided for excursions, for instance to the beautiful market in Mouriés, where students can browse, shop and sketch, perhaps taking photos to paint from at the studio. "My focus in teaching is to help the individual student develop and express their own visual voice," Jill continues. "We will do constructive group and individual critiques after painting at the studio, which will enable you to criticise your own work more effectively and learn to know when you are finished – the much asked question.” For info: paintinprovence2016.com. 

Finally...Atelier Provence 2016 combines a seven-day painting workshop in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence with a four-day art history tour in Barcelona...a fine opportunity to paint, learn art history, discuss and enjoy Provencal famous cuisine and wines in the land of Cézanne and Picasso. Their July 2016 trip is full (with a waiting list) but the trip will be offered again July 1 to 12, 2017. Check it out here.

Photos: (1) Painting the village of Gordes with Workshops in France. (2) A painting by Brenda Swenson, who will teach this summer with French Escapade. (3) Whoever takes the group portraits of the Workshop in France students has a great eye. (4) "Avignon Mobylette" by Julie Snyder, workshop leader at Workshops in France. (5) "Le Vieux Port in the Rain," a 2015 oil-on-canvas by Jill Steenhuis, who leads workshops in the Aix countryside. (6) Jill, second from left, with students. (7,8) Painting in Cucuron and out in the lavender fields with Arts in Provence, which is hosting 11 workshops this year with different instructors. (9)  Arts in Provence students stay in David and Liz Atkinson's home...and swim in this glorious pool. (10-12) Three paintings by French Escapade instructors: Tracy Lewis, Evelyn Dunphy and Frank Eber. (13) One of Julian Merrow-Smiths recent groups; men are very welcome too! (14) Julian's groups stay at La Madelene; here's a guestroom. (15) Julian and his group picnic-ing...and looking very painterly. (16. 17) Two paintings I love by Julian Merrow-Smith. (18, 19) Students in an Ian Roberts workshop. (20) Lunch during Ian's workshops is always  "the most delicious, simple Provencal food," made by this owner of a local B&B and served on an outdoor terrace. (21) Ian likes to take students to the Friday morning market at Carpentras, which has run continuously since the year 1150. (22) Ian's painting of a village just down the road from Le Barroux, where his workshops are based. Call "Below Crillon le Brave" the painting, by coincidence, sold yesterday!

Painting Workshops in Provence

Provence-based artist Julian Merrow-Smith became something of a celebrity in the art world when he launched his daily oil-painting concept “Postcard from Provence” in 2004. The idea was ambitious and at the same time, quite simple: Julian would create a painting a day, which was auctioned online to the highest bidder. He's now at painting #2053 and averages five to six original oils per week. He continues to sell them very successfully online, using both the auction and a traditional pricing format. 

And now, having lived and worked in the landscape around his home near Mt. Ventoux for 15 years, Julian and his wife, Ruth Phillips, will be offering a second season of painting workshops at La Madelène, located in a 12th-century priory between the villages of Malaucène and Entrechaux. It's 10 minutes south of the ancient Roman town of Vaison-La-Romaine; 30 minutes from Orange and Carpentras; and 45 minutes from beautiful Avignon.

"There are no frills to this workshop," Julian says. "We usually visit one of the local markets; otherwise the week is all about painting—talking, living and breathing it together. Our aim, above all, is to give you the experience of living the painter's life in the south of France."

Julian says the workshop is best suited to painters with some experience, those who wish to broaden their scope and learn by example or experience the rigors of plein aire (outdoor) painting for the first time. There are 12 students max per class. 

Two of the six planned 2014 sessions are already sold out. Remaining sessions include May 18 to 25th; May 28 to June 4; and sessions in September/October with dates to be confirmed. 

During the first part of the morning, Julian gives a short plein aire demo followed by individual help and instruction. The group breaks around 1 pm—for a seated lunch, an on-site picnic, or a meal in a simple restaurant--and lunch is usually followed by a bit of free time. Then there's another three- to four-hour session, followed by an informal critique during the aperitif. Then it's time for a three- or four-course dinner, served with wines from top local vineyards.

All painting materials and equipment are provided. The classes concentrate on small-scale paintings, using the same palette and materials that Julian regularly uses. These consist of a set of artist's oil colors, fine hog-bristle brushes, a pochade box, a tripod, prepared gesso boards and cleaning materials, all contained in a small rucksack. Umbrellas and chairs are also provided. "All you need is your straw hat!" Julian says.

The price is $2,725 for shared occupancy and $3,185 for single occupancy. This includes seven days’ full board and lodging, all painting materials and equipment, transport to and from painting locations, and transfer to and from the Avignon TGV station.

For all the info on the workshops, click here. 

To see Julian's work and sign up for his email alerts (which are sent whenever there's a new painting for sale), click here. To see his blog, click here.

La Madelène, run by Philip and Jude Reddaway, is known for Rhone wine holidays, wine classes and other wine-themed activities.  For all the info, visit their website here.

Photos: (1) Doug, a workshop student, painting by the pool in October, 2013. (2-5) Four of Julian's paintings: Apricot,  House and Vines, Garden Roses and Sunset through Trees. (6) Another student, Gina, painting lavender in summer, 2013. (7-8): Lunch might be on the terrace at La Madelène or it could be a picnic like this one, from July 2013. (9) The workshop gang, July, 2013.

Provence and the British Imagination

On Nov 19 and 20, the Universite de Provence in Aix will co-host "Provence and the British Imagination," a conference (in English) exploring the role of Provence in the British literary and aesthetic imagination, from the 18th century to the present. Speakers will include artist Julian Merrow-Smith and writer Anthony Penrose, who will discus Provence in the work of his father Roland, the surrealist painter and poet. The weekend kicks off Thursday Nov 18 at 5:30 p.m., with a reception celebrating Merrow Smith's book Postcard from Provence, at Book in Bar, 4 rue Joseph Cabassol, Aix. The conference, to be held on the Universite campus, is free and open to the public. For more info and to see the full program, click here or email Claire at: davisonpegon@gmail.com. 


Above: "Autumn Vineyards, Sablet" by Julian Merrow Smith is available as a limited-edition print. It's 17cm x 12cm , in an edition of 90, price $50. To order, click here. 

Postcards from Provence

If, like I am, you're a fan of the work of Provence-based artist Julian Merrow-Smith, you can now own a lovely 160-page book containing 140 full-color plates of his paintings.

Merrow-Smith is a British artist based in Bedoin (near Avignon), whose still- life paintings are inspired by objets trouvés, pottery and seasonal produce from local markets. His landscapes, meanwhile, represent scenes within walking distance of his studio.

The inspiration for his Postcard from Provence painting project and website came in 2004 with the arrival, deep in the French countryside, of a high-speed internet connection and Duane Keiser's "A Painting a Day" blog. The daily painting blog format has since been taken up by hundreds of artists attracted by the commitment a daily practice demands and the opportunity to share their work with people all over the world. Postcard from Provence has gone on to receive international acclaim in the media being featured in The New York Times, The London Times, USAToday, The Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian.

The 8½" x 10" book will be printed on acid free heavyweight Japanese art paper and published in Spring. When it's released, the price will be €24.95 ($34.95) +shipping but Merrow-Smith is now accepting pre-orders of signed copies for €19.95 ($29.95). If you pre-order, shipping is free. And if you decide to make a holiday gift of a pre-ordered signed copy, in addition to free shipping Merrow-Smith will send a 'Postcard from Provence' card from you to a special person in time for the holidays.

The artist is also offering free shipping on all prints.

To see details, paintings, info on ordering and more, go to: http://www.shiftinglight.com/

Postcards from Provence

This would be perfect in your house, no? It's today's painting from Julian Merrow-Smith, the Bedoin-based artist who sells his work auction-style online. Félicité Parmentier (Roses in a Silver Cup) is an oil on gessoed card, 16cm x 17cm (6¼"x6½"). The auction starts today, Tuesday, at 8 p.m. GMT and ends Wednesday (tomorrow, May 27) at 8 p.m. GMT. Bidding begins at $100. Payment is by Pay Pal at the end of the auction--no account needed and all major credit cards are accepted. Shipping is $16. Some of Julian's paintings are also available as limited-edition prints. To see or learn more, click here.  To register or log in to the auction, visit: http://auction.shiftinglight.com.