Workshop location:
Haven on the Hill, Gaubide, Lalandusse, 47330 , Lot et Garonne, France.
During this watercolour retreat we will paint in various locations plein air around the retreat, in the local towns as well as using the retreat’s studio which is a beautifully converted barn.

Workshop inclusions:
7 days tuition (spread across the 10 days) in watercolour with Australian artist Cheryl Bruce.
Twin & Triple Share accommodation at Haven on the Hill.
10 nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast, lunches and 8 dinners included and some day trip adventures together to paint and explore the local area.
Transfers from Bergerac airport or train station are included. Please note if you change your travel plans at short notice or need transfers to or from a different train/airport these may not be included.

What’s not included – flights, art materials, personal expenditure on day trips, travel insurance, alcohol, 2 dinners, 1 lunch.
Check in is from around lunch time on Thursday 24th and departure is Sunday 3rd September. There will be no formal painting tuition on the arrival or departure dates. Retreat commences with a welcome dinner. If you arrive around lunchtime on Thursday you will have time to explore Haven on the Hill, swim or relax by the pool or get your sketchbook out and get started taking in the inspiration.

Cost and booking process:
Full cost: 1530 Euro per person.
To confirm you position in the workshop a deposit 200 Euro is to be paid via direct bank transfer, and return of the
booking form. The balance of workshop payment (1130 Euro) is required by 8 weeks prior to the start date of the
workshop (1 July 2023).

Workshop Description:
This workshop is perfect for those wanting to build their confidence working wet in wet with various subject matter. Exercises and step-by-step demonstrations will show how to simplify scenes to create an interesting and dynamic painting. Subject matter may include landscape, street scenes, seascapes and figurative, which will be demonstrated in a manner that is representational and impressionistic.

The workshop will cover fundamentals including washes, wet in wet, getting the best out of your materials, composition and tone. The topics covered in this workshop include: the importance of tonal value studies, understanding tonal values and colours without feeling fear of the darks, along with a variety of techniques in paint application and brush handling. We will also practice our urban and travel sketching to create a sketchbook filled with lasting memories of a trip or your day to day life. There will be plenty of one-on-one guidance and a question-and-answer opportunities on a daiy basis.

We will have some day excursions to paint or sketch on site at local attractions. This trip may include a visit and sketching at Latour-Marliac – a plant nursery in Le Temple-sur-Lot. With 3 hectares of gardens and ponds specializing in waterlilies, lotus and other acquatic plants, the nursery dates back to the 19th century and classified as `Remarquable’ by the French Ministry of Culture. It is said to have inspired Claude Monet to include
waterlilies in his garden at Giverny and is the nursery he ordered his lilies from. Chateau De Biron is another possible plein air location. These day trips will be confirmed closer to the workshop dates.

It‘s a Painting Holiday:
Some ½ days will be your own to relax and enjoy the pool at Haven on the Hill, or venture into the local towns Eymet or Villereal, where there are local markets.
Bergerac is one of the biggest towns in the region of the north of the Dordogne, where you can enjoy the old part of town with the Place Pelissiere which is a square situated in the old part edged by cafe’s, restaurants and always flowers. The morning market is a typical French market with fruit and vegetables, basketware, through to clothes. You can sit in a café/bar by the river watching the world go by or sketch if you are keen.
A visit to the local Bastide of Eymet is a must, just a 15 min drive away in the Dordogne, again a beautiful square
surrounded by cafes and restaurants. We may dine in Eymet for one of our optional dinners out.

Workshop Information Recommended Experience:
Beginner to Intermediate (basic knowledge & some previous experiences of drawing and watercolor painting recommended to benefit from this workshop).
To experience Cheryl’s teaching style check out her You Tube Channel – Cheryl Bruce Creativ, or join up for an online zoom class block.
Cheryl is a well known artist and tutor from Terrigal, on the Central Coast NSW Australia. Cheryl teaches regular weekly classes, along with workshops with local and interstate art societies. Her students often say how much they learn in her classes. Self taught through workshops with great artists such as Keiko Tanabe (USA), Chan Dissanayake, Herman Pekel, and Ross Paterson, Cheryl focusses on a loose and impressionistic style in watercolour and covers a wide variety of subject matter from still life, to seascape, landscape, boats, horses and portraits. Her passion for art and materials, and gift for sharing makes her a popular tutor.

For more about Cheryl Bruce and to view more works: http://www.cherylbrucecreativ.com
Follow her on facebook or instagram – https://www.facebook.com/cherylbrucecreativ and
https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.bruce.creativ

Cancellation Policy:
Due to limited class size, payment is non-refundable. If you register for the workshop and are unable to attend, if there is a waiting list of students that has formed and we can fill the position, you will receive a refund (less a 100Euro administration fee). If you are unable to attend and there is no waiting list, we will unfortunately be unable to provide refunds.
If the organiser finds it necessary to cancel the workshop due to low enrolment, or government lockdowns, registered students will be contacted and be refunded the full course tuition paid. Please ensure you have travel insurance to cover you if you are unable to travel due to Covid-19, or any other reason.

Workshop Itinerary

Thursday 24th August 2023 – Guests arrive from lunch time. Spend the afternoon settling in, exploring the
property, or relaxing by the pool. Enjoy a welcome drink in the afternoon and dinner at Haven on the Hill.
Dinner at the retreat will be served daily at 7.30pm
Breakfast daily 8am onwards

Friday 25th August – 9am start daily – Introduction and both morning and afternoon sessions painting in the
studio. Get ready to enjoy a great week and a half of painting together, exploring a range of techniques, subject
matter, and styles.

Saturday 26th August – Painting in the studio and on location around Haven on the Hill to introduce plein air styles and set up. Tonight we will dine out together in Eymet, at the creperie La Maison d’Amour, sitting outside
overlooking the square. (Dinner cost additional. Feel free to choose a restaurant of your choice if you wish to
separate from the group). Before dinner we will be able to wander the town and take photos.

Sunday 27th August – Enjoy a free morning of leisure, then we may take a picnic lunch to the local town of Lauzun
and paint the willow trees overhanging the lake, the chateau on the other side of the lake with its lovely reflections,
or in the streets of the town.

Monday 28th August – Painting in the studio today.

Tuesday 29th August – Today is a free day, but we are considering optional excursion to Bordeaux if a small group
would like to head out together. There will be no tuition on this excursion, but for those who are keen we will have
early breakfast and leave Haven at about 8.15 and catch a train to Bordeaux, where we will explore the city. Closer
to the time we will check what exhibition is on at Bassins de Lumieres, as this is an incredible immersive art
experience in an old disused submarine base. (check out more info here – https://www.bassins-lumieres.com). You
might like to shop, sketch the city, or sit quietly in a café watching the world go by. (Costs not included – estimated
cost is about 70 Euro for train, lunch and an exhibition entry). You may choose to simply chill by the pool, paint in
the studio or read a book in the sun.

Wednesday 30th August – Painting in the studio and on the grounds of Haven today. Dine out this evening in a
nearby town (Restaurant to be advised, cost additional).

Thursday 31st August – Our excursion today takes us to Latour Marliac – a plant nursery specialising in water lilies,
lotus and other aquatic plants, located about 25 mins from Haven. In 1894 Claude Monet ordered his first waterlilies
and lotus plants from Latour Marliac, and the 3 hectare grounds are considered `Remarquable’ by the French
Ministry. We will paint and sketch on site followed by either lunch at the café on site (cost additional), or picnic
lunch from Haven.

Friday 1st September – this morning we will breakfast a little earlier and head off to Chateau de Jaubertie, a local
vineyard to paint amongst the vines. Earlier in the week we will have practised painting people into our scenes. It
may be harvest time and if we are in luck, we will catch the people and machines moving through the vineyard, but if not we will have gained the skills to pop some pickers in amongst the vines to add life to our scenes. Picnic lunch
here, and stop for an optional wine tasing if you would like (approx. 8 Euro additional).
From the Chateau we may enjoy a free afternoon in Bergerac, wander the streets, shop, sketch or sit in the local
cafes or by the river.

Saturday 2nd September – Our last day painting together in the studio. We will explore some fun techniques for
our last projects, and a mini exhibition in the beautiful barn at Haven to look at all of our work and achievements
from the workshop.
Farewell dinner together at Haven on the Hill.

Sunday 3rd September – Today is our departure day.
Depending on your travel plans, you may like to have a leisurely breakfast, enjoy the pool or just pack up and head
off as it suits you.

Please note: some excursions or the days planned may change due to weather or availability at the venue.
While it is a painting holiday because we are in this fabulous location, I consider most people coming along with the intention/desire to paint and learn as much as possible, but you can feel free to skip any sessions if you would like more time to relax or are feeling tired. Participants can come and go from the barn studio in the evenings if they would like to work on paintings a little more.

Other information to make your stay great.
During our stay at Haven on the Hill our alcoholic drinks are additional. Our hosts don’t offer bottled water in consideration of the environment and the water is safe to drink.

There is tea and coffee available complimentary during the day made in the Gite kitchen by guests as
and when they would like it.
Each guest will be given a card for additional extras like drinks, massages etc which we ask guests to settle their
account prior to departure. Please be aware that Haven on the Hill do not take cards for payment and cash will also be needed on the group evenings out in order to be able to pay the bill as many restaurants won’t split bills. (There are many atms around.)

Please have a look at the menus online for the restaurants mentioned and advise us whether you will be joining us on those evening dinners or doing your own thing so that we can make the appropriate bookings. Restaurants chosen have been popular locations for the yoga and painting groups in past retreats. If you have specific dietary requirements we may need to advise in advance.

Please remember to bring any medication that you need with you… it may seem obvious, but they have been
forgotten before.

We are looking forward to a fantastic week and a half painting together and enjoying the Dordogne region.