Painting Holidays at Clos Mirabel - June 2020
by Heather
9 minutes 54 seconds read.

Clos Mira­bel is a beau­ti­ful fif­­teen-acre es­ta­te bet­ween coast and moun­­tains. Its 18th Cen­tu­ry Manor House is set in pri­­va­te park­­land amidst the gen­­tle hills of Ju­ran­çon with mag­ni­­f­i­cent un­in­ter­rup­t­ed views out over vine­­yards to the en­tire chain of the Py­rénées At­lan­ti­ques. A haven of peace, ev­er chan­ging light and tran­qui­l­li­­ty, it is the per­­fect lo­­ca­­tion for Pain­t­ing Ho­li­­days. These fully catered week long courses will be an artistic and gastronomic experience to feed the soul and fill the senses.

Clos Mirabel is delighted to be hosting a series of art ateliers in June 2020 with internationally renowned artists Sara Dudman, Gregory Mason and Eban. The courses focus on each artist’s specialism and are provided in small groups with a maximum of 12 participants. Courses include group and individual tuition, excursions and meals. These residential painting courses at Clos Mirabel Manor in South West France are suitable for a range of levels and aim to help participants to expand their artistic skills. The breathtaking panorama at Clos Mirabel offers incredible inspiration.

Expressive Landscape with Sara Dudman RWA
Mixed media

Dates: 6 June 2020 – 13 June 2020
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Language: English/French
Single Occupancy: From 1745€ to 2045€ including tuition, all art materials & full board
Shared Occupancy: From 1445€ to 1745€ including tuition, all art materials & full board
Non painting participants: From 995€ to 1395€ full board
All material is provided for this course

About the artist
Sara Dudman is an elected academician of The Royal West of England Academy. Further to her Master’s degree in Design & Manufacture for which she was awarded a distinction, she spent many years in higher education. This, and her own career as an artisthave provided a rich and enriching experience that she continues to share in her own artwork and as a consultant in higher education, arts” organisations, galleries and museums. Sara exhibits her work on a regular basis. She was a judge for the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2015 and 2016, and is often asked to select work for exhibitions.

Click here for more information on Sara Dudman

About the course
A semi-abstract painting and drawing course with artist Sara Dudman RWA. Rooted in landscape traditions, this course encourages participants to unlock their potential to create highly personal responses to the environment around Clos Mirabel. Personalised tutoring to develop practical skills in painting and drawing across a range of media, techniques and surfaces is central to this course. We will explore representational, abstract and conceptual interpretations of landscape. We will gather visual information, including sketches, video and photography, outside in the stunning French Pyrenean mountain landscape, and develop ideas through painting and drawing back in the studio. Core principles of composition, colour, tone and form will be explored, providing participants with the foundations to achieve the level of abstraction / representation they are looking for in their artwork. During the course participants will use a wide range of materials, tools and surfaces and will be encouraged to work on different scales, creating both small intimate studies alongside more expressive, experimental larger-scale dynamic works. A looseness of style, vitality and gestural marks are the hallmarks of Sara’s paintings. During the course, she will guide participants through tried and trusted techniques for letting go and creating paintings and drawings which capture and express the mood of the landscape using a rich colour palette. Liberate the inner artist within you in this full week-long painting course at Clos Mirabel, Pau, SW France.

Painting with Passion and Purpose with Gregory Mason
Oil painting

Dates: 13 June 2020 – 20 June 2020
Level: For existing artists who wish to build new skills
Language: English
Single Occupancy: From 1745€ to 2045€ including tuition & full board
Shared Occupancy: From 1445€ to 1745€ including tuition & full board
Non painting participants: From 995€ to 1395€ full board
All material is provided for this course

About the tutor
Greg Mason is an award-winning figurative painter creating atmospheric scenes that are visually and technically striking whilst holding a deeper narrative. His work is highly collectable with accolades including Saatchi’s ‘One to Watch’, Finalist on both Sky Arts Portrait and Landscape Artist of the Year TV shows and UK Cass Art Painting Ambassador.
Based in Devon in the UK, Greg is an Academician with the South West Academy and regularly teaches workshops and master-classes throughout the world. He exhibits in London at the prestigious Mall Galleries and is represented by Noon Powell Fine Art.

Click here for more information on Gregory Mason

About the course
This is a unique invitation to paint under the guidance of award-winning artist Greg Mason in the stunning setting of the French Pyrenees. Discover a deeper passion for painting as you learn new skills and connect them with your true purpose as an artist. Greg will lead you on a journey of creative discovery to find greater freedom of expression, to capture deeper emotion in your work and to enable a new listening for you own artists’ inner voice. Through a combination of demonstration and hands-on practical sessions ‘Painting with Passion and Purpose’ will take you on a journey to discover more about yourself as an artist and to learn from a great painter some of the secrets of more skilful painting.

Coaching Sessions
As an added bonus we are delighted to announce the participation of the highly respected Professional Life Coach, Kelly Newland, whose skills in facilitating creative personal development will enhance the practical artist skills of our painting sessions. As Kelly joins our end of day evaluations, she will help us look deeper and harder at the things that set us free or hold us back as artists, setting personal goals that will connect our artistic practice to our core values and develop a listening for that all important inner voice.

Materials and Equipment
All equipment and art materials will be provided by your trainer – but you are welcome to bring your own materials if you prefer. Participants will need to specify if they prefer working in Oils or Acrylics and have room in their bags for a cardboard tube 50cm long to take home their paintings.

From Figurative to Abstraction with Eban
Watercolour

Dates: 20 June 2020 – 27 June 2020
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Language: English/French
Single Occupancy: From 1745€ to 2045€ including tuition & full board
Shared Occupancy: From 1445€ to 1745€ including tuition & full board
Non painting participants: From 995€ to 1395€ full board
All material is provided for this course

About the artist

Eban is a French-Vietnamese artist specialising in watercolour. He studied graphic design and advertising in Bordeaux and then chose to devote himself exclusively to his art, creating a unique style.

He is a descendent of the Ède, an indigenous people of Indochina with roots going back millenia. This rich cultural heritage influences both his art and his teaching philosophy; uniting the crafts of ancient Asian custom with a European Beaux Arts tradition. Emphasising the present moment, intuition, sensitivity and the capturing of sensations as they appear, distinguishes his approach from a more classical Western one. He is inspired by the interplay of colours and differences in matter. Each picture is a step further in the quest towards new expression.

Eban exhibits and teaches throughout the world.

Click here for more information on Eban

About the course

Wa­ter­colour is like writ­ing with a brush on pa­per expressing the emo­tion that lives within us at ev­ery mo­ment. Eban’s vi­sion of wa­ter­colour is close to a lyri­cal abstract ex­pres­sion that gives pri­or­i­ty to feel­ings, spon­tane­i­ty and free­dom of ges­ture.

Dur­ing this work­shop, Eban will guide you through a cre­a­tive work path where the pri­or­i­ty is to transcribe brief sen­sa­tions that arise in the pre­sent mo­ment. Pri­or­i­ty is giv­en to in­tui­tion and chance, led by the work of com­po­si­tion and colour har­mony.

Through a mixture of lightness and gently flowing instruction, Eban moves towards more personalised work which gives you an opportunity to experience the unfolding and deepening of your own creativity during this full week-long painting course at Clos Mirabel, Pau, SW France.

Non painting guests
Non painting guests are most welcome on all courses, please contact us for rates.

Accommodation
Rooms are individually priced please contact us to discuss your preference and make a reservation.
Full Board is offered throughout the week except on day 4, which is a free day. Breakfasts and lunches are a buffet of regional produce. Dinner is a 4 course meal including aperitifs and wine. We cater to special dietary requirements. Guests have access to the grounds and outdoor swimming pool at Clos Mirabel, which is partly heated by solar panels. The price does not include air or train fares.

Painting Classes at Clos Mirabel Manor, Ju­ran­çon – Pau
Classes will be held in the painting studio, the grounds of Clos Mirabel and on location in the villages of the Ossau Valley. The studio will be available throughout the week including evenings. As well as group work, the tutors will provide individual support to develop your own artistic expression.
Classes start at 10am and finish at 5.30pm Sun, Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday. Wednesday is a free day to give you the opportunity to visitthe historic town of Pau.

The Programme – Daily Timetable:

08.30 Breakfast
10.00 Studio
Informal coffee-tea break (facilities available in the studio and the manor house)
13.00 Lunch
15.30 to 17.30 Painting
19.00 Apéritifs
19.30 Dinner

Painting and Gastronomy

We are passionate about food and use fresh local produce as well as produce from our own garden.

Breakfast is a buffet of local and regional produce.
Lunch is light and served either at Clos Mirabel or as a gourmet picnic on location.
Aperitifs will be served every evening before dinner.
Dinner is a four course meal comprised of an entrée, main course, cheese platter and desert.
Clos Mirabel is located in a small but important wine growing region. The wine that will be served and included with dinner is from local Jurançon vineyards as well as from Bordeaux and Aragon in Spain.
Tea and coffee, tisanes, digestifs etc will be available after dinner in the two salons. If cool the wood burning ceramic stove will be working in the north salon.

Extra nights at Clos Mirabel Manor

Extra nights before or after the course can be added at a preferential rate, subject to availability in B&B or Self Catering Accommodation.

The Location
Clos Mira­bel is located in South West France a few min­utes drive from Pau with its Chateau, golf cour­s­es, race tracks and on­ly 30 mi­nu­tes to Lour­des and Lourdes Tarbes Airport. The lit­tle town of Ju­rançon is 3 kms away from Clos Mira­bel.
It is less than an hour from the moun­­tains, ski re­sorts, cy­cling routes and hi­k­ing paths of the Py­rénées At­lan­ti­ques. Biar­ritz, on the At­lan­tic Coast, is an hour away as is the Span­ish bor­der. San Se­bas­tian in the Span­ish Basque Coun­try is on­ly an hour and a half away. Bil­bao with its Gug­gen­heim Mu­se­um is an easy day trip. Bor­deaux and Tou­louse are two hours away.

For further information on our location and travel details click here

To book a place on a Painting Holiday please contact us at info@closmirabel.com

Clos Mirabel Manor, Ju­ran­çon – Pau, South West France www.clos-mirabel.com

Tel: + 33 (0)5 59 06 32 83 Mob: + 33 (0)6 79 59 04 91

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