# Botanical Art Retreat with Artist Harriet de Winton in France Join Harriet de Winton on a botanical watercolor painting retreat in the beautiful French countryside. Stay at a gorgeous manor in southern France rented exclusively for your group. Explore the region and paint the beautiful French flowers of fall while learning new watercolor techniques. Go on trips to France's best botanical gardens: Jardins des Martels, and to the spectacular medieval city of Albi. Enjoy a premium wine-tasting experience at a château and eat delicious French food prepared by the in-house chef every day, paired with the best wine in the region. ## Details - **Dates:** September 19 - 26, 2023 - **Location:** Teyssode, Occitanie, France - **Starting Price:** $3,700 - **Category:** Painting ## Program ### Botanical Art Retreat Join artist and watercolor teacher Harriet de Winton on a fantastic botanical watercolor retreat in southern France. Sit in the garden with your favorite watercolor artist and learn how to let your hand glide happily across the page, without fear of making mistakes or getting artist's block. Learn to become comfortable with the process, and get excited to paint while focusing more on the process than the result. Harriet will teach her entire botanical watercolor painting process, and by the end of the retreat, you'll get to create your own frame-worthy composition — a botanical snapshot of your time in France.During the retreat, you'll learn:The fundamentals of watercolor painting How to study a plant or flower and knowing where to begin painting it How to choose a color paletteHow to compose an arrangement on the page How to create beautiful pieces of art that you can hang on the wall and be proud of An appreciation for observing natureThe therapeutic calm that watercolor painting can bring How to paint watercolor in different settings To enjoy the pure joy of creationHarriet de Winton will perform live demonstrations and answer any questions you might have along the way. During the retreat, you'll also get the chance to connect to a wonderful community of like-minded creatives that can support your artistic growth. In addition to creating alongside Harriet every day, you'll also have plenty of time to relax, enjoy the French countryside, explore the surrounding medieval towns, and share your experiences with fellow creatives over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. ### Day 1: Arrival Get transferred from Toulouse airport at 3:00 PM and meet artist Harriet de Winton and the rest of the art group at Domaine d'En Naudet. Settle in, freshen up, then get familiar with your home for the following week by taking a tour of the exclusively-rented 5-acre property. After, join Harriet and your fellow creatives for a special welcome pre-dinner event with cocktails and canapés where you'll get to know each other better. Continue the evening with a delicious chef-made three-course dinner served with wonderful French wine. ### Day 2: Art classes at the venue After breakfast, join Harriet in the workspace for the first art class of the day. You'll begin your art classes with a 'basics of watercolor' class, to align the entire group to the same beginner principles and make sure everybody starts from the same technical point. Harriet will encourage you to become confident in your creativity and hold the brush boldly, moving it freely over the paper to overcome anxiety and creative blocks.Take a break to enjoy lunch, then continue your art classes with Harriet. You'll discover Harriet's basic botanical brushstrokes and learn how to draw straight with the brush. You can walk around the vast gardens at Domaine d'En Naudet to collect beautiful plants and flowers or get inspired by the flower bunches provided for this occasion. Harriet will teach you how to paint leaves, stems, and flowers, and you'll learn how to use the brush in an effortless way.Spend the day painting at the retreat venue and take some time in the afternoon to relax by the pool and connect with your fellow creatives. Dinner will be served on the terrace, accompanied by French wine. ### Day 3: Art classes at the venue Enjoy a delicious continental breakfast, then spend a relaxed day at Domaine d'En Naudet, painting. Go out into the vast gardens and collect specific flowers to paint, guided by Harriet. You'll be painting in the beautiful gardens and learning how to render specific flower species with accuracy and finesse.Savor lunch, then join Harriet in the art studio for another art class. In the second half of the day, you'll learn how to paint a complex composition. Bring your flowers into the art studio and move from painting individual flowers to constructing a beautiful arrangement. Harriet will show you how to look at flowers from a watercolor artist's perspective and see the way they relate to each other aesthetically. She will guide you to choose flowers and colors for the composition and mix delicate color palettes that will bring your arrangement to life.After the art classes, enjoy a tranquil evening with wine and delicious chef-made food, and some lovely conversations with Harriet and the art group. ### Day 4: Art class and garden trip Enjoy breakfast, then join Harriet on a trip to the wonderful Jardins des Martels. Jardins des Martels is one of the highest-ranked French botanical gardens of all types. Inside, you'll find an exotic and aquatic glasshouse, a panoramic viewpoint, a banana plantation, and a mini-farm, with the whole area sheltering more than 2,500 different varieties of plants. Take pictures, get inspired, and find a place to sit and turn that inspiration into beautiful loose paintings. Harriet will guide you to walk around and use your creative eye to see the botanical and painterly elements you learned about in the previous afternoon. You'll be able to create paintings that will allow you to capture the essence of a subject matter quickly.Return to the retreat venue in time for a refreshing lunch, and resume your art classes with Harriet. Use what you’ve learned the previous day and what you’ve seen at the botanical gardens to create a beautiful composition, guided by Harriet de Winton.After the art class, meet for a delicious chef-made dinner and indulge in some flavorful local wine with the group. ### Day 5: Art trip to Albi On the fifth day of your retreat, explore more of the fantastic sights that France has to offer. After breakfast, embark on a full-day trip to Albi, a medieval city with an iconic arched bridge — the birthplace of painter Toulouse-Lautrec. Walk through the city center and find inspiration for your paintings in the beautiful flower shops and parks in town. Admire the exquisitely preserved Gothic architecture intermingled with gorgeous red-brick buildings typical for the area. Visit the grand Basilica of Saint Cecilia towering over the historic old town and take pictures from Pont-Vieux — the old bridge crossing the river Tarn, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop on the south bank of the river Tarn to take pictures, or do quick sketches if you like. Indulge in local delicacies at the covered market, or go shopping in chic French boutique shops. Enjoy lunch at a French bistro or restaurant and have drinks with your fellow creatives.After lunch, visit the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum and get inspired by the great painter's artwork and life. The museum is hosted by the spectacular Palais de Berbie, a 13th-century palace overlooking the river and city of Albi. Take pictures of all your favorite findings to boost your creativity and fuel our artwork back at the venue. Get inspired in the lush French gardens of the palace and explore your creativity, guided by Harriet.Get transferred to Domaine d'En Naudet in time for a chef-made dinner, served with delicious local wine, and shared with Harriet and the group. ### Day 6: Art & château wine tasting After breakfast, continue exploring your creativity in the gardens of Domaine d'En Naudet. Harriet will guide you to begin your final composition — an A4 frameable piece with different seasonal botanical items, from flowers to fruit on the vine, seed pods, leaves, and anything that inspires you in the gardens of France. You'll select your favorite items that you found along the way and create a snapshot of your French experience. Choose local, seasonal inspiration and arrange it nicely on the page. Harriet will be available to answer any questions you might have or guide you where necessary.In the afternoon, you'll be treated to a trip to Château Lastours, a family-owned estate specializing in creating high-quality wines. Take an exploratory tour of the 16th-century chateau, its vineyards, and gardens, located in one of France's most famous wine-producing regions. Enjoy a guided tour of the cellar and delight in a premium wine tasting of the domain's own fantastic production. Take pictures of the gorgeous grapes on the vine and use them as inspiration for more botanical paintings.Get transferred back to Domaine d'En Naudet in time for dinner and quality time with Harriet and the art group. ### Day 7: Art classes at the venue After breakfast, take a moment to finish the crowning piece of your time in France. Harriet will show you how to paint a delicate decorative border on the edge of your paper, turning your artwork into a celebration of the season. The floral border will tie everything together with a simplified botanical motif.After lunch and putting the finishing touches to your final piece, join Harriet and the art group for a gallery exhibition of your works. You'll learn to appreciate your growth and evolution throughout the week and receive the praise and support of your fellow artists. Celebrate this truly transformational experience and admire all the paintings you’ve created on your trip to France.In the evening, join a final festive dinner with cocktails and canapés. Exchange contacts with your newfound community and enjoy the last night at Domaine d'En Naudet with Harriet. ### Day 8: Departure Enjoy breakfast with Harriet and the art group, and get ready for your 10:00 AM transfer to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. You will be arriving at the airport around 11:00 AM. ## Instructors - **Harriet de Winton** - Artist and watercolor teacher ## Accommodation ### Domaine d'En Naudet ### Shared ensuite attic room ### Shared room with shared bathroom ### Shared standard ensuite room ### Shared superior ensuite room ### Single room with shared bathroom ### Single ensuite room ## Book This Retreat Visit [https://uptrek.com/retreat/botanical-art-retreat-harriet-de-winton-france](https://uptrek.com/retreat/botanical-art-retreat-harriet-de-winton-france) to make a reservation. *Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*