# Painting Retreat at the Château with Artists Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik

Join artists Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik on a painting retreat at an authentic château in the South of France. Receive expert tuition focusing on a variety of styles, techniques, mediums and subject matter, enjoy a stunning 22-acre private estate, draw your inspiration from quintessentially French medieval villages, and indulge in the exquisite local cuisine.

## Details

- **Dates:** September 14 - 21, 2021
- **Location:** Auty, Occitanie, France
- **Starting Price:** $3,900
- **Category:** Painting

## Program

### Painting in the South of France
Join Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik for a week of painting in the South of France.We’ll be using watercolors, gouache and acryla gouache and focusing on a variety of techniques, materials and topics, including:introduction to new media (what are the materials and how to use them for best results)compositionhow to start and when to endhow to find colors that work togetherhow to loosen up and let the perfect imperfection happenpainting from within and painting from nature (the flower in front of you vs the flower inside you)how to turn your failures into something newmonochrome schemes (when less is more)abstractcutoutslandscape

### Day 1: Arrival
Arrive at Château Dumas after being transferred from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. Meet artists Carolyn Gavin and Helen Dardik and the rest of the group, and take a tour of the chateau and its impressive 22-acre estate. Discuss the week ahead over a three-course dinner perfectly complemented by a glass of local wine.

### Day 2: Painting at the chateau
On your first painting day, you will stay at Château Dumas, drawing and painting either in the studio or outdoors, in the luscious orchards or around the charming gardens.

### Day 3: Montpezat and winery
You will travel to the fortified village of Montpezat-de-Quercy for a full-day painting and sketching trip. Get inspired by the Collegiate Church of St. Martin — a 14th-century Gothic treasure, the narrow cobblestone streets, the half-timbered houses, and Flemish tapestries. Enjoy lunch at one of the picturesque shaded terraces. Visit a family winery, witness the wine making process, and taste some of their Appellation d'Origine Controlée (AOC) varieties, including the house specialty rosé "Douceur du Palais".

### Day 4: Painting at the chateau
Spend the day painting at the chateau and draw inspiration from the private estate's formal box parterres, walnut groves, courtyard gardens, wild woodland, and fruit orchards with apples, damsons, plums and figs.

### Day 5: Painting at the chateau
Spend the day in the studio or painting en plein-air on the estate. After lunch, relax by the pool or venture out to explore the countryside beyond.

### Day 6: Les Jardins de Quercy
You will go on a full-day painting trip to Les Jardins de Quercy and Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val. Les Jardin de Quercy is a two and a half acre botanical garden awarded the "jardin remarquable" accolade by the French Government. Les Jardins de Quercy is a collection of 16 different gardens with stunning French, Italian, English, Andalusian, Australian, and Indian themes. Walk through the labyrinths, get inspired by the 3,000 varieties of roses, then break for lunch in the nearby Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val — a medieval town with fairy tale allure and historic buildings dating back to the 8th century. After lunch, wander around the picturesque winding streets bordered by old houses, such as the Maison de l'Amour, and capture the beauty of the medieval décor.

### Day 7: Painting at the chateau
You will remain at Château Dumas or explore the surroundings to sketch and paint from the landscape. Meet for drinks and an exhibition of the group's work before your farewell dinner.

### Day 8: Departure
Enjoy breakfast together and get transferred to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.

## Instructors

- **Carolyn Gavin** - Painter, Illustrator, Designer
- **Helen Dardik** - Illustrator, Painter, Designer

## Accommodation

### Château Dumas

## Book This Retreat

Visit [https://uptrek.com/retreat/painting-retreat-chateau-carolyn-gavin-helen-dardik-occitanie-france](https://uptrek.com/retreat/painting-retreat-chateau-carolyn-gavin-helen-dardik-occitanie-france) to make a reservation.

*Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*