# Surface Pattern Design Retreat with Artists Jessi Raulet (EttaVee) and Jeanetta Gonzales in France Join artists Jessi Raulet (EttaVee) and Jeanetta Gonzales for an extraordinary week of art creation in the South of France. Learn the ins and outs of surface pattern design and art licensing from two masters in the field. Laugh and connect with your favorite artists and a group of like-minded people over delicious French food paired with fine wine. Stay at an elegant private villa and visit charming French medieval towns, botanical gardens, and wine-producing chateaus. ## Details - **Dates:** May 15 - 22, 2023 - **Location:** Teyssode, Occitanie, France - **Starting Price:** $3,950 - **Category:** Painting ## Program ### Surface Pattern Design Retreat Join artists Jessi Raulet (EttaVee) and Jeanetta Gonzales for a colorful, bright, and vibrant week of surface pattern design and business exploration. You will learn the ins and outs of surface pattern design and art licensing, and create your own three-piece collection inspired by your time spent in France. Learn how to create cheerful and bold design patterns and how to promote yourself. Discover your own unique style and niche and become confident in yourself and your art. Explore the themes of abstract art, landscape, and floral designs, and find inspiration in the gorgeous cities and nature of the South of France.At the surface pattern design retreat, you will learn how to:Let go of your fears and create freely and boldlyPlay and explore on paper and canvassDiscover your own flavor of self-expression and styleHave confidence in your work and creative abilitiesMake color theory work for youMix colors to create bright, bold, and beautiful color palettesLayer your workPaint a complete mini art collectionLicense, market, and promote your artJeanetta and Jessi will perform live demonstrations and offer one-on-one tuition throughout the retreat. From beginners to professionals, the surface pattern design retreat is open to all levels. In addition to painting alongside Jessi and Jeanetta every day, you'll also have plenty of time to relax, enjoy the French countryside, explore the surrounding villages, and share your experiences with fellow creatives over a glass of delicious French wine. ### Day 1: Arrival Get transferred from Toulouse airport at 3:00 PM and meet artists Jessi Raulet (EttaVee) and Jeanetta Gonzales and the rest of the art group at Domaine d'En Naudet. Settle in your beautiful room and explore the five acres of property that will be your home during the retreat. Take pictures of the things that inspire you — you will be using them in your first paintings the next day. Get to know Jessi, Jeanetta, and your fellow creatives over a festive welcome dinner complete with delicious cocktails and canapés and a rich three-course meal served with local wine. ### Day 2: Art classes at the venue After an abundant breakfast, join Jeanetta and Jessi in the art studio to begin your art exploration. The theme of the day is abstract painting. On this day, you will be getting comfortable, breaking apprehension, and learning to go through the rollercoaster of emotions that leads you to your very first creation of the retreat. Jessi and Jeanetta will be guiding you through easy and fun exercises that will help you warm up, get out of your head and start creating easily and joyfully. You will learn all about color theory and mixing colors inspired by your environment, and allowing yourself to seamlessly flow with your inner creative.Enjoy a delicious lunch, then return to the art studio for the second class of the day. Here, you'll get a chance to share where you're at in your career, show your work, share or set your art goals and get valuable insights about your art journey. Get your questions answered and get introduced to art licensing by these two wildly successful artists that have mastered the field.After class, use your spare time for more studio work or take a dip in the pool, talk to your fellow creatives or take a walk in the beautiful hills of Tarn. Return in time for a delicious dinner with wine alongside Jeanetta, Jessi, and the art group. ### Day 3: Trip to Albi Discover Albi, a charming French medieval town famous for its stunning skyline and arched bridge over the river Tarn. Walk the city center and admire its beautifully preserved Gothic architecture intermingled with gorgeous red-brick buildings typical of the area. Visit the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, a fantastic fine-art museum featuring the largest public collection of the works of Albi-born painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The museum is hosted in the spectacular medieval fortress 'Palais de Berbie', an imposing castle with French gardens and a beautiful view over the city. This will be the perfect spot to look for inspiration, take reference pictures and sketch for the landscape painting you will be creating the next day.Break for lunch at a local restaurant, then resume your exploration of Albi. Step inside the monumental Albi Cathedral towering over the historic old town. Take incredible 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 for impromptu sketches, indulge in local delicacies at the covered market, or go shopping in chic French boutique shops.Get transferred to Domaine d'En Naudet in time for a chef-made dinner, served with delicious local wine. ### Day 4: Art classes at the venue After a scrumptious breakfast, join Jeanetta and Jessi in the gardens for the first art class of the day. You will begin working on your landscape piece, based on the sketches and reference pictures from your trip to Albi. Jeanetta and Jessi will guide you in creating the composition of the painting, mixing the colors, and choosing interesting elements to create a joyful and fun landscape painting. You will be enhancing your creative expression by learning to use a specific visual element as a theme for your creation, and by experimenting with different elements for different results. Jeanetta and Jessi will be giving you personalized tips on how to make your work stand out.Take a break to enjoy lunch, then return to the workspace to continue working on your landscape design. The afternoon class will be a relaxed work-and-talk session where Jeanetta and Jessi will be giving a talk on confidence as you paint. After the talk, you will have plenty of one-on-one time with Jeanetta and Jessi to get personalized guidance and your questions answered.You will be spending the entire day painting at the retreat venue and have plenty of time to relax by the pool in the late afternoon or take a long stroll in the lush French countryside. Dinner will be served on the terrace, accompanied by delicious French wines. ### Day 5: Jardins des Martels You'll be spending the morning painting in one of France's highest-ranked botanical gardens — Les Jardins des Martels. This diverse botanical garden includes a variety of landscapes and more than 2,500 different species of plants. Explore the fascinating aquatic glasshouse, panoramic viewpoint, banana plantation, Japanese garden, mini-farm, and much more. This will be the perfect backdrop for beginning your work on floral designs. You will walk around taking reference pictures, 'collecting' plants, sketching, drawing, and painting on-site.Return to the retreat venue in time for lunch and join Jessi and Jeanetta for another art class at Domaine d'En Naudet. You will be learning how to go through your references and pull them together to create a complete and beautiful floral design.In the evening, enjoy a savory three-course dinner served with delicate French wine. ### Day 6: Wine tasting at a château Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Domaine d'En Naudet and dive into the morning class with Jessi and Jeanetta. You will continue working on your three-piece collection, which is now starting to shape up. You will get plenty of studio time to add finishing touches or create new pieces based on the theme you liked best. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and be guided as you go. Break for a refreshing lunch and join Jessi and Jeanetta on a trip to Château Lastours, a family-owned estate specialized in creating high-quality wines. Take an exploratory tour of the 16th-century chateau, its vineyards, and gardens. Enjoy a guided tour of the cellar and learn about winemaking in one of France's most famous wine-producing regions, topped off with a wine tasting of the domain's own production.Get transferred back to Domaine d'En Naudet in time for dinner and quality time with Jeanetta, Jessi, and the art group. ### Day 7: Art classes at the venue After breakfast, dive into your last art classes of the retreat. Jessi and Jeanetta will be sharing the ins and outs of marketing and self-promotion, and how to turn your art into a thriving business. You will participate in an in-depth discussion about art licensing and will get the chance to ask specific questions and get them answered. Jeanetta and Jessi will also be adding to the confidence talk from day 4.After lunch, you'll be invited to bring the three-piece collection you've created throughout the retreat and display it in a mini-exhibition with all the guests. You'll get to practice your confidence skills by presenting your work to your peers and talking about what it means to you. You'll learn how to pull your skills and your artwork together, give and receive valuable feedback, and present yourself and your work proudly.Later in the day, you'll celebrate your accomplishments over cocktails and canapés and enjoy a scrumptious farewell dinner with Jessi, Jeanetta, and the art group. ### Day 8: Departure Enjoy breakfast with Jessi, Jeanetta, and the art group, and get ready for your 10:00 AM transfer to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. You will be arriving at the airport at 11:00 AM. ## Instructors - **Jessi Raulet (EttaVee)** - Artist, designer, and founder of EttaVee - **Jeanetta Gonzales** - Designer, artist, and artist mentor ## 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/surface-pattern-design-retreat-jessi-raulet-jeanetta-gonzales-france](https://uptrek.com/retreat/surface-pattern-design-retreat-jessi-raulet-jeanetta-gonzales-france) to make a reservation. *Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*