2024

This women’s only trip is all about relaxing, recharging, and refilling your cup from the stresses of everyday life. We will explore new places and untap your creative side through easy sketchbook drawing/painting/journaling to be present and capture the moment! At the end of a day of exploring the coast we will enjoy collaborative art making in the beautiful studio spaces in the chateau with wine, cook together in our villa kitchen with produce from the market, or go for a sunset walk overlooking the sea. I hope this trip will be the perfect balance of sightseeing, immersing in the local culture, bonding with other women to find new life-long friends, all sprinkled with some creative art “therapy” that is accessible to even the most beginner of our group – this trip is for everyone! I promise this place that has captured the hearts of some of the greatest artists of all time – Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso – it will inspire you as well!

Join me for five days of pink sands, turquoise seas, and pastel hues of Bermuda while we capture the views with paintbrush and camera! Based at the charming Watercolours Inn overlooking the harbor in Warwick Parish and conveniently steps from the ferry stop to Hamilton, we will relax, explore, paint, and dine in some of the most scenic spots Bermuda has to offer! Bermuda is a delightfully unique blend of rich culture, history, and natural beauty which has lured artists like Winslow Homer for hundreds of years! I can’t wait to share it with you as we capture the vibrant hues of the quintessential Bermudian landscape and architecture in our sketchbooks and from our easel! This small group retreat is open to all ability levels as we explore composition, value, color, brushwork and the essence of painting plein-air!

Highlights of Our 5 Days:

• Exploring and enjoying our beautiful Watercolors Inn including a harborside pool, garden, and daily continental breakfast

• Enjoy the convenience of being steps from the pink Belmont Ferry Stop to enjoy easy and scenic 15 minute ferry ride to Hamilton

• Visit Horseshoe Bay, John Smith Bay, Coco Reef Resort, Hamilton, Masterworks Museum, and the Bermuda Botanical Gardens

• Capture the beautiful scenery in our sketchbooks, plein air painting (watercolor and/or acrylic) and with our cameras!

• Plenty of time to relax on the beach or by the pool, enjoy a glass of wine or rum swizzle, and dine together as we recap our day and and artistic explorations. We will try out local restaurants as well as dining in to enjoy all our inn has to offer.

• Learn how to use your sketchbook to “capture the moment” through fast drawing, paint, and words. Create a precious memory book to which no series of photographs can capture alone! Enjoy group artmaking events where we wine, dine, and create together through paint, collage, and finding our creative voice in a collaborative evening.

• Most of all, we will enjoy, savor, and relax in this beautiful place with a new group of friends and artists!

5-Day Plein-Air Painting Workshop in Vermont

July 24-29, 2024

Destination Workshop and Local Participant Options!

3 Rooms Available at the Beautiful Cliff Haven Farm for our of town participants!

Plein-air painting, exploring, and dining in the mid-summer beauty of Northern Vermont!

Instruction in oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastel – all ability levels welcome!

Join me as I share this glorious place I call home, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, with its spectacular views of mountains, lakes, classic farms, and meandering rivers. We will explore on foot and by boat to capture the sense of rural, idyllic place in our sketchbooks, from our easels, and with our cameras! While we walk, paint, and adventure, we will enjoy the unique culinary offerings that make Vermont the farm to table example for others to follow!

For those coming from far away, there are three charming rooms (double occupancy) available at Cliff Haven Farm Bed & Breakfast in the breathtaking setting set high about Lake Memphremagog with a 180-degree view of the lake. Throughout the retreat, we will enjoy unique Vermont culinary delights from Vermont country breakfasts at Cliff Haven Farm Bed and Breakfast, picnic lunches and farm to table dinners including a final celebration at Hen of the Wood in Waterbury – Vermont’s premiere farm to table restaurant.

This small-group workshop is for all ability levels from enthusiastic beginners to seasoned plein-air painters. Throughout our days immersed in the landscape we will explore composition, color theory, capturing a moment, and simplifying the scene. Participants may work in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, or all of the above! I will demo in each throughout the workshop days!

Workshop Highlights and Painting Locations:

• Lake Memphremagog, Lake Willoughby, Craftsbury Common, Greensboro and Lake Caspian

• Vermont Lavender Essentials Farm, Betsy Choquette’s Sunflower Farm, & Private Gardens

• Boating day as we paint and picnic from the waters of Lake Memphremagog

• Picnics, cookouts, and local dining - including a final celebratory fine dining three-course experience with the chef and pairings of wine in the private dining room at Hen of the Wood - Vermont’s premier farm to table restaurant!

• Most of all, enjoy the rural natural beauty of Vermont summer with its idyllic views, vibrant greens, and picturesque lakes with a group of fellow artists and artists in the making!

For out of town participants:

Accommodations: Cliff Haven Farm Bed and Breakfast

-       Cliff Haven on Tripadvisor

-       Cliff Haven Photo Gallery

Airport transfer to and from Burlington Airport provided by Alyssa

All meals, beer and wine included

All art materials and equipment included

Cost:

Shared room: $1695

(choose your roommate or be matched with a fellow painter!)

Private room: $2195

Vermont locals who would like to take part as a day participant:

Full workshop day participant:  $725

Join us for the full 5-days as a day participant and partake in all of the morning and afternoon workshops including lunch each day and join us for the final celebratory dinner at Hen of the Wood (included).

Single-day participant:  $150

Join us for one day or a combination of days as your schedule allows including morning and afternoon workshops and lunch

Add on participating in the celebratory dinner at Hen of the Wood: $125