Art in the Occitanie

Painting and Printmaking in the Occitanie Landscape

My friend, artist Rebecca Holtom and I invite you to join us on a week long residential art workshop and culinary experience in the South of France. 

 

 

Based in and around two neighbouring villages in the Occitanie region of SW France; Arboras where Kate and Rebecca became friends as children in the 1970s and where Kate has a house and studio still. And Montpeyroux (3km down the hill) where Rebecca has lived permanently since the 1990s.

During the weeklong workshop we spend the mornings out in the local landscape sketching, drawing and painting; the afternoons we head into the studio to learn different printmaking techniques. Using our morning sketches as inspiration to learn monoprint, linocut and drypoint etching techniques.

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ALL INCLUSIVE

• 6 hours of guided artwork a day

• All your art materials and use of studios and equipment

• 7 nights full board in a private room in a local gite

• Continental breakfast, lunches & evening meals of delicious French cuisine (including wine) - all locally sourced

• Gallery visit with lunch at a restaurant in Montpellier

£1,195

 

YOU NEED TO ORGANISE YOUR OWN TRAVEL AND INSURANCE

"I had the most wonderful week in Montpellier with Kate and Rebecca. The were endlessly generous in sharing their homes, food and expertise with us. It felt like a home away from home, and I left full of inspiration and energy!"

Helen - October 2023

NOW BOOKING

Spring 2024

April 22rd to 29th - FULLY BOOKED

Recommended travel

Easyjet Gatwick to Montpellier

Out - Monday 22nd April 18.55 arrive 21.50

Return - Monday 29th April 16.25 arrive 17.20

Numbers strictly limited to 6 per workshop, book early to avoid disappointment.

Autumn 2024

October 4th to 11th

Ryanair - Luton to Beziers

Easyjet - Gatwick to Montpellier

 

October 18th to 25th

Ryanair - Luton to Beziers

Easyjet - Gatwick to Montpellier

Follow us on instagram @art_in_the_occitanie

Meet the artists

Rebecca Holtom

Rebecca Holtom is a painter and printmaker who has lived in the Occitanie since 1990. She studied Fine Art at Norwich School of Art, since which she has worked as an artist as well as teaching many types of artistic creativity to children and adults for many years; printmaking, painting, drawing and papier mache.

You can find out more about Rebecca and her work on her WEBSITE

Kate Guy

Kate Guy studied Graphic Design Norwich School of Art and also holds a PGCE in Art and Design from Middlesex University. She was Head of Art and Design at a large Academy school in North London for 14 years and now teaches printmaking to small groups of adults and children as well as running her own design business.

You can find out more about Kate and her work on her WEBSITE

"I booked onto the Residential art and cuisine experience (as a total novice) on a whim after meeting Kate at a craft fair. What a great decision that was!
Spending the week in the most scenic french countryside, surrounded by vineyards and birdsong with a really lovely group of people was very special.

Thank you Kate and Rebecca, for a week that I will not forget and enjoyed so much. A slower pace of life with time to get absorbed into creating"

All the meals are made from fresh local produce, most of it coming from Rebecca's beautiful kitchen garden

Breakfast is provided in the gite, also there is a boulangerie a 2 min walk and an epicerie (grocer's) with cafe that opens at 8.30am

Approximate timings...

9 am to midday - morning session

12.30 pm - lunch 

2 pm to 6 pm - Afternoon Session

8 pm - Dinner

"I really liked the way there was a different plan for each day - both in terms of the type of project and seeing a new village/viewpoint. It was nice to explore a new bit of the region each day, and have that fresh in our minds as inspiration for the afternoon"

Sarah - May 2023

ITINERARY 

This will give you an idea of how it works and what we do each day but may vary slightly.

Travel day

You will arrive at Montpellier or Beziers airport or train station, we will collect you and bring you to the village, there will be an optional late supper and you can settle into the gite.

Day One

 

Afternoon

We will head to Rebecca's large kitchen garden for a BBQ lunch. The afternoon will be spent drawing and watercolour sketching surrounded by her fabulous vegetables and flowers.

Day Two - Monoprinting

Morning

Landscape drawing in the vineyards and olive groves that surround the village of Montpeyroux. Followed by a picnic lunch 'au plein air'.

"As well as working in two amazing art studios learning art techniques and experimenting, we had the opportunity to visit outdoor locations with our picnic chairs under our arms, sitting to draw/paint wherever took our fancy, be it a vineyard, beside the river or in Rebecca’s beautiful garden. So idyllic."

Elaine, May 2023

Afternoon

We will head back to the studio where Rebecca will run the first print workshop - developing and experimenting with monoprint techniques and materials.

Day Three - Linocut

Morning

Drawing and watercolour sketching at the river (swimming optional). The famous local landmark 'Le Pont du Diable', a historic bridge over the Herault river.

 

Afternoon

Up to Kate's studio in Arboras for lunch in the road and linocut printing.

Marilyn's Linocut of the Landscape

 

Elaine's first ever linocut showing the view from Arboras with the iconic wiggly road

Day Four - Gallery visit

Historic old town Montpellier  

Day Five

Drawing, painting or printing in the studio or in the landscape followed by a BBQ lunch in the courtyard of Rebecca's house/studio

Lunch in the courtyard

Day Six

To be confirmed - by this point artists are often immersed in their personal project and so will be working independently in the studio or our in the countryside. Rebecca and Kate are both on hand with further instructions and guidance as needed.

Travel Day

After breakfast we will drop you back at the airport or station of your choice