Paint Europe plein air painting trips with award-winning artists & instructors Catherine Hearding and Richard Scott, are designed for painters of all levels... seasoned artists to beginning painters... to have a wonderful holiday of having fun and painting in beautiful Europe locations.

You will capture the European landscape in your own unique style in oil or watercolor... and bring home a drawing journal filled with treasured memories of your creative adventure.

You don’t have to be a painter to come... and if you have always wanted to try painting this is the perfect time and place to start and learn.

The small number of participants provides an intimate setting for painting. There are daily painting sessions, individual one-on-one instruction, and demonstrations with Catherine and Richard to improve your skills and expand your art experience. After each session we will have a group review to share with each other.

Non-painter friends and spouses of artists are invited to join the trips as there are

many non-painting activities.

Many trips include local-cuisine cooking classes and wine tasting sessions with regional experts, a welcome reception, cocktail hour soirees, a gala farewell dinner, and time for relaxation and shopping.

Before breakfast each day an optional group leisure walk is offered for guests wanting some morning exercise to start their vacation day.

Guests stay in charming boutique and premiere signature/luxury hotels. Breakfasts are included. Guests can choose to explore on their own local bistros or go to Michelin star gourmet restaurants for lunch or dinner... yet everyone is invited to join group meals at specially selected local-cuisine restaurants.

2021 Paint Europe Trips

England: The Cotswolds with Catherine Hearding -- October 10 - 16, 2021
Spain: Andalusia with Richard Scott -- October 17 - 23, 2021

Small group trips limited to just 15 persons. Recommend to sign up early!

About

Catherine Hearding

Catherine's Artist Statement:

"My goal in painting is to portray the beauty of the ordinary. I want the viewers to see their surroundings from a different perspective. I want the viewers to feel the shapes as light hits the form and describes it, to see colors they might not expect. Minnesota winters are a subject that I enjoy painting because they are all about form and light and color. The shapes created by the snow and wind catch the light and create shadows that contain surprising color and are abstract in nature. To accomplish my goal, I try to focus on more intimate views of the landscape. Many of my landscapes have a high horizon line, thus focusing our attention on the foreground and the details we might pass over.

I like to find the abstract in the realistic, whether by using shadows or by focusing in closely on a subject and cropping tightly. I am fascinated with how light falls on form, whether in the landscape or on a still life. Cast shadows are interesting, as they depict form and I use them to describe the shape of the landscape. Color and light are intertwined and affect how we see the landscape or a close-up subject. Light changes over the course of a day and from season to season. I like to explore those changes and use light to create a mood. Focusing on color, form and light and the relationships between these ideas is all a part of what I try to do in each of my paintings.

Most of my paintings start with a poured watercolor wash over the entire sheet. The paper is toned with a wash of three primary colors, letting these colors mix freely on the paper. This creates a wonderful color transition across the page, helping to create movement for the eye. Before the wash is poured, the whites are saved by keeping those portions of the paper dry, or by using masking fluid. The color is poured, and this sets the mood for the entire painting, with this first wash of color shining through all of the eventual layers. The initial wash becomes the mid-value range of color. When this wash is dry, the dark values are added for contrast and the painting is finished with the detail. The colors that are used are chosen specifically for each painting and typically only 3-4 colors are used in a painting. This creates beautiful color harmony and bright, clean color."

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Catherine Hearding is a self-taught artist with more than 40 years of experience in watercolor. She has a BA degree in zoology and botany from the University of Montana (1974). She works from her home studio in Lake Elmo, MN, and teaches classes and workshops in basic watercolor technique, color theory and composition.

Catherine's website can be found at:

http://www.chearding.com

T: (651) 777-8158

E: cathy@chearding.com

About

Richard Scott

Richard's Artist Statement:

"My teaching approach is focused on three ideas: that learning art should be fun; that making art can be a meaningful way to explore new places and experiences; and that drawing and painting can enhance our appreciation of the visual world, and deepen our connection with others.

Watercolor is my favorite art form and an ideal medium for travel. The "flow-state" you enter in making a watercolor downloads the travel experience like no other activity can, and the simplicity of the equipment make it perfect for painters on the run."

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Richard teaches painting and drawing at the The Huntington Library in San Marino, CA, and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA. For the past 18 years, he has taught courses and workshops at various universities, including Cal Poly Pomona, UCLA, Art Center Pasadena, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UNLV, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Arizona. He also conducts private art workshops throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Students appreciate his clarity of communication, humor, and eagerness to support and help each student improve and enjoy the learning process.

He is the author of the highly-acclaimed book "Sketching – from Square One to Trafalgar Square" which is used as a text at many universities and colleges.

His artworks are in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe, and have appeared in numerous magazines, including the Art of Watercolour and Watercolor Artist Magazine, and have been displayed at the California State Capital. His design work has been profiled on NPR station KCRW.

Richard's contact info:

T: (626) 460-9711