Art in the Occitanie

Painting and Printmaking in the Occitanie Landscape

I would like to invite you to join me on a week long residential art workshop and culinary experience in the South of France. 

 

 Based in and around the stunning village of Arboras in the Occitanie region of SW France where my family has had a house since the 1960s.

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 explore different printmaking techniques. Using our morning sketches as inspiration to experiment with monoprint, linocut and drypoint etching techniques.

Had a fabulous experience with Kate on her art course in France, learning a variety of new techniques and I fell in love with Lino printing. Kate was a brilliant teacher and wonderful host. It was a magical, relaxing and creative experience. Everyone else on the course was lovely and such fun to learn and do art with other people. I would highly recommend this course/holiday.

Amy, October 2024

Each week will have different guest artists, teachers and workshop leaders and also guest chefs from the local area!

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ALL INCLUSIVE

• 6 hours of guided artwork a day

• All your art materials and use of studios and equipment

• 6 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

£1,195

YOU NEED TO ORGANISE YOUR OWN TRAVEL AND INSURANCE

Fabulous week of printing ... Our accommodation and the art studio had wonderful views over the plain from the mountain top village in which we were based.

Home cooked French food, trips to a market and vineyard were also included which was only enhanced by the wine and sociable artists we met.

Denise - October 2024

 

NOW BOOKING

Numbers strictly limited, book early to avoid disappointment.

 May 2025

6th to 12th - FULLY BOOKED

20th to 26th - FULLY BOOKED

October 2025

14th to 20th

Follow us on instagram @art_in_the_occitanie

Meet the artists

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

Each workshop will be supported by specially selected guest artists, printmakers and inspirational teachers... to be announced.

"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... 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

Breakfast is provided in the gite

Approximate timings...

9.30 am to 12.30 pm - morning session

Lunch 

2 pm to 6 pm - Afternoon Session

7.30 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. n.b. this schedule below does not include the trip to a gallery, we will fit that in if there is a suitable show to go and see.

Travel day

You will arrive at Montpellier or Beziers airport or train station, we will collect you and bring you to the village. You can then settle into your gite and we will all meet up for supper, introductions and an outline of what we have planned for the week.

A SENSE OF PLACE

Day One

Afternoon

Introduction to MONOPRINTING - responding to the environment with colour -
Creating prints which can also be cut up for collage and/or overprinted with linocuts / etching / drawing

Day Two

Morning

Heading out into the landscape with drawing boards and chairs to draw in the countryside surrounding the village. 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 ... So idyllic."

Elaine, May 2023

Afternoon

We will head back to the studio we will use the sketches to develop and explore LINOCUT printing. Learn the principles of relief printing and create a simple small single colour print.

 

Kate's studio in Arboras with 12th Century arches that once formed the entrance to the village

Day Three

Morning

LINOCUT 2 - working back in the studio we will continue with simple print and/or add a second colour

We will head down to the river for a picnic lunch at the famous local landmark 'Le Pont du Diable' (The Devil's Bridge) a historic bridge over the Herault river.

 

Afternoon

At the river, drawing, painting or cutting lino in the sunshine - the only way to do it!

Swimming optional, if it is warm enough it's a wonderful spot for a bit of wild swimming.

Marilyn's Linocut of the Landscape

 

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

Day Four

By this point artists are often immersed in their personal project and so will be working independently in the studio or out in the countryside. All the tutors from the week will be on hand with further instructions and guidance as needed.

Depending a little on the weather we can also make various trips to local places of interest

Just up the river from the 'Pont du Diable' is 'St Guilhem le Desert', a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most beautiful villages in France. We can explore the streets, have a coffee under a 500 year old plane tree and visit the 12th century abbey. 

Spring - we can visit the local iris farm and see the fields full of these magnificant blooms in 100s of varieties

Afternoon / early evening; we will put up our creations in a mini exhibition

Final dinner all together - BBQ in the road

"Every mealtime was a treat with everyone sitting around the kitchen table chatting and enjoying freshly prepared local food and wine, on 3 evening’s prepared by guest chefs. We were truly spoilt and ate so well"

Elaine, May 2023

Travel Day

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