l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein-Air Painting Tours

Paint en Plein-Air in Spain

... with Joseph Mendez and Camille Przewodek
A 15 Day Five Star Rated Plein-Air Painting Tour

This is an example of a Five Star Tour that we held in April of 2003. This was a custom designed tour.

In April 2003, our group followed in the footsteps of Sorolla and Velasquez
while joining two of the premier plein air painters of the United States for
two weeks of painting experience in some of Spain's best known and
visited sights surrounding Madrid.

Paintings by Joseph Mendez

Joseph Mendez is a multiple award winner at the Oil Painters of America, Salmagundi Club,
American Artist Professional League and more. He is also a signature member of the Oil
Painters of America, the California Art Club and the Plein Air Painters of America.

Paintings by Camille Przewodek

Camille Przewodek is a multiple award winner, a member of the
California Art Club, the National Association of Women Artists and a
signature member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters and the Oil Painters of
America. In November of 2000, she was a guest artist at Catalina Island
with the Plein Air Painters of America.

Mendez and Przewodek taught together for the first time among lavish Baroque palaces,
luxuriant gardens, monasteries and key historic sites. We enjoyed museum outings,
sampled some of Spain's fine cuisine and wine, and spent memorable evenings
in a luxurious 4 star hotel.

What we Provided:
A Spanish interpreter, Joseph Mendez.

A room-mate matching service.

14 nights luxurious accommodations with breakfast included
at a four star hotel within walking distance of the Prado Museum
and some of Madrid's finest restaurants.

A short evening orientation upon arrival at the hotel.

10 days (50 + hours) of painting instruction by Joseph Mendez
and Camille Przewodek (group and individual).

Adequate lunch breaks so that one could sample some of Spain's
ethnic cuisine. (A list of vegeterian options were provided)

Transportation by private bus for the students and their materials
for our painting and museum excursions.

A day's excursion to the Sorolla Museum and the Prado Museum
in Madrid.

Students enjoyed one day of sight seeing on their own,
engaging with other students & enjoying Madrid's night life at
their own pace.

One evening slide presentation and one half day critique
finishing with conversation and cocktails.

A "Welcome Package" was presented upon registration which
included: flight information from the student's city of departure,
packing tips, suggested materials list, guides on ordering food,
the local restaurants, transportation maps, using the metro,
internet caf�s, festivities, night-life, ethnic music venues, money
conversion, using the telephone, spanish customs, health,
museums, local history and more.

We offered a special price to Madrile�os. Spanish only speakers
were encouraged to register.

We also offered activities and tours for the spouses, partners
or guests of the students.

Prior to our departure, we offered to book tours and
suggested activities for those who were sharing a student's
accommodations but not participating in the workshop. Upon
request, we also offered to book tours for students for
their day off.

The Tours we Suggested and Booked Upon Request were:
Half Day Madrid Artistic Tour (exc. Sun/Mon) ~ US$34 extra
Half Day Toledo Tour ~ US$47 extra
Full Day Toledo Tour with Lunch Included ~ US$71 extra
Full Day Toledo/ Escoral Valley with Lunch Included ~ US$101 extra
Half Day Escoral/Valley of the Fallen ~ US$50 extra
Panoramic City Tour ~ US$22 extra

Our Accommodations in Madrid
The hotel, which opened its doors in August 2002, was conveniently
situated near the famous Golden Triangle (the Prado Museum, the
Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum), adjacent
to the historic nucleus of the city which includes the Puerta del Sol
and the Plaza Mayor. All of Madrid's main attractions were within
walking distance from the Museum golden triangle to the Congreso
de los Diputados to the tapas bars. The remains of the building date
from the beginning of the century and still has the original neoplater-
esque fa�ade of 1917.

It was only a few metres away from the Plaza Santa Ana, known to
be one of the best places for tapas nationwide, and close to the
most popular theatres in town.

The hotel building, part of the historic heritage of the city of Madrid,
has kept some of its most representative, original features, such as
the classical fa�ade dating from the 18th century, the main wooden
stairs and the entrance hall, which was decorated in a classical style
with a genuine coffered ceiling. One of the main features of the
building is its interior patio, a typical Madrid-style "corrala" adorned
with wrought iron bars and embellished with flowers.

The student's room had a full marble bathroom, equipped with the
latest amenities and conveniences in a perfect blend of traditional
decoration and modern, functional settings to provide the student
and his or her guest with the ultimate comfort.

Each room was facilited with parquet floors, air conditioning and
heating, direct telephone line, mini bar, satellite TV, Canal +, safe
deposit box and card key.

The following facilities were at our disposal:
A library room, A bar/cafeteria,
A first-class restaurant with international cuisine,
Free buffet breakfast with dietetic corner,
Laundry and dry-cleaning services, and
Fax and e-mail service at the reception desk

The Prado Museum

Our Leisure Time
The hotel was situated close to the nerve centre of the city, and
a great number of sights were within walking distance. Among
the many routes available, we recommend visiting the centre of
the Villa of Madrid. From the hotel one can walk to the Plaza
Mayor, a charming square full to the brim of terraces and bars!
Just a few metres away, going up the calle Mayor one would
arrive at the famous Puerta del Sol, in the heart of the city, with
its statue of the Bear and the Madro�o tree.

Our Schedule
Tue, April 22nd � Day 1
We checked in at hotel and had an evening orientation and cocktails.

Wed, May 23rd & Thu 24th - Day 2 & 3
We departed the hotel at 8am and painted in Aranjuez, a little oasis
in the parched Castilian plain, famed for its asparagus, strawberries
and lavish Baroque palace, where the eighteenth century Bourbon
rulers set up a spring and autumn retreat. Their palaces and
luxuriant gardens, which inspired the composer Joaqu�n Rodrigo to
write the famous Concierto de Aranjuez made it an enjoyable place
to spend an afternoon painting. Hemmingway described Aranjuez as
�an oasis of trees�. Joaqu�n Sorolla spent much of his time painting
in these palaces.

Fri, April 25th & Sat, April 26th - Day 4 & 5
We departed our hotel at 8am and paint in San Lorenzo del Escorial,
which lies just Northwest of Madrid, in the foothills of the Sierra de
Guadarrama. Its one of Spain's best known and most visited sights
� Felipe II's vast monastery palace of El Escorial. Travel writers
tend to go into frenzies about the symbolism of Felipe II's vast
monastery palace of El Escorial � "a stone image of the mind of its
founder" was how the nineteenth century writer Augustus Hare
described it � and it is indeed a key historic sight. There is also a
large collection of Goya�s paintings here.

Sun, April 27th - Day 6
We departed our hotel at 7am and pained in Avila, which has
eleventh century walls surrounding it. The mystic writer Santa
Teresa was born here and her shrines are a major focus of
religious pilgrimage. Set on a high plain, with the peaks of the
Sierra de Gredos behind, the town is quite a sight. Its Roman-
esque cathedral is one of the oldest in Spain. This is where
Joaqu�n Sorolla spent much of his time painting.

Mon, April 28th- Day 7
We had a day off, with a slide presentation in the evening. We
served coffee, tea, mineral water, sparkling wines, refreshments,
cervesas and vermouth, assorted fresh fruit, breads, an assort-
ment of hor d'oeuvres with ham, anchovies and cheese, Salmon
hor d'oeuvres marinated in soybeen oil (Tacos de Salmon
Marinado con Soja), Roasted Red Peppers marinated in olive oil
on mini toasted bread (Tostadas de Escalibada y Anchoas),
Sheep's Milk Cheese (Dados de Queso Manchego con Acsitunas),
Pork sausages with Honey and Sesame (Salchichas Salteadas con
Miel y Sesamo), Fried Prawns on mini toasted bread (Tostada de
Gambas y Sesamo Frito), and spanish cookies and sweets (Pastas
y Dulces Variodos).

Tue, April 29th- Day 8
We left for the Sorolla Museum at 10am. The museum is the
former house of Valencian painter Joaqu�n Sorolla, whose familiar
Mediterranean beach scenes from the turn of the century are
easily recognized and enjoyed by even the most novice of art
lovers. For art lovers though, it�s a step away from heaven on
earth to be viewing such magnificent paintings in person. We had
lunch at a restaurant near the museum. Then left for Museo del
Prado at 2pm. Our hotel was a short walk from the museum.

Wed, April 30th � Thu, May 1st- Day 9 & 10
We departed from our hotel at 7:30am and painted in Toledo, the
capital of Spain in medieval times and setting for the famous
paintings of El Greco. Toledo is one of Spain's greatest national
monuments for art, history and spirituality. Imperial Toledo towers
towards the sky of Castile, surrounded by the river Tajo. It is a
walled town with eight access doors to the old quarter the principal
one being the Bisagra door. Throughout the town you can appreciate
the architectural styles of Arabic, Mudejar Gothic and Renaissance
whilst walking through its charming narrow alleys. We painted
among its many beautiful sights including the amazing Thirteenth
Century Cathedral, medieval castle, synagogue and of course its
stunning El Greco masterpieces. This city sits on a rocky mound
isolated on three sides by a looping gorge of the R�o Tajo. Every
available inch of this outcrop has been built upon: churches,
synagogues, mosques and houses are heaped upon one another in
a haphazard spiral which the cobbled lanes infiltrate as best they can.

Fri, May 2nd � Sat, May 3rd- Day 11& 12
We departed our hotel at 8am and painted a spaniard model that
posed for us in the village of Alcal� de Henares, an old university
town and Cervantes's birthplace. We saw the Renaissance University
founded by Cardinal Cisneros, Cervantes�s House, and the Santa
Mar�a Collegiate Church.

Our Model, Alberto

Sun, May 4th- Day 13
We departed our hotel at 7am and painted in Segovia. Its granite
aqueduct, over 800m long, supported by 166 arches and 120
pillars and at its highest point towering some 30m above the Plaza
de Azoguejo, stands up without a drop of cement. No one knows
exactly when it was built, but probably around the end of the first
century BC under either Emperor Domitian or Trajan. It no longer
carries water from the R�o Fr�o to the city.

Mon, May 5th- Day 14
We had a half day critique in the hotel's conference room. Afterwards,
we served coffee, tea, mineral water, sparkling wines, refreshments,
cervesas and vermouth, assorted fresh fruit, breads, an assortment
of hor d'oeuvres with ham, anchovies and cheese, Salmon hor
d'oeuvres marinated in soybeen oil (Tacos de Salmon Marinado con
Soja), roasted red peppers marinated in olive oil on mini toasted
bread (Tostadas de Escalibada y Anchoas), Sheep's Milk Cheese
(Dados de Queso Manchego con Acsitunas), Pork sausages with
Honey and Sesame (Salchichas Salteadas con Miel y Sesamo), Fried
Prawns on mini toasted bread (Tostada de Gambas y Sesamo Frito),
and spanish cookies and sweets (Pastas y Dulces Variodos).

Tue, May 6th- Day 15
We checked out of the hotel. Or atleast most of us did!

Total Package Cost for this Tour Was:
Only $2,960 for 14 nights, to share a double room with a roomate,
guest, spouse or partner

Only $3,945 for 14 nights, for a single person in a single room

Only $2,000 for 14 nights, for guest, spouse or partner

($150 discount per person for groups of four or more)

Fees that were not Included
Air fare and expenses such as lunches and dinners, extra tours,
tipping, phone calls, laundry, beverages, room service, rental
cars and other personal expenses were not included.

Sustainability & Low Impact Travel

The student: By enrolling in a L'atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Painting Tours workshop, you not only help a community with your tuition cost automatically going to a good cause, but you're also promoting sustainable tourism. We firmly believe in the importance of traveling in small groups with most of our tours having a maximum size of 12 travelers. This provides the group the advantage of security and intimacy while still allowing us to be flexible and spontaneous. More importantly, it means we are more sensitive to the fragile local cultures we travel within and can access places and events not available to larger groups. We aim to sustain low impact on the surrounding culture, at the same time we strive to be flexible and accommodate all types of traveler. On any given Tour, we may stay in a monastery, a Bed & Breakfast, a rustic retreat, or on occasion an upscale hotel in a major city. Wherever are tours takes us, we aim to leave our hosts smiling, having enjoyed our visit.

The Instructor: Typically, our plein air instructors come to us via our invitation. But if you are a plein air painter and teacher and are a signature member of the Plein Air Painters of America, signature member of Oil Painters of America, or any organizations of similar credibility, and are interested in having us custom design a plein air workshop tour for you, we encourage you to contact us to discuss the possibilities.

Our Plans: We are currently working on putting together packages for Gay Faulkenberry to teach cityscapes and landscapes in Spain (May 1-9, 2006), and Camille Przewodek to teach cityscapes and landscapes in Spain (May 13-21, 2006).

Paint en Plein Air in Spain

8-15 people max.
$2,475
No dates have been scheduled for this upcoming workshop. Interested painting instructors or students should send us an email or get on our mailing list. This package is perfect for a group of artist friends who just want to get together and enjoy a trip of painting abroad without the hassle of planning. Contact us and we can work out a package deal.

The first 8 participants to enroll, stay in the house. Participants 9-15 stay in a nearby charming hotel. Spouses or non-painting guests are welcome in the hotel for the cost of the accommodations. Breakfast is included in the price for both accommodations. Air fare is not included. Transportation provided from Barajas Airport (MAD) one day prior to the workshop and to Barajas Airport (MAD) the morning after the workshop.

Stay in a charming stone house in the little village of El Cubillo, 30km from Segovia and just north of Sierra de Guadarrama, while painting in and around surrounding villages. The house's interior has been designed in the best rustic style of the area. It's equipped with a lounge, a kitchen, a fireplace, a library with parlour games, phone and TV.

Enjoy a day off with us as we visit museums in Madrid. (Tuition price includes: 7 days of instruction in and around villages surrounding Segovia. All transportation costs, excluding air fare. Shared accomodations with 2 people per room.) Check back here for an update on all the details of this ultimate cultural plein air experience. Or click on "get on our mailing list" to receive further information about this tour.

Oil primarily; pastel acceptable
Beginner to professional
Instructor demonstrations in oil
Individual critiques daily
Portable easel needed

About the Workshop:
The Still-life & landscape and cityscape will be the subject matter. There will be daily demonstrations. Students will receive plenty of one-on-one instruction and individual demonstrations as needed.

Schedule: 10am-5pm. After you register, we will supply a �Welcome Package� which includes: flight information, packing tips, suggested materials list, guides on ordering food, money conversion, using the telephone, Spanish customs, health, museums, local history and more.

The Accommodations: The house will be limited to ten people, including the instructor. The 5 double rooms are spacious and bright. There are 3 bathrooms in the house, one of which is located in the instructor's quarters. Participants have the option of staying at a nearby charming hotel that we've secured if we've reached full house capacity. Transportation to the painting sites and to museums will be provided for our participants staying at the hotel.

Booking Agreement
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation fees: Due to the process of long distance calls, letters, and loss of time, the enrollment deposit of $500 is non-refundable. Cancellation fees will apply unless enrolled participant provides a substitute replacement. There will be a $25 fee charged in the event that there is a substitute participant. If no replacement is provided, the participant is responsible for the following charges: Cancellation 11 weeks prior - charge is $500. 8 weeks prior - charge is 50% of the tuition, 5 weeks prior - charge is 80% of the tuition, 4 weeks or less - charge is 100% of the tuition. In fairness to others, we cannot make exceptions.

All changes or cancellations of workshops must be sent in the form of a registered letter, return receipt requested.

In order to encourage optimum interaction, we require a minimum of 8 painters and strictly limit the workshop to a maximum of 15 painters. The workshop may be cancelled by l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours no later than March 4, 2006 due to the lack of minimum required painters. Participants who have registered for the "Paint en Plein Air in Spain with Camille Przewodek" workshop not attaining the minimum required will receive a full refund of any money paid.

L'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours, can assume no responsibility and cannot be held liable for any personal injury, property loss or damage, illness, accidents, "force majeur" (ie. war, civil riots, terrorism, natural disasters, any defect or failure of any vehicle or wrongful or negligent acts of any party not under the control, direct or otherwise of l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours.

L'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours reserves the right to change the workshops' intinerary due to weather conditions, professor illness, museum closures or any other event which it deems may cause inconvenience to or endanger its participants.

L'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours reserves the right to cancel this workshop in extreme circumstances. In this unlikely event, we will return any money you have paid. You will be notified by registered mail, return receipt requested.

Workshop Dates: Once scheduled, should it be necessary to change the dates, l'Atelier aux Couleurs: Plein Air Tours is not liable for delays or flight changes due to these changes. All efforts will be made to notify participants of this unlikely event happening. In the unlikely event of the "Paint en Plein Air in Spain with Camille Przewodek" workshop being delayed more than 7 days after the announced commencement date, participants have the right to cancel their enrollment except in the case of delay to to "force majeur" (ie. war, civil riots, terrorism or natural disasters).