Painting Holiday At Le Manoir de Gurson

I have just got back from leading a fantastic painting holiday at Le Manoir de Gurson in the heart of the Bergerac region of France. The Le Manoir estate has three lovely fishing lakes and is a haven for flora and fauna. We saw a great many birds including Hoopoes, Wheatears and Herons, and were also privileged to see many Pyramidal and Bee orchids with others not quite as advanced (there are 12 different orchids on the estate). There were also turtles, small lizards and even Coypu to be seen. There are many superb views for the artists inspiration on the estate and many more within easy walking distance, the reward for this little extra effort being some wine tasting in great company among some idyllic settings at Cecile and Gregoirs organic vineyard and also at Le Chateau de Gurson in the shadow of the old chateau ruins. Le Manoir is surrounded by vineyards and the most wonderful scenes for the artist to paint. 

Charmaine, our lovely hostess and her two sons Alex and Tim couldn't have made us more welcome, the food was excellent, the accommodation superb and we played petanque on the grass, drank some wine and had a thoroughly good time. We managed to do a spot of wine tasting locally (I may have already mentioned this) of which there is some photographic evidence below along with some of the fantastic views, we even managed some painting!

We visited St. Emilion with it's wonderful French charm, had a coffee in the famous town square by the monolithic church and did a little sketching. We then climbed the 196 steps to the top gallery of the steeple and looked down on the picturesque roofs with the whole town laid out below us, not for the faint hearted but what a view! There are some great typically French narrow streets with fascinating buildings leading down to the square. We also paid an unscheduled visit to Bergerac which again was a lovely historical town spread either side of the Dordogne and is noted for it's beautiful medieval timber framed houses and of course it's most notable resident Cyrano de Bergerac, of whom I have put a photograph below.

If you fancy a totally relaxing painting holiday with fantastic food, lovely accommodation, genial company with some great painting opportunities you should book your place on one of next years holidays but don't wait too long as places are limited and are being snapped up quickly! 

Pastel Painting With The Black Cats Of Shanklin

I have today been out to the wonderful Black Cat Art Group in Shanklin where I did a demonstration in Artists Soft Pastel and among all of the lovely people I met once again was Michelle, an artist and renowned for her lovely cakes for which I can vouch for their scrumptiousness! Thank you all for your hospitality and I look forward to another visit one day....

Above is one of my pastel paintings 'Yarmouth From Norton Point' for which I received a 'Highly Commended' in last years SAA artist of the year competition.

Landscape Painting In Artisan Water Mixable Oils

My First Book

I now have copies of my book 'Landscape Painting In Artisan Water-Mixable Oils' complete with ISBN Number and barcode for sale at the bargain price of £9.99 available from Amazon, on e-bay and of course from me personally or on my website: www.murrayince.com It features quite a few paintings of the Isle of Wight and some of the beautiful landscape scenery of Dartmoor and the Peak District, step by step guides, many tips and information on equipment and the medium.

If you are thinking of a Painting Holiday have a look at some of the wonderful destinations that I am running holidays from here in the UK and in France, Greece, Italy and Spain! Come and join us, you'll love it!

Great Mis Tor, Dartmoor National Park

 Coastguard Cottages, Brook

This painting of the row of coastguard cottages at Brook was the result of a demonstration for the lovely folks at Shalfleet Art And Craft Group on Friday 28th February. I had painted it down to the start of the yellow of the middle distant and foreground field during the two hour demonstration and spent a further couple of hours on the foreground fields and vegetation. I would like to thank Kate and all of the members for making me feel so welcome and look forward to another visit in the future.

Sketching And Painting In The Bergerac Region of France

Manoir de Gurson
Sketching and Painting Holiday

Manoir de Gurson

98 Acres of Inspiration

In the heart of France’s most famous wine region

Magnificent Scenery

Relax and soak up the atmosphere 

Lots of demonstrations and one to one tuition in the medium of your choice!

 Painting Holiday Accommodation and Package

This holiday is available for the amazing price of  only £600 per painting guest and only £400 for a non painting guest. The holiday price includes 7  nights accommodation, bed, breakfast, lunch, evening meal, all tuition, the day trip and transfers to and from the airport (Bergerac). Guests are responsible for their travel arrangements to and from Bergerac. Our wonderful hostess, Charmaine is waiting  for us with a warm welcome , so come and join us for a relaxing, informative and truly memorable holiday!

 For more details and to book go to www.manoirdegurson.co.uk

Painting a distant tree in oil with Murray Ince

Above is a link to my debut as a filmed demonstrating artist, please remember when watching this that it is my first and was filmed in a single take using four wi fi cameras in the SAA's professional studio with a brilliant film crew who I don't recall being bald when we started, but seriously my thanks to Richard, Elizabeth and the studio crew and all at Newark for a brilliant experience. It couldn't have been deemed too bad as will be demonstrating live at the SAA's 'It's All About Art' show in the Design Centre, Islington in London on July 25th which of course I am delighted to have accepted. I don't expect to win any oscars, yet!

Painting Holiday In Beautiful Tuscany

Il Mulino di Posara  ~ The Watermill At Posara

A special week-long painting course in water-mixable oils, watercolours, pastels, acrylics and other media with

Murray Ince: 7-14 September 2013

For centuries artists have drawn their inspiration from the Tuscan landscape and you could find few better places to enjoy your art and improve your skills than our beautiful historic watermill, set beside the curving banks of a river in a gentle, wooded valley.

 “An enchanting place - I really loved it, endless delightful subjects to paint”     “From the moment I stepped into my apartment and saw and heard the river, I realised it was going to be very special”

 “We’ve been on many painting holidays, but this was the best ever.”

You will stay in stylish bedrooms in elegant buildings around the sunlit courtyard. You’ll take leisurely breakfasts and mouth-watering evening meals in our new courtyard dining room (and also dine out in nearby restaurants to sample traditional dishes and local wines).  The mill’s gardens, secluded millstream paths and riverside walks are all yours to enjoy.

                              

 Murray Ince’s ‘signature’ medium is water-mixable oils, about which he has written a book, but he likes working in all media, specialising in landscapes, seascapes and buildings.

As well as working successfully in the commercial art market, he’s an enthusiastic and inspiring tutor with many years’ teaching experience, demonstrating and running workshops throughout the UK and Europe.

Murray believes that “anybody can learn to draw and paint: with sufficient desire and technical ‘know how’ (tricks of the trade) anybody has it within themselves to create a masterpiece or two. It gives me the greatest of pleasure in proving it”.

The pictures above show (L) Murray with his youngest student (Murray is on the left!); (R) Murray’s lovely acrylic of the walled garden at Parham Park.

We should emphasise that everything is included in the cost of your holiday at the watermill with Murray: tuition, accommodation (including all linen and towels), pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals (including dinners with wine at charming local restaurants) and all local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport and an excursion by train to Lucca or the Cinque Terre).

You get to Pisa, we do the rest!

Prices start at £(GBP) 1,236 per person per week (based on two people sharing), with a generous discount of £(GBP) 200 for a non-painting partner (they’re very welcome). Single rooms are £(GBP) 1,323, or £GBP) 1,416 with en suite bathroom.

There’s more at www.watermill.net/painting-holidays or email us at info@watermill.net or call (UK number): +44 20 7193 6246.

www.watermill.net/painting-holidays

Tailored Painting Holiday Tuition                                                              On The Isle Of Wight

Depending on my availability pretty much anything can be arranged from a half days tuition to a full week, either in my home studio or at any of the wonderful spots on the Island for painting or a mixture of both. Tuition can be one to one or for a small group, you can use your own transport or transport can be arranged.  I was born on and have lived on the Island nearly all of my life and therefore have a detailed knowledge of worthy subject matter and have a wide ranging interest in it's history. This could be the painting holiday of your dream as it will be tailored for you or your group! Price will of course depend on what you would like. Subject Matter Covered Landscapes; Seascapes;  Skies; Trees; Flowers and Gardens; Wild Flowers; Natural History; Buildings; Boats;  Demonstration and Tuition in The Following Mediums  Acrylics; Watercolour; Gouache; Water Mixable Oils (my specialist area on which I have written a book); Pastels; Pen and Ink, Line and Wash, Drawing; Sketching; Charcoal and Chalk. Why not contact me for consultation and a quote.