Workshop Description: The Painterly Landscape Painting Retreat

This unique painting retreat is a rare opportunity to join Alain in the beautiful setting of the CT River Valley to loosen up your landscapes! We’ll work both in the studio and outdoors on the grounds and gardens of the beautiful CT River Valley Inn. Enjoy an onsite retreat setting with chef prepared meals, room and board and 24 hour studio access.

This workshop is designed to empower you with successful strategies for loosening up your landscapes with bold marks and fresh color. Learn to simplify complex scenes into clear shapes, values, and edges. Organize these shapes into strong design and color combinations using bold, expressive marks to interpret your environment for a lush painterly look. Discover innovative approaches to color through the use of underpainting techniques and interpretive color strategies that will break you out of your routine.

Each day, Alain will demonstrate a painterly approach to the landscape, focusing on a unique subject and approach. Students will then respond to the lesson, beginning with exercises that help loosen up their work and practicing techniques to simplify the subject. Students will progress to loosely finished landscape paintings by the end of the workshop. A constructive and encouraging group critique will conclude our workshop together. Plein air outings will be combined with studio sessions to deepen our understanding of how to loosen up.

What will the students learn?

• How to work in a painterly style

• How to clarify your vision for each painting

• How breakthrough creative barriers and paint more confidently

• How to design dynamic compositions using thumbnails

• How to simplify complex scenes into a pattern of shapes

• How to loosen up your strokes and make bold marks of color

• How to simplify and see value and interpret color choices

• How to use underpainting techniques that will activate your scene

• How to take risks that will lead to new discoveries in your work

• How to capture the impression of the scene on location

• And lots more!

Alain J. Picard is an award-winning artist, instructor, author and speaker. His acclaimed pastel and oil paintings have been exhibited throughout the US, Europe, China and the UK. Alain travels internationally as an art instructor, demonstrator, speaker and artistic advocate for the vulnerable.

Alain’s work and writing have been featured on numerous occasions in such publications as The Artist's Magazine, The Pastel Journal, and Practique des Arts. In an effort to share his passion for art, Alain has written three instructional books, including “Mastering Pastel” and “Beginning Drawing,” and stars in a growing collection of instructional art videos.

Alain has lectured and demonstrated for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Arts Club in New York City, Vose Galleries in Boston, MA, the IAPS Convention in Albuquerque, NM, and the Biennial International Pastel Art Exhibition at Ming Gallery in Suzhou, China.

Alain has garnered top awards in esteemed exhibitions, including the Pastel Society of America, The American Artists Professional League, Hudson Valley Art Association, the Portrait Society of America, and the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS). He is a judge and juror of international exhibitions, and a sought-after portrait artist and landscape painter. He makes his home in Connecticut with his wife and two sons.

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5pm Welcome Reception - meet your fellow students reception with appetizers and refreshments.

Room check ins begin at 3pm

All-day workshop starting at 9am and lunch

Art Studio available 24/7

Optional yoga, walking, biking  in the morning Workshop from 9-4 (breakfast & lunch included)

Art Studio available 24/7

Optional yoga, walking, biking in the morning Workshop from 9 - noon (breakfast included)

Art Studio available 24/7

Breakfast in the morning Studio work in the morning, sketching and 

Checkout by 1PM