Process of abstraction in Cezanne's back yard - Ex-en-Provence / Fuveau, France 

Cezanne is one of my gods. He brought a revolutionary view of the world and set the path to abstraction. What better place to explore the language of processes of abstraction than the foothills of the iconic mountain St.Victoire! Marija and I were fortunate to receive an invitation from our dear friend and artist who is opening her southern French home to create a unique and authentic experience for a handful of artists. 

What you will learn
I will provide you with instruction of color mixing, mark-making and strategies to create rich and harmonious designs that reflect each artist's unique creative voice.
Imagine the studio as a laboratory. A place where constant experimentation leads to fuller understanding.  A space that promotes process, supports trial and error, even failure, over the  product. You can expect a rigorous exploration into the vast and complex world of color and design. The goal here is to provide each student with a strong basic understanding of color - how to see it, how to use it, how to mix and combine hues to achieve that most elusive goal - harmony in color.
Whether working from observation or abstractly there are three important concepts to explore:

• Understanding Abstraction (freedom of representational qualities)
• Exploration of Color (perception of color & understanding the role of hue, value, & saturation)
• Creating good Design & Composition (balance, unity, hierarchy, & simplicity)​

You will leave the workshop with numerous small studies and several completed works of art, but more importantly, a renewed and enriched sense of adventure and confidence in how to tackle the blank surface. 
It is important for artists to understand the fundamental principles of drawing and painting, but equally important are the existential questions that we all ask. In this workshop participants will have ample time to discuss these important issues.

• Why am I stuck? How do I get un-stuck?
• What do I want to say? How to say it? What is my style? Do I even know?
• Where, and how do I begin? How can I work with more confidence?
• What colors to use? Why can’t I mix the right colors? How to achieve color harmony?
• When is it done? How to avoid overworking the piece?​​​

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What is included in the price
Kari, Ulrik and Caroline will be our hosts and will provide:

• Transportation from the airport and back (only Marseille airport)
• Lodging in two separate houses on the farm (all the rooms are private with shared bathrooms). For images of the premisses, please scroll to the bottom of the page.
• Three home cooked meals a day + dinner wine
• Two day trips: Aix-en-Provence (Cezanne's studio and the Museé Granet) and Museé Picasso, Antribes
• Full access to two studio spaces and the full farm property.

Price:
10% OFF  Early Bird Registration, open until November 1, 2019.
$3250        After November 1, 2019
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Student Testimonials

​Mark is passionate about color, design, and teaching. He presents so much information in a palatable and easy to understand way and taking this course has been invaluable. I see color so differently now and I know my work is going to just get stronger and stronger as I begin to incorporate all that I’ve learned. I totally recommend this workshop for anyone at any level who wants to dive into a deeper understanding of color and design. The presence of Marija was an extra bonus as she kept us relaxed and contributed her keen eye and observations to our critiques. I am happy I made this investment and I’m sure I will reap a dividend over and over terms of my work.  All in all I say the workshop was fantastic and then some!!!