Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Mosaic Workshop in Provence with Laurel True and Valerie Nicoladze


Mosaic Workshop in Provence: 
Art, Beauty and Inspiration in the South of France



Week-long Summer Workshop and Tour
with
Valerie Nicoladze and Laurel True

*June 24-29, 2013*

Immerse yourself in an educational trip and tour that will leave you inspired and creatively invigorated for the rest of the year! Enjoy the lavender in bloom, farm to table food, wine tasting, exploration of local markets and exhibits, and time to create in an inspiring studio environment.

Join professional mosaic artists and educators Laurel True and Valerie Nicoladze at Valerie's Esprit Mosaique Studio in Avignon, France to explore and celebrate color and creativity through mosaics.  Laurel and Valerie have teamed up to offer a totally cool, specifically curated and inspiring trip that will combine hands-on studio time, incredible insider sightseeing and experiential learning.

Esprit Mosaique Studio is full of joyful  color and provides a welcoming place to learn, create and spend time in community with other mosaic enthusiasts. This is a wonderful opportunity for cross-cultural exchange with French mosaic artists- participants will leave Provence feeling like family.

Each instructor will offer lessons focusing on various techniques including fresco cement as a background treatment, demonstration of the uses of stacked and layered substrates, precision cutting techniques for glass and  ceramic, creation of individual mosaics elements to be installed on a public wall in the Village of Avignon and guided exploration of materials and color through the creation of a piece that participants can take home. 

Students will have the opportunity to work on mesh, film and cementicious substrates.*
Students who would like to focus on only one technique or project during the week are
welcome to do this instead, at their own pace, with one-on-one guidance from instructors




In addition to enjoying time in the studio, participants will have the chance to eat delicious meals together, tour nearby Provincial markets including St. Remy and Les Baux de Provence, visit the breathtaking and indescribable exhibition at Les Carrieres des Lumieres, as well as enjoy educational wine tastings and a Provincial backyard BBQ at the home of Valerie and her family.

 2014 Cost: $2600

Includes: Mosaic workshop instruction, accommodations
(Sunday the 23 - Friday the 28th), breakfast and lunches, Thursday night special dinner, transportation from train station or Avignon airport and to and from workshop, and all touristic visits to markets, exhibits and wine tastings.

Cost does not include flight, dinners (except Thursday) and personal expenses.
Both instructors are bi-lingual and workshop and activities will be in English and French.


10 spots only.. sign up early~

Itinerary:

Sunday, June 23

Participants arrive and get settled in Hotel de Atelier


Monday, June 24
Morning: Arrive at Esprit Mosaique Studio, introductions and first project
Lunch at Restaurant La Strada
Afternoon: Studio instruction and work time
Evening: Free

Tuesday, June 25
Morning: Studio work time and instruction
Lunch at Restaurant La Strada
Afternoon: Studio time
Evening: Wine tasting at Cave de Tavel


Wednesday, June 26
Morning: Visit Provencal market in village of St Rémy de
Provence and to ancient Gallo-Roman mosaic site
Lunch: In Les Baux de Provence
Afternoon: Visit art exhibit at Carrières des Lumières
Evening: Free

Thursday, June 27
Morning: Studio work time and instruction
Lunch at Restaurant La Strada
Afternoon: Studio work time and instruction
Evening: Winery visit and wine tasting at Chateau Neuf du Pape, then a slow food, Provincial family bbq at Valerie’s beautiful
home.
Friday, June 28
Morning: Visit the quaint medieval village of Uzes and Ancient Roman site of Le Pont du Gard
Lunch on the riverside

Afternoon: Studio work time
Evening: Visit town of Avignon

Saturday, June 29
Morning/ Lunch:
To conclude our week together we will take a gorgeous walk in a nearby lavender field and enjoy a Provincial picnic. 9 am - 2 pm
Afternoon: Goodbyes and departure!

Hotel:
http://www.hoteldelatelier.com   

Hotel de Atelier is a charming hotel in the lively village of Villeneuve Las Avignon, five minutes from the town of Avignon.



"Valerie hosted me at her beautiful home and studio in Provence last Spring and we decided to put together this workshop experience so that mosaic artists could come and enjoy the atmosphere of this amazing area and the warmth and hospitality of Valerie and her family and community.  I came back from that trip bursting with energy, inspiration and a full heart, and can't wait to share this experience with my students!"

- Laurel True, mosaic artist and co-instructor of workshop

" I welcome you to my studio and town, in the hopes that each participant/ student comes away with a feeling of having spent a wonderful week of creativity,  sharing our mosaic passion and fun, discovering the most beautiful places in Provence, with the desire to come back to explore more !  

 - Valerie Nicoladze, mosaic artist and co-instructor of workshop



Doesn't this sound awesome?
 

To register for this workshop, please e-mail Valerie Nicoladze at:
 contact@espritmosaique.fr

Questions? Contact Valerie (above) or Laurel True


Payment can be made through Pay Pal
50% due at time of registration to hold spot
50% due by April 1st


Students may also make one payment if they wish, at time of registration.

Cancellation policy:

Cancellations made before April 1st will receive a full refund, minus $100 admin fee
Cancellations between April 1and 15th will receive a 50% refund
Cancellations after April 15th are non-refundable, unless space is filled and in that case there will be a refund minus a $100 admin fee.





For all you left brain folks:

 (Order of these events subject to change, depending on timing/ flow/ etc.)
 

 And here are some inspiring images to get you thinking about how much fun this will be...

Excellent wine drinking alongside knowledgeable French wine people



 Magical doors


 Ambient scenes like this that look like they were ripped from the pages of AFAR magazine


 Medieval villages


 Pastis and absenthe... super French.


 Neat patterns reminding you of mosaic everywhere


 Castles

 Friends!

Valerie Nicoladze, Laure True and French mosaic artist Viviane Wolf in Avignon last year