Alsace, France
August 20 – 27 / 2022
Only 4 Spots Left!!!
Art / Food / Wine & Cultural Adventure
Led by ~ Scott Williams & Niki Gulley ~
We would like to invite you to join us once more on a new artistic adventure. To a place exploding with color, one steeped in tradition from various cultures, with its foundation resting solidly on wine, Alsace.
This trip is guaranteed to spark your artistic imagination and engage your creative spirit. From the moment you set foot in this visual paradise, you will be surrounded by beauty and history. You will also sample the best fare of the regional restaurants, taste some incredible wines from the local vintners, all while exploring this unique region.
Imagine being transported back in time and living in one of these storybook settings as you stroll the narrow cobble streets admiring the colorful cross timbered houses, all while soaking in the sights and sounds of these sleepy little villages.
Taking in all that Alsace has to offer will be a daily pleasure as we delve into the small burgs along the legendary Wine Route that provides the life blood to the area. Marvel at the rich painted hues contrasting against cobalt blue skies, with rows of earth hued vines, ripe with their succulent grape harvest, all while enjoying this amazing French culture.
Alsace’s warmth is in more than the countryside, it’s within its people as you will discover while sampling the region’s abundant wines, savory fruit and amazing varieties of cheese. There is nothing like getting to know a culture and experiencing a sense of place – it is a journey for the senses, not only visually and intellectually, but for the palate as well.
Our various destinations will transport you to the epicenter of each town, where you will have the opportunity to experience and explore the things that make each one of them special. Where each fairytale town has its own style and presence which can only be truly appreciated by getting lost within their labyrinth of winding streets.
Part of the overall immersion is getting a lesson on wine making from the local wineries as they talk about their history and explain their wine making process.
Niki will conduct the Plein-Air Painting Workshop from different picturesque locations daily, teaching through a combination of demos, discussions, assistance and critiques. Sessions will be broken into different morning and afternoon locations, with plenty of time in between for shopping, sightseeing or to grab a leisurely lunch.
Scott will take the photographers on daily walking tours where you will have the opportunity to experience Alsace through your lens as Scott guides you to use your camera to define what you see while achieving your own artistic vision. As with the painters, there will be daily destinations with time allowances for exploring on your own.
We also have chosen a fabulous cross section of the area’s best restaurants for your dining experience. Our communal feasts will give everyone an opportunity to discuss the day’s events, compare notes, ask questions and get a chance to know each other. It presents a unique option to get views and perspectives from both painters and photographers.
So come join us as we take you on an artistic exploration of Alsace with an added emphasis on culture, food, cheese and of course, wine!
Space is limited to 12 participants on a first-come basis, so we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible.
Work Shop includes:
-
- Lodging for 7 nights in the picturesque Alsacian town of Colmar. (Pricing is for shared rooms)
- Private van transportation during the entire trip including to and from the Basel airport, as well as to various towns along the Wine Route.
- Admission to Koenigsbourg castle
- Wine tastings at two local wineries.
“Colmar Sunrise” - Boat trip along the canal in Colmar
- Admission to Unterliden museum and cloister
- Breakfast each morning.
- Emergency Medical insurance
- Instruction, guidance, experience and fun
Your cost for all of this is $3,595 and to reserve a spot, simply send a completed application form (the forms will be provided by email upon request) along with your deposit of $1,500.
A second payment of the remainder after deposit is due by Feb. 12th, 2022. We can take credit card payments, however it will incur a 3.5% fee.
For those wanting a single occupancy room, there will be an additional cost of $750. There has to be a minimum of 6 people for the workshop to make.
Airfare to the workshop is not included, and you are responsible for your own travel arrangements. We will provide transportation from the Basel airport on Saturday, August 20th to the hotel at one appointed departure time, as well as all transportation within Alsace and the return to the airport in Basel on Saturday August 27th.
Our return to the Basel airport on the 27th will arrive around 9am, which means that you will need to book a later flight that day or spend the night in Basel for a return the following day.
We also suggest that you arrive a day or two early on the front end to get over jet lag in order to make the most of your Alsace experience. We started doing that years ago and it has made a huge difference.
There is a discount of $350 for partners wanting to accompany participants on the trip, but not take the workshop.
Our trips, while not overly strenuous do require a reasonable amount of physical fitness. In order to derive the greatest experience from our destinations, we spend a fair amount of time walking within each location. Our goal being that each person should see and experience as much of the scenery and culture as possible during our excursions.
In the event of inclement weather, alternate arrangements will be made for museum visits, etc. Once deposits are received, there will be no refunds for cancellations as trip arrangements will have been made. We suggest trip insurance for travel difficulties or unforeseen illness.
Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help you in any way and we hope that you will be able to join us!
Scott Williams 214-289-8512 / Niki Gulley 214-803-5812
Email Scott at, photoguy@blind-squirrel.org if you are interested in joining us.