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Mexico! Clay Forms for Abstract Mosaic with Carol Shelkin

Clay Forms in Abstract Mosaic Design with Carol Shelkin
January 31 – February 6, 2016
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
$1800 per person, Double Occupancy

In this NEW weeklong workshop, students will be motivated to create unique clay stamp impressions, small tiles and textures in earthenware clay and Apoxie Sculpt that will be incorporated into their mosaic during the week in Mexico. Spend your first evening with clay and learn how to make original clay pieces that can be transformed into mosaic designs. Carol, with over 25 years of experience as a potter, will lead you through various carving and stamping techniques to make your unique miniature ceramic tiles and forms. Underglazing and firing techniques will be used which can give the surface more visual depth and character.

This informative class covers clay techniques, proper adhesives when using a variety of materials, substrates, design/layout and artist techniques. Explore with both traditional and contemporary methods. Students are encouraged to experiment with color and texture to discover the possibilities of clay merged in their mosaic for indoor display. No questions will go unanswered!

Clay and underglaze will be supplied, and tiles will be fired and returned during the week to incorporate into a mosaic. A list of supplies will be given after registration. No art or mosaic experience necessary.

Mosaic Art by Dawn Mendelson

Mosaic by Bonnie Fittzgerald

ITINERARY: (Subject to change)
Sunday, January 31: Arrival, Welcome, Creation of tiles and forms
Monday, February 1: Creation of tiles with a variety of clays
Tuesday, February 2: We’ll continue to design our mosaic and develop the composition
Wednesday, February 3: This will be a good day to explore the area, take a shopping trip, visit Sayulita or just go to the beach!
Thursday, February 4: Continue working on tiles and painting with acrylic glazing and other brush techniques
Friday, February 5: Our mosaics will have all the components to finally come together. Tiles and earthenware forms will be out of the kiln and we’ll paint the last of the clay pieces that haven’t been glazed
Saturday, February 6: Departure

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Carol Shelkin, with studios just outside of Philadelphia, is a professional artist with over 25 years teaching experience. She attended PA Academy of the Fine Arts, USA, and Scuola Nazionale del Mosaico Restauro in Ravenna, Italy. She has shown her work both nationally and internationally in juried shows and galleries with her mosaic artwork found in public installations and private collections. She has been invited to be a Presenter and Instructor at the Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand (MAANZ) Summit, the Society of American Mosaic Artists’ yearly conference, and also offers workshops in Costa Rica, Canada, Spain, Morocco, Australia, Italy, Mexico and throughout the USA. Carol is a founding member and President of the Mosaic Society of Philadelphia, a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

“Every year I go back to the Hacienda it feels more like my home away from home – full of art, inspiration and friends. January 2016 will be my sixth weeklong workshop! Sam has created a beautiful and relaxing retreat location — I never want to leave! This workshop is intended to prod you out of your artistic comfort zones with the security of our small, fun and sweet gathering of friends for the week. Let’s have fun!” ~ Carol

Visit Carol’s website here. Contact Carol here.

NEED TO KNOW:
Limit: 12 students
Retreat & Workshop Price: $1,800.00

INCLUDED:
6 Nights Lodging (based on double occupancy)
5 Days or Nights Workshop Instruction
24/7 Open Studio Time
Breakfast and Lunch Daily served poolside in a tropical, poolside setting
Welcome Reception on Sunday
Departure Breakfast on Saturday

NOT INCLUDED:
Dinners
Optional add-on excursions
Airfare
Travel Insurance (Recommended)

TO REGISTER:

Contact: Sam. More about Hacienda Mosaico here.

Tags: Art Classes Abroad, Art Tours, Carol Shelkin, Carol Shelkin Mosaics, Carol Shelkin Workshops, Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, Hacienda Mosaico, International Mosaic Workshops, Mexico, Mosaic Art Retreats, Mosaic Classes, Mosaic Classes Abroad, Mosaic Workshops, Mosaics in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta

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Categories Art Workshop, Travel

Flora + Fauna of Costa Rica with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode

28 May

Flora + Fauna in Costa Rica with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode
January 9 – 17, 2016
San Ramon Area, Costa Rica
$1960 per person, Double Occupancy; $2360 Single Occupancy

Resident Sloth, Carlita

Heliconia

Workshop Visitor

Farm Trail, © Pam Goode

“Up at 5:45, and I’ve already missed the sunrise. I go to breakfast early to do some writing, and all nine of us are already there, ready to take on the day. We scarf down eggs cooked with tomato, beans and rice, half-dollar-sized cornmeal cakes, rustic bread, buffalo cheese (fabulous), buffalo yogurt, and carambola (starfruit) jam. As soon as I finish, I miss the tastes. By 9:00 we’re gathered for our tour of the organic farm, and before we hit the path, our guide Ishmael has already shown us a tree full of toucans (yesterday a flock of parakeets flew overhead); jackfruit, which can weight up to 75 pounds and often hangs bulbously and pimpled in an unseamly flop between forks in the tree; and the fruit of the Lipstick tree, a beautifully freakish hairy and crimson pod used to color lipsticks, cheddar cheese, fingers (oops) and cheetos. Just beyond, Ishmael moves beneath a large bush, reaches both hands overhead to grasp an oblong yellow fruit, and begins twisting it on the stem until it snaps. About a foot long, this is cacao, the mother of chocolate. Smashed once against a trunk, the pod opens to reveal a white slime, which we’re encouraged to taste, and it is deliciously sweet/tart with the faintest hint of bitter chocolate. Later Ishmael hands us the halves of several nerf-ball-sized green orbs with fleshy spikes, with a thicker white goo-ish interior. This is anonas, or custard apple, also known as ice cream fruit, and the most sublime mouthful I’ve ever tasted. I eat more than my share, scooping out the custard with my fingers and licking it up eagerly.” ~ Pam Goode, Costa Rica Retreat, 2013

Firing Up the Pizza Oven, © Pam Goode

Baby Ocelot

Costa Rica, how we’ve missed you! Our 2016 retreat will combine onsite organic farm and rainforest tours, an adventure or two (think water safaris, hot springs, butterfly gardens, lava hikes), and a possible community outreach project in a neighboring village. Accommodations will be at glorious Finca Luna Nueva (New Moon Farm), a sustainable rainforest ecolodge and certified organic biodynamic farm with single or double lodge and cabin accommodations (triples and quads also available), fabulous organic food grown and prepared onsite, panoramic open-air workspace, wifi, ionized pool, jacuzzi, and spa. Optional activities at an extra cost include guided Arenal Volcano Lava Hike, Butterfly Garden or Cloud Forest Tours, Zipline Canopy Tour, Rafting, or Hanging Bridge Canopy Tour. And surprise! There’s a new baby ocelot wandering around 🙂

INCLUDED

Transfer from Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose to the Lodge and Return Transfer
Eight Nights Accommodation (rooms will be assigned in the order received)
Seven Breakfasts, Seven Lunches, Seven Dinners
One Guided Farm Tour
One Guided Rainforest Tour
5-Day Mosaic Workshop and Open Studio Time
Access to the Secondary Rainforest and Primary Rainforest

Open Air Work Space

NOT INCLUDED

Airfare To and From Costa Rica
Optional Tours and Activities
Transportation for Optional Tours or Local Transportation (Arrangements Provided)
Offsite Meals
Trip Insurance (Recommended)
Gratuities
Departure Tax of $29
Alcohol, If Available

AVAILABLE OUTINGS

Optional activities at an extra cost include guided Arenal Volcano Lava Hike, lunches and dinners in town, Butterfly Garden or Cloud Forest Tours, Zipline Canopy Tour, Rafting, or Hanging Bridge Canopy Tour.
One Day will be set aside for on-your-own adventures. We will choose as a group, but additional free time during the week is always an option.

Birds at Rest, Penas Blancas, CR, © Pam Goode

“The river is magnificent. The banks are almost vertical for twelve feet in many places, and covered with ferns and far too many tree species to taken in, several easily 200 feet. The occasional bamboo stand seems to have been caught in a cyclone, with every trunk twisted counterclockwise from the ground up into one reedy giantess, her broad stride twisting to a skinny waist and then flayed out against the sky again. We see a large family of howler monkeys noisily leaping through the trees, and a pair of white-faced capuchins, a fairly rare sighting here according to our guide. A snowy egret on the bank holds a flash of silvery fish at the tip of his beak, his black legs and bright yellow toes a vibrant contrast to his starkly white curl of a body. I anticipate that, like me, most of the wildlife will choose to shelter deep in the trees until the rains pass, but when we spy flocks of birds, they’re almost always outlined against the clouds on leafless branches, one breed with fabulously outstretched wings at rest, as if ready to take off and soar when they hear the call. I think I have a new animal spirit.” ~ Pamela Goode, Costa Rica Retreat 2013

NEED TO KNOW

Retreat has a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10. Please reserve early, but don’t make flight reservations until notified that we’ve met the minimum.
Participants will bring their own materials; details to follow. Packing Tips here.
Photos from our 2013 Retreat are here.

GOOD TO KNOW

Temperatures for January average High 73, Low 59, with .4″ of Rain
Central Standard Time
Volcano and Valley View, Observation Tower, Finca Luna Nueva, © Pam Goode

Latitude: 10° North of the equator, with equal hours of light and darkness
Currency: US dollars are accepted pretty much everywhere, including tips
Electricity: 110, with standard US plugs
Fast Facts: Literacy rate 96.3%; Military abolished in 1948
Costa Rica is among the countries with the highest amount of protected land in the world; 25% of the nation is dedicated to park systems, reserves, or natural wildlife areas
Bridging the northern and southern most points of the two American contents, Costa Rica is the meeting point for a variety of cultures and a density of plant and animal species said to be unlike any other country in the world
Approximately 850 bird species, 9000 plant species, 34,000 insect species, 205 mammalian species, 220 reptilian species, and 160 amphibian species

ABOUT THE LEADERS

Read more about Carol Shelkin here. Contact Carol here.
Read more about Pam Goode here. Contact Pam here.

ABOUT THE ACCOMMODATIONS

Read more about Finca Luna Nueva here.

TO REGISTER

Contact Pam here for a reservation form.

Tags: Art Classes Abroad, Art Retreats, Art Tours, Art Travel, Art Workshops, Carol Shelkin, Carol Shelkin Mosaics, Carol Shelkin Workshops, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Travel, Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, Finca Luna Nueva, International Mosaic Workshops, Learning Adventures, Mosaic Art, Mosaic Classes Abroad, Mosaic Workshops, Mosaics in Costa Rica, Pam Goode, Pamela Goode Mosaics, Travel, Volunteer in Costa Rica

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Categories Art Retreats, Mosaic, Travel

Make Your Own Workshop in Bermuda with Carol Shelkin

19 May

Make Your Own Workshop in Bermuda with Carol Shelkin
November 1 – 8, 2015
Mosaic Art Classes: Monday – Friday
$2,260.00 Per Person, Double Occupancy

In the mood to spark and rejuvenate your artistic juices or just enjoy an art vacation with a small like-minded group? This workshop is for the inquisitive beginner AND the advanced professional or anyone wishing to expand their artistic and creative potential in paradise.

Carol Shelkin, Instructor, and Donna Smith, your Host in Bermuda, invite you to this beautiful island located off the coast of North Carolina in the Atlantic. Bermuda is known for its British-influenced traditions, from afternoon tea to cricket matches. Put Bermuda on your radar if you’re looking for a warm weather, arts-focused getaway with time to create in a seaside setting. Donna welcomes you to Bermuda, her island home and to Herchalat, an old Bermudian Cottage carved into the hillside in the historic town of St. George, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll have our workshop nestled in this cottage for the week.

Can you see yourself meandering the streets of old towne after the daily workshop, enjoying ocean breezes and harbor views? Picturesque Tobacco Bay and St. Catherine’s Beach are within walking distance of our location for this weeklong mosaic workshop. After class, kick back and relax on the property or explore the island and its culture.

Breakfasts and lunches are included in this retreat, along with airport transportation and a Welcome Reception. You’ll have five full days of mosaic immersion creating a piece of your choosing, as well as two optional excursions, just for fun! Carol will contact you to chat about what you’d like to work on for the week.

As you fly into Bermuda, you’ll see the crystal blue waters, and if you explore once landed, you’ll see the coral reef plateau that surrounds the island. Bermuda will captivate your senses and be your muse with its picturesque cliffs, coves, pink-pillowy sand beaches, snorkeling, British charm, Island soul, tea cafés and a laid back culture.

With Bermuda’s intoxicating sunshine, we offer a very distinctive mosaic art retreat that will give you the opportunity to create in paradise. We also invite those with less experience in the arts; you’ll be provided with patient, professional art guidance to kick-start your artistic journey.

WORKSHOP DETAILS: No Materials Fee; bring whatever you’d like to work on or have Carol help you choose. Class is limited to 10 students. Adults (18 years and above) only. No experience necessary.

Included:

8 days, 7 nights double-occupancy lodging (single supplement extra)
Airport Transfers
Sunday Evening Artists’ Welcome Reception
Breakfast and Lunch 6 Days (special dietary needs welcome)
Bus and Ferry Pass
Five-day Mosaic Workshop: Bring what you like to work on!
Open Studio Time
Private Tour: Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
NOTE: No refund for skipped activities

Not Included:

Optional Add-On Excursions
Airfare
Additional Meals such as Dinners Not Noted Above
Personal Expenses
Alcohol
Travel Insurance (Advised) (More information here)

Optional Activities at Your Own Cost:

Sailing Cruise
Gallery Art Tour
Island Tour
Bike, Paddle Board, Kayak, Jet Ski Rentals available in St. George
Snorkel Equipment Rental
Crystal and Fantasy Caves
Walking Tours of Hamilton, St. George, and Spittal Pond Nature Preserve
Bermuda Perfumery Tour

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Carol Shelkin, with studios just outside of Philadelphia, is an artist with over 25 years of teaching experience. She attended Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Scuola del Mosaico, Italy. She shows her work both nationally and internationally with acceptance into juried shows and galleries, and her artwork is also held in private collections. She has been a presenter at the Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand and teaches at the Society of American Mosaics Artists’ annual conference. She is a founding member of the Mosaic Society of Philadelphia and President, as well as being a Juried Member, of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. For more information about Carol, please visit her website.

TO REGISTER:

ALL RESERVATIONS REQUIRE a 50% DEPOSIT. Reservations cannot be held without a deposit.
Deposits can be made by US Check, Money Order, PayPal or wire transfer.
PayPal to: carol.shelkin@yahoo.com (If paying with PayPal, Please include PayPal fee of $8.75)
Checks: Carol Shelkin 830 Morgan Avenue Drexel Hill, PA 19026 USA
Balance is due 60 days prior to your arrival date.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:

All cancellations are subject to a 20% handling fee.
Reservations cancelled prior to 90 days, 50% is refundable, less 20% handling fee. Reservations cancelled prior 60 days, 25% is refundable, less 20% handling fee. Reservations cancelled prior 45 days prior to registration, the registration fee paid is non-refundable.
Should any workshop/retreat be cancelled the entire amount paid will be refunded within fourteen days. Once this occurs, Carol Shelkin and Donna Smith have no obligations regarding any additional costs or fees related to the issuance and/or cancellation of airline tickets or other travel reservations.
Carol Shelkin and Donna Smith accept no liability for any airline penalty incurred by the cancellation of a non-refundable ticket.
Carol Shelkin and Donna Smith accept no liability for any canceled flights.

Tags: Art Classes Abroad, Art Retreats, Art Travel, Bermuda Travel, Carol Shelkin, Carol Shelkin Mosaics, Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, International Mosaic Workshops, Mosaic Art, Mosaic Art Retreats, Mosaic Workshops, Mosaics Abroad, St. George Bermuda, Travel

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Categories Art Workshop, Mosaic

October in Paris + Provence with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode

30 Oct

October in Paris + Provence
with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode
October 4 – 17, 2015 (5 Days Paris; 7 Days Provence)
$3186 Double Occupancy
$3686 Single Occupancy Paris

Paris Only, October 4 – 9, 2015
$1902 Double Occupancy
$2402 Single Occupancy

Provence Only
October 10 – 17, 2015
$1784 Double Occupancy

Whatta lotta Ooh-La-La! Join Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode on a fall whirl through The City of Light AND the land whose light has drawn artists through the ages: Provence.

We’ll start in Paris, soaking up this vibrant city whose history spans more than 10,000 years. We’ll strike a balance between group activities and on-your-own time so that each participant can follow their own passions. Our hotel is located on the Seine, with views of both river and Notre Dame, and fresh croissants only steps away. An introductory walking tour will acquaint us with the major sites and thoroughfares, and give you the steps to over 60 museums you’ll be able to visit free of charge during your stay.

We’ll include a tour through the major mosaic sites of Paris, including Nureyev’s fabulous tomb, and travel by train to Chartres and Raymond Isidore’s Picassiette House. We’ll watch the Eiffel Tower light in the evening, wander Paris gardens, cruise the Seine, picnic on market finds, meet Parisian artists, and tour artsy Montmartre cafes and haunts.

A special highlight of this trip will be the opportunity to create our own mural in a combination of paint and mosaic. We’ll be famous in France!

After five fabulous days of chic, we’ll board the express train to Avignon, grab a couple of cars, and head deep into the Luberon Valley — land of sumptuous markets and wines, perched villages, stone farmhouses, lavender, olives, ochre-tinted hills, hikes, and food, food, food. We’ll wind or way through multiple picture-perfect settings all 15 – 20 minutes from our own farmhouse, grab olives and tomatoes and pasta and whip up fresh meals under the trees, and traipse along the Sorgue, a gorgeously-green river colored by thousands of waving aquatic plants. Back home, we’ll talk about art and color, and sketch a bit. You’re more than welcome to bring photos of projects for any guidance that might be helpful.

NEED TO KNOW

This art tour is open to artists and non-artists. All participants may join in as many or as few of the scheduled activities as desired, but there will be no refund for skipped activities.
You may select the full Paris/Provence tour, or you may choose only Paris or only Provence. Prices are listed at the top of the page.
If you need to leave sooner than the full 13 days, we’ll arrange for early airport transportation. Prices are based on a stay of 11 days. If you elect to stay for the full 13, you get two days free. There is no refund for those who leave earlier than the 13 days scheduled.

ITINERARY: PARIS

Sunday, October 4: Flights to Paris
Monday, October 5: Settle into Hotel, Guided Walking Tour of Major Paris Sites, Eiffel Tower
Tuesday, October 6: Museum Visits, Mosaic Tour of Paris, Paris Gardens, Evening Tour of Montmartre
Wednesday, October 7: Mural Painting/Installation, Coffee with Local Artists, Evening Cruise on the Seine
Thursday, October 8: Rudolph Nureyev’s Tomb, Chartres, Maison Picassiette, Museum Visits
Friday, October 9: Museum Visits and Paris Secrets
Saturday, October 10: Departure

ITINERARY: PROVENCE

Saturday, October 10: High Speed Train from Paris to Avignon, Transfer to Accommodations, Village Explorations
Sunday, October 11: Antiquing and River-Walking, Isle sur la Sorgue; Light Exercises
Monday, October 12: Explore Rousillon, Tour Ochre Factory, Hiking; Color Exercises
Tuesday, October 13: Market Day in Gordes and Village Photography, Possible Cooking Class
Wednesday, October 14: Explore Lacoste, Art & Design College, Dinner in Menerbes (A Year in Provence)
Thursday, October 15: Explore Oppede-le-Vieux, Easy Hiking Trails
Friday, October 16: Early Departure

INCLUDED PARIS

Airport Transfer to Hotel
5 Nights Double Occupancy in a Luxury Hotel on the Seine (Single Supplement Available)
4-Day Museum Pass with free unlimited admission to 60 museums, including Versailles, with no waiting in lines
Welcome Package with Packing Lists, Tips, and a Fold-out Map
5-Day Metro Pass, Zones 1 – 3
Guided Walking Tour of Major Paris Sites
Mosaic Tour of Paris
Visit to Rudolph Nureyev’s Mosaic Carpet Tomb
Visit to Chartres
Visit to Maison Picassiette
Cafe and Croissants with French Mosaic Artists
Creation of our own Paris Mural, using Paint and Mosaic!
Guided Evening Tour of Artsy Montmartre
Cruise along the Seine
Visit through Paris Gardens
Secret Paris Treats

INCLUDED PROVENCE

Transfer from Paris to the Spectacular Luberon Valley via TGV Train (2 hours, 44 minutes)
Use of two 6-passenger vans
7 Nights Double Occupancy in a traditional Mas (Provencal Farmhouse)
Market Day Visits to Beautiful Perched Villages of Gourdes, Lacoste, Menerbes (A Year in Provence), and Bonnieux
Visit to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a village-wide antiques market straddling the green waters of the Sorgue
Visit to the Ochre cliffs of Rousillion, with a tour of the Ochre Factory
Multiple Opportunities for Hiking/Horseback Riding
Departure via Marseilles Airport

NOT INCLUDED

Airfare
Meals
Personal Expenses
Travel Insurance (learn more here)

ABOUT THE LEADERS

Carol and Pam have been organizing and leading trips abroad since 1999. Both are internationally recognized mosaic artists teaching weekly. Pam is fluent in French; both are travel-savvy, easy-going, and love taking on the world.

Read more about Carol here or on Facebook here.

Read more about Pam here or follow her on Facebook here.

For more eye candy, follow Pam’s Paris Pinterest Board here and the Provence Board here.

TO RESERVE A SPACE OR FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please email Pam with questions or to receive a registration form via email. A deposit of 50% is required to reserve space; tour balance will be due no later than July 15, 2015. Cancellation policy will be outlined on the registration form.

Tags: Art Travel, Carol Shelkin, Carol Shelkin Workshops, France Mosaics, France Travel, Gordes, International Art Travel, Luberon Valley, Mosaic Art Retreats, Mosaic Art Tours, Mosaic Workshops, Mosaics Abroad, Mosaics in France, Pam Goode, Pamela Goode Mosaics, Paris Travel, Provence Travel

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Categories Art, Art Retreats, Mosaic, Travel

Make Your Own Workshop: Mexico with Carol Shelkin

27 Sep

TWO DATES:

Make Your Own Mosaic Workshop with Carol Shelkin
Puerta Vallarta, Mexico
November 30 – December 6, 2014  (a couple of spots left)
$1521 Double Occupancy

February 15 – 21, 2015
$1521 Double Occupancy

Work in Mosaic Realism, Tempered Glass or Your Choose Your Own Project
Two NEW week-long workshops to choose from — second week added by popular demand!

Join Carol Shelkin for seven days and six nights at Hacienda Mosaico, a private, luxurious hacienda in Puerto Vallarta just 15 minutes from the airport by private cab. You’ll be enchanted with the most wonderful breakfast and hearty lunch served poolside amid tropical gardens. Enjoy a replay of summer days in winter, without the humidity. We’ll enjoy daytime meals prepared by our personal chef, then venture out for dinners together. Ample studio time will be provided, and massages are available on site. This is my fifth year going to this ARTful Retreat and I wouldn’t want you to miss it!

Workshop:
Mosaic is unique to every student, and the goal in this workshop is to direct and assist each student to develop, find their own style, and create a beautiful work of art. You’ll learn to develop an eye for mosaic and create a line drawing in realism, work with Tempered Glass, or choose another personal mosaic to work on. There will be comprehensive PowerPoint presentations and students will begin work on a mosaic of their choosing. You may bring your own photographic-model or choose from those provided. Please contact the instructor for instructions. If you choose to work in Tempered Glass, you’ll complete a mosaic using the overlaying, collage techniques with metallic papers, tissue, foils, glitter, beads and more, creating abstract art with these recycled materials. Bring your photos, personal invitations, and/or mementos to be embedded forever in art. No experience necessary.

Optional Day Trips:
Our group will have the option to travel in comfort by large, air-conditioned van for a visit to Sayulita, a quaint Pacific Coast town north of the city to visit Mexican markets and shops. We’ll have dinner at a beach restaurant, visit art galleries, and shop on the El Malecon in downtown Puerto Vallarta. And of course the beach is just a ten minute walk from the hacienda.

Lodgings:
From Host Sam Leonard: “Hacienda Mosaico is a completely walled, private property with an outdoor eating area around a gorgeous pool. Everywhere you look, from the painted rugs and furniture to the mosaic steps, benches and tables and adornment hanging from the trees, you’ll be enthralled with creativity.

We have a lush, tropical location and a real ARTretreat experience in this space. It’s a great place to teach, learn and create, and a very accessible destination that offers international flavor and style. Can you imagine healthy meals being served poolside in a private, tropical setting? We have breakfast and lunch suited to your dietary needs.

Unlike a hotel, Hacienda Mosaico is a private retreat and art center filled with mosaic art. Our electricity is the same as the US, so your hair dryers, battery chargers, etc. will all work here without converters. Water in Puerto Vallarta has been awarded a certification of purity for over fourteen years, one of only two cities in Mexico that can boast such accomplishment. However bottled water is available at the Hacienda.”

Summary:
Retreat Price: $1,521. 00 (based on double occupancy).
Single Supplement available at a higher fee.

Lodging: 6 nights & 7 days ( Arrive Sunday – depart Saturday )
Mosaic Art Instruction: 5 days
Unlimited Open Studio: 24/7.

Meals Included by the hacienda’s Personal Chef: Sunday evening welcome reception, 5 full breakfasts & 5 lunches served poolside in a tropical setting, and a Saturday departure brunch. Optional dinner together at local restaurants and cafes. Optional Tours of the Botanical Gardens and Sayulita and a Wednesday night Gallery crawl on the El Malecon by the beach.

Students are responsible for bringing their own tools and supplies. Materials list & instructions on packing will be sent after registration.

Free Time:
Two optional excursions will be available, including dinner at the beach, gallery crawl/or sightseeing and Mexican market in Sayulita.

To Register:
Please contact Sam at info@haciendamosaico.com.

For More Information about the Instructor:
Website: www.carolshelkinmosaics.com

For Questions: Email carol.shelkin@yahoo.com

Chat with me anytime on FACEBOOK: Carol Shelkin Mosaics

Fine Print:
Trip insurance is strongly advised. This “plain language” tutorial will explain travel insurance so you can easily find the right plan: Travel Insurance 101: How to Protect Your Vacation.

Tags: Art Retreats, Art Travel, Carol Shelkin, Carol Shelkin Workshops, Cultural Travel, Educational Travel, Hacienda Mosaico, International Mosaic Workshops, Mexico, Mosaic Art Retreats, Mosaic Classes Abroad, Puerto Vallarta, Travel Abroad

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Categories Art Retreats, Art Workshop, Travel

Light and Color Study in Amsterdam and Belgium with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode

24 Jul

Light and Color Study in Amsterdam and Belgium
with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode
May 15 – 26, 2015
$2975

Houseboat lodgings, canal cruises, visits with international mosaic artists, and a flower festival — how can you go wrong? Timed to coincide with the floriferous color inspiration of southern Holland’s most famous blooms, this retreat will be a delight for the senses as well as a networking mecca.

AMSTERDAM

We’ll dive into the artistic, architectural, cultural and culinary heart of Amsterdam, wandering among the 165 waterways (more than Venice!), discovering art, neighborhoods, hidden courtyards, local mosaics, and charming cafes. Amsterdam’s museums and private art collections feature stunning work by Rembrandt, a host of Van Goghs, and the light-drenched masterpieces of Vermeer.

We’ll couple an art walk with a canal cruise, a trip to the museums with a mosaic session, visit the Anne Frank House, and tiptoe through the seven million flowers of the world-class Keukenhof Gardens.

We’ll enjoy Amsterdam the way the locals do, with houseboat and apartment accommodations in the charming Jordann neighborhood. Fall asleep to the gentle rocking of calm waters and wake to the sound of ducks and swans paddling towards breakfast.

Shopping at Dam Square, floating flower markets and a skip through the legendary Albert Cuyp market (with multi-cultural street food) will fill our afternoons, and an evening will be spent visiting the lovely canals, Gothic-Renaissance architecture, and action of the Red Light District.

BELGIUM

Belgium, famous around the world for the highest quality chocolate, beckons us to Brussels for a chocolate walking/tasting/making tour. We’ll tour Grand-Place, considered one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe, and revel in sumptuous Art Nouveau of the tree-lined and fountain-y Squares District, considered a laboratory of late nineteenth-century architecture, and the Magritte Museum.

Day trips to Bruges and Ghent will deliver two of Flanders’ most picturesque countryside havens. We’ll see Bruges’ Lake of Love, Beguinage, Our Lady Church, Market Square and lunch at a cafe close to Town Hall Square (Burg) — food lover’s dream and a beer lover’s heaven. We’ll also wander through architecture from the Middle Ages and head for a stroll along the North Sea. A highlight will be an afternoon spent with Belgian mosaic artists, talking shop over tea and chocolate.

Logistics

To make the most of our time, we’ll fly into Amsterdam, travel by high speed train to Belgium, and return home via the Brussels airport. Local transport will be via train and tram.

Included

Double Occupancy Accommodations in Amsterdam and Belgium
Transfer from Schiphol Amsterdam Airport (AMS) to City Center
Amsterdam Tram Tickets
Kukenhof Gardens
Sunset Canal Cruise & Dinner
Mosaic Workshop with Greet Weitenberg at Amphora Art
Ann Frank House Entrance & Self Guided Tour
Red Light Walking Tour
Two Museums: Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh
Train to Belgium
Chocolate Making Tour & Workshop
Day Trips to Ghent & Bruges
Transport to Brussels Airport (BRU) for Return Flights

Not Included

Airfare
Meals
Personal Expenses
Travel Insurance

About Carol and Pam

Carol and Pam have many years’ experience traveling the world both separately and together, having teamed to lead several international art retreats. Limiting the tour to 10 adult travelers will allow us to form friendships and bonds that last a lifetime. Learn more about Carol here. Learn more about Pam here and here.

For More Information or To Register:

Registration forms are available; just email Carol or Pam. A detailed itinerary will be available shortly.

Tags: Amphora Art, Amsterdam, Art Classes Abroad, Art Tours, Art Travel, Bruges, Brussels, Carol Shelkin, Chocolate Tour, Cultural Travel, Edicational Travel, Greet weitenberg, International Mosaic Workshops, Mosaic Art Tours, Mosaic Classes in Europe, Pam Goode

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Categories Art Retreats, Travel

Barcelona and Morocco with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode, May 2014

25 Jan

Cultural Tour: Barcelona + Optional Morocco
with Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode
Barcelona: May 24 – June 1, 2014
Morocco: June 1 – June 4, 2014
$2350 Barcelona Only
$650 Morocco Add-On

Join Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode for a blissful eight days in Barcelona getting up close and personal with Gaudi, Picasso, Dali, some local tapas, a little cava, a little Costa Brava, and a few Benedictine monks. And since we’ll be so close to Morocco, we’re offering an optional four-day add-on to Fes, a vibrant world heritage site with a medieval section of 9000 narrow pedestrian streets. This mosaic art retreat does not feature a daily class, but will feed you with ample inspiration for your next mosaic evolution.

BARCELONA

Saturday May 24: Transfer to Apartment and luggage storage; Cafe for coffee and pastries; Tour of neighborhood; Check-in and Siesta/Shower; Red Bus Tour/Welcome Dinner

Sunday, May 25: Stamp and Coin Market Gothic Quarter; Picnic in Park Guell, tour of Gaudi House/Museum; Casas Mila and Battlo

Monday, May 26: Mini Mosaic session with Martin Brown using ceramic a la Gaudi; Picasso Museum

Tuesday, May 27: Montserrat, the famed mountaintop Benedictine Monastery and Black Virgin; Sagrada Familia

Wednesday, May 28: Market Visit and Cooking Class; Afternoon on Your Own

Thursday, May 29: Els Encants Flea Market and Vintage Shopping; Afternoon on the Beach

Friday, May 30: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM Private Coach and Guide to Dali House/Museum, Lunch on the Costa Brava, including several Mediterranean villages and Dali’s home

Saturday, May 31: TBD; On Your Own; Farewell Dinner

Sunday, June 1: Airport Transfer

BARCELONA ACCOMMODATIONS

We’ll be staying in a large, light-filled apartment in the heart of Barcelona near Plaza Catalunya. The flat has seven bedrooms (several are dorm-style), wifi, a fully equipped kitchen, table space for 17, lift, washing machine, and a lovely terrace. This will provide a common gathering space as well as ample room for food storage and the possibility of eating-in on quiet nights if desired. The apartment is two block from the metro, and very close to shopping and dining options.

MOROCCO

Join us as we travel to Fes, founded in the 9th century and the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities. Within Fes is the walled medina, known as the “the city of ten thousand alleys.” Twelve thousand years old, the huge medieval medina is a bustling time capsule. Known as “the city of 10,000 alleys,” the New York Times describes Fez as ‘faded but stately, crumbling but proud, the walled city of Fez might well be the largest and most enduring medieval Islamic settlement in the world. It is indisputably Morocco’s spiritual and cultural heart.” Artisans still practice traditional techniques, and the market is renowned for ceramics, zellige mosaic, spices, leather, textiles, and cuisine. Read more about Fes here.

Mosaic Fountain

Spice and Flower Market

Mosaic-Making

Patterns

Ceramic Tile

Guesthouse Courtyard

Sunday, June 1: Arrival by air, train to Fes

Monday, June 2: Tour of medieval medina with English-speaking guide; visit to artisan workshops

Tuesday, June 3: Workshop TBD (zellige mosaic, Moroccan cuisine, belly dancing, calligraphy are among the possibilities); ceramic workshop visit

Wednesday, June 4: Train to Casablanca for flights home

MOROCCO ACCOMMODATIONS

In Fes, we’ll stay in a traditional guesthouse, or riad, consisting of several rooms surrounding a central courtyard. A Moroccan breakfast will be included each day, either in the courtyard or on the roof terrace, offering panoramic views of the medina and/or surrounding hills. Rooms may be single or double occupancy, with private bath.

LEADERS

Carol Shelkin and Pam Goode are professional mosaic artists, instructors, and travelers. Read more about Carol here and Pam here. The two have most recently led a workshop in Costa Rica, and have another planned for 2014/15 focusing on local culture and mosaic outreach.

TO REGISTER

To register or for more information, please email Pam. Deposit of $1500 is due March 1. Full payment is due by April 25. Suggested airline schedule is a multi-leg ticket NYC to Barcelona to Casablanca to NYC. Preferred schedules will be emailed to participants.

Tags: Art Travel, Barcelona Travel, Carol Shelkin, Ciel Gallery, Cultural Travel, Group Travel, Morocco Travel, Mosaic Art, Mosaic Art Classes Abroad, Mosaic Art Retreat, Pam Goode

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Categories Art Retreats, Mosaic, Travel

Mosaic Artists Take Over Touchstone Retreat Center!

12 Jan

Touchstone, a craft and retreat center in the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania, has invited a full slate of mosaic artists to teach in 2014.

Instructor: Rachel Sager
May 16–19
Building Stories in Stone: Contemporary Mosaic in a Geologic Medium (Intensive)
All Levels | $300 Plus Selected Housing/Meal Plan
Extended Weekend Workshop

Instructor: Rachel Sager
August 10 – 16, 2014
Building Stories in Stone: Contemporary Mosaic in a Geologic Medium (Immersive)
Instructor: Rachel Sager
All Levels | $500 + Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Weeklong Workshop

Are you ready for adventures in the creeks, hills, and valleys of Touchstone’s woodland campus? Join award-winning and internationally exhibited mosaic artist, teacher, and speaker, Rachel Sager, in her journey into the magic of sourcing local Southwestern Pennsylvania stone and transforming it into elegant tesserae, the building blocks of mosaic. This extended weekend intensive will cover building a sturdy substrate, mixing and applying high-quality thin-set mortar, cutting with hammer and hardie, the classic tool of the Italian mosaic maestros, and learning the nuances of andamento, the flow and pathways of mosaic. The field trip part of the workshop will include Rachel’s singular process of hunting and gathering for her material. This will be a challenging but also contemplative workshop, and students will learn valuable cutting skills along with mosaic philosophy. You will leave with a 12 x 12-inch mosaic, but more important, you will take home specific knowledge of an ancient medium translated into a contemporary format.

Rachel’s bio and class schedule can be found here for the May Intensive, and here for the August Immersive. Learn more about Rachel’s work here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

May 23–26
Realistic Flower Mosaics
Instructor: Yulia Hanansen
All Levels | $300 + Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Extended Weekend Workshop

Learn to translate images of flowers into realistic and powerful mosaic statements in this extended weekend workshop. To create flower mosaic, students may work in a traditional mosaic layout or master an exciting and visually effective “brush-stroke” technique that Yulia uses for her own flower portraits. Materials and techniques are discussed in-depth with demonstrations given in groups and individually. Stained glass is used as a primary material for this project with instructions provided on how to cut, shape, and lay out the pieces. Students also explore color and composition in mosaic arts. The workshop concludes with instructions on grouting and a group discussion on the made pieces.

Yulia’s bio and workshop schedule can be found here. Learn more about her work here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

May 30–June 2
Exterior Mosaics
Instructor: Bonnie Fitzgerald
All Levels | $300 + Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Extended Weekend Workshop

This workshop covers everything you need to know about creating professional permanent mosaics to withstand moisture and freeze-thaw cycles in exterior environments. Workshop lectures will include important information about selecting appropriate materials, substrates, and fixatives that will endure weather year round. We begin Friday evening with a picture presentation and lecture covering technical considerations and design principles. We will spend a portion of the workshop experimenting with both stained glass and ceramic tiles suitable for exterior use. You will make 2 small experimental/prototype pieces, one in glass and the other in ceramic. These exercises are a valuable experience in cutting and designing. We will then embark on our larger project on Saturday.

Bonnie’s bio and workshop schedule can be found here. Learn more about her work here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

July 27–August 2
Strata Chroma: Mosaic High (Relief) and Deep (Color)
Kelley Knickerbocker & Erin Pankratz-Smith
All Levels | $500/+ Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Weeklong Workshop

This workshop is geared to interest and challenge students of all levels of mosaic experience.

You will first learn to build and rig your own durable, lightweight 2D mosaic substrates, incorporating pigmented cement in an adventurous exploration of color merging, layering, and texture. Next you will learn to recognize/create/exploit ideal joins of angle, height, size, and shape of a wide variety of black materials – both natural and manmade – for various visual effects, and then experiment with setting each into colorful cement mortars. Finally, using the strata format as a compositional framework, students will incorporate all they’ve learned into the construction of a small mosaic on their handmade substrates.

Their first collaborative artwork, I’m Pervious, built-in 2013, combined Kelley’s achromatic leanings and stratified-high-relief-materials approach with Erin’s saturated color aesthetic and birthed the idea for their ”Strata Chroma” workshop. 2014’s ”Strata Chroma” workshop marks the beginning of their collaboration as educators.

Kelley and Erin’s bios as well as a schedule for the workshop can be found here. Learn more about Kelley’s work here and Erin’s work here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

Instructor: Carol Shelkin
September 5–7, 2014
Tempered Glass Mosaics
All Levels | $200 + Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Weekend Workshop

Learn how to create glittering mosaic art mixing collage with mosaic techniques using “Tempered Glass.” Tempered glass – also known as “Crash Glass” and “Safety Glass” is used to create mosaic art and architectural installations. A presentation showing examples of some of the finest works in Tempered Glass will be shown. You will learn to develop a jewel-like surface for both interior and exterior installations; and you will complete a mosaic using an overlaying technique with metallic papers, tissue, foils, glitter, photos, wordage, and more. You are encouraged to bring a variety of small paper images, photos, embellishments, and/or text to include in your mosaic. This is the perfect medium to permanently incorporate printed imagery!

Carol’s bio and workshop schedule can be found here. Learn more about her work at here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

Instructor: Cynthia Fisher
September 19 – 21, 2014
Glass Mosaics
All Levels: $200 + Selected Lodging/Meal Plan
Weekend Workshop

Mosaics are a medium one can readily learn at a workshop, and then continue with at home with minimal investment in tools and materials. You will learn about (1) the rich history of mosaics materials, (2) tools and substrates, (3) a variety of methods of mosaic assembly with the major focus on the indirect method, and (4) color and the mosaic palette and how tile shape creates visual texture. Lecture time will be kept to a minimum, and there will be an emphasis on one-on-one guidance, maximizing individual interests.

Cynthia is eager to share her considerable knowledge and experience working in the medium of glass mosaics, from artistic considerations unique to mosaic to architectural installations. Cynthia’s bio and workshop schedule can be found here. Learn more about her work here. Lodging/Meal Plans here.

Tags: Art, Art Classes Abroad, Art Retreats, Art Travel, Bonnie Franklin, Carol Shelkin, Cynthia Fisher, Erin Pankratz-Smith, Kelley Knickerbocker, Mosaic, Mosaic Art Retreats, Mosaic Workshop, Rachel Sager, Touchstone Crafts, Travel, Yulia Hanansen

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Categories Art Retreats, Mosaic

8 Days in the Rainforest

2 Dec

Just back from the Costa Rica Flora and Fauna Workshop, and thought we’d share a few highlights. The week was transformational start to finish, from the eager, supportive and talented group of mosaic artists assembled to the serene and endlessly surprising rainforest and biodynamic farm at Finca Luna Nueva, to the kind and generous Costa Ricans who embraced us and taught us, to the fresh organic food, and the so-not-your-average-day adventures. More fabulous photos by super-lens Susan Walden here. We’ll definitely be back. If you’re interested in the next session, please let us know in the comment section. Pura Vida!

Click on the first photo and scroll through for descriptions.