Art Course & Retreat Details
Discover Your Creativity - Art Course Crete
With the beautiful Cretan coast and landscape nature as our muse, we aim to bring our attention to a mindful practice where the process of making art itself is central. You may be looking to explore creative expression and reconnect with yourself through the process of art and discussion, or simply wish to develop your knowledge of painting, materials, and technique. I work with a limited group of 4 people adapting the course to your skill level, interest, and needs. The art course crete explores your creative expression and ways of seeing that are about the process of creating artwork, what this means to you and the powerful therapeutic benefits this brings. We can explore ‘image making’ across representation, abstraction, pure expressionism, and more.
Art Course Crete Overview
Duration: 5 nights
Art Course: Art Guidance, materials, tuition and program
Accommodation / Meals
Maximum Group Size: 4 people
Dates: 4 x Retreats (dates TBC)
April/May/August/September/October
Proximity to Beach: 10 min drive
Accommodation
Options available:
Twin room (shared) - A generous single bed size in a large twin room. Shared Bathroom for 2 people in the courtyard bathroom.
Double bedroom - Couple sharing or individual / friends with shared bathroom for 2 people in the main house.
All bathrooms are newly renovated with rain-head showers.
Inclusive Cost
Airport Transfers
Meals
Light breakfast
Lunch (at retreat or local taverna depending on day activity)
All Drinks and snacks/fruit
Your Accommodation - See options under accommodation
Art Guidance and Itinerary:
Materials and tuition
(5-6hrs pd tuition - 5 days art guidance)
830€ per person inclusive
(5 nights stay)
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*Excludes local transfers to painting day locations (taxi arranged - local cost based on 4 people per taxi share) All within 30 minutes of the retreat.
*Evening meals out
*Specific bespoke Day Trip Tours
What to/not expect
Great fun in a relaxed atmosphere. This is an authentic rustic village home with kitchen garden and olive grove. While it is a modern renovation with a quality finish, solar water heating, comfy beds, air conditioning, PV panel and wifi, it is not a shiny villa with an infinity pool… It’s more soul than bling if that’s a thing (:
Professional Art Tuition
The Art retreat is run by your host who is a professionally trained artist and has over two decades of experience working with creatives both teaching and mentoring.
Acrylic painting and drawing classes in Plein-air at different locations each day, demonstrations with your host and artist with individual tuition.
This retreat is open to beginners and budding artists alike to paint the enchanting sights of Crete. An extraordinary journey that combines travel and creativity awaits!
Find out more about art guidance here
Location
Based in the village of Armenoi in the Apokoronas. We’re 10 minutes to the beach! Read more on the location
Art Course Itinerary (example)
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Welcome Drinks
Welcome drinks - Meetup
Day 1 - Still Life / Beach Painting
*All daily timings are flexible based on weather etc. Typically we start early, take a break in the warmer part of the day then regroup for the later afternoon and early evening.
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Garden/Beach Painting
8am-12:00 noon - Afternoons TBC
Day 2 - Port/Beach Painting or Still LifeOption 1 - We observe a still-life setup with volume, mass, light, shade in the courtyard of the artisan retreat.
Option 2 - Beach Day Painting !
Garden Salad Lunch
Wine Tasting (pre-book) Dinner out -
Landscape Plein Air
8am-12:00 noon
Day 3 - Landscape Painting. We explore beautiful local landscape views using a limited palette, we practise sketching en plein air, learning to paint landscapes with greater confidence and proficiency.
Cretan Lunch - local taverna
Dinner out -
Day Trip Sketching
Day 4/5
We choose a day trip visit. Depending on group consensus we have great options.
Discover Chania
Beach Cove Painting
Visit a Local Artisan Community
*Botanical Gardens (pre-book)
With a sketch book we explore and sketch from life areas of interest to you.
Lunch out / Dinner out -
Closing Days
Day 5/6/7
Further tuition and guidance on your paintings and drawings.Exhibition of works in the courtyard
Beach for sundowners
Evening meal out - Seafood Restaurant
Airport transfers organised.Your work - You can of course take your work with you but If you would prefer, your work can be curated and gifted to local schools and communities for school children to enjoy.
Freshly Prepared Garden Lunch Menu
Prepared with fresh ingredients I can make lunch for you onsite in the kitchen garden combining food from the garden and local products from the village.
Breakfast
Selection of fresh fruits / Yogurt / Muesli
Fresh Orange Juice / Chai / Coffee
Lunch
Fresh Olives / stuffed vine with tzatziki
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Our take on a Traditional Cretan Salad / Dakos with local produce
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Yogurt with thyme honey and berries
Wine/Raki and laughter
*Evening Meal
Eating out at local Tavernas
The village has some nice eateries within walking distance
Crete, the island of olive and orange groves. With fabulous beaches and local delicacies of authentic greek yogurt, thyme honey, unrivaled moussaka aand more..
Reserve your place
Do get in touch and I’ll be happy to chat more about your trip. Friendly, healthy and affordable experience on the beautiful island of Crete awaits!
nickpeperell@gmail.com
+44(0)7590454621
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Food Allergies & Diet
Important: Please let us know if you have a severe food/nut allergy or intolerance. This is important to know prior to joining the retreat so that we can plan accordingly.
If you have special dietary requirements please do let me know. The majority of dishes are plant-based ingredients with the indulgence of soft cheeses local to the area.
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Delicious Food
The Cretan diet is considered to be one of the healthiest and most balanced in the Mediterranean. The abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, the delicious fresh cheeses, and the moderate consumption of meat is what made it so famous.
Traditional Cretan cuisine hides treasures that are worth seeking out.
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Space / Yoga / Paint / Relax
Relax in nature with professional art tuition. From shady canyons to olive groves and beaches.
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Beach Days
If you want to skip an afternoon of painting or Yoga and head to the beach instead, no problem. Be my guest, it’s a 10 minute drive in the jeep and I’ll drop you to the coast before the sunscreen is on..
