# Painting the Essence of Occitanie Retreat with Artist Joan Fullerton in France

Join artist Joan Fullerton in the picturesque Dordogne region of Occitanie, France. Paint freely and authentically, build your confidence, and learn how to put more of yourself into your art. Explore your personal aesthetic and find the visual language that best expresses your story and your experience. Learn from your art and rediscover yourself in a calm and supportive environment, surrounded by like-minded artists. Joan’s teaching approach has at its core the upliftment of others, blending playful creation, specific techniques for intuitive painting and abstract compositions, discussions, and collage, as well as exchanging ideas and learning from each other. Practice journaling and collect ephemera during trips to the medieval village of Issigeac, the historic city of Beynac-et-Cazenac, and the nearby Eymet market. Take note of sights, sounds, feelings, and revelations as you explore together with Joan and your fellow artists, later integrating these mementos into your compositions.Stay at a charming French countryside estate, in one of the five fully renovated traditional gîtes, and savor delicious chef-made food paired with fine wines from one of France's most celebrated wine areas. Enjoy a wine and cheese tasting experience, and find inspiration for your series of paintings in the local culture of southwestern France.

## Details

- **Dates:** October 19 - 26, 2026
- **Location:** Eymet, Dordogne, France
- **Starting Price:** $4,500
- **Category:** Painting

## Program

### Painting the Essence of Occitanie
Embark on a transformative journey with artist Joan Fullerton in the charming region of Dordogne, in Occitanie, France. Learn how to intuitively paint and translate your story and experience into visual language. Together with your instructor and 14 like-minded individuals, you will free your creative process from any hesitation or indecisiveness as you playfully create a series of paintings. This retreat is open to all levels of experience, though you’ll benefit most if you already have some familiarity with acrylics and mixed media, as well as Joan Fullerton's work and style of teaching. The classes will be a combination of demonstrations from Joan, creating new paintings almost each session, working with general prompts, group feedback sessions, discussions, note taking, and journaling. Complement your art session with adventures into the heart of Dordogne, visiting picturesque villages for inspiration. Practice your journaling in the historic town of Beynac-et-Cazenac, sketch along the Dordogne River, or capture the medieval Beynac Castle perched high above the valley.Visit Issigeac and wander around its narrow cobbled streets and through its vibrant market, immersing yourself in local French culture. Collect ephemera from Eymet, a quaint little town with another lively market, where you’ll find stalls selling vegetables, flowers, herbs, and handmade soaps. Each trip offers a new palette of colors, shapes, and stories to bring back to the studio and weave into your artwork.Some of the topics covered in your classes with Joan include: Making soul-satisfying artBeing bold in your vulnerabilityLearning new techniques for expressionTrusting your intuitive knowledgeCreating a meaningful ritual for your imaginationHow to utilize contrasts for visual interestHow to integrate local ephemera into your compositionDesigning visual elements into a dynamic abstract compositionHow to induce hints of realism into an abstract composition…and many more! Your home for the week will be an elegant historic estate from the Napoleonic era, set amidst vibrant gardens, secluded woodlands, a natural pond, and a heated pool. Delight in Dordogne’s culinary heritage with daily chef-prepared meals, and savor the local wines through a cheese and wine-tasting experience. Be receptive to an inspiring adventure in a beautiful location, build friendships, and make unforgettable memories!

### Day 1: Arrival
Catch the 3:30 PM shuttle from Bergerac train station to your retreat venue, a stunning 25-acre historic estate in the heart of Dordogne. Upon arrival, settle into your cozy accommodations, take a moment to unwind, and meet Joan Fullerton, your instructor for the week. Start your experience with a guided tour of the estate, showcasing its charming communal spaces, the vast gardens, sunlit terraces, a heated swimming pool, serene woodlands, and a tranquil pond. The day concludes with a warm welcome dinner featuring exquisite French cuisine and fragrant local wine, setting the tone for the inspiring week that’s ahead.

### Day 2: Art classes at the venue
Wake up your senses with a wholesome breakfast and a warm cup of coffee, then join Joan and the group for a quick morning check-in, easing into the rhythm of the day. During the first workshop of the retreat, Joan will introduce and demonstrate her specific painting techniques, aimed at teaching students how to set free and paint more expressively, uncensored, and intuitively. Joan will also reveal the philosophy behind her techniques, immersing you into the realm of intuitive painting and abstraction. You will get a general prompt from Joan and create a painting based on it. The goal of this exercise is to bring your subjective understanding of the world to the forefront. Pause midday for a relaxed lunch, then continue the day with an afternoon workshop. Dive into work and create another painting, using the same materials from the morning. Engage in a group feedback and discussion of the works you have realized so far, sharing your personal interpretation and appreciating the various interpretations of your fellow artists. Exchange ideas, learn from each other, and see all the variations of how human beings communicate visually.As the day comes to an end, enjoy some leisure time to recharge before dinner. Stroll the estate gardens, swim, or reflect on what you have learned about yourself through your art today. Gather with Joan and the group for a delightful three-course dinner prepared by the private chef and paired with a glass of aromatic French wine.

### Day 3: Art trip to Issigeac
Start the day with a filling breakfast and a quick morning check-in with Joan and the group before setting off toward Issigeac. Located only a 30-min drive away from the venue, the ride will carry you past vineyards, stone farmhouses softened by ivy, and open fields shifting in the morning light. Explore the picturesque town of Issigeac, dating back to Roman times, and immerse yourself in local French culture, interacting with your surroundings. Visit the local market, wander on narrow cobbled streets, and get lost in the medieval charm of the village. Joan will guide you on how to journal when exploring a new place, preparing a handout with what to consider for journal entries. Do some journaling, take reference photos, and collect ephemera that you can use later as inspiration. Return to the venue for a refreshing lunch, then continue the afternoon with another art class. Joan will demonstrate how to integrate the observations, feelings, and experiences from your trip into visual language. Create a new painting inspired by the timeless elegance of Issigeac and learn how to incorporate the ephemera you have collected, as Joan will introduce you to collage. If time permits, engage in another short group feedback session, sharing and learning with your fellow artists from today’s adventures.Enjoy some well-deserved spare time in the afternoon to rest and unwind. Indulge in a delicious three-course dinner prepared by the in-house chef, and share conversations with Joan and the group over a glass of wine.

### Day 4: Art classes at the venue
Kick off the day with a hearty breakfast and a hot cup of coffee. Join Joan and the group for a quick morning check-in and settle into the rhythm of the day. Today’s workshops are about building your confidence and showing yourself in your art. Take some time to share some things about yourself and your story. Listen to everyone’s experiences in a supportive environment, as you build a sense of community with your art group. Listen to the experiences of your fellow artists in a supportive atmosphere as you develop a bond with one another and foster a sense of community.Departing from this intimate sharing moment, create a symbolic self-portrait, integrating your experience into the composition and learning how to put more of yourself into your art. This exercise is meant to teach you how to have greater appreciation for your point of view. Learn how to validate yourself and value your own experience and story through your art. Break for lunch, then join Joan and the group for another studio session. Continue working on the self-portrait from the morning if you haven’t finalized it yet, and engage in a discussion about personal preferences and aesthetics. Take notes on what kind of paintings you respond to, what paintings evoke your emotions, and what types of paintings you like. Reflect on why you like a particular kind of painting. What do you resonate with and why? Now, it is time to explore your personal aesthetic and discuss how to reach your personal preferences, as well as learn how to understand when a painting is finished. As the class ends, take some leisure time to relax before dinner. In the evening, enjoy a wine and cheese tasting experience at the venue, savoring authentic French flavors. Reflect on the stories and moments you have shared today with your group over a wholesome chef-prepared dinner.

### Day 5: Art trip to Beynac-et-Cazenac
Begin your day with a nourishing breakfast, have your morning daily check-in, then head out with Joan and your fellow artists to the hilltop village of Beynac-et-Cazenac. Located a 1-hour and 30-minute drive from the venue, this medieval village overlooking the Dordogne River has a long history of resistance against the English. It is also known as a movie set for famous historical films such as “The Last Duel” and “Revenge of the Musketeers.”Wander through alleys and terraces, collecting ephemera and journaling. Joan will guide you on different ways of sketching and on how to later use these sketches in your paintings. Visit the imposing hilltop castle Château de Beynac, an austere medieval structure perched atop a limestone plateau, and draw inspiration from its history and impressive architecture. Pause midday for lunch at a nearby restaurant or café, then continue exploring the rest of the town on your own. Interact with your environment, stop to make quick sketches or write in your journal, and take reference photos. Return to the estate in the evening right before dinner. Take some spare time to recharge and use it however you wish. Gather with Joan and the group for another chef-prepared three-course dinner, and share your reflections of the day over a glass of fragrant French wine.

### Day 6: Art trip to local French market
Wake up to the scent of freshly made coffee and fuel up with a satisfying breakfast, followed by a quick morning check-in with Joan and your fellow artists. Take a trip to the nearby Eymet market, located only a 15-minute walk away from the venue. Walk on a winding path through dense woodlands, and reach a vibrant village bustling with people and vendors selling vegetables, flowers, herbs, and handmade soaps. Journal and make quick sketches of whatever piques your interest. Collect ephemera and engage with your surroundings: maybe greet the sellers, browse through the stalls, or taste samples of locally produced foods. You can take this trip at your leisure, at any time you desire!Head back to the venue for a light lunch, then continue the day with another studio workshop. Learn how to integrate some architectural elements inspired by your trips into your pieces. Joan will guide you on how to create a symbolic landscape, a suggestive composition that integrates one real element and leaves the rest to the interpretation of the viewer.As the evening settles in, unwind with some leisure time. Stroll around the estate gardens, take a swim in the pool, or rest in your comfortable room. End the day with a flavorful three-course dinner prepared by the in-house chef and accompanied by a glass of local wine.

### Day 7: Art classes at the venue
Enjoy a wholesome breakfast, followed by a quick morning check-in with Joan and the group, before jumping into the last full day at the retreat. Today will be about discussing and addressing any remaining questions you may have for Joan or your fellow artists. Ask any curiosities, share some insights from your artistic journey so far, or share what you have learned about yourself throughout the retreat. Make another quick painting if you feel like it and the time permits, starting from a general prompt given by Joan. Finish up any remaining pieces, refining details and adding final touch-ups. Pause for a relaxed lunch, then continue the afternoon with a mini-exhibition of the artworks you have done throughout the retreat. Celebrate your progress, exchange ideas with your fellow artists, and soak in the creative energy that has surrounded you over the past week. Take some spare time to reset in the late afternoon. Gather with Joan and the group for one last exquisite three-course farewell dinner prepared by the in-house chef. Raise a glass of wine to all the memories you’ve made and the creative breakthroughs you’ve shared. Savor the flavors, the laughter, and the warmth of the company as you bring the retreat to a heartfelt close, taking its inspiration with you back home.

### Day 8: Departure
Enjoy a final breakfast with Joan and your fellow artists before it's time to part ways. Departing at 9:00 AM, you'll head to Gare Bergerac train station, arriving around 9:45 AM. As you make your way back home, you will take with you a heart brimming with inspiration and lasting memories.

## Instructors

- **Joan Fullerton ** - Award-winning educator, abstract-intuitive painter

## Accommodation

### Historic countryside estate

### Shared standard room

### Shared superior room (female only)

### Single standard room

### Single superior room

## Book This Retreat

Visit [https://uptrek.com/retreat/painting-the-essence-of-occitanie-retreat-artist-joan-fullerton-france](https://uptrek.com/retreat/painting-the-essence-of-occitanie-retreat-artist-joan-fullerton-france) to make a reservation.

*Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*