Bev Birdwell’s
Ink and Watercolor Journaling
June 15-25, 2017
Larnagol, France
We are so pleased to announce the upcoming journal workshop of artist Bev Birdwell and we invite you to join in the fun.
A bit about Bev...
Bev has called Vancouver, Washington home for 
the past 32 years.During this time she has had a painting studio, Arts Desire, where she holds and hosts many classes and workshops. For the past 23 years she has been able to have her studio on the same property as her home, allowing her students inspirational access to her beautiful flower garden and pond.
She spent about 13 years as a staff teacher for Susan Scheewe Publications, and in recent years has been teaching painting workshops at various art conventions.
A prolific painter herself, Bev has published two instructional books titled “Garden Collection” and “Garden Collection 2” on painting flowers in acrylic, watercolor and oil.
Bev was also one of the artists featured in the “Northwest Artists” coffee table book featuring artists from the Pacific Northwest.
The Holland America Bulb Farms of Woodland, WA selected Bev’s tulip painting for their 2007 limited edition print.
Bev went to Taiwan representing Martin F Weber /Susan Scheewe acrylics and watercolors on 4 different teaching trips. Each of these 2-3 week-long teaching trips involved daily, all day instruction and were well-received by the participants.
Bev has had the opportunity to paint and study with many special artists such as Dale Gehrman, Brian Davis, Terry Isaac, David Kitler, Robert Warren, Buck Paulson and more.
Photography, a secondary interest of hers, has allowed her to wander the beautiful Pacific NW among other 
places, collecting reference photos which she then transforms into incredible paintings. She is a world traveler, an energetic teacher, and a wonderful artist. She says, ” If only I could live long enough to paint all the good photos I’ve taken!” (Editor’s note: Sorry, Bev, the invention of the iPhone and iPad means you’ll have to have the longevity of Methuselah…)
About the workshop…
During your 10-day creative holiday, Bev will instruct on the efficiency and joy of creating your own sketchbook journal, a very personal collection of 
reference sketches that will be a keepsake in and of itself but also a resource you can use as a basis for larger paintings once you return home.
She will share her methods, tips and techniques for recording what you see and experience…a visual shorthand that you can refer to at a later date.
While day-tripping around the beautiful Lot region of France with your guides, Dominique and Lisa, you will have ample time to sketch and photograph all of the wonders of this tranquil area. Later you will work closely with Bev, fleshing out your sketches in your journal or perhaps creating an entirely new painting of something you have seen and 
want to remember. The group is kept small (maximum 8) to allow for one-on-one time with Bev.
During your time here, you will visit castles, wineries, chateaux, the ancient cave paintings of Pech Merle (29,000 years old!) and more. The ancient villages (some 1000 years old or more) are waiting for you to discover them. Some are within walking distance; some we travel to in minivans – all are jewels and treasures to be captured in your memories by way of your sketchbook journal and/or camera. You will see gorgeous flowers, incredible vista views of noble fortresses on hilltops, the winding rivers of the Lot and the Cele, and maybe even a truffle-hunting dog! You’ll have an opportunity to visit artists in their ateliers (studios), watch a print-maker, as he hand-pulls intricate prints, in the style of the 16th century artist, Albrecht Durer.
And then there’s the shopping…You will experience the open air markets France is so well-known for, as
well as the shops and stops in the villages we visit. In Cordes sur Ciel, a medieval hilltop town, you will have an opportunity to see and purchase the traditional Pastel, the periwinkle blue (in the form of paints, powders, pastels, or clothing items) made from the Woad plant, which has been used for centuries and is the color that one typically sees on all those paintings involving French shutters. (It’s also renowned for its medicinal uses.)
This is an opportunity to study with Bev and see the Olde World, in a way that most tourists never experience. This is a true immersion experience combined with creativity. If this sounds like fun to you, do not wait…these workshops fill quickly.
Click here to reserve your spot.
To see more about Bev, visit her website here.