Tuesday, May 24, 2022

plein air painting

 I'm thrilled to win the award for Third Place at the Old Stone Village Plein Air in Sewell, New Jersey! It was a lovely day with perfect weather for painting, and the location is full of wonderful subjects to inspire an artist. 



This last weekend, I painted in the Old New Castle plein air in Delaware. It was a sweltering 98 degrees in the shade, but the event was so well organized that it was fun to do it regardless of the weather. 



I also taught a workshop last week for the Art Guild of Louisiana, and we painted two paintings of koi  in the workshop. There were a lot of repeat students and old friends in the workshop, and it was good to see so many familiar faces. 



I just want to show off my peonies - check out this yellow one -- it's the size of a cantaloupe!


My pink peonies are doing pretty good too...



posted by Annie Strack @ 6:57 PM   0 Comments

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Only 2 weeks until France!

 The last several weeks I've been busy working on the National Watercolor Society 102nd International Juried Exhibit. It started off slow, but then as the deadline approached it was a round the clock job. We ended up with 604 artist entries from around the world, and sent those entries off to the jurors this morning. In addition to that, I've been under-studying with the NWS website director in preparation for my transfer into that job later this year. It hasn't left me with much time to tend to my garden, but I did manage to spread a little mulch last weekend. 

Dueling Sunfish, 12x16 watercolor by Annie Strack

Only 2 more weeks until I go to France! Yippee! I'll be gone for about a month, teaching painting in Brittany with the Sennelier company and my old friend Yves-Marie, who is the Artistic Director of Sennelier. We've been planning this for several years and I'm thrilled to be finally able to go! 

Mt St Michel, Brittany, France

This weekend I'm painting at the Old Stone Village Plein air event in Salem, New Jersey, and for the Bourbon and Bluegrass event at Winterthur, Delaware. Next week I am teaching the online workshop "Painting Koi in Watercolor" for the Art Guild of Louisiana. Then I just have enough time to pack before I leave for France for the summer. 


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Thursday, May 5, 2022

Painting in Italy in 2023!

It's now open for registration! (SOLD OUT) I'm hosting a painting trip and artist retreat to Le Marche, Italy, June 17 - 23, 2023! We'll be staying in a stunning converted farmhouse in the Italian countryside. The B&B has a fabulous pool, gorgeous gardens, fantastic restaurant, and is only steps away from our studio atelier at the Barco Ducale (the Ducal Palace). Click here to reserve your spot now!


We will have daily tours and activities such as a paper making workshop in Fabriano, a paint making workshop at Gallo Colors in Assisi, and a visit to the neighboring country of San Marino

Barco Ducale, Le Marche

In addition to the touring, we will have a half day of painting each day, some of it being en plein air at the various locations we tour, and some of it being at the breathtaking grounds and studio of the Barco Ducale.

Barco Ducale at night

Bring a friend! There are plenty of alternative tour options for non-artists who travel with us on this trip, as well! Travelers can enjoy golf, tennis, hiking, biking, cooking classes, wine tastings, spa treatments, and many other possibilities are available. 


Enjoy sumptuous gourmet meals, luxurious accommodations, and individual attention from your hosts on this one of a kind experience. 
We'll have daily tours to interesting places and beautiful locations to paint and sketch

Enjoy a side trip to Fabriano, where we'll have a private paper-making workshop! Everyone will learn how to make hand made watercolor paper by mixing pulp and dipping screens to pull their own sheets at the world famous historic paper mill! 

Pastoral views from our trip

My influential relationships and connections in the art world open doors when we travel, and we get exclusive behind the scenes access to notable places and VIPs who rank highly in the art world. 


We'll stroll the medieval cities of le Marche

Artists on this trip have an exclusive opportunity to visit the famous A. Gallo watercolor paint factory and showroom in Assisi, where they will be treated to a workshop to learn how the finest paints are made. Each artist will make their own samples to take home. This is a special opportunity that has never been offered to anyone before and is only available to the artists traveling with me in this group! 

Lavender fields in Le Marche

All mediums are welcome on this trip. The artists on this trip encompass a range of levels. Some are my students, while others are advanced professionals. Some work mostly with sketchbooks, some are plein air painters, and some are studio painters who are coming along to shoot photographs for later references. As the result, this trip is a combination workshop and artist retreat. Those who wish it, may partake of the daily art instruction. 

We'll have a hands-on paper making workshop at a historic traditional paper mill in Fabriano

My tours are special, as I include lavish extravagances that all the other workshop artists simply can’t do because they just don’t have the resources or connections that I have. Lots of artists are now teaching workshops overseas, but those artists are all using “copy and paste” itineraries that everyone else is offering. They are all selling the same old cookie-cutter tours over and over again, and taking their groups to over-crowded tourist locations where hordes of artists are already staked out elbow to elbow as they all paint the exact same scene. 

A. Gallo Watercolors Showroom in Assisi

This trip is superior to all others, and provides one-of-a-kind experiences that other artists can’t offer. I take my groups to see extraordinary sights and paint at breathtaking locations that other artists don’t even know about. We have unrivaled entertainment on our tours as well, which can range from celebrity encounters, private concerts, personal tours of famous places, exclusive invitations to exciting events, and so much more. 

  
Our accommodations at the spectacular Parco Ducale b&b boast luxurious private rooms, breathtaking views, and an inviting pool for relaxing. Be sure to save room in your suitcase so you can bring home extra art supplies! Click HERE for my expert packing tips for packing your art supplies when traveling. 

Beaches on the Adriatic Coast await us for an afternoon of painting and sun. 

Artists who travel with me enjoy upgraded rooms in luxurious accommodations, sumptuous gourmet meals prepared by award winning  chefs, and unique special events that are created exclusively for my groups. Be sure to save room in your luggage to bring home those extra art supplies! Click HERE for my expert tips on packing clothing and other personal items (and how to pack it!) when you travel overseas. 

The tiny land-locked independent country of San Marino is one of the highlights of our trip.

While in Italy, we'll also go explore the nearby country of San Marino for a day. This exquisite country is the fifth smallest country in the world, and it is steeped in history and boasts breathtaking views. 


My position as a Brand Ambassador and my long history of working with art supply manufacturers and retailers means that my workshops are always sponsored by companies that produce fine artist materials and generously provide supplies to my participants. Hahnemühle fine art paper is generously supplying a block of watercolor paper for each participant on this trip! And there's more -- Dynasty Brush is giving everyone a set of watercolor brushes! 



This exciting trip is $3,699 per person, and is all inclusive except for airfare. Luxurious lodging, gourmet meals, daily excursions, and all ground transportation is included in the package. I only organize one trip per year and I never repeat the the same trip twice, so every trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Many artists come back year after year to travel with me, so space is extremely limited. Reserve your spot now by clicking here. 
 

We require every participant be FULLY VACCINATED against Covid-19. There are no exceptions for any reason. We realize that nothing is 100% certain to prevent the virus, but our goal is to reduce the risks for the group as much as possible. We cannot be responsible for, nor do we have the resources to take care of anyone contracting Covid in a foreign country. 



posted by Annie Strack @ 11:03 AM   0 Comments

All images and content copyright Annie Strack 2024. Although I occasionally receive compensation for some posts, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.