Watercolor Sketching Workshop in Santa Barbara, CA with Brenda Swenson, Oct 26-31, 2022
Painting Workshops.
When quality matters!
When quality matters!
Painting Tours: USA – Santa Barbara-Brenda Swenson
With breathtaking coastal mountains to the east and sublime beaches to the west, Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places in California.
With its perfect Mediterranean climate, Santa Barbara is a little gem with lush gardens and distinctive white-washed, terracotta-tiled Spanish architecture. No doubt that it deserves its name of “American Riviera”.
Day 1: Orientation Meeting and Welcome Dinner
5 PM: Meet your fellow travelers, your teacher and your tour leader at our selected hotel for our orientation meeting followed by a welcome dinner.
Days 2 to 5: Sketching in the heart of Santa Barbara
You will sketch in plein-air some of the emblematic spots of Santa Barbara. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of them:
The Queen of the Missions
The Santa Barbara Mission is known as “Queen of the Missions” for its exceptional beauty.With its grand double bell towers, lush gardens and the majestic San Ynez mountains as a backdrop, the Mission is one of the city’s most picturesque landmarks.
The Rose Garden
We will enjoy a picnic in the Rose Garden, a wonderland of more than 1,500 rose plants. Spring is the best time to see the roses in their full glory. An exceptional foreground for your sketches with the Mission in the back.
The Court House, one of the most beautiful public buildings in America
With its Spanish-Colonial architectural style, dated from 1929, the court house will be the a perfect subject for your sketches: distinctive red tile roof, four-faced clock tower, verdant grounds and sunken gardens, elegant arches.
Inside, you will admire the amazing architecture, including spiral staircases, thick wooden doors, hand painted murals and subtle touches that reveal the building’s historic Spanish roots. You can even climb to the top of the 18th century clock tower for breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Santa Barbara.
Funky Architecture from Jeff Shelton
Jeff Shelton, an architect from Santa Barbara, is remaking Santa Barbara, one outrageous and fun house at the time.
His style, inspired by Gaudi, is unique and displays squiggly purple metalwork, psychedelic patterns, irregular voids, curiously slumpy volumes, and unconventional glasswork.
For sure, it will be one of the highlights of your trip.
Santa Barbara Wharf
From the oldest working wharf in California, you can sketch amazing views of the blue Pacific Ocean, breathtaking views of the harbor and beaches backed by the Santa Ynez Mountains, while enjoying salty breezes and soaking up the sunlight.
During the week: Wine Tasting
The ebb and flow of ocean breezes makes the Santa Barbara Wine Country region a jewel in the crown of California viticulture. At the end of a sketching day, we will treat you for a wonderful wine tasting experience of some local wines. We will enjoy different wines accompanied by some finger food, in a private setting just for our group.
End of Day 5: Show and Tell and Farewell Dinner
Afternoon:
It is time to finish up some of the paintings started this week. The sketching workshop will end with a little “Show and Tell”. We will then treat you for the farewell dinner before saying goodbye.
Day 6: Departure
You can leave at your convenience or extend your stay to enjoy this wonderful city. If you live close to Santa Barbara, you can leave the night before after the farewell dinner.
About the Workshop:
“Join me for 4 days of sketching with watercolor in beautiful Santa Fe. We’ll enjoy the free-flowing and colorful nature of watercolor at its best while sketching and having fun!
I’ll help you develop observation skills, color awareness, simple design principles and learn about light and shadows. We’ll investigate various techniques, sketching tools, and approaches to watercolor. Enjoy time with fellow artists, instruction and friendly critiques”.
Space is very limited (max 15 participants). 
About Brenda Swenson:
Brenda Swenson is the artist author of two books, Keeping a Watercolor Sketchbook (Finalist, Award of Excellence) and Steps to Success in Watercolor.
Her artwork has been featured in Splash (11,12, 14,19 & 20), An Illustrated Journey, Creative Freedom, Complete Guide to Watercolor, Watercolor Artist, Watercolor Magazine, Watercolor Highlights, Plein Air Magazine and numerous other publications.
She has two instructional DVD’s on painting and sketching techniques. Brenda has achieved signature status in WW, NWWS, SDWS and CWA. An active participant in the arts community she has served on the board of directors for the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West.
She is in demand to judge shows, demonstrate and teach workshops to groups nationwide and abroad.
Price and What is included
Oct 26-31, 2022:Price: $1,590 (Hotel not incl., see below)–Open
Includes
- A welcome reception
- 2 dinners: one welcome dinner on day 1 and one farewell dinner on day 5
- 1 picnic lunch
- Wine tasting in a private setting for our group
- All art classes (daily demos, one-on-one support and instructions)
- The use of folding stools
- Complementary snacks and drinks brought to the painting sites
- A tour leader throughout the week
Excludes
- Your hotel. We will books some rooms for the participants interested in staying at the hotel where the teacher and the tour leaders are staying. We will let you know the info once you have registered.
- Some meals (the ones not listed as included)
- Painting supplies (folding stools will be provided)
How to Book
1Fill out the reservation form below. You will receive an email with information on how to pay your deposit. You can pay by check, ZELLE, credit card (using paypal) or bank transfer
2Send us a $600 deposit within one week. The deposit is not refundable but $300 is transferrable to a future trip. See our Cancelation Policy in the registration form.
3The remaining balance is due 3 months before departure.
Cancellation Policy
| If you cancel a US workshop: | Cancellation Fee per Person |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days before departure | The $600 deposit is forfeited (however $300 can be transferred to another trip with a departure date within 1 year of cancelation date) |
| 61-90 days before departure | 50% of total cost forfeited |
| 31-60 days before departure | 75% of total cost forfeited |
| 0-30 days before departure | 100% of total cost forfeited |
| If French Escapade cancels | You get a full refund |