Watercolor Painting Workshop in Spain with Stella Canfield: May 12-19, 2024
Painting Workshops.
When quality matters!
When quality matters!
Stella Canfield-Spain
Workshop Description
This plein-air watercolor workshop with Stella Canfield is all about YOU! Stella will help you to develop your own creative process and finishing a painting every day (if not two!). From sketching to design, color, light and techniques until applying emotion, brush strokes, and final touches, Stella will be there for you through the entire day, making sure you feel comfortable and confident with your process.
You will find all about Stella’s process, her calling the “Muse” and fitting her art into the busy dynamic of the daily life. She is a working artist, mother of four, wife and a friend, active member of society and a volunteer, keeping up with life on two continents, America and Europe. Her energy is contagious and her passion for life and art is admirable. 
The class will start with a fast demo and the rest of the day will be dedicated to YOU and YOUR process. Plan on working hard and having fun at the same time. The challenge you will overcome will be leaving the worries and limits behind and “get into the Zone”. You will free yourself of the pressure and judgment and enjoy the creative process as we create for no one else but ourselves. There are no limits to creation!
Biography of Stella Canfield
Official brand ambassador of DANIEL SMITH, USA Present of IWS California USA
Representative of USA for UrbinoInAcquerello, Italy
Stella Canfield’s art is known for its deep emotional content, the dynamic of the brush stroke and vivacious colors. She creates intuitively and spontaneously in a relaxed, natural way of expressing her individual emotional response to the subject or scene she paints. Her work is charged with the energy of her own life, her passion for people and nature. The inspiration for Stella’s art comes from her appreciation of beauty and her positive view of the world. Stella prefers to introduce symbols, giving the viewers the opportunity to visualize the details. This way she strives to emotionally involve them as partners, to give them a feeling of the ownership of the painting. She believes that art is a way of spiritual communication.
Stella was born in Varna, Bulgaria. She graduated from the Academy of Sports in Sofia with a Masters Degree in teaching. Stella dedicated the first thirty years of her life to sports and achieved considerable success as a national competitor in rowing. In 1980 she left her native country illegally to escape the oppressive regime of communism. After living and working for five years in Germany, she moved to the USA in 1985. 
In Germany Stella worked with ceramics which marked the beginning of her artistic career. Being an admirer of watercolor since childhood, she became an avid follower of this exciting medium. She was fortunate to study with some of the best American master watercolorists such as Milford Zornes, Serge Hollerbach, Carla O’Connor, Frank Webb, Robert Wade (Australia) and many others.
Since 2001 Stella was invited annually to teach at Daniel Smith Inc., one of the leading companies in the world for the production and sale of art pigments and mediums. The company purchased one of her paintings for its permanent collection and included her DVD Debunking the Myth of Talent in their distribution network. She was honored by Daniel Smith with two Stella Canfield’s Artist Master Sets of her favorite colors and included in CEO John Cogley’s one-on-one video interviews titled In the Artist’s Studio. She was included in Life with John Cogley.
Today Stella teaches watercolor, juries and participates in exhibits initiated by art organizations in the USA, Europe and Asia. She has received many international awards for her work. Her paintings are in several private, corporate, and museum collections in America, Europe and Asia.
Stella’s work and contribution to American art are published in the book by Karlyn Holman Watercolor The Spirit of Spontaneity. Her biography is included in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Women.
www.facebook.com/stella.canfield;
www.instagram.com/stellacanfield
Samples of Stella Canfield's Art
Click on any picture to enlarge.
Day 1: Arrival at the Costa Brava
We will pick you up at a specific hotel downtown Barcelona and drive you to our hotel located in one of the most exclusive beaches on the Costa Brava. Upon your arrival at our hotel by the sea, take time to settle in or start enjoying the wonderful white-washed and preserved fisherman village on the beach.
Enjoy the beach in front of the hotel, walk along the pristine seashore, take in the sun from the terrace or have a drink in the Mediterranean breeze.
Before dinner, we will take an easy walk along the shore that offers breathtaking vistas along the way.
In the evening, you will enjoy a welcome reception followed by a delicious dinner.
Days 2-3: Painting One of the Most Beautiful Villages on the Costa Brava
This “little fishing village” is a hidden gem among all other villages along the Northern Costa Brava. This village is made up of endless rocks, cliffs and extremely beautiful beaches.
The parish church lies in the center of the village and is surrounded by numerous small, windy alleys, which lead down to the beach and give this village its picturesque charm.
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Day 4: Flowers, Coves and Sea Views at the Botanical Garden
Ten minutes up the road, lies The Jardi Botanic de Cap Roig. It is considered one of the most important botanical gardens in the Mediterranean.
The most characteristic plant species in the Mediterranean region mix with trees and plants from other continents are a must see and a must paint…
High above the bay, the garden offers stunning views towards the ocean.
In 1927, a Russian Colonel and his English wife began building a castle and a magnificent park. The garden runs down in terraces from the castle to the sea. These ornamental and extremely beautiful gardens contain over 1000 species of plants and flowers from all over the world.
Day 5: Pals, a Unique Preserved Medieval Village
As you walk through the narrow village streets, next to the city walls, towers and churches, you will feel as though you have walked into a new time altogether.
The stone archways, cobblestone streets and wrought balconies adorned with flowers create a welcoming feel in this Romanesque village.
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Day 6: The Surrealistic World of Salvador Dali
For those interested we will go to see the largest surrealistic object in the world created by Dalí, the Dalí Theatre-Museu in the town of Figueres, his birthplace.
We will step inside the surreal world of Salvador Dalí and find a museum like none other. Dalí wanted visitors to see his massive collection as a ‘whole’ work and therefore refused to have his works placed in chronological or subject order.
Inside is a world of fantasy mixed with architecture, paintings and sculptures. It’s a complete surrealistic experience.
Day 7: Painting in the Village
For the last day, we will stay in the village by-the-sea. They are endless vignettes to paint:
cliffs and rocks, boats on the beach, white-washed houses or a magnificent fortress on the beach right in front of the hotel. We will finish our workshop by a “Show and Tell” or ‘Critique” while sipping some sangria before going to the restaurant for our farewell dinner.
Day 8: Departure
It is time to say Hasta Luego!!
After our last breakfast, we will drive you back to Barcelona (either the airport or downtown). We will get to Barcelona around noon so make sure your flight is not before 3pm.
Come and let yourself be carried away by emotions!
For the hotel on the Costa Brava, we have chosen a completely renovated hotel with a breathtaking sea view, overlooking the coves of a hidden and preserved beach.
Enjoy exceptional views of the white-washed fishing village and the blue sea in a comfortable, intimate and relaxed atmosphere.
The village’s narrowing streets and picturesque fishermen’s cottages form an idyllic backdrop to the stunning Mediterranean coast.
You can choose either a standard room (no sea view) with balcony or a superior room with sea view and balcony (see pictures).
Rooms have either two single beds or one double bed. All rooms have an en-suite bathroom, TV, satellite, air conditioning, heating, hairdryer and safety deposit box..
Pricing Details:
The Trip is limited to 15 Participants
Sign up before 11/30 and save $200!
Before Nov 30th: $3,590 for a shared room with ensuite bathroom
After Nov 30th: $3,790 for a shared room with ensuite bathroom
+ $550 for single standard room
+ $900 for a room with breathtaking sea view (The $900 is for the room so if you are sharing a room, the supplement is $450 per person)
Non Painters are welcome to join. Price is the same because you will be taking a painter’s spot.
Included:
Includes
– Pick-up at 1:30pm at a specific hotel downtown Barcelona to go to the Costa Brava
– Drop-off either at the pick-up hotel in Barcelona around 11am or at the the airport around noon
– A welcome reception
– All nights at the hotel on the Costa Brava
– All breakfasts
– 3 lunches
– 5 dinners (including drinks and wine)
– All art classes
– Entrance fees to all sites on the tour
– Transportation every day in a comfortable van
– The use of folding chairs
– A personal chauffeur/tour leader throughout the week
Not Included:
Excludes
– Flights to and from Barcelona
– 3 lunches and 2 dinners
– Painting supplies (we provide folding chairs)
– Tour leader(s) tipping
Cancelation Policy:
| If you cancel the trip: | Cancellation Fee per Person |
|---|---|
| More than 120 days before departure | The $600 deposit is forfeited (however $300 can be transferred to another trip with a departure date within 1 year of cancelation date) |
| 61-120 days before departure | 50% of total cost forfeited |
| 31-60 days before departure | 75% of total cost forfeited |
| 0-30 days before departure | 100% of total cost forfeited |
| If French Escapade cancels | You get a full refund |
To reserve your spot, please complete the form below (one per person) and pay US$ 600 deposit. After receiving your form, we will send you the information for the payment. Note that the deposit is not refundable but $300 is transferrable within one year of cancelation. See our cancelation policy below.
You will be able to pay:
1- By check
2- Via ZELLE, free instant pay, offered by many major US banks
3- By bank transfer
4- By credit card