A French Village Sketchbook: A watercolor workshop given by Catherine Stock

"The only people I have ever seen paint successfully, consistently, with great authority, unselfconsciously and without fear of failing were about four years old." – Brian Johnson

Catherine Stock, an illustrator of children's books and portraitist, has been giving watercolor workshops in southwest France since the summer of 2000. She writes, "I used to be an art teacher and I find great satisfaction and joy helping to find and draw out the dormant talent of my students."

You can email Catherine here: catherine@catherinestock.com

1. The first five day course, Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17, 2009, is a good foundation in the technique of watercolor painting. It is a thorough review for any artist, but not too difficult for a serious beginner. Catherine demonstrates how to stretch paper, paint washes, mix colors, create textures, create a sense of depth and lay out a good composition. Most of the week is spent in the barn/studio working on exercises and still lives.

The following are examples of classwork from previous years:

2. The second five day Sketch Class takes place the following week, Monday, July 20 to Friday, July 24, 2009, for students comfortable enough with the medium to tackle the outdoors (weather permitting). Catherine explains linear perspective and we begin drawing buildings in the village. We discuss aerial perspective and paint local landscapes. We spend one day sketching animals, sometimes at the local zoo, and one morning sketching in a local market.

This week is for more independent painters though Catherine is constantly available to help and advise. She will be painting and sketching with everyone else, to demonstrate her approach and technique. She seriously recommends students to take the first class before enrolling in this class, as in the past, students have struggled if they begin working in the field without the warm up class.

Here are some paintings, photos from the Sketch Class:

The Watercolor Basics and Sketch workshops will be repeated again in September

3. Watercolor basics will be repeated Monday, September 7 to Friday, September 11, 2009
4. Sketching the village and environs will be repeated Monday, September 14 to Friday, September 18, 2009

Click here to read about the Wisconsin June 2007 workshop.

Class sizes varies between five and ten people. Instruction is in French and English.

Students can and do continue working, or they may prefer to use the time to cycle, walk or explore the area which has much to offer.

Reference books

Some of you asked me to compile a list of the books in my studio that I refer so here they are. Some are more useful than others and I have underlined the ones I particularly like. I recommend everyone to establish a personal collection of books and postcards of favorite painters.

 The Area

Rignac is a working village with small farms: cows and sheep clog the roads on their way to grazing each morning and evening. The landscape of Quercy is green with gently rolling hills- perfect for hiking and bicycling. It is a lovely area for watercolorists from daubers to professionals. The Dordogne is half hour away and has lovely spots for swimming. Canoes can be hired on an hourly or daily basis.

Rignac is seven kilometers from the medieval pilgrimage site of Rocamadour and five minutes from the train from Paris. A rental car is definitely advisable for exploring the area, if that is something you will want to do.

   
Pigeonnier in Rocamadour valley by Catherine, Cath and a buddy, local farmhouse

The Teacher

Catherine Stock (BAFA, PGCE, Ms) is an award-winning artist who has illustrated over eighty books for children. She studied art, education and design in Cape Town, London and New York where she worked for several years as the art director for a major publishing house. She divides her time between France, New York and southern Africa.

Tuition

The fee for each weekly class is 350 euros. This fee includes lunch but does not include materials. A deposit of 100 euros is requested in advance to reserve a place in the class, and is not refundable after June 1. If you sign up for two weeks, the fee will be 600 euros. Should the class need to be canceled for any reason, a full refund will be made.

Within walking distance, there are local chambres d'hôte, gites, a campsite, hotels, and the four star Chateau Roumegouse. Click here to check out some places to stay.

Some kind of independent transport is necessary unless one finds accommodation within walking distance of the studio. A car will be important for getting to painting sites during the second week, though a certain amount of doubling up with other students should be possible. But if you would like to explore the area which has much to offer, a car is essential.

"A splendid two weeks! Thank you for your skill, your enthusiasm, you constructive criticism, your friendliness and your generous hospitality. You, the house the barn, Rignac and the surrounding area have all been wonderful, but the soups have been superb!" –Peter R., Nottingham, UK

"I really enjoyed the class and the time in Rignac. The whole experience was life giving and refreshing. Thanks for all you did to get it organized, to offer the class with such zest for life and for looking out for everyone." –Nathalie M., South Dakota

"Wonderful time, be back!" –Richard v L., Michigan (And so he was.)

"When the painting sessions end every day, you're enjoying it so much you want to keep going. But Rignac and the surrounding area is so enriching and inspiring that you are caught up in a continuous swirl all week! Catherine goes out of her way to make everyone à laise and happy." –Anne-Marie M., Paris

"Une semaine de vacances à mon gout: être avec Des stagiaires d'horizons différents, étaler de la couleur à l'eau sur mon papier à dessin, écouter la prof. commenter nos progrès, rire de mes taches et retouches désastreuses; laisser sécher tandis que je vais voir le travail Des autres; interrompre pour la pause de midi, mangeant ce que (j'imagine !) typique de la France profonde - le Périgord - du potage frais, Des tomates, de l'ail, du pain et du fromage; Sur la table, la cruche est en grès. Vite un café et nous revoilà dans l'atelier-grange. Toutes-tous nous sommes penchées sur nos tables d'artiste. Le chien nous regarde d'un oeuil humide, pousse UN gros soupir et s'endort. Je reviendrai, Catherine, c'est sûr." –Marie-Caroline C. , Brussels

"After two weeks in class with you, my "seeing" the world around me has become extraordinarily enhanced. I continue to paint and thank you for introducing me to what will be a lifelong hobby." —John G., Denver, Co.

"Your art classes are terrific and I enjoy very much the ambiance in which you allow us all to work. As I have never had any special lessons in watercolor I have had tremendous fun learning and experimenting." –Jenny H., Geneva

" Catherine's seemingly limitless enthusiasm and care for all aspects of her students' time in the Lot was most impressive and much appreciated." –Jane M., Montvalent

"I had a wonderful time with you in your classes and just wanted to thank you again for your time and talent. It really was a treat - I tried a little experiment today and hope to continue as much as I can...am seeking French food and wines --just don't want to give the trip up just yet." –Dian S., New Jersey

"Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I enjoyed your workshop this summer. When friends ask, I tell them I had a wonderful time! And, what has really stuck is when to use soft lines and to omit 'fake' light." —Forrest P., USA

"I can't thank you enough for showing me how to lay down a smooth wash. Also, I appreciate the technique of drawing with masking fluid with a pen rather than trying to brush it on, though in the meantime I've discovered that cotton swabs are useful for rounded solid areas." —Penny P, Chindrieux, France

"Thank you for all the patient painting education you offered us. I learned so much and I had a great time in the process. It truly was a life-changing experience!" ––Karen T

"Catherine, I've been working on a journal of my experiences in France. I thought you might enjoy looking at some of them. The journal started as the menu we received on the flight over during our first class upgrade. Making the journal has allowed me to relive my French experience. Thanks again for your hospitality and the awesome art instruction." ––Lana (See website page about 2007 Wisconsin workshop for examples of Lana's journal)

"France was a dream come true! The watercolor class was phenomenal! This is what it was like:

• We woke up in our little ancient farm house (gite) to the sound of a rooster calling in the distance. I would put on the coffee while Steve went into the nearby town to buy fresh (need I say warm?) croissants, bread, and the local goat cheeses. After breakfast, Laura and I would stroll across the lane to the studio- actually a converted 15th century barn. The lighting was great and there was always fresh coffee and tea waiting for us. Some days our instructor, Catherine Stock, would give us a lesson in technique, and some days we would go off on a field trip. The trips were great- the first time we went to a marketplace where we painted fruit, flower, and olive stalls, while groups of curious French children gathered around us. We set our paints up on the wall of the town fountain so we always had a little water for our painting and the burbling of the fountain in the background. Another time we went to a cliff side to paint the ancient town of Rocamadour. It was amazing how differently we each saw the same gorgeous scene. Laura and I took a break to get a hot chocolate and crepe de sucre (of course). Nice to know there is always a cafe nearby! Near the end of the week, we went to a little village barnyard to paint donkeys and horses. What an experience that was- the animals never held still long enough to get the right shape, so all our paintings were quick and really, really loose.

• After a morning of painting next to my talented daughter (would we ever find the time to do this at home? I doubt it!), we would have a leisurely outdoor lunch at the studio: usually an incredible meal of meats, salad, fresh fruit, bread, cheese, and (of course) wine. After lunch, we would return to the studio where Catherine would get us started on another project (maybe a still life) and then she would go make a pot of strong coffee or English tea, sometimes served with a few chocolates or cookies. (A habit I could easily continue here!)

• Laura and I usually put our paints away around 4:30 and joined Steve at the pool (nothing fancy but clean and refreshing). In the evening we would go out for a lavish 4 course dinner (one better than the next- the local specialty is foie gras and duck confit!). One night we drove to an opera in a pretty nearby town (dinner preceded it with all the locals) and once we attended a troubadour fest in a gorgeous old chateau. At night we would tuck ourselves into our cozy duvet-covered beds and dream of colors. The next day we would start all over again!

• The experience was perfect for me. I got to spend a wonderful week side by side with my daughter, doing something that we both really enjoyed (and still had relaxing evenings to spend with my Steve.) The instructor was really helpful but not pushy. The French were lovely- very friendly and patient with me whenever I would try to speak my pigeon French. Laura and I both left there feeling that we had a renewed way of looking at things. Just looking at the sky as we drove towards Paris made both of us think about how we would go about mixing the colors to paint that same sky. Our powers of observation had definitely been heightened. " – Cindy S. Trenton, NJ, USA, from a 2005 letter to a friend

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