Workshop Details
Join two contemporary masters of ancient techniques — Francisco Benitez (encaustic) and Hazló (fresco) — for an immersive two-part workshop bridging art, history, and contemporary practice.
In this workshop you will:
- Explore Ancient Origins: Explore the origins of both mediums, from cave and temple walls to the luminous Fayum portraits.
- Master Traditional Processes: Learn traditional materials and processes that have endured for millennia.
- Fuse Mediums: Create a personal work that fuses both fresco and encaustic — an encounter of fire, water, earth, and wax.
- Bridge Past and Present: Rediscover painting at its origins and bring ancient light into your own art.
Please note: This two-part workshop invites participants to journey through the lineage of these mediums, learning not only the materials and methods of the ancients but also the philosophy that animated their craft.
Goals
- Immerse students in the grand traditions of fresco and encaustic.
- Develop personal sensibilities and apply ancient knowledge to contemporary artmaking.
- Learn the materials, techniques, and philosophies of each medium.
- Create a final work integrating both encaustic and fresco.
Schedule
Details:
- Dates: September 14 – 22, 2026.
- Instruction: A two-part workshop with both masters.
- Setting: The workshop takes place in the historic 1,000-year-old Guard House in Sauveterre-de-Béarn.
What is included:
- Welcome appetizers and drinks.
- Instruction with two masters (Francisco Benitez & Hazló).
- Lodging in the historic 1,000-year-old castle.
- Continental breakfast daily.
- Most lunches and dinners (typically includes wine/coffee/tea).
- Ample studio time.
What is not included:
- Airfare and transportation (Airport transfers may be arranged; please check with organizer).
- Travel Insurance.
Pricing
Cost:
- €3,950: Single/double room with ensuite bathroom/shower.
- €3,450: Single/double room with ensuite shower/sink (WC shared or across corridor).
- €2,950: Shared bedroom with two single beds (per person).
Payment Schedule:
- Deposit: 50% due on registration (non-refundable).
- Balance: Due 90 days before the course starts.
Payment Methods:
- Stripe, Bank Transfer, or Klarna.
Cancellation & Insurance: IMPORTANT. Fees are non-refundable. Please take out “all cause” travel insurance so that you can be refunded should anything stop the class from happening or if you can’t make it.
Meet Your Instructor
Meet Your Instructors:
Francisco Benitez is internationally recognized as a foremost master of the encaustic technique, particularly that of the ancient Fayum portraits. His work has been shown across the United States, the U.K., France, Sweden, Italy, and Spain. He has taught masterclasses at R&F Paints, Patris Studios, and the Harvard Art Museums.
Hazló, based in Provence, is one of France’s leading fresco artists, with more than two decades devoted to the medium. Through his atelier Les Marbres Bleus, he has created monumental frescoes in châteaux and historic buildings throughout France, while pursuing a contemporary practice that bridges abstraction and figuration.
TO REGISTER: please contact Magdalena Groszek at info@be-artz.com