Workshop Details
Join award-winning artist and educator Helen Dannelly for a transformational week of painting, inspiration, and connection in the enchanting Pyrenees-Atlantiques region of Southwest France.
In this workshop you will:
- Distill Visual Experience: “Abstracting the Landscape” is not tied to a single technique, but rather to each artist’s unique way of distilling visual experience.
- Deepen Your Vision: Helen will guide you both in the field and in-studio, helping you connect deeply to your vision.
- Explore Composition: Explore ways to distill the essence of landscape into compelling compositions rich with texture, color, and feeling.
- Experience Transformation: This week is about more than technique—it’s about transformation.
Please note: This workshop offers the perfect balance of structured instruction and open exploration, set in a 1,000-year-old stone guardhouse and tower.
Goals
- Support and elevate your unique voice as an artist.
- Use the majestic Pyrenees mountain range, rolling hills, and medieval village as your muse.
- Connect deeply to your personal artistic vision.
- Learn through daily demos, on-site painting, and group critiques.
Schedule
Details:
- Dates: October 12 – 18, 2026.
- Instruction: Six days of personalized instruction with Helen Dannelly.
- Daily Routine: Daily demos, on-site painting, studio time, group critiques, and Q&A.
- Excursion: A one-day local excursion including ancient caves and dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
- Studio Access: Two art studios available 24/7.
- Optional: Post-workshop trip to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
What is included:
- Lodging in a private room in a historic stone tower (with 360° views).
- 7 continental breakfasts (with daily coffee, tea, and water).
- 6 three-course lunches (includes wine/tea/coffee).
- 6 three-course dinners (includes wine/tea/coffee).
- Six days of personalized instruction.
- Two 24/7 art studios.
What is not included:
- Airfare, trains, or airport transfers.
- One lunch and one dinner on excursion day.
- Art materials (detailed list provided upon registration).
- Travel Insurance.
Pricing
Cost: €3,500 (Retreat Fee)
Payment Schedule:
- Deposit: 50% due at registration.
- Balance: Due by July 31, 2026.
- Installment plans: Available (contact Helen Dannelly).
Payment Methods:
- Bank transfer: In any currency (no fees).
- Credit card / PayPal / Stripe: (Fees apply).
Cancellation & Insurance: IMPORTANT. Please take out 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: Helen Dannelly
Helen is an award-winning artist, educator, and curator based in Chicago. Formally trained in painting and sculpture at San Francisco State University and the University of Minnesota, her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the U.S. and internationally. She is co-founder of Catalyst Art Lab and curator of the Forshey Gallery.
TO REGISTER: please contact Magdalena Groszek at info@be-artz.com