Artist Residencies & Workshops near the French Pyrenees and the Atlantic Coast
A thousand-year-old castle, now a space to create.
Artist Residencies & Workshops near the French Pyrenees and the Atlantic Coast
A thousand-year-old castle, now a space to create.

Basket weaving, sculpture & fibre art with Donya Stockton · 30 May – 7 June 2027

Registration:
Open

Workshop Dates : 30 May – 7 June 2027
Workshop cost: €3,550 – €3,950 (Depending on room selection)
 
Level of experience: All levels (Everyone! Never woven a basket? Come and learn how!) 

Material fee: Many tools and materials are provided (feel free to bring your own special items)

TO REGISTER: please contact Magdalena at info@be-artz.com

Workshop Details

Join me for a week of sculptural basket making in the beautiful Sauveterre-de-Béarn, France.

In this workshop you will:

  • Challenge Tradition: Learn to ask “Says who?” and decide for yourself what is and isn’t a basket.
  • Explore Freedom: Walk away with the freedom to say that your imagination is your only limitation, not the arbitrary rules of traditional basketry.
  • Create Fluid Forms: Create fluid, organic forms in the studio, incorporating natural and found materials as desired.
  • Build Strong Structures: Learn tools to create strong, solid, stand-alone structures with fluidity, movement, and light.
  • Work with Nature: Collect materials along the banks of the Gave L’Oloron and potentially create impromptu sculptures on the river path.

Please note: This workshop is open to everyone, from complete beginners to experienced weavers wanting to learn how to make their work “weird” (or weirder).

Goals

  1. Impart a sense of creative freedom (“Says who?”).
  2. Meld tradition and art with materials from nature (sticks, driftwood, seedpods).
  3. Create pieces evocative of the natural world (amoebas, sea anemones, pods, vines).
  4. Develop techniques to achieve shapes and forms you wouldn’t have believed possible.

Schedule

Details:

  • Dates: 30 May – 7 June 2027.
  • Arrival: Sunday 30 May (Welcome dinner included).
  • Departure: Monday 7 June.
  • Instruction: Five days of classes, talks, and exploratory walks.
  • Studio Time: Ample daily studio time with one-on-one personalized instruction.
  • Setting: The workshop takes place in the historic 1,000-year-old Guard House in Sauveterre-de-Béarn.

What is included:

  • Welcome dinner on 30 May.
  • 7 days and 8 nights accommodations in the Guard House.
  • Ample daily studio time.
  • One-on-one personalized instruction with Donya Stockton.
  • Five days of classes, talks, and exploratory walks.
  • Many tools and materials.
  • Daily continental breakfast.
  • Most lunches and dinners (includes coffee, tea, or a glass of wine).
  • Pick up at Biarritz airport or train station on 30 May.

What is not included:

  • Airfare and transportation (other than the scheduled pickup).
  • Optional lunch at Choko-Ona in Espelette (Michelin-starred restaurant), approximately €70 including transportation.

Pricing

Cost:

  • €3,950: Private room (single) with private bathroom.
  • €3,550: Private room with shared bathroom.

Payment Schedule:

  • Deposit: 50% due upon registration.
  • Balance: Due 90 days before the workshop begins (1 March 2027).

Payment Methods:

  • Stripe, Bank Transfer, or Klarna.

Cancellation & Insurance: IMPORTANT. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that everyone take out a “cancel for any reason” travel insurance policy to cover your investment in case the class is canceled or you cannot travel.

Meet Your Instructor: Donya Stockton

Started weaving baskets in 1994 while studying Anthropology and Art History. Her work has transformed from traditional basketry into something new, using traditional techniques in abstract forms that are both organic and alien. Her move to Oaxaca in 2017 influenced her work with the incorporation of natural dyes, seed pods, and driftwood. Her pieces are named for the books she listens to while working.

TO REGISTER: please contact Magdalena at info@be-artz.com

Photos & video: During workshops and residencies we take photos and short videos of the studios, meals and outings, which may appear on our website, newsletter and social media. By registering, you agree to this. If you’d prefer not to appear, just let us know: we’ll make sure you can’t be recognised in anything we publish, and we’ll remove any image of you on request.

Photos et vidéos : Pendant les stages et résidences, nous prenons des photos et de courtes vidéos des ateliers, des repas et des sorties, susceptibles d’être publiées sur notre site, notre lettre d’information et nos réseaux sociaux. En vous inscrivant, vous acceptez cette utilisation. Si vous préférez ne pas apparaître, il suffit de nous le dire : vous ne serez pas reconnaissable sur nos publications, et nous retirerons toute image de vous sur simple demande.