Week 1 – May 20 – 27, 2023 – ‘Wild and garden Mediterranean flowers’

Week 2 – September 9 – 16, 2023 – ‘ Flowers and Fruit from a Mediterranean garden 1.’

Week 2 – September 16 – 23, 2023 – ‘ Flowers and Fruit from a Mediterranean garden 2.’

Would you like to take a break, to slow down, to feast your senses, enhance your painting skills and master new ones, to rest, to nourish your body, your mind and your soul?

Join me on the beautiful Greek island of Skiathos in 2023 for a botanical art escape. During your time every effort will be made to ensure that you sleep well, eat well, rest, paint and explore.

Course Content:

Accommodation:

All rooms have direct access to either a private balcony or patio with spectacular views over the Aegean. All rooms are either double or twin. Non painting partners or friends are welcome if sharing a room. Please enquire about the additional costs.

To Book:

Main House – Three rooms en-suite – €2,450 – per person single occupancy using a double room.

Guest House – five rooms sharing two bathrooms – €2,250 – per person single occupancy using a double or twin room.

A reduction of €150 is given for the second week if you are booking for two weeks.

Included in the cost:

• accommodation 7 nights,
• 7 x breakfast, 
• 6 x lunch, 
• 6 x dinner 
• 25 hrs. botanical art tuition 
• Use of studio throughout your stay.
• Transfers to and from the airport or port.

To Enquire about availability please contact me by email: marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com

In 2022, I was delighted to share my experience with artists from around the world on our first Botanical Art Escape to Skiathos. Some stayed for one week, others for two. For those who left after the first week their only regret was that they weren’t staying for longer.

‘From my first step onto Skiathos to our last sunset, it was special. With it’s warm people and beautiful plants, it has left it’s mark on my heart.’

‘The food….. your fabulous team, second to none!’

‘Spending uninterrupted time painting in the studio was blissful. Thank you for your teaching. While I was less experienced than others, you were still able to diversify to help me progress.’

‘I loved our time painting. There was something special about painting in the quietness that you encouraged us to keep. It made the experience very personal.’

‘I’ve been with you before and every time I feel my painting improves. This time it felt like so much clicked for me and my painting has taken a big move forward.’

‘Waking up in my beautiful room to that view and watching the sun going down over the bay just took my breath away every time.’

Many years ago, I was lucky to find ‘Painting Skiathos’, an art studio offered as a place of retreat by artist Yvonne Ayoub. It has been a place of refuge and inspiration to me.

Over the years I have grown to know and love this beautiful island and its people. Other artists, writers and musicians like iconographer Despina Mitselou, have made Skiathos a home for culture and appreciation for nature and the environment

Let 2023 be your year to escape to Skiathos….

Time for You!

More than anything , this will be time for you! Time to stop, to really look at plants, to smell, to breathe, to reflect and to immerse yourself in the process of painting.

Time to Paint!

Numbers will be limited to ensure that each person gets personal attention during our studio time. Instruction will benefit those with limited experience and also those with more experience who are aiming to enhance their skills and extend their competence. 

Time to Learn!

In May, the surrounding olive groves and road side verges are spilling over with wild flowers. From orchids, to orobanches to olives, citrus and gladioli, inspiration lies around every corner. 

September sees the fruits of these beautiful flowers coming into their own. Pomegranates, olives, quince, chestnuts, citrus, arbutus growing wild on the hillside, along with cyclamen, cannas and plumbago will tempt us to paint.

Having first explored and foraged for our subjects, we will then spend our time in the studio and outdoors, learning, practicing and applying what we’ve learned to our painting. In our painting there will be a combined focus on scientific truth and aesthetic beauty.

Skiathos

Skiathos with its verdant hillsides and turquoise waters, is a perfect fit for artists and nature lovers. It lies in the northern Aegean and enjoys  average temperatures of between 20 and 25 degrees throughout September. While Skiathos is familiar to us all as the eye watering setting for the film, Mamma Mia, it is an island steeped in rich literary, historical and cultural traditions. 

Kolios

Three of the island’s many beautiful beaches are within walking distance from our villa. Kolios lies half way along the island’s main bus route. A short fifteen minute taxi or bus journey away, the main town of Skiathos has an international airport with regular flight connections to many UK and European destinations, along with daily flight connections with Athens. The port of Skiathos has regular ferry services from Thessaloniki, Volos and Agios Konstantinos

Villa in Kolios.

Perched just above the bay of Kolios, home for our time in Skiathos will be this beautifully spacious villa. With it’s backdrop of olive trees, fig trees, citrus trees and pines and it’s panoramic views over the bay, our well appointed villa is the ideal location for a relaxing botanical art holiday. The infinity swimming pool is the perfect spot for an early morning or late afternoon swim. The terrace, which extends the entire length of the house is perfect for outside dining, offering spectacular views over the bay.

In your free time….

• Numerous unspoiled beaches nearby within a ten to fifteen minute walk from the villa, with turquoise waters and golden sands for a relaxing swim, following our painting sessions.
• Optional afternoon tour of the island’s monasteries and more remote areas, to experience the wild beauty of the island.
• Take a boat trip to explore Lalaria and Kastro beaches. Lalaria beach with it’s white pebbles and crystal clear turquoise water and distinctive stone arch, has been named one of the most beautiful in the world. The secluded Kastro beach lies at the bottom of the hillside leading to the ancient city of Kastro. The family run taverna on Kastro beach is a must for a cool drink and delicious Greek snacks.
• Choose to watch the original Mamma Mia movie in the outdoor cinema where it had its world premiere.
• Enjoy a coffee or digestif at the Bourtzi Bar on the beautiful Venetian Bourtzi, with it’s stunning views over the town and the old port.
• Sip a cocktail on the cushions of the steps leading from one of our two dinner locations in town.

Catering:

• Breakfast will consist of locally made fresh pastries, fruit, honey, yoghurt, eggs, avocado and bacon. 
• Buffet lunch with delicious locally sourced fresh ingredients will be available in the villa. 
• Aperitifs and basic drinks will be available in the villa at cost price. We ask you to keep a ‘Bar Tab’ that you will settle in the honesty box provided at the end of your stay.
• Wine is included with dinner each evening.
• We will enjoy a traditional Greek evening at O’Batis Taverna overlooking the port and the Bourtzi in Skiathos. O’Batis is run by Eleni who is also an artist.
• Another evening we will eat under the mulberry tree in the square at Taverna Alexandros. We will be serenaded by Greek rembetiko music. Rembetiko is beyond a genre of music, it encapsulates the soul of Greece.
• We have some excellent dining options in Kolios close to the villa which we will be happy to share with you for your ‘free night’. We will eat at home on four evenings. 
• We are very happy to accommodate any of your particular dietary requirements.

Travel:

Guests are requested to book flights at your own cost. It is possible to book a charter flight directly into Skiathos from many UK and European airports. Other flight options might be to fly directly to Athens in time to connect with the evening Aegean airlines flight leaving Athens on Saturday evening. For those wishing to fly into Volos or Thessaloniki, there are direct ferries from both cities into Skiathos most days.

On your arrival into Skiathos, we will arrange for you to be met and brought directly to the villa. Your transfer back to the airport or port will also be facilitated for you. For all other transport there is a very reliable taxi and bus service in Skiathos which I’m happy to tell you all about when you arrive

To Enquire about availability please contact me by email:

marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com

Deposit:

Pay €600 non refundable deposit to secure your place for one week. Pay €800 non refundable deposit to secure your place for two weeks.

Cancellation policy:

• If cancellation is necessary, please email me at marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com as soon as possible. Your deposit is non refundable.

• If you cancel more than 10 weeks from the start date of the course, we will try to find a replacement booking. If we are successful we will refund the balance.

• Cancellations advised less than 10 weeks from the start date of the course are not eligible for refunds.

• At the time of booking, we recommend that a comprehensive travel insurance policy is in place which includes cancellation and curtailment cover.

Thank you for your interest in my Botanical Art Escape to Skiathos.

www.marydillonbotanicalart.com   marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com.  @marydillonartist