Online Learning 2023

Upcoming Online Workshop:

Blooming Beautiful –

Heart of a Pomegranate

January 12, 13, 2023

3 pm – 7 pm, GMT, (10 am – 2 pm, EST and 7 am – 11 am PDT)

If you’d like to join my next online adventure- to paint – 

Blooming Beautiful Heart of a Pomegranate

Thursday and Friday, January 12 and 13, 2023

3 pm – 7 pm, GMT, ( 11am – 3 pm, EST, and 8 am – 12 noon PDT)

Cost: Euro 165 

To Register: Please email me: marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com

Course content:

• Finding and Mixing the colours of pomegranate seeds and skin
• Looking very closely at textures and shine using a magnifier.
• Practicing and Applying controlled wet, damp and dry watercolour techniques. 
• Capturing light and shade in small areas
• Painting fine detail
• Finishing with a WOW!

2. Blooming Beautiful – Crocus

Thursday and Friday, March 23, 24, 2023

3 pm – 7 pm, GMT, ( 11am – 3 pm, EST, and 8 am – 12 noon PDT) 8 hrs

To Register: Please email me: marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com

Cost:Euro 165

I’m delighted to offer online opportunities for you to learn botanical watercolour painting with me. 

During our online workshops we will slow down,

taking time to really look at the bright, fresh and vibrant colours

of the changing seasons. Using first wet and then dry

watercolour painting techniques

we will experience the mindful process

of botanical art while learning to capture

the beauty of our natural world.

Demonstrations will include:

• colour mixing and matching, 

• capturing light and shade, 

• layering of colours, 

• painting fine detail

• finishing with a WOW! 

To make the experience as stress free as possible,

I will provide an image and a line drawing of a

simple plant subject for anyone who wishes to use it.

For those who choose to draw their own subject,

I’ll suggest a simple subject.

Students will have time to do some

observational drawing in the class. 

Each workshop will happen over

two days – 4 hours per day. 

The following will be included:

• Course outline with objectives

• Course notes

• Materials list

• Colour list and image for palette layout

• Image and line drawing of plant

• Template for watercolour layering

• Slideshow presentations

• Video demonstrations

• Live demonstrations

• Feedback will be available throughout by email.

Blooming Beautiful Winter Jewels completed

2022 – Monday and Tuesday, November 28, 29

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In Person Workshops:

Botanical Art Escape to Skiathos , 2023

Week 1 

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

Week 2 

September 9 – 16, ‘Fruit from a Mediterranean garden 1.’

Week 3 

September 16 – 23, ‘Fruit from a Mediterranean garden 2.’

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.

‘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.’

‘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.’

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

‘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.’ 

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.

Enquiries:

For full details regarding

Botanical Art Escape to Skiathos 2023,

please email me:

marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com

Cost for each week.

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 cost:

• accommodation 7 nights,

• 7 x breakfast, 

• 6 x lunch, 

• 6 x dinner 

• 25 hrs. botanical art tuition 

• Use of studio

• Transfers to and from the airport or port.

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.

Studio

Our studio is situated on the ground

floor and opens out to the covered terrace.

Throughout our week there will be twenty

five hours of botanical art tuition in

the studio or in ‘the field’. During your

free time the studio will be available for

some personal painting whenever you wish.

A simple art materials list will be provided,

but we will keep this to a minimum to

accommodate those who are travelling a distance.

Schedule:

Saturday 

12.30   Lunch

20.30.  Supper will be available throughout

the evening to facilitate those arriving on

the evening Aegean airlines flight from Athens. 

Sunday

8.00     Breakfast on the terrace

9.00     Studio introduction followed by a

field trip to discover the local flora.

12.30   Lunch

1.30     Studio

15.00   Free time to explore, go to the beach,

work in the studio.

19.00  Aperitifs

20.00.  Dinner

Monday/ Tuesday / Thursday / Friday 

8.00       Breakfast

9.00       Studio

12.30     Lunch

13.30.    Studio

15.00     Free time for rest, beach, town,

walking, continuing in studio.

19.00     Aperitifs

20.00     Dinner

Wednesday 

Free day for you and the team. 

A day to explore the island, go on a boat

trip around the island or to nearby Skopolos.

Lunch and dinner will be on your own.

Saturday

8.00      Breakfast on the terrace

10.00    Depart for those staying for one week

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.