Painting Languedoc with David Shevlino and Sarah Sedwick

Historic Olive Mill Domaine, October 3—11, 2024

If you are ready to loosen up and break free from rigidity in your art and learn to create with fresh and loose strokes, this is the workshop for you. You will paint the gorgeous countryside of South West France with expert artists, David Shevlino and Sarah Sedwick. It is the perfect combination of location and instruction where you can master expressive, alla-prima style painting.  You will enjoy this unspoiled part of France with its incomparable beauty and regional bounty. 

We invite you to participate in a fantastic program of learning and strengthening your painting skills while based at our charming, historical moulin near Béziers.

Our guests will benefit from the expertise of not one, but two sought-after instructors known for their fresh, lively and downright juicy paint application.

You will experience so much more than a step-by-step class. Each day you will be inspired by the painting fabulous locations while becoming immersed in the Languedoc, its culture, people and landscape. It is the perfect environment to truly discover and appreciate the best of France.  During the entire time, we will be painting on the estate, in surrounding hilltop villages, and on location in the Southwest of France, famed for its history, olive groves, vineyards and its beautiful scenery. 

Other activities include outdoor markets, a vineyard tour, a visit to Béziers as well as a host of hidden villages off the beaten track.

The workshop and immersive experience is open to artists of all levels. David Shevlino and Sarah Sedwick will both be leading sessions so that you can learn from these two remarkable artists. There will be demos, one-on-one painting sessions as well as critiques. You will explore different approaches and create art incorporating the principles learned. You will also be plein air painting on the estate of the historic Moulin.  

Between both David Shevlino and Sarah Sedwick you will find a comprehensive learning experience for painting that you can use, reference as needed, and incorporate to further your own work. Both are skilled painters who work from life, in the studio and en plein air.  They each have a unique approach, they are diverse, yet known for expressive and fresh brushwork. 

The estate is nestled in the mountains of Southern France in the foothills of the Massif Central, the mountain range that runs down the center of France. The area has rich farmland nestled in the hills against a backdrop of mountains. Although the feel is almost Alpine we are still close to the coast and we will be visiting the Mediterranean Sea.

An Example of a Daily Itinerary:

Start the day with breakfast on the terrace overlooking the sparkling river below, maybe with canoes floating by.

Our painting routine will start with a demo or monitored painting session with plenty of individual attention.

Since the workshop includes all meals (with the exception of one lunch and one dinner out paid for by the guests) you can expect a sumptuous lunch made with local ingredients which are both delicious and healthy.

After lunch, artistic growth is continued with more easel and learning time. But don’t be surprised if you are whisked away for a vineyard tour and a tasting of the local wines.

The wines of the Languedoc are considered to be among the best in the world, especially for their red and rosé wines. The region out-produces Provence in wine production, for example, the rosé produced in the Languedoc in any given year is more than the total wine made in Provence! Although the production is massive, the wines are frequently bulked, drank domestically and often underappreciated. Meaning, you have to be there to taste these exceptionally good wines!

The Canal du Midi ties the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean as it passes through the Languedoc region of France.

Our accommodation is a converted French Moulin estate where olive oil was pressed for centuries. The foundations of the moulin were laid in the 15th century. Of course, it has been rebuilt numerous times through the centuries, survived a vibrant local history, and has been modernized to even include a swimming pool. There is ample space and many spectacular views to paint. The estate is multi-terraced and overlooks the local river below where kayakers paddle by. Coming soon: photos of the moulin here. 

You’ll be able to explore the neighboring villages, visit vineyards to taste the local vintages, and shop at local outdoor markets as part of your retail therapy.

Explore the hidden wonders of the Occitanie region of Southern France.

David Shevlino

David Shevlino frequently travels around the world to teach at some of the most prestigious art schools and ateliers around. He has been featured in the American Art Collector magazine and others such as Realism Today, The Artist’s Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur and more. 

David attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art  for a BFA in art and attended the Art Students League of NYC after graduation. It was later after his graduation from PAFA that he started painting Plein Air.

David wrote an article that talks about the trajectory of his work throughout his career: 

“When I teach painting workshops, a common remark I hear from students is

‘I’m a tight painter, but I want to be more painterly and expressive in how I apply paint.’

I generally recount my own experience and how I evolved over many years. Change of any kind is usually a challenging thing for anyone. For me, it took time to understand that if I were going to leave my comfort zone, I had to start by changing my attitude.

‘When I started making paintings that were very different from anything I’d done before, it was scary and intimidating. I realized that unless I could see what I was doing in a different way, or judge it by a different standard, I’d be spinning my wheels and going in circles.

This process begins with giving yourself permission to be different, to experiment, to go into uncharted territory, and to embrace that as a positive thing.”

– David Shevlino from his Realism Today article.

“Diving” by David Shevlino

“Windfall” by Sarah Sedwick

Works by Sarah Sedwick