Summer Painting Holiday
'Painting an enchanted landscape' with Matthew Berry 26th July – 2nd August 2025
This will be Matthew's third visit to Casa Carolina as Guest Artist with Art Holidays Romania. Following on from the impressions left on him by the landscape of Lapus Country in 2018, he has described the scenery as "enchanted". This is also a reference to William Blacker's wonderful book about his trip to Maramures and Romania, 'Along the Enchanted Way’ which we warmly recommend as pre travel reading.
The program
We have five hours of drawing and painting each day (except on trip days). The week will start with an introduction to the programme and a chance to get to know each other. The objective of the introductory session is to find out what each participant hopes to get out of the holiday and how they wish to build their drawing and painting skills and develop a personal interpretation of the landscape.
Regular painting sessions will take place in the terrace studio, around the gardens of the guest house and in some beautiful and idyllic settings around the village and the surrounding countryside.
Two day trips are included in the programme, to sites of cultural importance, such as the beautiful UNESCO wooden churches of Maramures. These trips will include drawing/painting/sketching opportunities and guidance from Matthew. Field easels and folding chairs will be transported and refreshments provided. Lunch is usually at a local restaurant.
We like to have a walk around the village at the end of the day which is a great chance to meet neighbours and get a glimpse of the way of life in the village. It also provides a chance to spot more views to paint and to build up an appetite for Viorica's superb home cooking.
On the final day we organise an informal exhibition of the week's work in the terrace studio and admire each other's work over a glass of wine or Horinca (local spirit).