Holiday Winner 2017 - Blog - Paint the Amazing Light & Colour of The Western Algarve
We painted at various locations and they were all absolutely superb. There were plenty of interesting objects to paint, near facilities and with tea/coffee and lunch breaks. Every painting session started with a demonstration from Soraya giving us a daily dose of priceless inspiration. This one week gave me just so much! I've learnt about different media including techniques of painting with acrylic inks, painting with acrylic on watercolour paper, how to combine different media, how to creatively use gesso, ideas about composition and so much more.
And if it sounds there wasn't enough time to see Portugal, believe it or not, thanks to the perfect organisation all of this was happening in a nice relaxed way without rushing anywhere. Every day there was a time early evening to get to the spa, have a nice walk around the hotel or get a bus to explore the little towns nearby. And I still did two paintings a day! A little bonus for us was a studio in the hotel complex, where we were able to finish our paintings in case they weren't completely finished during the day. And I must say my partner who went as a 'non painting partner' had a great time too and it was lovely to share this experience.
When I was answering the simple question in Paint and Draw Magazine, I never would have imagined that I would be the one to win one week of painting in Portugal. For me painting is a process of creation with my own rules where I can relax and express myself at the same time. This ideology has been given a true meaning when I first saw Soraya in action and she has shown me many techniques and given me so many answers and inspiration!
I must honestly say, the organisers Matt and Gill did the best possible job, working so hard to give painters the most amazing experience. The place we were staying was a stunning Spa Resort surrounded by nature. The food was excellent. Three course evening dinner and wine every night and during the day we visited amazing restaurants with stunning views for lunch.
Honestly I can't imagine one thing which could have been done better. And if someone is reading this and thinking about going because you like painting, do it for yourself and go with Alpha Painting Holidays or buy it as a present for your loved ones. This is a really special treat for every painting enthusiast, no matter if you are a semi-
I want to thank everyone who made this dream come true. I would like to say “A big thank you to the organisers for their hard work and exceptional organisation, to the tutor for giving me so much inspiration and confidence and thank you, to the friendly company of brilliant artists who attended this course.”