The French Retreat 2023 – A week of Botanical Printing on Paper and Woad dyeing in Rural South West France

There nothing like spending a period immersed in a creative technique with like minded people to learn a lot while relaxing and making great connections. I had some plans to curate creative retreats back in 2019 and then Covid kicked in and those never happened… but this year I have decided I want to wait no more and I will offer just a handful of physical workshops in lovely places in the summer 2023.

My definition of a lovely place is … a beautiful and welcoming place where all feel comfortable, good food (that does not mean sophisticated food) is offered and weather is a treat. It is easy enough to find and there are no distractions to what we aim to achieve there… It is not an expensive hotel with swimming pool and a sophisticated chef, it does not include the concept of going on a tour while there. And it is definitively affordable so to be as inclusive as possible.

My first choice for 2023 is a destination in the South of France near Toulouse… Woad (Pastel) country. An old farmhouse where we will be hosted by the owner and his wife a felter. It is a family house, and we will be in shared rooms but the food is fresh and glorious, the studio in the middle of a garden and there is a Sunday market where you can walk to to buy the local Honey.

Would you like to join me for 6 days Botanical printing on paper and Woad dyeing in South West France in July 2023.

I have set up one workshop from 6th to 11th of July in The South West of France near Toulouse… My retreat will be 5 days Botanical Printing on paper, Extracting dyes and creating Inks and printing pastes but also Woad dyeing with the Unique Denise Lambert. Our small group will find refuge in an old French Farmhouse not far from Toulouse where a well appointed studio and dye garden will be our base.

From foraged dyes to more exotic ones we will be using local resources to create beautiful Botanical prints, marks and dyes onto gorgeous Italian paper. Those will be taken home in the state while others will be transformed in small folded books. An amazing and so personal result for a whole week of creativity.

Our host will cook for us and as a true French party we will gather around the table for lunches and dinner to discover the local products…. Our breakfasts will be taken around a cup of fragrant coffee before we make our way across the garden to the outdoor studio.

It would not have been perfect before the Sunday market and this one is quite special… from local soap and honey to hand made ice-cream… We will walk back to the farm with our wonderful local produces as much to do is still to be done in the garden that Sunday afternoon. The classes will be given in English.

If you would like to know more about this adventure… discuss taking part please be in touch with me bettysbeautifullife@gmail.com I will email you details… and costs.

We only have 10 spaces…. and 6 are now booked up so don’t delay…

I hope to see you there…

Love Betty xx