About me… I am Elisabeth Viguie Culshaw, I am a natural dyer and Botanical printer based in Glasgow in Scotland. I have been teaching and sharing my skills for a great many years. In time of Covid I have been teaching online and since we have reopened I still like to put people together for some good old creative time…

The Retreat:

It is my great pleasure to introduce the French Botanical Printing Retreat 2024, and announce the bookings are opened with an early bird discount until the 30th of November 2023. Bookings are taken on the basis of first come/first served.

I created The French Retreat and offered it to my online participants in November 2022 to allow anyone who had been “meeting” online on zoom to spend a week in real life creating Botanical Printing on paper. It was such a success I decided to run it again in 2024 and add some techniques to it. After the event I brainstormed with the participants and took their advice for making it “perfect”. It was not long enough I added a day to it. We decided to opt for a more casual lunch time to allow everyone some “me space”, we will also offer a visit to a stunning local artist village during the day off.

During that week we will learn how to select material, how to prepare it and print it. We will dye with dyes such as Sapan wood, Logwood, Cochineal but also tannins… we will learn how to select leaves. You will go back home with some great knowledge and some art work.

It is taking place in a French rural location on the outskirts of Toulouse and will be glorious. We will share accommodation with the owners of a lovely traditional farmhouse and use their amazingly well appointed air conditioned garden studio and dye kitchen for a week to learn and created.

During our time there we will learn all there is to know about selecting, preparing and printing botanicals on paper, we will test some linen fabric and also have a beginner’s day printing with leather at the end of which we will print a piece of lamb for you to take home.

It is fun to think out of the box so we will look at using local botanics to create some printing paste and discharging paste to add texture to your prints and complete the retreat by making a book by hand to take home. Thats a lovely way to combine your samples into one meaningful object.

This retreat is very much suitable for beginners but if you have some experience in botanical printing you will be very welcome to join and exchange knowledge if you wish.

Unfortunately it is not really suitable to anyone with reduced mobility because of the geography of the place. I am afraid this is something I cant offer yet.

Accomodation:

I am working on the principal of a creative “family” get together in the country side and will immerse ourself in the technique. We are so lucky to have found a lovely farmhouse and we share rooms there. Please be aware there are no private rooms but plenty of private spaces around the house. Meals are taken around the family table and are cooked from scratch, our host JF is a great chef.

This is a creative retreat and I am not able to accept bookings from partners this time. The surrounding areas are very rural and there is not very much to do there if you are not involved in the retreat. We will ignore you as we will be totally immersed. If you would like to share part of your travel with a friend/partner you could meet them before or after the retreat to spend time in Toulouse or the surround areas. A few of last year’s retreat did just this it was a great success.

On the + side JF our host was a GP and we are very well cared for. If you have any issues due to ill health we will help you.

Getting there:

You have to fly/commute into Toulouse, instructions will be given to get to our location train station where we will organise a pick up middle of the afternoon before the retreat starts…. or you can just organise your own transport from airport/station if you prefer. I am afraid we wont be able to welcome you earlier because there is a lot to prepare before a successful workshop but you will find Toulouse amazingly beautiful and a great place to spend time before meeting us.

On the last day we will operate a group drop you off at the local station to say Goodbye… see the photo above.

How to book:

If you would like a space. Please email me for the price and link to pay the deposit. Please note spaces can only be secured when the deposit is paid (non refundable). I request one deposit now of £150 only. The balance of the payment will be split between one payment for the 6th of April 2024 and the balance 30th of May 2024. Payments can be made by credit cards, paypal or alternatively bank transfer (charges for you). The cost is charged in sterling £ because I am based in the UK. I am not able to offer any other currencies.

Spaces are on the basis of first come first served. Spaces can be passed on if you have an issue at the last minute I will accept you to transfer your space to a friend or family member.

THERE IS AN EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF £100 BEFORE THE 30TH OF NOVEMBER.

What is Included:

Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and diners are all included. If you decide to go away for your day off that will be on you.

There is a small deli shop in the village and the sunday market is amazing but those are the only shopping opportunities. If you are used to buy chewing gum or chocolate bring it along… This is a non smocking experience.

I will offer a natural dye pack for you to take away if you want for £50 before the workshop.

All material and equipment we will use together with the dyes are included. I will not offer material or additional leather hides.

My style is to offer a transparent information. I have been in many workshops where you get swamped into buying a whole pile of things when you arrive. That is not my style.

What we will do:

During our time we will learn how to select material (not all paper are equal), botanical, dyes and learn to use them.

We will use a couple of mordants (traditional and combined) and compare prints to be more aware of how mordants affect your prints.

We will work on paper, linen (not for dress making only for sampling) and leather.

We will use the following dyes Sapan wood, Logwood, Cochineal, a variety of tannins (oakgall, Cutch, Avocado, Myrobolan) and print using both the simmered and the steamed with blankets method.

We will create a body of work and gather knowledge applicable to your own surroundings.

On the last day we will make a book to synthetise some of our paper prints, discharge and overprint using botanical pastes.

Create a network of international eco-printers.

All our work will be very sustainable.

But also take a day off to visit the local market/artist village (optional) and recharge our batteries… and engage with JF and his familly.

Insurance:

The Covid crisis has made us aware that some issues can arise and you need to make sure you are covered should you become ill when travelling or during the retreat. I will require you have a travel insurance and have details with you. All bookings are final and can not be refunded. A good travel insurance will cover you if you have an issue and can not make it at the last minute.

Whatsap group:

Once the bookings are closed I will create a whatsap group for the participants to allow you to share your experience booking travel.. and make early contact via a zoom session. Our last retreat participants are still exchanging almost daily in last year’s group. By the time you arrive you will be very familiar with your “family”

Now if you want to book… please email me for the cost and the link.

Best wishes… I hope to meet you soon…

Elisabeth x