Oils and Pastels by Margaret Dyer

Now that my Florence workshop is finally complete, I can tell you about my 2020 workshop in Perigord, France, August 9-18, 2020. Where is Perigord? Perigord is located in the Dordogne and Lot regions, midway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, only a few miles from the Medieval town of Gourdon. What is Perigord Retreats? The sole purpose of Perigord Retreats is to provide enriching, relaxing and artful experiences to art instructors and their students. Owned and operated by Angela and Adrian, they pride themselves in fulfilling your requests to see as many, or as few, sites as possible, while indulging in the French experience. Visit their web site for a 3D tour of their home.  https://perigord-retreats.com How to register for my 2020 workshop at Perigord Retreats: https://perigord-retreats.com/margaret-dyer-august/  Contact Angela or Adrian with any questions or concerns:  info@perigord-retreats.com

I'm home in Atlanta now with luggage to empty and put away, laundry to wash and weight to lose. I will be drinking smoothies for the next few weeks. But however many pounds I've put on, it was so well worth it--all those fresh Italian meals and desserts, the camaraderie that good wine facilitates...life is too short to deny myself this. And I've returned home with a new appreciation for sandwiches made with focaccia and pesto, rather than the usual sliced bread and mayonnaise. And mascarpone. I have discovered mascarpone. I returned to my cozy little home, with what, after about 6 years, is beginning to look like a real garden.  The little dogwood tree I planted weeks ago, a leafless sprig of a thing given to me at an art festival by the Arbor Society, has sprouted new green leaves, my gardenias are all in bloom, filling my home with that incredible perfume (which always reminds me of my mother--it takes me back to my 7th grade in Clearwater, Florida--vividly). My tomato ...

We packed our bags Thursday morning and caught a cab to our new place in Fiesole, a charming hilltop village which overlooks Tuscany. We each had our own room, bathroom and balcony. There was a large patio attached to my room, where we had a new model, Maya, pose for us. We also photographed her in the little village--walking the streets, buying dolci from a vendor, and sipping coffee at an outside bistro.  The proprietors of the bistro watched as we all followed Maya around with our cameras, shooting everything she did. They must have assumed she was a celebrity because they got into the act and took selfies with her! The next day, our last of the workshop, most of us painted in our own rooms, others joined me on my patio, while I went from room to room giving direction if the artist needed it. For dinner, we climbed the steep and winding roads into town for shopping and dinner. There were charming little gift shops full of little decorative things for o...

Here are the artists: Deb Wicks from Sarasota, Florida; Mary Ruth Mann from Seattle, Washington; Patricia Davenport, currently living in Budapest but getting ready to move back to the States; Lydia Steeves from Ottawa, Canada; and Annie Jones from Belfair, Washington. And of course Debra and Ivano from Ann Arbor, Michigan  (Ivano is originally from Pisa Italy). A great group of artists. Every minute with them has been a pleasure.  

There is some beautiful street art all over Florence. So very cool.