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Renee Walden

πŸŽ’ Plan your 2027: four retreats across Europe & Morocco

Published 3 months agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

Hi Reader,

I'm writing this from my studio, still buzzing from last week's Morocco retreat. The laughter around the dinner table, the riot of colour in the souks, the snow capped mountains in the desert, the heaps of sketches we all made capturing our memories - it was everything I'd hoped for and more. My first retreat of the year, and what a way to start!

In this email I'm opening bookings for my 2027 calendar. Four incredible locations, each with its own magic.

Marrakech, Morocco
​February 2027

Escape winter to somewhere colourful, exotic, and completely different - a whole new playground for your sketchbook. Everything is looked after, you're traveling with a group, so you can experience somewhere you might never have thought you'd go on your own.

Umbria, Italy

April 2027

Spring in Italy at the legendary La Romita School of Art, which has been hosting artists for 60 years. We'll be staying in a 12th-century monastery - yes, really - and exploring incredible sketching locations from there, including Assisi. There's something about painting where centuries of artists have worked before you. You'll feel it.

Perigord, France

June 2027

Summer. Lavender fields, honey-stone medieval villages, picnics by the river. This is my sixth retreat at PΓ©rigord Retreats, because it's that special and I have returning guests every single year. The light, the pace, the way the region wraps itself around you. If you've been thinking about joining me somewhere, this is where hearts get stolen.

Tuscany, Italy

October 2027

Autumn colours on a gorgeous private estate - Rignana. Renaissance buildings, a working farm, olive groves, vineyards, alpacas, horses, luxury accommodation - we won't need to travel far because everything we need is right there. (Though we will take a day in nearby Florence for those who want to explore.) This one is about beauty, comfort, and painting somewhere truly special.

What You'll Experience

This is about finding your creative voice in beautiful places and with like-minded people. I teach in a way that meets you where you are - whether you're nervous about your first brushstroke or you've been painting for years. We work loosely, joyfully, capturing the essence of a place rather than fussing over perfection. You'll come home with a sketchbook that is personal and full of colourful memories and with skills to sketch your next adventure.

My 2026 retreats are fully booked, and some of these retreats for next year are already filling with returning guests, so if one of these is calling to you, don't wait.

Questions? Just reply - I read every email :-)
​

Colourfully,
​Renee

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Renee Walden

Artist. Tutor. Sketchbook traveller

Helping others capture their memories in colour is one of the greatest joys of my artistic journey. On watercolour art retreats and in workshops I've watched people grow braver, laugh louder, make friends, and fill pages with art they never thought possible. I'm right there alongside them β€” and it's magic.

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