Definition of holiday: a day of freedom from labor, a day set aside for leisure and recreation
Definitions of travel: to make a journey or journeys, go from one place to another
Definition of art: creativity of man as distinguished from the world of nature
In this article I going to look at the above three words combined and look at the benefits of traveling to new destinations to further your creativity and artistic flare. Of course everyone loves to holiday, but deciding on what kind of holiday one goes on really is a personal choice of what one likes. Beach holidays, ski-ing holidays, adventure holidays, bird watching holidays, mountain climbing holidays…the list is endless, and there are thousands of popular sports and leisure holidays out there.
For some, it is an obvious decision to combine a specific passion or hobby with a holiday, for others it is simply looking for the next new thing to do or challenge for them. You don’t need to be an professional artist to enjoy expressing yourself in a new medium; regardless of your profession or need for creativity, travel can offer you the opportunity to bring a new creative perspective into your life.
Painting by Andy Walker
Art holidays are becoming more popular across a wider spectrum of people. For me a holiday for the precise purpose of spending several days painting in a new environment can produce some really inspiring results. I think that the first thing that you notice is the amount of different colours that appear on the palette but often the whole approach and conception has changed. I think this is largely down to a change in atmosphere, often at home you work from a photo or a sketch in a studio where the atmosphere can often remain static rather then absorbing the local colour, light and emotional reaction to a new destination.
In Portugal the light is so magical that each picture, whatever medium oil, watercolour or acrylic the light and ambience influences each stroke.
Painting by Andy Walker
Absorbing yourself in the atmosphere while away on holiday and having the confidence to try new mediums will benefit your style and a new fresh approach will come out on the canvass. A change is as good as a rest. Often very true when gathering inspiration and gaining the confidence to try new things. The idea that when you walk around a new town, village or city you often find yourself absorbed by what you are seeing, it might just be a church that you are looking at, hundreds of churches are dotted around home but often we take these for granted as we drive or walk past them on our mundane daily routine. However, a church in a place that you have not seen before, suddenly you notice the architecture, the tiles, the flowers, the clock, the colour and an exciting “wow” often passes your lips. Creativity. Travel. Inspiration.
Painting by Andy Walker
To be able to then sit down with a sketchpad, the sun on your back, the foreign chitter chatter all around you, I believe you can submerse yourself into a little bubble and create something magical.
Painting by Dawn Oliver
For me the saying a picture paints a 1000 words could not be truer. A good painting makes you feel like you are actually part of the picture, you can smell the flower that has been drawn or you can hear the waves lapping in front of you. By discovering new destinations and taking your paintbrush with you, I feel that you can really produce some exciting new work.
I run painting holidays to Portugal throughout the months of March – October. There are courses for all abilities covering a wide range of different mediums including watercolour, oil, acrylic, mosaic, photography and mixed medium courses. Painters can paint every morning as well as studios in the afternoon, as well as work with a variety of different teachers with their own individual painting styles. No matter what you do on your art holiday, though, make sure you find your own special place: go on daytrips, look up, stop and smell the roses. Learn about the history of a place – ask your guide, as a local, or read a book.
Picture by Dawn Oliver
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
You have a wonderful way with words!
This is a great piece, but I think it misses one major point: Art is not just about painting. I think that artists of all genres benefit from travel. Writers, cooks, musicians, filmmakers – they all may see things differently when creating somewhere other than “home.”
Brilliant article you convey your passion for art tremendously, I cant wait to visit art in the algarve.
Great article–I can see you passion for art.
Thanks for all your messages, I am glad you liked the article. I agree that art is about more then painting and of course travel comes into a wide variety of hobbies and passions. My passion is painting but a new destination can inspire people from all walks of life to create all kinds of magical things!