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Itinerary
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SKETCHING SPAIN

BARCELONA & COSTA BRAVA

Join us for a fantastic artistic and cultural experience in Barcelona! This is the perfect experience for any sketching enthusiast. Sketching Spain is a 6-day, small group, intensive sketching retreat led by acclaimed artist Teresa Merriman and Spanish travel expert Danny Adler. With the inspirational backdrop of both urban and rural Spain, you will engage in Judith Cassel-Mamet's famed artistic "Adventure Journal" approach, a no-fail process that aims to take away the road-blocks to creative expression. You will end the trip having seen and experienced Barcelona in a unique fashion, learning about the culture from Danny and your own observations made while recording your experience in your sketchbook. Absolutely no experience travel sketching necessary!

 ITINERARY

DAY 1

Our adventure begins in Barcelona. The group will meet in the late morning and then board a private coach to head to our Costa Brava accommodation, a fabulous seaside hotel. Upon arrival and after check in, we will have a meet and greet orientation, then a "Spanish style" lunch followed by an introduction class to travel journaling. You will then have some free time in Calella de Palafruguell before our evening cocktail & tapas party.

DAY 2

A large buffet breakfast is offered at the hotel, then we will depart for Besalu, a fabulous medieval village. Upon arrival Teresa will host an art lesson and demo. Students will have time to record their impressions of the radiant stone city before we gather for a fantastic lunch in a stunning setting. After lunch there will be some free time for sketching on your own or wandering the narrow streets in Besalu. In the late afternoon we will depart for the hotel. Dinner is on your own.

DAY 3

After a great breakfast at the hotel, we will meet our Dalí expert host for the day and depart for Portlligat and  Dali's home. After a private tour of the house and an art lesson in a unique, white washed courtyard we will drive to Cadaques where you may enjoy some free time for lunch on your own and sketching. We will then return to our hotel to work on our journals together in the comfort of the enclosed patio overlooking the Mediterranean. Dinner on your own; options include the hotel bar, restaurant, or walking into town.

DAY 4

We will enjoy a final breakfast at our hotel, then pack up and check out. This day will begin with a transfer to Alella where we will enjoy an authentic La hora del Vermut (vermouth tasting),  with a special lesson on sketching interiors followed by a light lunch of tapas. After lunch we will head to Barcelona to get you checked into your apartments (students will share these spacious apartments but each student will have a private room). You will have a free evening and dinner on your own.

DAY 5

Today is a full day of Barcelona Sketching. We will begin with an early morning meeting in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona for continental breakfast and a sketching demo. We will sketch in an "off the beaten path" plaza and the Santa Caterina Market  then hop on the metro and head to the Hospital de Sant Pau. Here you will have a great opportunity to learn about and sketch Catalan Modernism. We’ll have a festive group lunch; the afternoon and evening will be on your own.

DAY 6

We'll meet in the morning for an intensive sketching workshop, to be hosted at our apartments. This open studio is a student favorite with time to review all the techniques covered on the trip and give you a great time to work on your journals with your teacher present. It is a great time to collaborate and learn from each other, sharing resources and creative ideas. Lunch and the afternoon are on your own, but in the evening we will meet up for a goodbye cocktail party with drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres. Here we will wrap up and review everything we worked on and celebrate before saying goodbye! Your lodging for this night is included.

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GENERAL
INFORMATION

Dates: October 17th - 23rd 2022        

 

Size: 12 participants maximum
Price: $3825

Please note that all prices are listed in USD. 
Your fee includes:
6 nights lodging, 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners (lots of cava!), transportation by private coach, metro in Barcelona, private tour of Dalí's house, both Teresa and Danny accompany the group the entire trip, introduction 3hr sketch workshop then 2hrs of sketching each day.

Your teacher for this trip:

Teresa Merriman is a nationally-recognized, award-winning visual artist in the venerable craft of bookbinding.  She has traveled every state of the United States and many countries abroad, always carrying a personal journal with her to reflect her adventures.  She believes that journals are our bona-fide tag-alongs on this excursion of life, and that the act of journaling is boundless in its personal and anthropological benefits. She enjoys sharing her art-journaling techniques with fellow enthusiasts and aspiring journalers alike, and she hopes to influence those around her to creatively tell their stories.

General Information

FAQs

Who is Judith Cassel-Mamet?

Judith Cassel-Mamet is the author of Joyful Pages: Adventures in Art Journaling and a Craftsy online instructor. She has been a mixed media artist and educator for her entire career teaching at a public high school in Denver, the University of Denver and the Art Student League of Denver for over 25 years. She offers independent art adventures to magical spots, including Barcelona, Taos, New York City and Crested Butte Colorado. Judith embraces a no-fail attitude with art journaling where students are encouraged to focus on the joy of creative expression and the power of capturing a moment, rather than aiming for a perfect sketch of anything. She loves to share simple sketching techniques, new ways of opening our hearts and minds and a playful approach. You may view her work and sign up for her monthly Adventure Journal Newsletter at www.jcmamet.net.

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Who is Adler & Marlow?

Adler & Marlow is a bespoke travel company based in Barcelona with connections throughout Spain. A&M's goal is to make travel dreams come true, create sensational moments, joyous memories and enrich experiences tailored just for it's clients. Authentic, unique and exclusive travel experiences are our specialty. A&M is owned and operated by Danny Adler.

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I'm thinking about this trip, but I have never sketched. Is this trip for me?
No problem!  Please be assured that Judith will guide you thru some simple steps so you can enjoy your time recording the magnificent views on the trip, regardless of your previous art journal or drawing experience. With a small group (class is limited to 10 students) there will be plenty of individual instruction. We will include instructions on fun ways to use our phone cameras for those who prefer to capture their experiences in photos and we will also review a mixed media approach for those wishing to collage their pages with minimum sketching.

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How do I get to and from the Barcelona airport?

Transport is not included in the Sketching fee, but may be arranged with Danny Adler on an individual basis. It is really easy to walk to the taxi stand just outside of the airport. The cost of the taxi into town is approx. 35€ ($40)

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I am attending with a friend/spouse, can we share a room or apartment?
Yes! Both the Hotel Sant Roc and the apartments in Barcelona can accommodate two people wishing to share a room & bathroom.

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During the free time in Barcelona I'd like to see additional points of interest that I have read about; how will I get around on my own?
Danny will provide a comprehensive guide to Barcelona for each participant & set you up for exploration on your own.

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How can I make arrangements to stay in the Barcelona apartment before or after the tour if I wish to arrive a few days early or stay a few days longer?
You will have the option of extending your visit to Barcelona on either end by booking extra lodging thru Adler & Marlow directly, depending on availability. You can also book your lodging thru your own travel agent or your own searches online.

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What art materials will I be asked to bring?
Students will be sent a simple list of art supplies to bring on the trip along with a short video tutorial showing various sketchbooks and materials.  We are going to travel light; each student will bring their own materials. Students are encouraged to carry their art materials in a very light day pack. No need to bring a portable stool; we will loan each student a small chair to use throughout the trip.

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Will I have time to do some photography?
Absolutely! Our sketching time will allow students time to explore the area with their cameras if they prefer.

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What will the weather be like? (typical October)
Typical weather in October for Barcelona and along the Costa Brava includes dry, sunny and mild temperatures with averages ranging from 55° - 70° degrees; perfect! We have planned the itinerary with a "plan B" in mind in case of rain. We suggest students bring a small umbrella and
light raincoat just in case, but also include a sun hat.

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How will we be traveling from one destination to the next?
We will be in a private coach while staying on the Costa Brava and during our final day in BCN. The price of the coach is included. Our group metro ride in Barcelona will also be covered. Other transport in Barcelona will be at the discretion of the students and not included in the fee,
however, taxis are inexpensive and the metro system is easy to use.
?

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What is the cancellation policy?
Your deposit and fees are non-refundable. We strongly suggest each student inquire about insurance before submitting their deposit for the trip to find out how time sensitive the transaction will be. Most students purchase travel insurance as soon as they purchase their airline tickets and/or when they make the final payment on the Sketching Spain trip.

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Should I purchase travel insurance?
Yes, Yes, Yes! You are strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance since the tour fees are non-refundable. We recommend World Nomads. Get a quick quote here! Or here is a link to their website for more information.

 

Please be aware that purchasing insurance is time sensitive; some companies require insurance to be purchased within a few days of reservations.

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What if I have dietary restrictions?
No problem! We are prepared for Gluten Free and vegetarian options, and will survey participants for other dietary considerations before the trip and will accommodate everyone at all included meals.

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What meals are included?
There is a total of 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners included in your fee. You will be well fed!

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What additional fees should we expect?
We will cover your entrance fees to 3 locations on our itinerary: Besalu, Dali’s home, Hospital de Sant Pau. Students will pay for meals not listed above and any additional transportation in Barcelona that is not part of the tour. Additionally, Danny will suggest an amount to tip our coach driver and Dali expert (who will take us thru the Dali home). Any “
add-on” tours scheduled after our trip concludes will be an extra charge at the time of booking.

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How rigorous will the walking/touring be?
Generally, students travel at their own pace when we are not working in a large group for sketching or on a formal tour. Many of the sketching locations are easily accessed but on uneven ground. If walking is an issue, we suggest bringing a fold-up walking stick for stability and comfy shoes. You will have a portable chair to bring along for sketching.

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Any packing suggestions?
Travel light! Barcelona is fairly casual, as is the Costa Brava. You will have access to washer/dryers in your apartment in Barcelona so a small, carry on suitcase will likely suffice. Comfy walking shoes and a light
daypack to hold your art materials are a must. We will be driving on some windy roads along the coast so please bring motion support (Dramamine, etc) if you know you have difficulty in this area. Tourists anywhere are an easy mark for pickpockets, so it is advised that you carry your wallet in a secure fashion.

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Suggestions for keeping connected to folks at home
Please check with your individual phone carriers to determine the best plan for you. If you decide to purchase a SIM card for your phone when you arrive in Spain, Danny can help you install it. You will have access to WiFi in all of our hotels and apartments.

 

Other tech suggestions:

We will stay connected on the trip thru WhatsApp which is a free phone app we would like you to download before arrival. We will share our cell numbers with the group so we can confirm meeting times, etc. during the adventure
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Please explain the payments in Euros vs Dollars.

All fees for the trip are quoted in Euros only. The conversion of dollars to Euros varies; you may wish to keep an eye on the conversion rates thru: www.xe.com for an accurate daily rate. The conversion will be made as soon as you submit your payment and it will be based on the rate that applies to that day.  

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Registration

Registration

This edition of Sketching Spain is limited to 10 students.

 

Please use the form below if you wish to sign up, or if you have any questions. We will get back to you quickly. If we have reached our maximum, we do accept students on a waiting list.

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