Renee Mueller Workshop 2027

In 2027 I’m planning to go back to wonderful Perigord Retreats (for the second time) to guide another group on a painting holiday in France. Based on the last trip I guided there, I can honestly say this will be the experience of a lifetime!

Renee earned a BFA from the University of Michigan in Dance and Choreography. She danced professionally and was honored to teach dance at the University of Michigan’s Musical Theater and Theater Departments. After a beautiful career in the performing arts, Renee became a full-time working artist and has found the journey from dance to art incredibly inspiring, humbling, and remarkable.

Plein Air & Studio Painting

Delicious Homemade Dinners

Daily Excursions

To Beautiful Locations

Overview of Renee Mueller Workshop 2027:

Transform your artistic approach to reflect how you see beauty in the world around you. During your stay, you will have time to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of France by stepping outside the studio to collect visual imagery as a “way in” to your art.

Take inspiration from the stunning landscape, medieval villages, lavender fields, and dramatic cliffs with your camera and sketchbook. Observe how light and shadow become beautiful dance partners with nature and can inspire beauty and drama in your art.

Back in the studio, you will tap into your sense of beauty and creativity as you examine the places and experiences that mark your heart and find a new way to capture them through painting, sketching, collage, and stitching.

Discover what makes your heart light up and bring those themes to your artwork. You will connect with your art-making on a deeper level when you’re mindful of your experiences, thoughts, memories, and the things that inspire you to create.

Techniques:

Collecting Visual Inspiration with your camera, sketchbook, and a few art supplies.
Color Travelogue and Lessons in Mixing Color
Color Collage Stories
Mini Inspiration Collage
Expressive Florals
Abstract Landscapes
A series of miniature abstract landscape paintings inspired by the beauty of France.
Tips on sketching on location to capture the essence of your subject
Expressive Portraits with stitched florals on fabric
Sweeping Charcoal & ink florals
We will transform an ordinary sketchbook into an Art Book. One that is filled with a rich tapestry of ideas, contour drawings, botanical sketches, sketches of local architecture, color studies, painted flowers, and more.

NOTE:

Partners are welcome and are free to explore the various painting locations at their leisure. Local tips can be provided. Note that whilst at our accommodation property, activities include walks, communing with nature or the garden, swimming, relaxing or reading. The nearest town is 5 minutes by car.

*A non-refundable deposit of 1000€ Is required (unless cancelled by Perigord Retreats). Travel insurance is therefore recommended.

**IMPORTANT: Please wait until Renee Mueller workshop is confirmed before booking any flights.

A Day with Us Looks Like This…

Your day begins with a peaceful breakfast of freshly baked French pastries, homemade yoghurt, and seasonal fruit—best enjoyed in the sunlit conservatory as the day gently unfolds.

Around 9 am, we set off—early enough to enjoy our destinations while they’re still quiet, with the morning light casting everything in a perfect glow.

Spend your morning soaking up the atmosphere of a new place: wander through charming side streets, discover hidden corners, or settle into a quiet spot to sketch and take it all in. When you’re ready for lunch, a beautiful spread awaits—think crisp salads, savoury quiches, homemade cookies, and a glass (or two) of wine, served picnic-style in the shade.

Afternoons are for creativity and rest. Back at the studio, you’ll have dedicated time to paint, unwind by the pool, take a nap, read, sunbathe, or simply enjoy good conversation in a quiet corner.

Evenings are a highlight: a delicious, three-course meal made with local ingredients, prepared by Katel—whose cooking alone is worth the trip. With wine flowing and good company around the table, it’s a chance to relax and connect.

After dinner, the time is yours. Watch the sunset, return to the studio for more painting, take a dip in the hot tub, or explore the nearby paths under the stars.

Our retreats are designed to be flexible, inspiring, and restorative—so you can get exactly what you need out of your time with us.