Painting Workshops | Italy and France | Art Courses | Tuscany Provence

Are We, Artists, Creators of Atmospheres?

Resisting Intermittence Two very important essays structure this post: Atmospheres by the German philosopher Hermann Schmitz (Mimesis 2026), and the second by the French philosopher Yves Michaud, L’art, c’est bien fini: Essai sur l’hyper-esthétique et les atmosphères...

Veni, vedi, veci ! Conquering the landscape !

by Yves M. Larocque (Ph.D.) | Aug 6, 2025 | art classes Italy France, art retreat, Art workshops, Inspiration |Thoughts, Painting, Painting | plein air, painting workshops Italy France

Coming back from Italy from another successful art workshop! About to leave again for Studio Italia, and whenever my students will set their easels before a breathtaking landscape, a recurring question will arise: Should I engage in a personal veni, vidi, vici of this...

The bastard of Marcel Duchamp: Contemporary Art

by Yves M. Larocque (Ph.D.) | Apr 30, 2020 | art classes Italy France, Art History, General, Inspiration |Thoughts

We are not living a crisis but a change of time “Urinal, you are” fountain “, and on this fountain, I will build my art! “(Christine Sourgins, Mirages of Contemporary Art, yet to be translated in English) Well, I have read Christine...

COVID-19 and Your Art

Thanks to everyone for your kind messages during these challenging times for all. Throughout the years more and more we realize that many of our lifelong friendships have been built around our workshops. Yes, we are doing well here in the Ottawa countryside. Life can...

Art, You and 2020

by Yves M. Larocque (Ph.D.) | Jan 1, 2020 | art classes Italy France, En français, Inspiration |Thoughts, Painting | plein air

Above >Two paintings by Wassily Kandinsky showing that every day he tried to achieve a better understanding of the world in which he was participating. Scroll down for French and Spanish translations. Défilez vers le bas pour les traductions en français et en...

May I see the instructor’s works?

by Yves M. Larocque (Ph.D.) | Dec 21, 2019 | art classes Italy France, General, Inspiration |Thoughts, Painting, Painting | plein air

You may, but… Back in 1997, during the very first days of Walk the Arts painting workshops in Tuscany and Provence, I would paint with the group. After a couple of years, I came to realize that I was not fully dedicating my time to my budding artists. Indeed,...