With its rich cultural heritage and awe-inspiring landscapes, Scotland has emerged as a top destination for artists seeking inspiration and growth through their travel. Artists coming to paint in Scotland find plenty to enjoy as they tap into the allure of this enchanting land and its culture. This prompted the renowned organization, Workshops In France, to leap across the English Channel and curate immersive painting workshops and art retreats, such as the Majestic Scotland Art Retreat, in the land of myth and legend. It’s an annual occurrence and each summer their team travels to Scotland to host these events.
Why Oil Painters of America Artists are Choosing Scotland
This will be Workshops in France’s 3rd year of sponsoring an award at the Oil Painters of America National Conference. The prestigious Bronze Award, provided by the organization, aims to make international travel more accessible for artists. The OPA bestows the award upon the artist whose work they select for this special recognition and they generously include additional cash as financial support, ensuring that the winning artist can attend a top-notch workshop or art retreat without breaking the bank.
Even before the award sponsorship came into being, the connection between Oil Painters of America artists and Scotland was growing. OPA Masters and award winners Daniel Gerhartz and Quang Ho (with Adrienne Stein) have previously led workshops in this impressive land.
Photo: Jeroen Beukers
Kami Mendlik received the bronze award for her piece, Devotions, in Steamboat, Colorado at the 2022 conference. Her landscape was a standout at the conference, a painting with lily pads floating on a serene pond. After much deliberation, Kami selected to attend the Majestic Scotland Art Retreat with her partner, in July 2024. As fate would have it, last year’s prize winner chose the same art retreat. In 2023, Scott Burdick was awarded the bronze award for his piece The Hope of Freedom. Scott had accompanied Susan Lyon to Provence when she taught with Workshops in France in 2022. Once they considered their options Scott decided on Scotland and signed up for Majestic Scotland Art Retreat. The gathering at this summer’s retreat now boasts a built-in master class of seasoned painters.
Nationally recognized, Rose Frantzen is also set to teach a workshop at the same grand manor house in Scotland’s Angus region with Workshops in France later this year in July, further cementing Scotland’s status as a preferred destination for artistic exploration.
Majestic Scotland Art Retreat: Where Inspiration Takes Flight
Majestic Scotland Art Retreat, is a standout offering from Workshops in France and draws its name from the awe-inspiring destinations where the artists venture out to paint some truly majestic sights. Some locations such as Glamis Castle are still connected to the royal family. Other sites belonged to rulers of the past; the ancient Dunnottar Castle overlooking the North Sea provides a backdrop of breathtaking beauty. Watching the sea birds swoop around the castle ruins while a lone bagpiper plays a lament nearby, makes the perfect place for artists to engage all their senses as they paint.
Scots are fiercely proud of their heritage from their ancient Celtic roots to hosting the largest cultural event in Europe, the Edinburgh Festival. Scottish culture includes appreciation and encouragement for all things art. When asked why artists are choosing Scotland to pursue artistic goals, some might say that Workshops in France is biased since two of its organizers, Julie Snyder and Shirley Hambrick, were born there and take every opportunity to return to their homeland. This is good news for their fellow travelers as they understand Scottish accents that can leave most foreigners baffled.
Historical Artistic Heritage
Photo: Peter Sandground
One genuine group of painters was the “Glasgow Boys,” a collective of 19th-century painters who revolted against classical painting and left an enduring impact both at home and abroad, adding to Scotland’s prominence in the art world. Inspired by the French Impressionists and painters who popularized the pursuit of plein-air painting, their work centered on portraying everyday life from their own experience.
The Glasgow Boys were seen as rebels by the academics of their time as their paintings captured the real life of everyday people, farmlands, and their country. Some of the group were also avid travelers and painted abroad. This modernistic approach was not limited to Glasgow of course, as artists throughout Europe were rejecting academic Classicism for a more direct style, painting from observation and often en plein air. The transition eventually led to Impressionism. Scotland’s artistic legacy, as exemplified by the Glasgow Boys, provides a historical backdrop for today’s contemporary painters of realism.
Hauntingly Beautiful and Inspiring Landscapes: A Palette of Diversity
Scotland is a location like no other that inspires artists with visually stunning, pristine ecosystems. Imagine waking up to mist-shrouded scenes with wild deer and songbirds adding to the enchantment. The Majestic Scotland Art Retreat is a sensory experience that touches the soul with tales of legendary feuds and romantic heroes. From the dramatic Highlands to the serene coastal areas Scotland offers a diverse range of subjects for artists. The Glasgow Boys and other artists found inspiration in rural settings and paved the way for contemporary artists to draw from Scotland’s hauntingly beautiful landscapes. The extended summer hours of prolonged daylight add more opportunities for painters to capture the essence of this land.
Art Retreats and Residencies:
OPA Sponsorship and Artist Connections
Having two OPA bronze awardees, Kami Mendick and Scott Burdick, in attendance at the Majestic Scotland Art Retreat this summer, along with master artist Susan Lyon, adds a layer of depth to the artistic experience. The collaboration of unique and diverse artists fosters enriching discussions, making the journey as memorable as the art itself. There are other delights to be found in Scotland, her world-class museums in Edinburgh and Glasgow, along with the Scottish Highlands and the misty isles of the West Coast make it a destination of discovery no matter where the road takes you.
If you’re eager to be part of this extraordinary group of painters, reach out to Workshops in France with any questions about Majestic Scotland or other upcoming workshops at team@workshopsinfrance.com.