Silk Painting in Dordogne: What to Expect
Picture a week given over entirely to colour.
Six nights in the Dordogne, painting on silk alongside René Shoemaker, an internationally exhibited artist whose luminous dye-on-silk work hangs in museum collections, learning to coax dye across fabric until it glows. You will go home with finished silk paintings of your own, a genuine feel for how dye and silk move together, and the rare, settled clarity that comes from time spent making something beautiful.
The setting does as much as the studio. Château de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the home of this silk painting retreat in France, is a genuine 16th-century house in the northern Dordogne, with the warmth of a building that has spent centuries welcoming people through its doors.
Cuisine you won't quite believe, prepared by Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chefs using the produce and flavours of the region, and there are 15 hectares of grounds to wander between sessions. The time here is structured enough to be productive and spacious enough to breathe.
What the Week Includes
This Silk Painting Retreat in the Dordogne Is For You If...
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You love colour and are curious about a medium where it truly comes alive, whether or not you have ever touched silk before
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You want a holiday that actually feels like one, with proper studio hours woven through it
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You like the idea of going home with silk paintings you made yourself, after six unhurried days in the French countryside in good company
René has spent her career coaxing luminous colour from silk, and there is nothing she likes more than helping others find it for themselves.
Authentic French Cuisine
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Champagne reception on evening of arrival!
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Continental breakfast with pastries fresh from the boulangerie just steps away.
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Meals at the Château, inspired by the cuisine of the famous Perigord
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Two Chefs trained at Le Cordon Bleu will welcome you into their kitchen
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House wines with meals, local terroir
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Non-alcoholic beverages of your choice.
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Tea & coffee all day, plus snacks and aperitif too!
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Other premium wines available for purchase from our cave
Live the Château Life
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Enjoy the Château common rooms and 15 ha of grounds during your 6-night stay.
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Bedrooms are generously sized, with a small seating area.
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Mix of en-suite and shared facilities - max 2 bedrooms share w.c. or shower.
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Rooms are first-come, first-served by reservation date.
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Stay with a small group of like-minded people - limit of 8 guests.
A Day-by-Day Overview
Please note: We might adjust this itinerary due to the usual reasons - weather, group direction, or unplanned opportunities!
1
Arrival
Enjoy a champagne reception with your fellow artists as you get to know your hosts and the Château de Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Set up your workstation, and learn some fundamentals for silk painting. Enjoy supper at a local restaurant.
2
Foundations
Settle into the studio with discussion, live demonstration, and your first silk canvas. Learn to prepare your palette of dyes, learn how the dyes work with silk and fundamental techniques to control placement and encourage movement.
3
Progression
Wrap up your initial masterpiece and seamlessly transition to the next phase by concluding your first project. Progress organically to a slightly larger canvas for your second piece, allowing your creativity and skills to evolve naturally.
4
Atelier with the Chefs
Move from the silk studio in the morning to the atelier of the chefs - the kitchen! Join the chefs to learn some secrets from their three prestigious diplomas from Le Cordon Bleu - boulangerie, patisserie, and cuisine (baking, pastries, and cooking). Help the chefs prepare the evening meal.
5
Culmination
Return to the studio for your most considered work of the week. With the techniques you've learned, this is the day to bring everything together on a final canvas of your choosing. Plan your composition, mix your palette with confidence, and work at your own pace, as René offers guidance where you want it. By the close of the day, you will have a piece that is entirely your own, ready for finishing.
6
Exposition
Learn how to finish, preserve, and present your silk artworks.
Gather with your fellow artists in the evening for an exposition to share your accomplishments, then prepare your works for a safe journey home.
Step out of the silk studio and into the chefs' atelier - the kitchen! Join our talented chefs as they share their secrets, honed through three prestigious diplomas from Le Cordon Bleu in boulangerie, patisserie, and cuisine (baking, pastries, and cooking). Get hands-on experience as you assist in preparing the evening meal.
Meet Your Hosts
Meet René
"My art is powerful and dramatic, using bold colors and negative space to embody movement through urban and rural environments." Currently living in France, René Shoemaker received a B.F.A. from the University of Georgia (UGA), building a career of painting with dyes to create flowing, colorful work on radiant silk glowing with light. After retiring from her profession as a university librarian at UGA, René continued refining her art, and sharing her techniques while discovering new ways to express the world we collectively share.
Exhibiting in solo and group shows internationally, Shoemaker delights in exploring our reality through color and line. Her solo exhibitions include museums in Georgia and Mississippi, where her work is held in permanent collections.
In 2020, Shoemaker was awarded the Fiber Forward Focus Fellowship from AIR Serenbe in Georgia, USA.
These scenes bring me peace and joy. My work evokes airiness and openness while inviting the viewer inward into the mysteries of the locales. The scale of the flat colors on silk invokes color field paintings and bespoke colors arise vividly between masterful lines. Gallerist Jérôme Bel wrote of my work: “delicate dyed silk surfaces come to life with a line so singular it is almost a signature”.
Meet Sara & Stephen
We are Sara & Stephen Cole, Canadians who dreamt of moving to France. We're excited to share our dream, our home, the Château de Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
The tower of the Château is from the 16th century, and features a broad spiral stone staircase. Built by a noble family nearly 500 years ago, the 'blazon' or crest of the family still shows on the tower.
We created “Manor and Maker” to reflect the two sides of our adventure. One, to live as château owners with all the ups and downs and two, to pursue our passions as makers, creating art in all its forms. We invite others to come together, united by their passions, to share in this adventure.
We will be available on-site to ensure you have a comfortable stay.
Welcome to Manor & Maker.
Taste of the Périgord
From village markets to château meals, experience why Périgord cuisine is legendary. Valérie and Megan share culinary secrets and create dishes so beautiful you'll want to photograph them before tasting. These images capture real moments from our past events.
Testimonials for Jacintha and Manor & Maker
Jacintha set a very open and fun tone right from the start. Her teaching method is very effective - she does a demo for part of the session, then allows students to paint (while giving feedback). I love that she wants all of us to compose our own painting, rather than copy hers. She gave us several techniques I know l'll use to improve my painting in future. -- A.
Definitely exceeded my expectations. Allowed me to enjoy the finer things in life that I don't always have time to do. It was a great experience. - R.S.
A really great package of painting, food, excursions. Everything was very relaxed. Well organized, yet with lots of choice and everyone was very accommodating. A wonderful package. - D.D.
Start Your Painting Retreat Today!
Reserve your spot by completing the deposit payment below. Completing your deposit is your agreement to the Terms & Conditions.
Single Occupancy
€2995
Private room.
En-suite or shared bath (max 2 rooms per bath).
Double Occupancy
€2695
Bring a Friend and Save 10%!
When you bring a friend and share a room (or elect to share your room), you'll both enjoy 10% off!
That's a savings of €300 each!
Non-participant Partner
€995
Total €2990 for artist + partner
Share the Château experience without joining the instruction. Includes meals and chef atelier.
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What's Included
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4 days of tailored instruction by award-winning artist René Shoemaker
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5 nights accommodation at Château de Saint-Germain-des-Pres
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All supplies required for the planned artworks (additional materials available for a fee)
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All meals served at the Château
- Most meals prepared by professional chefs (arrival & departure days managed by hosts, and 1st supper is at local restaurant)
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Wines, beers, & ciders served with supper at the Château
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All non-alcoholic beverages throughout your stay
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Transportation from the pickup point (local train station) to the Château
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Access to Château common areas, grounds, and studio for free time
What's Not Included
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Transportation from your hometown to the pickup point, including airfare (most guests choose Bordeaux, or Charles-de-Gaulle airports), train connections, or car rental
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Baggage, accident, cancellation, nor travel insurance ('cancel for any reason' strongly recommended to protect your investment)
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Personal expenses, such as passport and visa expenses. telephone calls
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Meals not served at the Château
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Alcoholic beverages not served at meals at the Château
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Any extra tours or excursions off the property, should you choose to roam
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Shipping completed artworks home (there is a post office close to the Château)
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and any other items not specifically noted as included