NEW! AN IMPRESSIONIST JOURNEY INTERNATIONAL TRIP: Paris, Giverny & Provence, April 28-May 6, 2027

Join artists Melanie Barash Levitt and Lucy Coe of Jackson Art—both graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design —on an eight-night, nine-day Impressionist journey through France.

Designed for an intimate group of just 10 participants, this all-inclusive cultural art experience begins in Paris, travels to Giverny, and continues south into the breathtaking countryside of Provence. Under the guidance of Melanie, a nationally known painter and Princeton Brush Ambassador, you will soak up the landscape through plein air painting. Together, we will follow in the footsteps of legendary Impressionist masters like Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, and Cézanne, who forever changed the history of art.

Beyond the easel, this trip is designed to fully immerse you in the French way of life: explore city and countryside, enjoy leisurely café lunches, sip local wines, visit world-class museums, experience a Provençal cooking class, wander vibrant local markets, and so much more.

Upon arrival in Paris, settle into our charming boutique hotel and get to know your fellow travelers over a wine-and-cheese welcome reception. On day two, we will visit the Musée d’Orsay, renowned for its rich collection of Impressionist art, and the Musée de l’Orangerie, famous for Claude Monet’s breathtaking Water Lilies murals. On day three, we will take a day trip to the enchanting village of Giverny, where Monet’s famous gardens will be bursting with spring color and offer endless inspiration for our painting.

Throughout our time in Paris, there will be free time to explore iconic sights, indulge in world-class French food and wine, and do some mini paintings in Parisian cafés.

From Paris, we will journey south by train to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, nestled in the hills of Les Alpilles, where the landscape unfolds into fields of wild poppies, ancient olive groves, vineyards, and charming stone villages. We will stay at another boutique hotel within a short walk to town and paint along the very paths where Vincent Van Gogh created some of his most celebrated works.

Guided by Melanie’s Impressionist approach, students will learn how to distill key details from the landscape and translate them onto canvas. Instruction will cover essential plein air fundamentals—including thumbnail sketching, composition, establishing depth and light, mixing color, and practical strategies for painting outdoors. Lucy will also assist students at the easel. There will be a special introductory lesson for beginners on Day One.

Each session opens with a short lesson or painting demonstration in oils, but students are welcome to work in any medium they choose. Both absolute beginners and intermediate painters are warmly welcome. Melanie will paint side-by-side with students, offering personalized guidance and group constructive critiques.

Our day trips through the countryside of Provence will take us to a historic monastery, where the surrounding fields and foothill meadows are carpeted with brilliant red wild poppies and ancient, knotty olive trees. We will experience an amazing digital art venue at Carrières des Lumières, set within a former limestone quarry, where iconic masterpieces are projected onto massive stone walls, pillars, and floors set to music. We will also sample fine wines and paint at a local winery beneath the shadow of a 13th-century Templar ruin. We will wander through lively village markets, participate in a private hands-on French cooking class with local produce, and capture the magical “golden hour” light over the countryside. On our last evening, we will gather for a celebratory dinner to honor our paintings and our time together. The following day, students will take the train back to Paris to fly home, or extend their trip.

Come paint France with us and return home not only with beautiful paintings, but with new friendships, renewed inspiration, and unique memories. More than a workshop, this is a cultural experience to see the world as the Impressionists did and create a collection of paintings that will forever remind you of the places that inspired them.

What’s Included

• Pre-trip zoom sessions on how to pack art supplies and answer questions
• Wine and cheese welcome party upon arrival
• 9-day guided art retreat through Paris, Giverny, and Provence
• 8 nights accommodation at  boutique hotels in Paris and Provence
• Daily breakfast
• One Paris Dinner
• Macoron tasting
• Plein air painting demonstrations with nationally recognized painter Melanie Levitt
• Entry to museums and cultural sites included in the itinerary
• Provençal cooking class with food & wine
• Local vineyard wine tasting
• Ground transportation within France during the retreat
• Small group experience for personalized attention

What’s Not Included

• International airfare to and from France (Travel insurance strongly recommended)
• Arrival transportation from Charles de Gaulle airport to our hotel and departure travel from Paris train station to Charles de Gaulle airport
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Alcoholic beverages outside of group meals or tastings
• Personal art supplies and materials
• Optional activities or personal excursions
• Personal expenses and shopping

AN IMPRESSIONST JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE:

• $5,495 – Per Person/Double Occupancy Room, 8 nights
  *EarlyBirds receive a Wooden Petite Paintbox for our cafe painting- sign up by October 1, 2026  
  
• $6195- Per/Person Single Occupancy Room, 8 nights
  *EarlyBirds receive a Wooden Petite Paintbox for our cafe painting- sign up by October 1, 2026
  

NOTE: Prices DO NOT include Airfare, travel insurance, meals if not listed above, alcohol if not listed above and any personal purchases. Please refer to the above list for a complete list of items NOT included in our trip. 

PAYMENT INFORMATION:

50% Deposit Due at Time of Registration:

• $2747.00- Per Person/Double Occupancy Room 
• $3097.00- EarlyBird Single Occupancy RoomPLEASE NOTE:  Balance due on 1/28/2027 – 90 days before our trip

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY:

• 120 days notice or more you will be refunded 100% of your payment to date minus a $500 deposit for administrative and third party administrative fees.
• 90 days notice or more you will be refunded 100% of your payment to date minus a $1,000 deposit for administrative and third party administrative fees.
• Less than 90 days NO REFUNDS OR EXCEPTIONS (we recommend purchasing travel insurance)
• In the event that you have to cancel your trip with us on the 90 day or less cut-off date, your deposit and/or installment payment will be forfeited as detailed by the dates listed above.
• It is highly recommended you purchase quality travel insurance in the unlikely event you must cancel your travel plans. Your deposits are used so that we may reserve our accommodations, transportation, activities and dinner reservations and are tied to binding contracts with third party members. Because of this we have a strict refund and cancellation policy that we must adhere to which honors those contracts with third party entities.
• Your REGISTRATION for this trip is our confirmation you have read and agreed to the refund and cancellation policy stated above.

*A detailed itinerary and art supply list will be forwarded upon registration. Lucy and Melanie have been friends for over 40 years since they were 16 years old. They both attended the Rhode Island School of Design and then moved to Boston after graduation where they were roommates. Currently, they work together on gallery events, art shows and classes. They have traveled extensively world-wide and are excited to be collaborating on this  trip to France! 

Melanie Barash Levitt graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1990. She currently lives in the White Mountains of NH and is the owner of Jackson Art Studio & Gallery.  Melanie is an award winning artist who paints in a loose, impressionistic style with a brush or a palette knife in oils. As a plein air artist, Levitt paints on location braving the elements to capture the mood of the scene. Her favorite subjects are the mountains, rivers and small farms of NH and the rugged coasts of Maine. Her artwork resides is in the home of many collectors through the US, Canada and Europe. She exhibits her work in galleries and shows throughout NH, ME, VT and NY. She has been featured in Boston Chronicle (WCBV TV, ABC), NH Chronicle (WMUR 9), and has been published in various newspapers and magazines  She also has received numerous awards for her paintings in regional shows and juried events and is a member of the Salmagundi Art Club in NYC. She will also be on the staff for the 2025 Plein Air Convention in Lake Tahoe and will be giving a demo on stage.

Lucy Coe lives and paints in both North Conway, NH and Cape Cod, MA. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Studying under amazing illustrators and painters such as watercolorist Tom Sgouras, painter Richard Merkin, illustrators Chris Van Allsburg and David Macaulay she was taught to create work that tells a story. Winding roads, distant dwellings, expansive dunes and mountains all have stories to tell and are her favorite subjects. After working for many years in Providence, New York City, Boston and a tiny rural town in Massachusetts as a freelance illustrator and designer she made the move to the Mount Washington Valley. Her work is in private collections in Washington, DC, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.