Creative Courses
In the unspoilt Parque Natural Sierra María-Los Vélez this is a retreat for the creatively minded. Should your compulsion be to draw or paint, to exercise any multiple of creative disciplines, we provide the space, time and opportunity to make an art holiday a deeply fulfilling one.
We run a series of art and design courses throughout the year. The ethos of these programmes is to tailor your experience of this environment in a way which allows you to maximise your understanding and creative response. We have designed eight creative courses and full details can be found by clicking on any of the titles below...
En Plein Air - painting out in the landscape
Las Ramblas - multi-media art course based around the landscape and flora of the dry river beds.
Ancient and Popular Architecture - drawing or painting the Moorish ruins, the Medieval Castle and charming delapidated farms.
Altos Caminos - walking the high roads of the national park, breaking to draw or paint the landscape.
Art Forms in Nature - an applied arts course teaching you how to take natural form through to design.
Botanical Illustration - field studies painting the abundance of Mediterranean spring flowers.
Prospects of Nature - A course involving painting and drawing, making paint, modelling clay and generally enjoying ourselves whilst establishing a deep communion with the natural world.
PAINT SAFARI - A bespoke painting holiday for those who love landscape.
The atmosphere for these courses is very much for the guest to bring their knowledge and skills, their passions and enthusiasms to a group of people in an atmosphere of camaraderie and sharing, should your abilities be professional or yet to be discovered.
We are also host to a residency for professional artists, JOYA. This scheme will give you, as a creative guest, not only the opportunity to hone your own skills but to spend time with a professional artist (often a tutor) to talk art and artists, materials and techniques as well as the experience of being a 'practising' artist. (for further details look here).
Creative Courses
Long Break - 7 nights/6 days tuition - full board including tuition - 850 euros per person .
Short Break - 3 nights/2 days tuition - full board - 314 euros pp based on 2 sharing - single supplement - 366 euros.
Cortijada Los Gázquez is now taking bookings for creative courses. Please refer to the creative courses page for courses and refer to the right hand column for dates.
We can accomodate group bookings on dates that suit their calendar. Contact Los Gázquez here.
Green / Ecology Holidays
Set in the heart of the 'Parque Natural Sierra María-Los Vélez', this eco-chic guest house and 50 acre farm resides within a place of extreme natural beauty, profound peace and tranquillity and an awe inspiring wilderness, in one of Spain's most dramatic alpine deserts. Once five old farm houses, a cortijada, now converted into one very beautiful space, this carbon neutral guest house harnesses natural resources to create power from the sun and wind, cooking and heating with wood, and recycling everything. Rain water is harvested from the roof. Waste water is managed and utilised to irrigate the dry land. Time spent in this modern ecological guest house can offset any carbon footprint used to reach this place of natural beauty. The guest house combines uncomplicated luxury with minimal intent. On the one hand respect has been given in its restoration to the simple vernacular architecture of the building, and on the other hand a crisp eye for detail has been employed which makes the place seem stunningly modern and the perfect setting for your holiday.
There are many other activities to be enjoyed at Los Gázquez please look here for further details.
Double Room - minimum 2 nights - 85 euros bed and breakfast per night.
Double Room - single occupancy - minimum 2 nights - 60 euros bed and breakfast per night.
Cortijada Los Gázquez is now taking bookings for green/ecology holidays.
Natural History Holidays
Here at Los Gázquez, apart from stunning guided and non guided walks through the natural park we use the services of our bi-lingual and local natural history guide. Jesus can take you on tailor made wildlife excursions from Los Gázquez to countless and unique wildlife spots within Almería.
Contact us directly for further information here.
Dates and Availability
Paint Safari is a landscape painters opportunity of a lifetime. You are taken across country by 4x4 to some of the most beautiful and inaccessible places in Spain. Here in the region of Los Vélez and beyond, we live in a painter's landscape. The naturally occurring forms and rhythms, pigmented earth and clear blue skies are sublime landscapes to behold and to paint. What is more we do it in luxurious style with lunch in the shade of the awning giving you time to assess your mornings work before you start again in the afternoon.
As an introduction we are offering Paint Safari at a 15% reduction on the following dates...
8th-15th January 2011
19th-26th February 2011
9th-16th May 2011
Otherwise Paint Safari is a bespoke holiday bookable in advance. Contact your guide Simon here.
Creative Course / Caminos Altos
Caminos Altos is the opportunity to walk these shepherds paths, to be a witness to this landscape and all its natural beauty. And we have built in the possibility to capture the elements of this environment that appeal to your creative spirit.
We walk a while then break to draw or paint, the choice of medium is yours, the discussion is composition, perspective and colour. You are free to express yourself accordingly.
7th-14th August 2010 JOYA resident artist Lluís Sabadell Artiga
2nd-9th October 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
22nd-29th January 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
Creative Course / Ancient and Popular Architecture
A week of field trips to make a creative inventory in pencil, pen and paper of the lost vernacular architecture of crumbling farm houses and ancient Moorish ruins in the region of Los Vélez.
Expect wild landscapes and picnic lunches far from modern civilization.
Joya resident Artist Ellie Rees
18th-25th September 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
16th-23rd October 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
4th-11th December 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
This is a weeks multi media course formatted to explore this environment in whatever manner you choose. Its an opportunity to research, catalogue and celebrate the abundance and quiet drama of one of Andalucías special places.
JOYA resident artist Ellie Curtis (April 2011 artist to be announced)
4th-11th September 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
16th-23rd April 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
Creative Courses / Art Forms in Nature
This is an applied arts programme where one can explore the nature of form and pattern occurring in the natural world. One then has the opportunity to consider and develop a practice of manipulating these forms in preparation for applied or decorative arts, be it for wallpaper, ceramics, furniture, graphic design, textiles, etc. The choice is yours.
5th-12th March 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
21st-28th May 2011 JOYA resident artist Angie Lewin
18th-25th June 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
Creative Course / Botanical Illustration
An informal week of walking, field studies and studio work allowing the artist to explore new flora and new approaches to representing flora in their art work.
30th April - 7th May JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
Creative Course / En Plein Air
It would seem appropriate that such a place as Los Gázquez, a primal place, surrounded as it is by a wealth of natural beauty, should advocate painting from observing the natural world rather than from studies in the studio.
This is a course dedicated to painting after nature, the representation of landscape based on direct observation in the open air. En Plein Air.
10th-17th July 2010 Joya resident artist, New Yorker Melissa Marks
24th-31st July 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
30th October - 6th November 2010
JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
5th-12th February 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
19th-26th March 2011 THE GREAT ALMOND BLOSSOM SPECTACULAR
This is arguably Andalucía's most spectacular time. The spring blossom is a stunning sight and one which provides a profound sense of inspiration for any artist in any medium. Come and enjoy the early sunshine and nights by the open fire.
Prospects of Nature is designed to be an holistic art course made to help creative guests consider three dimensionality from a flat two dimensional surface. Andalucía is beautiful all year round not least because of the quality of light.
Wee have courses on the following dates...
14th-21st August 2010 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)
2nd-9th April 2011 JOYA resident artist (call to artists August 2010, resident to be announced)