Plein Air Painting Holiday in Greece September 2021

Linda Richichi Color & Energy Painting Holiday September 25th - October 4th , 2021 9 Nights | 10 Days in the Peloponnese, Greece A land of legends, literature and, rugged beauty.

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COLOR & ENERGY HOLIDAY INFORMATION

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DESTINATION ACCOMMODATIONS

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PAINTING DESTINATIONS

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WHAT'S INCLUDED

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CHOOSE YOUR ROOM

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MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR MEET YOUR HOSTS

LINDA@RICHICHIART.COM

RICHICHIART.COM BLUESEASVILLA.COM

+1.845.527.1146

Have you dreamt of traveling to Greece to paint in oil, acrylic, pastel or casein?

How would you like to spend your days applying energetic color to your paintings while visiting and photographing mountains, Blue Flag award-winning beaches, historic castles, vineyards, olive groves, and Homer’s wine dark, azure seas?

Do you love authentic travel and “secret” destinations?

“Best Pl ace to Visit i n Europe.

— Lonely Planet

”

Then join me at Blue Seas Villa, a private, Greek family home on the legendary Peloponnese Peninsula, at the seaside village of Plytra, also known as Ancient Asopos.

Get ready to enjoy life at a Grecian pace and paint away with me September 25th - October 4th, 2021.

Paint the Colors & Energy of Greece With Linda Richichi Oil, acrylic, casein or pastel.

Making time for your art helps you grow as artist.

And when you give yourself an adventure, a pleasurable experience, you add value to your life.

Wouldn’t it be great to do both and rediscover your love of life doing what you enjoy - traveling and creating art, in the heart of the place where classical art began?

So you don't get lost when seeing new colors and atmosphere, Linda will teach you a six-step process to help ease your struggle.

You'll see how to capture the colors, textures and feelings when working en plein air, in a series of online sessions, before you arrive in Greece!

In the first online session, you will meet one of our hosts, George Panagakos, winner of the American Society of Media Photographers “Best of” Awards. We will travel to Greece with George virtually, as he shares his knowledge about composition when capturing a scene with the camera.

From these photos, you will prepare sketches to be ready for our arrival.

Our goal is to give you more time in Greece to paint, relax and have fun. Are you ready to paint in plein air in “Europe’s Best Place to Visit”?

I’m ready!

Let’s paint the Peloponnese Imagine painting where Olympian gods played, where Spartans battled, and where the epic poet Homer found the inspiration for his tales, The Odyssey and The Iliad.

The romance of country life comes alive in the Pe l o p o n n e s e . K a l a m a t a o l i v e g ro v e s l i n e t h e mountainsides and citrus groves add colour and energy to the landscape.

From the quaint villages with immense character to the food that is grown and made with love, there is no doubt your heart will be wide open here.

Add award-winning beaches, historic churches and castles, sun-filled days, warm and hospitable people, diverse topography, and you have the perfect place for an artistic and soul-fulfilling retreat.

Molais

Monemvasia, lower town

Our home in Greece Blue Seas Villa in Plytra, Laconia, is a historical family home owned by the Panagakos family for over 100 years.

With 5,600 sq. ft. (520 m²), custom artisan details, cooling marble floors, and indoor and outdoor space to paint, our Greek country retreat has 6 spacious bedrooms and 3 shared full bathrooms.

Each bedroom has direct outdoor access. Upper-floor rooms enjoy their own spacious verandas with sea and mountain views, while the Xenones wing has access to the main floor veranda with panoramic views of the lapis lazuli blue bay.

You’ll be swept away by the open, airy living spaces and scenes of the Aegean Sea, Xili Bay, and the ruins of Ancient Asopos from every room in the house.

And it’s all within 5 minutes walking distance from several toprated beaches and historical sites.

© Linda Richichi

Blue Seas Villa Entrance

About the village Plytra is a charming sea-side village, and one of Greece’s best-kept destination secrets. With its accessibility from Athens (just 3.5 hours by car), inspiring scenery, peaceful ambiance and proximity to some of the Peloponnese’s top attractions, it’s easy to see why Greeks choose Plytra as their summer home.

Authentically Greek restaurants and taverns, a mini-mart with ample necessities, several crystal clear beaches and that ever-inspiring scenery are all within a few minutes walking distance.

Modern-day Plytra is also the site of Ancient Asopos, a prosperous port city until 365 AD when a strong earthquake sank the town into Xili Bay. Today, you can walk amongst its ruins on land, or discover them by snorkeling in the sea.

Are you ready to let Dionysos and Poseidon, the official Greek gods of the village, inspire you and help you find your muse?

Asopitan Beach in Plytra

© George Panagakos

Type to enter textAbout Plytra

Beaches WITHin Walking Distance Asopitan Plaz - A spectacular, Blue Flag award-winning, shallow, sand beach with picture-book turquoise water. It features a cosmopolitan beach club, clean bathroom facilities, and plush sun loungers with bamboo umbrellas for rent.

Paralia Plytra - This is the smaller, sugar sand beach central to the village. It is next to a tavern, which serves up delicious food and where you can see many of the local characters having lunch or enjoying a frappé.

Kokkines - Kokkines means “red clay.” The water is a little deeper and a little cooler here. The real cool factor is that you are literally swimming above the sunken city of Ancient Asopos.

Amouli - Follow the path from Kokkines, and up the road a little further you find this practically empty cove and pebble beach. At the right time of day, you’ll also meet the horses that live there.

Painting and photo graphy sites The Venetsanaki House — This picturesque structure on the edge of the bay was the first “modern” house built in Plytra. It is a favourite site among visitors and local legend says Theodoros Kolokotronis, the pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence, was often a guest.

The Dock — In the early morning, the local fishermen come

in with their daily catch. These old wooden boats lined up along the dock and the colourful nets spread out drying in the sun make for a fascinating subject.

Ancient Asopos — The ruins contain tombs, at least two

bathhouses, reservoirs and mosaic floors made from locally excavated marble. The view of the Aegean Sea with mountains in the distance is spectacular.

The Olive Groves — The magic and unique character of

olive trees has inspired works by Sargent, Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, and Dali. How will they inspire you?

Plytra Dock at Sunset

Olive Tree in Plytra

Seasonal Notes Greece’s landscape varies by season.

During our visit, you will find summer weather with rugged, lunar landscapes that will challenge you to master your neutrals, contrasting against deep , ultramarine blue seas.

Average temperatures range from mid 70’s to mid 80’s F (24-28C) during the day and upper 60’s to mid 70’s (19-22C) at night.

The olive trees will have fruit, the bougainvillea will be vibrant with richly hued blooms, and we will enjoy 14 hours of warm and cool light.

For more photos of the villa, visit blueseasvilla.com.

© George Panagakos

Villa Entrance & Dining Room

Cistern and marble floors detail.

Library Library

Accommodations In traditional Greek style, room appointments are bright, airy and spacious. Each features sustainable, high thread count sheets, full climate control, WiFi, and, veranda access.

The 3 bathrooms in the home are shared.

Two are located on the main floor, and the upper floor has a large bathroom with a tub and shower combination.

Main Floor | The Green or The Blue Room | Twin beds Double Occupancy Located on the main floor of the Villa, with direct main terrace access.

Main Floor | Yellow Room | Queen Bed Single Occupancy Located on the main floor of the Villa, with direct main terrace access.

Upper Floor | The White Room Shared Seaview Veranda | Queen Bed Single Occupancy Enjoy extra space to recharge.

Upper Floor | Aqua or Red Room Private Seaview Veranda | Queen Bed Single Occupancy Enjoy elevated views and sip your morning coffee on the veranda lounge area overlooking the mountains and the Aegean Sea. Monemvasia, Central Square

Explore Monemvasia - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, 30 minutes from Blue Seas Villa.

A painters paradise that’s so nice, we’ll be visiting twice!

After you walk through the archway of carved stone, you enter a magical, pedestrian-only medieval town best characterized by cobblestone streets, Venetian style mansions, multiple Byzantine era churches, and the famed, 12th century Agia Sophia Church.

Dramatic lighting at Golden Hour washes the buildings in a soft, warm glow, turning the stones lavender, earning this fairy tale fortress the nickname “Violet City.”

Click here to see a video, courtesy of Visit Greece.

Typical passage ways of Monemvasia

© George Panagakos

Gythio — We drive an hour west and head to the main port of Ancient Sparta. It is a town rich in history, and the capital of the Mani

Peninsula. According to ancient Greek mythology, Heracles and Apollo were the founders of Gythio. Other legends tell of Helen of Sparta and Paris of Troy spending their first night together here.

Our morning painting session is with beautiful fishing boats and sailboats lined up along the harbor, with the neoclassical architecture in the background.

When you are done painting, take a walk around this port town and do a little shopping. You’ll find Greek treats to take home, unique fashion, and some neat artisan crafts.

After Gythio, we’ll make a stop at the legendary SS Dimitrios for a refreshing swim and photo session in front of this world famous ship wreck on the beach.

Molaoi — Just 15 minutes from Blue Seas Villa, Molaoi

(pronounced Mol-eye) is the business centre of the municipality of Monemvasia.

Amongst the hustle and bustle of the banks, offices and specialty shoppes is a respite and refreshing change of scenery.

This little oasis, the Larnarka gorge, has beautiful cobble stone paved walkways and a lush landscape that transports us to a fairytale like forrest.

Should you choose not to do this relatively easy walk, you can paint the long-abandoned neoclassical hotel in the centre of town, whose garden has been turned into a small public park, or people-watch from a cafe on the main street.

After our painting session, our host will take us on a short walking tour to visit a handful of specialty shops offering hand-made home goods, fashion accessories and locally sourced food delicacies you can bring home with you.

Learn together with peer art reviews

Molai, Larnarka Gorge

Elafonisos - 40 min by car and a 10-minute ferry ride.

Let’s go to the beach and take the day off! Simos Beach has been included on lists of the World’s Best Beaches with its golden sands and dazzling turquoise waters.

When you return after a long day at the beach, join us on the verandas in the evening for socialising over local wine, ouzo, mezé, and traditional Greek hospitality.

To see the beauty of Elafonisos, click here.

© George Panagakos

Limeni - 1.5 hours by car This is one of the smallest and most photographed villages of Peloponnese. This ride passes through breathtaking mountain scenery. We will spend the day here painting a 50 year-old bougainvillea and delighting in a leisurely lunch overlooking the idyllic bay.

Diros Cave - 1.5 hours by car.

We might journey south towards the Entrance to Hades for a trip to the underworld.

Diros is ranked in the top 3 caves in the world with its unique stalagmites and stalactites. On this 40-minute boat tour, we go through passages and galleries with glimmering formations.

Bring a bathing suit and take a dip at the white pebble beach, or simply get inspired to create a painting with the scenery.

You can also see the caves by clicking here.

Painting location at Diros Caves

Limeni Harbor

What’s Included TRANSPORTATION • Transfer from Athens to Blue Seas Villa.

• ALL transportation on group excursions and to painting locations.

• Transfer back to Athens after our retreat.

MEALS & BEVERAGES • Healthy & energizing daily Greek breakfast.

Fresh baked village bread, savory Greek “pies,” locally made yogurt, the neighbor’s honey, fresh fruit, homemade jam and the farmer’s pick of Greek cheeses and meats. Plus, fragrant and strong Greek and American style coffee, hand picked-herbal mountain tea, & locally produced juices.

• ALL lunches on painting excursions & painting days at the villa.

(Lunch is on your own on “off” days and, after departure to Athens.)

• 4 “Taste of Greece” dinners & award-winning Monemvasia wine - Arrival day - A “light” Greek dinner of Mezédes. Experience a range of the tastes of Greece with stuffed grape leaves, grilled octopus and fresh calamari, authentic Greek salad and more.

- Group dinner at Monemvasia’s best-rated restaurant, Mateos.

- Mid-week Mezé dinner with local wine at the Villa.

- Departure feast with 5 courses, including wine, local spirits and dessert.

• Snacks like fruit, nuts and Greek treats throughout.

• Beverages: Crisp, well-water, hand picked herbal teas & coffee are always available.

ENTRANCE FEES, ONLINE & ON LOCATION FEES

TUITION & as a BONUS - reference photos for composition lesson before the trip.

* Meals vary. All foods, fruit and vegetables are seasonally selected. * Allergies and dietary requirements will be attended to with love.

Color & Energy Painting Holiday Bo ok Early and Save* This intimate trip is open to 8 painters.

Main Floor | Green or Blue Room Twin beds Double Occupancy

EARLY BIRD €3390 per person Located on the main floor of the Villa, with direct main terrace access.

Green Room

Blue Room

Main Floor | Yellow Room | Queen Bed Single Occupancy

EARLY BIRD €3490 per person Located on the main floor of the Villa, with direct main terrace access.

White Room | Private Room Shared Seaview Balcony | Queen Bed Single Occupancy

Yellow Room | Single Occupancy

EARLY BIRD €3590 Enjoy extra space on the balcony lounge to recharge.

White Room | Shared Veranda

Aqua Room or Red Room Private Seaview Balcony | Queen Bed Single Occupancy

EARLY BIRD €3690 per person Enjoy elevated views and sip your morning coffee on the balcony overlooking the mountains and the Aegean Sea.

Aqua Room | Private Veranda

Regular Price up to €3990 per person Promotion ends Dec 1, 2020

Upper Floor | Private Veranda

The Blue Room

The Green Room

The Yellow Room

The White Room with shared balcony & fireplace.

The White Room with shared balcony + fireplace (pictured above)

The Red Room + private balcony view.

The Aqua Room with a private balcony + access to the shared balcony.

Experience the Energy with Linda Richichi

Since 1999, the globally collected Artist Linda Richichi has earned many Best of Show Awards at national and international Plein Air paint outs and exhibitions. One of her paintings that received a Best of Show was at the International Plein Air Painters World Wide Paint Out in Ontario, Canada.

Notably, in 2012 Richichi was voted as National Best Intuitive Artist from About.com (then a NY Times company).

Soon after graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from SUNY, Richichi received a scholarship from the Pastel Society of America to attend the Art Students League in New York City.

Through her paintings, like in her workshops in Sarasota, Fl, you begin to “Experience the Energy” through the harmonized color vibrations in her art. She has been conducting workshops since 2002 and Color and Energy workshops since 2011 in the US and abroad.

Linda’s work has exhibited extensively around North America including the prestigious National Arts Club in New York City, where in 2019 she won the Richard McKinley mentorship award with the Pastel Society of America.

Linda is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America, a current member of the Oil Painters of America and a Signature member of the CA, NY and International Plein Air Painters. In addition to her workshops in Sarasota, her gallery representation includes: 530 Burns Gallery in Sarasota, FL and Nikki Sedacca Gallery at Martha's Vineyard.

George Panagakos

About your Hosts

Violeta de la Serna

George grew up with summers in Plytra when the “Old House” was the only house.

Those were the days when it took eight or ten hours to drive from Athens through the mountains, with nary a paved road in sight.

Violeta was bitten by the art and wanderlust bug at a young age. She studied Art History and Art Critique in Florence, Italy and has sold art in NY, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

George developed a career in commercial and Fine Art photography after minoring in Art with a concentration in Photography.

He studied under the world-renowned Arno Minkkinen at the University of Massachusetts.

Upon her move back to the U.S. in 2012, she had the fortunate opportunity of working with both PleinAir Magazine and Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine.

During that time, she had the privilege of working with, and learning from, many incredible artists who host workshops and run art schools around the world.

He is passionate about people, history, food, architecture, nature, the sea, the “student's mind" approach to life, and all things Greek.

She’ll be your co-host, concierge, and coordinator. In her spare time, she might join you or watch you paint, so she may learn a new technique or two.

George is also an award-winning photographer and your host on excursions. He loves to drive in the mountains, make photographs, and show off the wonders of Greece.

“We look forward to sharing our passion for the region, the tradition of Greek hospitality, and the magic of the Peloponnese with you.”

– George Panagakos, Founder & Owner

RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT BLUESEASVILLA.COM RETREATS@BLUESEASVILLA.COM WHATSAPP + 30 697 2025720

RESERVE TODAY AT BLUESEASVILLA.COM RETREATS@BLUESEASVILLA.COM WHATSAPP +30 697 2025720