WILD ABOUT ART AT TIDES INN in IRVINGTON, VA

A Five-Night Retreat for Art Enthusiasts
May 31 - June 5, 2009

WHAT: IRVINGTON, VA (March 30, 2009). Be inspired by the beauty and serenity of the pastoral and water landscapes around the Tides Inn when four acclaimed Virginia artists share insight and techniques during 4 days of hands-on sessions focused on watercolors, acrylics, drawing, painting and mixed media approaches. Push your creative boundaries and discover your authentic visual style in morning classes, then relax and enjoy resort activities in the afternoon.

The Wild About Art package includes waterfront accommodations at the Tides Inn for two adults for five nights, arriving Sunday, May 31 and departing Friday, June 5, 2009. Package includes welcome reception, breakfast each morning, daily art workshops, a complimentary "Wild about Art" gift, and full access to the resort's many amenities, including golf, tennis, and spa. Complimentary activities include cycling, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boating.

WHERE:
Tides Inn
480 King Carter Drive
Irvington, Virginia 22480
Phone: (804) 438-5000
Fax: (804) 438-5222
www.TidesInn.com

COST: Package prices start at $1,495, single occupancy and $1,995 double occupancy

WORKSHOPS:

"Imaginative Color & Texture in Water Media: Fun & Loose Discoveries"

Acrylics and watercolor presented by Johnny Johnson
A legend in the art community in central, eastern, and northern Virginia, Johnson is known for his humor, warmth, and extensive background in art instruction. The purpose of this workshop is to explore different ways of working with water-based media. Emphasis will be placed on creative ways of artistic expression. The artist will work with traditional watercolors, acrylics, watercolor crayons and other media for mixed media approaches.

"Painting Brilliant Flowers and the Sparkling Sea"

A drawing and painting workshop presented by Kathleen Noffsinger
Noffsinger has painted solely in watercolor since 1991 studying over the years with several internationally known artists. Her paintings have been featured in several publications, including Chesapeake Bay Magazine and the cover of Christopher Newport University Cultural Arts. She recently appeared in a segment on the Chesapeake Bay for PBS and has been juried into the Virginia Watercolor Society. Capturing brilliant color and light in watercolor will be the focus of instruction in this workshop. Participants may work in any drawing or painting medium and lessons will emphasize responding emotionally to a scene and then composing a painting. Each of the four days will begin with a lesson on painting various subjects, including flowers, gardens, and seascapes, and then planning a great design and choosing and mixing colors for each subject.

"Developing Your Personal Visual Style: Exercises to Expand Creativity"

Painting exercises presented by Mary Jo Beswick
An award-winning water media painter and teacher, Beswick has been exhibiting her paintings nationally and internationally for nearly 20 years and currently teaches artist workshops on gaining access to your imagination and finding your authentic visual style. Using a series of fun painting exercises, designed to push creative boundaries, attendees will play with the concepts of design, simplification, and imagination. Play allows us to let go of our old habits and make room for new solutions and creative possibilities.

"Exploring the Possibilities"

An intensive workshop taking the artist to higher levels presented by Pat Cook
Artist and instructor Pat Cook has exhibited and won awards with her paintings both nationally and internationally. She is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. Her work has been exhibited in several museums and she has been featured in American Artist, International Artist Magazine, The Artists Magazine, and Palette Magazine. This workshop is structured to enable participants to move from where they are as artists, closer to where they wish to be by posing the question "what if?" Learning how to make decisions that separate successful paintings from the rest is the basis for this process. It goes beyond "how-to" and draws on what you already know.

RESERVATIONS:
For accommodations and workshop information, please call Tides Inn Reservations at (800) 843-3746.

ABOUT TIDES INN:
The intimate 106-room Tides Inn, set on its own waterfront peninsula in the charming town of Irvington on Virginia's Northern Neck, has been a Chesapeake Bay tradition for more than 60 years. A preferred mid-Atlantic getaway for couples, families and groups, the resort has become a destination spot for romance, relaxation and corporate bonding. The resort's luxury accommodations are furnished in British colonial style, boasting personal balconies with views of the sparkling bay. With dedicated state-of-the-art conference facilities certified by IACC and a devoted, onsite Meetings & Special Events team, leading corporations have come to trust the Tides Inn to provide legendary Virginia hospitality and personalized service in one of nature's most beautiful settings. The resort's signature fine dining restaurant, the Chesapeake Club, serves fresh, seasonal Chesapeake Bay cuisine paired with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence list. Guests and local patrons crave the nightly specialties including Paneed Chesapeake Bay Flounder, Virginia Diver Scallops and the acclaimed Carters Creek She-Crab Soup. Additional amenities include a full service spa; an award-winning 60-slip marina that accommodates boats up to 125 feet; a professional sailing school and an array of outdoor recreation, including championship golf at the Golden Eagle, tennis, kayaking, croquet, biking and volleyball.

A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Tides Inn is part of the Enchantment Group portfolio of award-winning properties. The Arizona-based spa and resort development and management firm also operates Enchantment Resort and Mii amo, a destination spa at Enchantment Resort, named "world's best destination spa" by Travel + Leisure magazine readers.

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