Linda Richichi Color & Energy Painting Holiday June 27th- July 6th, 2022 9 Nights | 10 Days in the Peloponnese, Greece A land of legends, literature and, rugged beauty. CLICK TO JUMP TO A SECTION 4 COLOR & ENERGY HOLIDAY INFORMATION 5,13 DESTINATION ACCOMMODATIONS 14, 18 PAINTING DESTINATIONS 19 WHAT'S INCLUDED 20 CHOOSE YOUR ROOM 28,29 MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR MEET YOUR HOSTS [email protected] RICHICHIART.COM +1.845.527.1146 BLUESEASVILLA.COM 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? 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. “Best Place to Visit in Europe.” Get ready to enjoy life at a Grecian pace and paint away with me June 27th -July 6th, 2022. — Lonely Planet 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 Peloponnese. Kalamata olive groves line the 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 top- rated 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. - 10 minutes walk from the villa. 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. 5-7 minute walk from the villa. 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. 5 minute walk from the villa. 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. 20 minutes walk from the villa, with some slopes. Painting and photography 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 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. Late rains extend the life of fauna and exotic flora. Average temperatures ranges from low 80’s to mid 90’s F (30-34C) during the day and mid 60’s to low 70’s (17-22C) 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. Click here for more details on weather. For more photos of the villa, visit blueseasvilla.com. © George Panagakos Villa Entrance & Dining Room Cistern and marble floors detail. LibraryLibrary 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.