Orange Coconut Subject / Susan Painting Orange Coconuts / Carol Duchamp and Susan Discussing Background

Dear Artist and Traveler,

I hope these images of student art work and watercolors in process will inspire you to join one of my Water Media for Self-Expression painting classes to an exotic destination in France, French Polynesia, the American Southwest or Northern California, including my Studio on the Mesa in Coastal Marin County California, an hour north of San Francisco. In addition to group demonstation and discussion, each student receives one-on-one instruction to further skill level and the individual artistic voice. Traditionally we experience much joy on these trips, joy at the opportunity to paint daily, joy in the beauty and inspiration of our surroundings, and joy in new friendships and the camaradarie of traveling with other artists. I hope you can join me!

Carol Duchamp

Artist/Instructor

Susan Bridges-Smith Orange Coconut watercolor and Tropical Leaves watercolor. Susan is an oil painter and elementary school art teacher who had never worked with more that cake watercolors. After three or four days of practice and instruction in wet-into-wet watercolor techniques, she began producing these beautiful paintings. This is what she had to say about Carol Duchamp's August 2007 Island Watercolor class to Tahiti and Huahine Islands in French Polynesia.

"Carol, Thank you for a fabulous painting trip to Huahine. Painting in such an exotic, remote place is truly a vacation that I can get used to. Traveling to Tuscany and then to French Polynesia with Art Trek is an upscale and inspiring experience. I would recommend Art Trek to any artist without hesitation. Thank you for the valuable instructions, memories, techniques and friendships."

Maggie Herbert-Jobson of the UK kept a beautiful watercolor journal on my August Island Watercolor class to French Polynesia. She was inspired by Gauguin's watercolor journal Noa Noa meaning fragrance in Tahitian. Here's what she had to say about our class.

"A big thank you for all you did to make the class magical!" Maggie

Tatiana (our mermaid), Cynthia (who liked to paint on the wild side) and Dawn (a complete novice) loved the class. Here is what Cynthia had to say.

"Thank you for a wonderful trip, great companionship, helpful classes and your "Tahiti's Mr. Horn" travel essay. It was a trip of a lifetime." Cynthia