Mixed Media Art Workshop on the Costa Brava, Spain with Karen Stamper
Join teaching artist Karen Stamper for 7 days on a collage journal workshop based in Barcelona and Calella de Palafrugell, Spain.
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Overview
Join us for a six-night collage sketchbook journey through Spain with teaching artist Karen Stamper, one night in Barcelona, then five nights on the Costa Brava in the seaside village of Calella de Palafrugell. Days move between Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and Art Nouveau landmarks, and the coastal villages, pine forests, and medieval towns of the Costa Brava.
Karen builds pages the way she travels, layer by layer, gathering scraps, ephemera, and impressions along the way. Students work in an A5 concertina sketchbook, building up ten to twenty pages of paper collage, inks, watercolors, gesso, and drawing tools across the week. By the end, your sketchbook holds Spain in torn paper, ink, and color.
The Creative Experience
This is a collage sketchbook program, worked in an A5 concertina sketchbook, layering paper collage, inks, watercolors, gesso, and drawing tools. Karen provides inks, gesso, and some collage papers, and the group collects more along the way. Sessions run about two to three hours, with informal working time throughout the week.
This Vacation Includes
- Art Workshop Program: Daily art class with Karen Stamper
- Blue Walk Tour Program: Daily excursions to discover authentic Sicily
- Hotel Barcelona: 1 night at our select, 4 star hotel in the historic center
- Hotel Costa Brava: 5 nights at our 3 star, seaside hotel in Calella de Palafrugell
- Daily Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast daily
- Welcome Dinner
- Farewell Lunch
- Depart Airport Transfer: Departure group transfer from Costa Brava to Barcelona Airport (scheduled to arrive by 10am)
- Gelato!
- Taxes & Fees: All hotel taxes and fees included
What's Not Included
- Airfare
- Porterage of luggage
- Tips and gratuities
- Meals not mentioned
- Arrival Airport transfer
- Travel insurance
- Art Supplies
About YourArtist-Teacher
Karen Stamper
Karen grew up on the east coast of Yorkshire as a happy beachcomber, drawn to paint-peeling boats, gaudy plastic scraps, and brightly colored fishing floats. Those boatyard memories became her lifelong subject. At art college, she was drawn to the dense, flat colors of silk screen printing, and a travel scholarship brought her face to face with Matisse’s cut-outs for the first time, the scale, the intensity, the pinholes and torn edges left a lasting mark on her work.
She developed her collage practice while teaching secondary school art, combining found papers with layers of painted paper and water-based paint, constructed and deconstructed again and again until the surface holds together. She left teaching over a decade ago to pursue collage and sketchbooks full time, and has since exhibited with &Gallery, ING Discerning Eye, Bankside Gallery, and the Society of Women Artists, winning their Body of Work Prize twice. She was a Contemporary Collage Magazine prize winner in 2023 and longlisted for the Jackson’s Art Prize in 2024.
Day by DayYour Itinerary
Programs are subject to change. Actual daily schedule may differ.
Day 1 · Arrival in Barcelona
Gather at the hotel in Barcelona for a welcome meeting, followed by a stroll through the Gothic Quarter and a welcome dinner of tapas.
Day 2 · Encants Market, Onward to the Costa Brava
A morning visit to Sant Pau, followed by a stop at the Encants flea market for an hour of treasure hunting and quick sketches among the stalls. In the afternoon, transfer to Calella de Palafrugell on the Costa Brava, with a first class and aperitivo on arrival.
Day 3 · Terrace Mornings & Llafranc Gelato
A morning class on the terrace, followed by free time in the village, a swim, a leisurely lunch, or simply time by the sea. Late afternoon brings a coastal walk to Llafranc for gelato.
Day 4 · Pals to Peratallada
A drive to the medieval town of Pals, with free time to explore, followed by a walk through the countryside to Peratallada for lunch among its cobblestone streets. Back at the hotel, an afternoon class draws on the day’s finds.
Day 5 · A Beach Day at Platja de Castell
A walk through coastal pine forest to Platja de Castell for a beach day, lounge chairs and umbrellas included, before an evening class on the terrace.
Day 6 · Farewell in Palamós
A morning walk along the coast from Platja de Castell to Palamós, followed by a farewell lunch at a family-run restaurant in the old town. A final class and sketchbook show-and-share close the week.
Day 7 · Departure
Breakfast, then depart at your leisure. No group activities are planned.
A Note on Pace
View MapWhere in the World?
The trip begins in Barcelona and ends at Barcelona Airport (BCN).
Get inspiredGallery
Traveled, Created, Loved It
“Checked all the boxes!”
Jennifer A“We had a great time!! Nice meeting everyone!!!”
Susan L