Keiko Tanabe: "Painting Impressions with Watercolors"

RECOMMENDED EXPERIENCE

All levels (basic knowledge & some previous experiences strongly recommended to benefit from this

workshop)

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Do you paint everything you see, or do you paint what you feel? In this workshop, you’ll begin to see the world through a new lens—learning how to transform everyday reality into expressive, impressionistic paintings that evoke mood and atmosphere. The focus is not on replicating every detail, but on capturing the essence of your subject.

Keiko will guide you from that first spark of inspiration through a process of simplification, leading to a

compelling painting rich in composition and meaning. We’ll begin with the fundamentals: getting familiar with our materials and learning to observe with an artist’s eye.

Key topics covered in this class include:

Creating a strong preliminary drawing and composition

Exploring a range of watercolor techniques and brush handling

Understanding what makes a strong design

Mastering the relationship of light and dark values

Balancing planning with intuition

Learning how to simplify and edit complex visual information

Each day includes a live demonstration by Keiko, packed with helpful tips and insights. Reference photos will be provided for a studio workshop, and there will be ample opportunity for one-on-one guidance, individual critiques, and daily Q&A sessions.

ABOUT INSTRUCTOR

Keiko Tanabe, AWS, NWS, AIS, LPAPA. Often working en plein air, her atmospheric watercolors perfectly

capture a sense of time and place. Through her use of color, textures, and signature brushwork, Keiko’s

landscapes and cityscapes, beautifully convey both the exotic and the simple scenes of the many places she travels. Never attending art school, Keiko took only one drawing class to learn basic technical skills before she started painting in 2005. One year later, after learning basic drawing and watercolor painting skills at a local community school in San Diego, Keiko decided to paint full-time. From then on, she intensely taught herself to be fluent in watercolor painting, just as one would do to master a foreign language. Her subjects include landscape, cityscape, waterscape and interior scenes, which will be demonstrated in the workshop, using representational and impressionistic compositions. Since 2011, Keiko has completed successfully numerous workshops and live demonstrations around the world. She has 4 DVDs and several books of her art and has been featured in many art magazines.

Registration Fee: $800

Student Capacity: 15

All Levels Welcome with some experience

What’s Included in Your Workshop Stay

Your workshop package is full room + board with a simple “show up and paint” experience:

• Workshop instruction and programming

• Lodging at The Landgrove Inn

• Three meals per day, including 3-course dinners

• Welcome reception on the first night

• Gratuity included

All meals are shared together as a group — it’s a big part of the Landgrove experience and what makes these retreats feel like a true creative community.

The Landgrove Workshop Experience

Workshops at The Landgrove are intentionally small and intimate, with a focus on:

• meaningful learning and personal attention

• relationship building with other artists

• a warm, welcoming creative environment

You’ll stay in a peaceful historic inn surrounded by Green Mountain National Forest — an inspiring setting that helps you slow down and settle into deep creative work.

And when you want to explore beyond the studio, we’re close to classic Vermont destinations like:

• Manchester (Southern Vermont Arts Center, Northshire Bookstore)

• Weston (Weston Theater Company, Vermont Country Store)

• plus scenic drives, local shops, and mountain towns nearby

Workshop Agenda (Sample Schedule)

Our workshops are designed to be immersive, relaxed, and relationship-rich — with time for focused instruction, practice, and shared meals together as a group.

Arrival Day (Check-in + Welcome)

• Check-in: anytime after 3:00 PM

• Welcome Reception (wine/beer + light hors d’oeuvres): 5:00 – 6:00 PM

• Introductory 3-Course Dinner: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Workshop Days (Daily Rhythm)

Each full day follows a consistent and supportive flow:

• Breakfast (communal): 8:00 – 9:00 AM

• Morning painting session: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

• Lunch (communal): 12:30 PM

• Afternoon painting session: ~1:30 – 5:00 PM

• 3-Course Dinner (communal): 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Exact timing may shift slightly based on demonstrations, group needs, and the instructor’s teaching style.

How to Book

Please read these notes before booking so your stay and workshop registration are counted correctly.

1) Choose Your Dates

When selecting your workshop the dates will auto-populate for arrival and departure.

• Check-in (arrival) date is fixed.

• Check-out (departure) date defaults to the final full workshop day (ending around 5 PM). Check-out time is 11am if departing on the final workshop day.

• Check-out may be extended an additional night, to include the final 3-course dinner, plus one more overnight and breakfast the next morning.

  
  

2) Single Occupancy (1 person in the room)

The booking system defaults to single occupancy, which includes:

✅ Lodging + full meal package + gratuity for one person

✅ One workshop registration included

Note: The workshop fee is prorated across the number of nights you book, so it appears as part of your nightly total.

3) Double Occupancy (2 people sharing a room)

Two guests may share the same room during the workshop.

Step A: Change the room occupancy to 2 so meals are included for both guests.

Step B: If the second guest is also taking the workshop, add “Additional Workshop Registration” at checkout.

Not everyone in the room needs to register for the workshop. Many spouses and friends join for the stay without painting. They often explore the national forest, visit nearby towns, ski local mountains, relax by the pool, or enjoy a book by the fire in the tavern — while still being part of the shared meals and community experience.

4) Dietary Needs / Special Requests

During checkout, please add any dietary requirements in the Special Requests field so we can prepare appropriately.

Ready to Book?

Use the widget on screen to book, or book from the following link: Book This Workshop

Transportation to The Landgrove

If flying in to a nearby airport (Albany, Hartford, or Rutland) and seeking transportation, we recommend:

Mountain Drivers

802.772.5223

https://www.mtndrivers.com/