FAQ
Everything There Is to Know About the Painting Retreats
By Car
Bovesse is conveniently located in the heart of Belgium, making it an easy drive from major cities:
From Namur: Just a 15-minute drive (approx. 10 km).
From Brussels: About 45 to 55 minutes via the E411 (approx. 55 km).
From Charleroi: Roughly 25 minutes via the E42 (approx. 32 km)
Free parking is available.
By Public Transport
Nearest Train Station: Saint-Denis-Bovesse, which is about a 15min walk from the studio.
From Namur: Trains take 10min. Please note there are only trains every 2h during weekends. The train times correspond more or less with the workshop hours.
From Brussels: Take a direct train to Gembloux and switch to a local train towards Saint-Denis-Bovesse (total travel time approx. 1 hour 15 mins).
Bus: TEC Bus Line 72 or 33 from Namur takes about 45min. The studio is a 3min walk from the bus stop. Please note buses are not very frequent either (every 1 to 2h).
La Bruyère has several Gîtes and Chambres d’hôtes. Check the website of the local Tourism Office for an overview, or find a place on Booking.com or AirBnB.
If you’re not travelling by car, it will be easier to find a hotel in Namur and take the train to get to the studio.
Just your personal things. We provide all painting materials. If you’d like to protect your clothing from potential paint spatters, please bring an apron.
The workshop targets adults and anyone is welcome, whether you’re in you’re 20s or your 70s!
- For wine lovers: Domaine du Chenoy (4min by car or a 25min walk from the studio) organises guided tours at 2pm on Saturdays. The tours take 1.5-2h and finish with a wine tasting.
- There a lot of walking or cycling trails in the La Bruyère. Check the website of the local Tourism Office for an overview. A great resource to build your own trail is NodeMapp.com
- Visit Namur, the capital of Wallonia. The city has a lot of history, nice museums, and plenty of small, cute boutique shops. Must-do’s: take the cable cart to the Citadelle and have a drink in the café-restaurant Le Panorama at the top.
If you come by car, there are plenty of options in the local area. Check here for an overview.
If you come by train, it’s tricky! Your best option is to have lunch in Namur. If you want to stay on site on Saturday for the wine tour, let me know and I will see if I can provide lunch for you.
I speak Dutch, French and English, so I can help you in either of those three.
That depends on demand: if there are enough enquiries, I will add additional dates. So please do get in touch and let me know you’re interested!
Yes, you can enrol together, but of course this depends on availability – if I already have several participants on your weekend of preference, it might not be possible.
If you want your own, private event: this requires a minimum of 3 people. You can suggest a date and I will let you know if it’s possible.
Traditional oil painting often involves solvents like turpentine or white spirit, which can indeed produce strong fumes. However, because I developed an sensitivity to these materials over the years (even for the supposedly more healthy alternatives), my studio is a solvent-free environment.
For the initial layers, we use either acrylic paint or Cobra water-mixable oil paint. This allows us to use plain water as a dilutant instead of harsh chemicals, making the experience safe, odorless, and much more pleasant for everyone.
As to what to expect, I will walk you through how to best work with oil paint. One of the biggest differences from acrylics is the drying time: oil paint stays wet much longer. The advantage is that when you make a mistake, it is very easy to go back in and correct it. The disadvantage might be taking your work back home on Sunday, because it will still be a bit wet!
You can reserve your spot by filling out our Registration Form.
You will receive a personal email with an invoice a few days after submitting your registration form. Your booking is confirmed once payment has been completed via bank transfer (within 14 days of receipt and prior to the start of the painting weekend). The price is €145.
What is the Cancellation Policy for the Painting Retreats?
As Wine Tess Art is an officially registered small business, it’s important to set out clear guidelines. This ensures we’re both on the same page:
What if you need to cancel?
Life happens! Because materials are purchased in advance and I reserve a spot for you, the following policy applies:
Up to 3 weeks before the weekend: Full refund.
Between 3 weeks and 7 days before the weekend: 50% refund.
Less than 7 days before the weekend: Non-refundable. You are more than welcome to pass your ticket on to a friend to take your place at no extra charge!
What if the weekend is cancelled by Wine Tess Art?
The weekends require a minimum of 3 participants to run. If we don’t reach this number and the weekend cannot go ahead, I will notify you at least 7 days in advance. In very rare cases of force majeure (such as sudden illness of the instructor), the weekend might have to be cancelled last minute.
In either case, you will receive a 100% refund of your registration fee. If you don’t hear from me, everything is running exactly as planned!
Please note: Wine Tess Art cannot be held responsible for any travel or accommodation expenses you may have incurred. We highly recommend checking the cancellation policy of your lodging when booking your stay.