The Accommodation

Our guests stay in our charming dépendance. This was a winemaker’s house, built in the vernacular of this region of France. Three of the rooms walk out onto a vine-adorned terrace overlooking the garden. We all dine together at a long table in the garden or at the refectory table in the house. The vaulted sitting room is an exquisitely cool retreat in the heat of the summer. There are arched niches outside it with seating for quiet repose. The indoor heated swimming pool is made from a vast old wine vat and the retained wine press sits beside it; the water descends into the pool from a giant wine barrel.

We provide all meals included in the price. The varied Mediterranean food and wine are plentiful. The benefits of a very high standard of cuisine and extremely comfortable accommodation are clear when we evaluate the quality of the work produced whilst with us! Kate Lovegrove is not only an internationally known mural painter, but she is also a cordon bleu trained cook.

We have a good, English-speaking Doctor and a good, French-speaking dentist in the village.

We strongly recommend that all our students have travel insurance.

We provide canvasses and some paper for all our courses, we also have studio easels and easel paintboxes for exterior painting.

Before you arrive you will receive a comprehensive list of the required materials, some of which you may have and some of which are recommendations, but essentially you will need the items on our list. If you wish to order materials to await your arrival with us: we have arranged a 10% discount at Green and Stone of Chelsea. They will ship any art materials for you to Aubais or alternatively you can purchase basic materials from us, if ordered in advance.

Courses 2020

The Lifesaver Course

Our very popular course of drawing and painting the model from life, in movement and repose.

Click Here To Find Out More

Portrait Painting Course

Painting portraits from life. Every technique of portrait painting and drawing from the model taught in detail.

Click Here To Find Out More

Landscape Course

An opportunity to be tutored to paint and draw plein air in our exquisite region.

Click Here To Find Out More

Generation Art

A short course for children and parents to learn to draw and paint in an artists studio.

Click Here To Find Out More

"Tod Ramos makes painting fun, exciting and rewarding.

He is the type of teacher we all want to find. I felt encouraged but always challenged in any task he taught me. What ever level you arrive at you can guarantee you will leave more advanced. In short he makes learning seem easy and so much fun.”

Tessa Campbell Fraser, world renowned painter and sculptress

"Tod, thank you for your immense patience, inspiration, encouragement and brilliant tutoring

You have a very special ability not just in your own talent but enabling others to find theirs, a true gift. It was wonderful to see how you, while still giving us the methods, teased out each individual style and gave the room for them to expand and excel. My head and dreams have been spinning with painting ever since.... Kate, you are just amazing ... the cooking... well, all those clean plates and greedy expectant faces said it all. I have been trying to emulate some of it here but it is not quite the same. And cooking is only a small part, you are the mainstay and absolute core of all fun, producer and alchemist, making that special Academy Studios Abroad mix work. Huge huge thanks to you both.”
Jo, Lifesaver Course 2015

"A huge experience in so many ways

enormous information and practice in different art skills, wonderful accommodation and food"

Kirsten

"Challenging and fun. Great food and company. Top shelf"

Roger

"I value my time at Aubais more than I can tell you

It was a full, rich experience and Kate and Tod struck the perfect balance between hard work, rest, and nourishment; work and play! Thinking about it, what I wanted and needed was to be pushed in new directions, expanded (pried out of hard earned ruts), and that is exactly what I feel happened.

Very pleasant, comfortable, well-organised. Rigorous. Challenging. Frustrating. Rewarding."

Schellie

"The landscape course at Academy Studios Abroad was a life changing event

Studying and staying with Tod and Kate combines excellent, technically grounded - yet uplifting and inspirational - tutelage with a heady mixture of delightful food and delicious conversation in a truly beautiful environment.

I learnt more about painting in oils in 10 days than I had in 7 years at 3 different art schools. I will be back for more!"

Jonny

“Great experience with you all. Thank you for your generous and delightful hospitality.”

Charlotte

"It hasn’t just been a 'trip to do a course in the South of France' for me, it has been an utterly meaningful experience

you were so right when you said to me that you witnessed a journey … I feel as though my eyes opened wider to take so much more in - that a thin film that was covering them, soon to be getting thicker, has dissolved!"

Michelle McCulloch, Tour de Horse Masterclass student, now well-known horse painter.

"The art course itself is superb

The art course itself is superb. The teaching is of the highest standard with each person getting their coaching and encouragement entirely individually. Having said that, Tod also managed to make us all feel very comfortable with each other, despite considerable differences in age, experience and temperament between us. I think we all benefitted hugely.On the domestic front I don't think it would be possible to outdo the wonderful Cordon Bleu cooking of Kate Lovegrove, the rooms were well provided for and the whole setting absolutely delightful. We were given the chance to see some of the local countryside, go to the art gallery in Montpellier, visit a market in Sommières and also relax at the weekend. The swimming pool on the property was a real treat.”
Claire, Lifesaver course

"In the vast studio of the painter Tod Ramos

Florian, a beautiful French saddle horse of 17 years to pose. With his brown coat and black mane, the horse is sketched on the white pages of students passionate about painting.”
La Gazette de Nîmes

"Tod is the most encouraging and illuminating teacher

He corrects and challenges one's work and inspires you to do better. I learned more in one week on his horse painting course than I could have imagined.”
Do Burgess, Masterclass student

"Tod Ramos makes painting fun, exciting and rewarding.

He is the type of teacher we all want to find. I felt encouraged but always challenged in any task he taught me. What ever level you arrive at you can guarantee you will leave more advanced. In short he makes learning seem easy and so much fun.”

Tessa Campbell Fraser, world renowned painter and sculptress

"A huge experience in so many ways

enormous information and practice in different art skills, wonderful accommodation and food"

Kirsten

"Challenging and fun. Great food and company. Top shelf"

Roger

“Great experience with you all. Thank you for your generous and delightful hospitality.”

Charlotte

"In the vast studio of the painter Tod Ramos

Florian, a beautiful French saddle horse of 17 years to pose. With his brown coat and black mane, the horse is sketched on the white pages of students passionate about painting.”
La Gazette de Nîmes

"Tod is the most encouraging and illuminating teacher

He corrects and challenges one's work and inspires you to do better. I learned more in one week on his horse painting course than I could have imagined.”
Do Burgess, Masterclass student

Residential Art Courses in France

Maison Jean, 6 Avenue Emile Leonard, Aubais, 30250, France.

Phone: +44 7831 529525

Email: contact@academystudiosabroad.com

Phone: +44 7831 529525

Email: contact@academystudiosabroad.com