"Sylvie’s vision of customizing artist retreats, where participants can paint surrounded by nature and great light and go home very inspired, is manifesting at the speed of a comet. She now has local artists and internatonal artist showing interest in her vision. Teachers are returning to Jupiter Ranch studio as they love the space and the concept. She has created a safe environment for people to create in. People who take the workshops continue to come back and share their enthusiasm with friends and family who also want to take part in the creative process. Gabriola Island is the "isle of the arts" and Sylvie saw a great opportunity to create an art center limited to 12 people, bringing in quality teacher from all over Canada and United States."

-Bruce Mason, The Gabriola Sounder

This workshop definitely shifted the walls of the envelope! I'm inspired!"

"I enjoyed working on the same subject, seeing different results. Top notch!"

-participants, Dianne Bersea Workshop, March 08

"I learned to paint with colour in 2 days. I have tried for several years, but didn't have the right instructor. Nicholas was fun, engaging, easy to understand and direct in his teaching method. Jupiter Ranch is a jewel, and I feel extremely fortunate to be able to participate in art workshops in such a gorgeous setting. Sylvie, you are a gracious and warm host. I'll be back!"

 

-Lisa Dowding Carter, Nicholas Pearce Workshop, October 09

"We spent the long weekend on Gabriola Island. It is one our favourite places to hide away from the demands of the world. I like visiting the island at any time but especially when there is a workshop to attend. Jupiter Ranch is an ideal place to have a workshop. I've mentioned before how well it is situated in the countryside and the feeling of quiet and calm that pervades every stay.

"A Sampling of Our Art" was another workshop taught by Dianne Bersea. I've taken a few of her super workshops on watercolour techniques and this one was no exception. In two days we covered a lot of techniques, tips and ideas. We also covered a lot of paper!!! In this class we were only four people, which was a bit different from previous times. Personally, I found this smaller class much nicer. The dynamics of the interaction with each other was tighter and closer. It just felt cozier. We all enjoyed looking at each other's work and we always seem to pick up on the way other people do things. Some more successfully than others. That's what makes a workshop work well: we are there to learn and try new things. So it's like we are at the same level of trying the unknown techniques. Though afterward we might each take away something different and interpret ideas differently.

One aspect of the workshop was learning how to use water-soluble crayons. I have had a set of these crayons for a while, but my attempts at using them were clumsy at best. Now I know how to use them to their full advantage and they will definitely be more visible in some of my art!

 

Dianne always stresses during her workshops to be positive about your output and efforts. Putting your own work down while praising everyone else's seems to be common. I don't know if this is human nature or a product of social mores. I suspect the latter because we were always taught to avoid the sin of hubris and praising ourselves above others. Dianne insists we don't knock our own efforts. It makes it all too easy to give up and not even try going outside of our comfort zone. How else do we learn? In fact, every time one of us said something negative about our latest painting, Dianne would say we owed her $5,000.00 dollars! At one point we were up to at least $20,000.00 'in debt'. This 'penalty game' took off the pressure to make everything perfect. It allowed us to be more forgiving of ourselves and freed us up to have FUN!! And we certainly did have fun!"

-Bonnie Racca, workshop participant, November 2008. http://bonnyracca.typepad.com/bonnys_pages/2008/11/index.html

A World Apart On My Doorstep by David Morrison, More Living Magazine, 2009.