Olhão, Portugal: A Painter’s Algarve

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Forget the resort strip. Olhão is where the Algarve still lives and works. Its whitewashed, flat-roofed houses stack up like geometric blocks beneath a huge southern sky, and morning light slides down narrow lanes toward a working harbor where fishing boats come and go with the tide. Wander the waterfront market, then climb to a rooftop terrace and watch the town’s cubist rooftops glow as the day warms. Beyond the harbor, the Ria Formosa lagoon spreads out in ribbons of sand, salt flats and shallow, shimmering water. A short ferry ride carries you to car-free islands where the palette shifts from terracotta and whitewash to turquoise, sand and sea-glass green. 

Spend a week immersed in the art of plein air painting under the guidance of Shirley Lehner-Rhoades, a professional graphic artist, typographer and painter with more than thirty years of experience. Shirley’s warm, encouraging teaching helps painters of every level see more, paint with confidence and bring home work they’re proud of.

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Your creative home: the Chichester House

Your base is the beautifully restored, centrally located Chichester House, featured in Home & Gardens magazine. Each morning begins with a live painting demonstration from Shirley, set against sweeping views over the rooftops from the sunlit patios. Then you’ll set up your easel and paint, with inspiration at every turn, steps from your door and throughout the surrounding streets.

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Island days

Twice during the week, we’ll board ferries to the barrier islands of Armona and Culatra, where colorful, flower-adorned cottages, unspoiled nature and pristine beaches make for some of the most paintable scenes in the region. It’s the kind of day that stays with you long after the week is over: salt air, open skies and a brush in your hand.

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What to expect

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• Daily demonstrations and personal guidance from an accomplished professional artist

• Painting in extraordinary locations, from historic rooftops to island beaches

• A relaxed, supportive atmosphere for beginners and experienced painters alike

• A week-long stay in a magazine-featured designer townhouse at the heart of it all

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Spaces are limited and small groups fill quickly. Reserve your place today.​​

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We will be walking on old, cobbled streets, and at the beach, with your painting supplies -- participants should be comfortable with carrying their gear on uneven surfaces and should be fit enough to walk unassisted, and be able to manage going up and down steep, uneven stairs with their gear. Not recommended for people with limited mobility.