Acrylic paint sticks to my fingers, my heart beats faster, delight & joy spread inside. Those who like us participate in creative travel in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee in the country of Salzburg will soon know this: Joy & happiness are just really contagious. Especially concerning your own creativity. Which of course you think you never have. Until it reaches you, goes right through you and pushes you to new boundaries: “I simply cannot believe it. I NEVER thought I could do NUDE drawings. I really have to do this more often … It is so much fun …!”
Quite overwhelmed, I keep talking to myself, jumping up & down whilst enjoying the view into the open Pongau landscape from the Reitlehenalm hut located at more than 1.250 metres above sea level. Yes, it is tremendous to discover new streaks of creativity as an “experienced creative traveler“. I know what to expect in an acrylic painting workshop having travelled here last year in the summer of 2012, watercolour technique is something I can vaguely remember from school but nude in the mountains ??
Well, dear readers, there is always a first time. Even for our brave, pretty nude model being patient with the likes of us. Thank you all so much for these wonderful days of inspiration here! 😀
Nature holidays of a different kind in Austria: Each year, the destination Altenmarkt-Zauchensee organizes the natura.kreativ creative workshops including really exciting and unusual ones, such as nude painting lessons high up in the mountains.
Being creative here is a wonderful feeling given the magic mountain atmosphere 🙂
I have only known dear friend & fellow travel blogger Angelika for a few days now, but a passion for the same thing has brought us together, that is during the acrylic painting workshop in Altenmarkt this summer.
My very first creative workshop in Altenmarkt this year: Watercolour painting in the beautiful garden of the old farmhouse Eckartgürtl.
Happy as a child: I am proud of my sunny flower painting and feel like in the old days at school, still wearing my plait from the traditional Salzburg plaiting workshop the day before: Yay!
“natura.kreativ” creative workshops in Altenmarkt: Creative Travel featuring song, painting & crafts
For the past four years, the dedicated team of the local tourism association in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee has successfully managed to establish itself as a destination for creative holidays in the country of Salzburg. Besides being rooted in tradition, they have managed to exert a spirit of “annual, creative gathering” among the (regular) participants to the workshops, partly due to the charm and unique characters of the tutors such as Karin Angerer (acrylic painting), Walter Puchmayr (wooden sculpture) or Annelie Leuthäuser (voice & song lessons). “Will I see you again then?” – “Yes of course: Next year in Altenmarkt!”, one of the participants calls while walking out the door. And it is true. I have already met “my” creative family from the city of Salzburg again this year, plans for next year are already shaping up: “We really have to do this more often!”, we are laughing over lunch in the historic old town of Altenmarkt.
My fellow travel writers Monika & Petar Fuchs (TravelWorldOnline), Gudrun Krinzinger (Reisebloggerin), Andreas Susana (Travelwriticus), Martin Fosczcynski (Tripwolf) & Angelika Mandler (WiederUnterwegs) are just delighted while taking in the buzzing, creative yet at the same time relaxing atmosphere around here. Altenmarkt, it seems, has each and everyone’s creative juices flowing.
Off we go: Brushes & colours beckon us at the start of the watercolour workshop with Alexander Mitterlechner in Altenmarkt who patiently explains us all we need in order to get started.
Dancing & creative travel do not mix .. or do they? My fall out with the big frame in the garden of the creative watercolour workshop!
A little later, this is the gift I have painted for dear mum: Happy birthday mum with orchids for you!
Karin Angerer (centre) is active as an acrylic painting instructor making sure each and every question is answered and taking us to new levels of acrylic painting techniques.
I am very happy about the colour and expression of my own little “masterpiece”. 😀
A little later, we are discovering the art of nude paintings high up in the mountains at this unique creative location – and I find myself with a little knack, even talent for proportions and drawing. “You see well”, instructor Alexander tells me and I cannot help feeling immensely pride: After over 20 years of wearing glasses, this is what you like to hear. 😀
Nude painting in a unique mountain landscape like this is a travel experience I will never forget.
See you up here next year? 🙂
Further information about the courses as well as the destination Altenmarkt-Zauchensee is available from the destination’s “natura-blog” and their website about creative holidays in Altenmarkt.
Among all courses & workshops I have attended over the past four days – acrylic & watercolour painting, singing with Su, baking bread making herbal spreads & cooking jam, plaiting, nude painting, singing in a choir – it is really hard to see which one I liked best. All of them are unique, all of them teach you so much about the area while firing up your emotions and touching the soul: I really feel a connection with the place, the people, all my fellow creative travelers, the traditions and cultural assets of the area. It is a unique sense of place here, allowing each and everyone to be natural with each other irrespective of age, origin or taste. “I really want to be like you when I am your age!” The old lady, who has been “commissioned” by her grandson to paint him a Tuscany landscape portrait, smiles. In only two days, she has painted three large canvas filled with exceptional studies and appearing to be young at heart and spirit. I want to be just like her one day: Happy and open-minded. It must be a fountain of youth, this thing called “creative travel“!
Disclaimer: We have been invited by the destination Altenmarkt-Zauchensee to travel to the natura.kreativ creative summer destination in Salzburg. All opinions are my own.