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Plein Air Sketches
[ DRAWING CLASSES ]
an outdoor drawing workshop to slow down, observe, and develop your own way of seeing.
Guided by artist Kristina Mariinskaya, you’ll draw directly from nature, exploring the shapes, lines, and light around you. A welcoming format for all levels — whether you’re starting to draw, experimenting, or looking to gradually develop your observation and drawing skills
ABOUT
Each outdoor drawing session lasts approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.
We take the time to settle in one place, gradually exploring different viewpoints and angles of observation.
The session begins with several quick sketches of 15 to 20 minutes, to get the hand moving, sharpen the eye, and capture what is essential. Little by little, we slow down and allow ourselves to linger on what begins to reveal itself.
The session ends with a longer drawing, lasting up to 45 minutes, allowing us to enter more deeply into observation and work further with details, light and shadow, and the nuances of the subject.
The idea is not to move from place to place, but to take the time to truly discover one — changing our way of looking rather than constantly changing the landscape.
The session begins with several quick sketches of 15 to 20 minutes, to get the hand moving, sharpen the eye, and capture what is essential. Little by little, we slow down and allow ourselves to linger on what begins to reveal itself.
The session ends with a longer drawing, lasting up to 45 minutes, allowing us to enter more deeply into observation and work further with details, light and shadow, and the nuances of the subject.
The idea is not to move from place to place, but to take the time to truly discover one — changing our way of looking rather than constantly changing the landscape.
All techniques are welcome: you are free to draw or paint with whatever medium you are most comfortable with.
If you are a beginner, or if you have not drawn for a long time, I simply recommend starting with pencil or ink. A few strokes are enough to get moving again, rediscover the gesture, and gradually allow the eye and hand to work together.
Here, the aim is not to reproduce a model or follow a drawing demonstrated step by step. Starting from what we observe, each person is invited to find their own way of looking, understanding, and interpreting what is before them.
For more experienced participants, these ateliers can become a space for exploration — an opportunity to deepen an existing technique or experiment with another.
If you are a beginner, or if you have not drawn for a long time, I simply recommend starting with pencil or ink. A few strokes are enough to get moving again, rediscover the gesture, and gradually allow the eye and hand to work together.
Here, the aim is not to reproduce a model or follow a drawing demonstrated step by step. Starting from what we observe, each person is invited to find their own way of looking, understanding, and interpreting what is before them.
For more experienced participants, these ateliers can become a space for exploration — an opportunity to deepen an existing technique or experiment with another.
Materials are not included in the participation fee.
If you are a beginner, you can simply come with a few pencils and some paper. But don't worry — I can lend you everything you need for your first session, including pencils, an eraser, and paper, and then advise you on the materials best suited to your practice. Please let me know in advance if you need to borrow materials.
If you already have experience, you are welcome to bring the materials you enjoy working with.
In general, it is preferable to have your own materials so that you can continue practising independently.
If you are a beginner, you can simply come with a few pencils and some paper. But don't worry — I can lend you everything you need for your first session, including pencils, an eraser, and paper, and then advise you on the materials best suited to your practice. Please let me know in advance if you need to borrow materials.
If you already have experience, you are welcome to bring the materials you enjoy working with.
In general, it is preferable to have your own materials so that you can continue practising independently.
The sessions take place in Biarritz and/or Bayonne, in different locations chosen according to the format of the atelier and the experience proposed.
The town and general meeting area are always indicated in advance, while the exact meeting point is shared with you when you register.
And if you have a particular place in mind, feel free to share it with me. I would be happy to discover your ideas and explore together other places where we could draw.
The town and general meeting area are always indicated in advance, while the exact meeting point is shared with you when you register.
And if you have a particular place in mind, feel free to share it with me. I would be happy to discover your ideas and explore together other places where we could draw.
Whatever your level of drawing — beginner, intermediate, or advanced — I will be there to guide you with care and attentiveness, share the fundamentals of structure, and accompany you through each stage of the process whenever needed.
To immerse yourself in drawing outdoors is about much more than putting lines on paper. It is a way of learning to really look at what surrounds us, and to notice what might otherwise go unseen.
Whether facing a landscape, a piece of architecture, or an everyday scene, drawing invites us to observe proportions, lines, volumes, space, and changes in light — and then make choices about how to translate them onto paper.
The first sketches are a chance to explore freely, get the hand moving, and gradually understand what makes a drawing work. With more time, we can develop a subject further, working on values, details, or composition.
Throughout the session, I guide you through this process, offering practical techniques and helping you find solutions suited to your level. The aim is not to copy a model, but to understand what you see and gradually find your own way of drawing it.
Drawing from nature is therefore a very concrete way to train both the eye and the hand. With practice, observation becomes more precise, the hand more confident, and the choices more personal.
Outdoor sketches are shaped by my own artistic practice and by more than twelve years of international experience working with artists and creatives. I share practical tools, support each person’s exploration, and leave plenty of room for experimentation — allowing the drawing to develop alongside the way each person sees.
With love, and see you soon,
Kristina Mariinskaya
FOR WHO
You’re starting from scratch or haven’t drawn in a long time. The workshop gives you a simple, practical way to begin observing, sketching, and understanding what you see — with guidance throughout the session.
You already draw and want to develop your technique through direct observation. Work on proportions, perspective, values, composition, or simply get more confident with your line and your choices.
You have your own artistic practice and want to experiment with drawing from life in a different setting. Take time to observe, try new approaches, and develop your own way of translating what you see.
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10/10 at 14H00 Lac Marion
11/10 at 10H00 Cathédrale de Bayonne
18/10 at 10H00 Phare de Biarritz
18/10 at 14h00 Port Vieux de Biarritz
10/10 at 10H00 Côte des Basques
outdoor sketches take place in small groups of up to 5 people, allowing for individual guidance and personalised feedback throughout the session
[ OCTOBER ]
CALENDAR
3: DEVELOP THE DRAWING
Choose one sketch or subject to develop further, taking more time to observe and work on form, light, values and details
2: QUICK SKETCHES
Start with a few short sketches to explore the subject, proportions, composition and get the hand moving
4: FINISH AND EXPLORE
Refine your drawing or experiment with your own way of translating what you see. The aim is not to copy, but to make your own choices
1: OBSERVE AND CHOOSE
Take a moment to look around, observe the place and choose your viewpoint and subject
[ FLOW OT THE SESSION ]
STRUCTURE
“You never know where a simple sketch might take you”
TARIF
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25 EURO
*Payment is made on site, in cash or by bank transfer, before the session begins.
If you don’t have your own materials, I can lend you everything you need to get started free of charge (paper, pencil, eraser). Just mention it in the comments when booking
If you don’t have your own materials, I can lend you everything you need to get started free of charge (paper, pencil, eraser). Just mention it in the comments when booking
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Kristina Mariinskaya is an artist, writer, and curator. She lives and works in Biarritz.
In her artistic and curatorial practice, she explores what she calls the poetic vision — the ability to perceive a hidden, often subtle beauty that reveals itself in simple things, in silence, and in everyday life.
In her artistic and curatorial practice, she explores what she calls the poetic vision — the ability to perceive a hidden, often subtle beauty that reveals itself in simple things, in silence, and in everyday life.
For more than twelve years, she has also worked alongside artists and creatives, helping them develop their way of seeing and their practice, while drawing on her own artistic research and international experience.
It is from this meeting between practice, observation, and attentiveness to the world that Sketches of Presence was born.
For Kristina, art is a path of self-knowledge and an opening of the gaze — an invitation to perceive the world with greater subtlety, sensitivity, and truth..
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
3: REVEALING PRESENCE
Drawing also opens a space of attention where we slow down, our sensations become more refined, and our relationship with the world deepens. A way of becoming more present to what we are looking at — and to ourselves
2: ARTISTIC GUIDANCE
Through experimentation and observation, each person gradually discovers what is uniquely their own: a way of choosing, interpreting, and translating what they see. An artistic language cannot be forced — it reveals itself through practice
1: DEVELOPING THE GAZE
Drawing from life gradually refines your hand, your eye, and your perception. By observing the world as it is, you learn to understand more deeply what you see and to build the foundations of your own artistic language
[ PROCESS ]
WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE ?
Kristina creates such an extraordinary atmosphere — she inspires you to work, helps you overcome difficulties, and somehow, the fears simply begin to disappear. Her methodical and incredibly clear guidance, together with the calm and supportive atmosphere she creates, gave me the confidence to pursue my own experiments.
The opportunity to draw also allowed me to see beauty in everyday things and opened up new horizons — deeper meanings in life.
The opportunity to draw also allowed me to see beauty in everyday things and opened up new horizons — deeper meanings in life.
TATYANA
[ ACTRICE ]
Kristina welcomes each participant with their own experience and individual artistic project. Her approach is both precise and delicate. The complexity increases gradually, which keeps the process engaging and challenging without losing motivation. Thanks to her guidance, I made more progress in three months than I had been able to achieve on my own over several years.
ELLA
[ PSYCHOLOGIST ]
From the very beginning, I was deeply impressed by her attentiveness and the care she gives to each artist. It is essential that both beginners and experienced artists receive equally valuable and INDIVIDUAL guidance.
I have definitely become more confident in myself and in my life in general. Today, it is easier for me to accept my mistakes and express myself more freely. Thank you for being by my side throughout this journey.
I have definitely become more confident in myself and in my life in general. Today, it is easier for me to accept my mistakes and express myself more freely. Thank you for being by my side throughout this journey.
LUCINÉ
[ ARCHITECT ]
Kristina is an exceptional curator. Her sessions are rich, combining advanced artistic techniques, clear explanations, and a variety of approaches.
She shares her experience with simplicity and offers a range of exercises that help build solid technical foundations. The personalised feedback she provides allows everyone to progress at their own pace, making the process both meaningful and enjoyable.
She shares her experience with simplicity and offers a range of exercises that help build solid technical foundations. The personalised feedback she provides allows everyone to progress at their own pace, making the process both meaningful and enjoyable.
VALÉRIE
[ PAINTER ]
Kristina has a remarkable sensitivity towards her students. Through her approach, which is rooted in art as a therapeutic path, I have not only improved my painting and drawing skills, but also learned to understand myself better.
Her sessions are not simply lessons, but a genuine space for personal growth and creative expression.
Her sessions are not simply lessons, but a genuine space for personal growth and creative expression.
FLAVIA
[ Herbalist ]
Thanks to Kristina’s guidance, which is both clear and subtle, what once seemed complex and inaccessible became understandable and engaging.
I stopped being afraid to try and make mistakes, and began to experiment more freely. These sessions allowed me to learn new artistic techniques and find greater freedom in the way I draw.
I stopped being afraid to try and make mistakes, and began to experiment more freely. These sessions allowed me to learn new artistic techniques and find greater freedom in the way I draw.
ANNA
[ ILLUSTRATOR ]
The sessions with Kristina were for me a true encounter with a medium I had struggled to make sense of. Despite having studied at an art school, watercolour remained obscure and intimidating to me — I was never satisfied with the result, and the process always felt chaotic.
Thanks to her attentive and supportive guidance, it became easier for me to express myself through watercolour, without fear or tension. I felt that I could create something personal and sincere — and that was a wonderful discovery.
Thanks to her attentive and supportive guidance, it became easier for me to express myself through watercolour, without fear or tension. I felt that I could create something personal and sincere — and that was a wonderful discovery.
CATERINE
[ ARTIST ]
Kristina is an attentive and inspiring curator, able to perceive and reveal what makes each person unique.
Her approach, rooted in a therapeutic dimension, not only helps develop artistic skills, but also opens a space for exploring the inner world through creation.
In her space, you feel encouraged to explore, express yourself, and grow.
Her approach, rooted in a therapeutic dimension, not only helps develop artistic skills, but also opens a space for exploring the inner world through creation.
In her space, you feel encouraged to explore, express yourself, and grow.
TATY
[ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ]
[ FEEDBACK ]
Participant Experiences
RESERVATION FORM
Please make sure that the information you have provided is accurate and complete
After registering, you will be invited to join the 'Seekers of the Beauty' WhatsApp group. This is where I will share the exact meeting point, any practical information, and the latest updates about the atelier.
[ EVERYTHING ELSE ]
QUESTIONS
No. What truly matters is your sincere intention, your desire to better understand yourself and perceive the world around you, and an openness to creation.
Everything else comes with time — naturally, and at your own pace.
Everything else comes with time — naturally, and at your own pace.
Kristina offers two main ways to work together:
— Individual guidance, online or in person, depending on where you are based.
— In-person gatherings and ateliers organised in different locations around the world.
— Individual guidance, online or in person, depending on where you are based.
— In-person gatherings and ateliers organised in different locations around the world.
Kristina is fluent in French, English, Italian, and Russian.
If rain, wind, or cold make the outdoor session uncomfortable, we will meet in a cosy café nearby and continue drawing together over a good coffee or tea.
Materials are not included in the atelier fee.
If you are a beginner and do not have any materials yet, I will be happy to lend you paper, pencils, and pens free of charge for your first session.
For other techniques, such as watercolour or soft pastels, an additional €5 fee applies.
In any case, please let me know in advance so that I can prepare the necessary materials — ideally when you make your reservation, rather than on the day of the atelier.
If you are a beginner and do not have any materials yet, I will be happy to lend you paper, pencils, and pens free of charge for your first session.
For other techniques, such as watercolour or soft pastels, an additional €5 fee applies.
In any case, please let me know in advance so that I can prepare the necessary materials — ideally when you make your reservation, rather than on the day of the atelier.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED