Week long stencil printing workshop
At the foot of the Pyrenees - March 13 -20th 2027
A stencil printing workshop at Clos Mirabel
Come with me to South West France in the foothills of the Pyrenees (near the historic city of Pau), to print together amidst the outstanding beauty of Clos Mirabel. You will be spoiled with good food and wine, dining together in the 18th Century Manor house. The garden with its spring flowers provides a unique connection to nature that you can translate into your own fabric prints using the stencil printing techniques taught. Beyond the grounds, the extensive library at Clos Mirabel offers a wealth of additional inspiration for your creative projects.
Explore and learn stencil printing on fabric
This workshop will guide you through layered stencil printing, a versatile technique for creating both unique individual prints and repeating patterns. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, maker or designer eager to explore a new medium, this course is designed to suit you. My approach welcomes all styles from naturalistic to abstract. While there is a structured program, I always encourage you to delve deeper into aspects that interest you, allowing a personalised learning experience tailored to your interests and skill level.
By the end of this workshop, you will have gained the skills and confidence to continue your printing journey at home. As part of the course, you will receive a set of brushes to keep, the fabric pieces you have created, and a collection of informative materials covering the techniques explored.
The course fee is inclusive of all necessary materials, including fabric, so you can focus entirely on your creative exploration
A warm welcome at Clos Mirabel
My course in 2027 will be my second, I was there in 2025 and I loved it so much. The staff of Clos Mirabel are extremely welcoming and caring and will cater to all of our needs. The cooking is excellent (think Ottolenghi style) and prepared with fresh produce from the vegetable garden.
On colder evenings the fire will be burning, and with the sun out during the day we will take luch and aperitifs on the terrace.
The studio is large and equiped with everything we may need and more. The woodburner will be on when we get in as mornings can still be chilly and there is a substantial library with many books to draw inspiration from.
Come alone or bring someone with you
If you arrive by yourself you will be surrounded by people with similar interests who will want to get to know you. In my last workshop this has led to quite a few lasting friendships. This course however is also very suitable for anyone who wants to take a non participating family member or friend. They will not be alone, there are already quite a few non participating guests registered and there are many interesting things to do or places to visit.
Clos Mirabel is a few minutes from Pau and only 30 minutes from Lourdes. It is less than an hour from the mountains, ski resorts, cycling routes and hiking paths of the Pyrénées Atlantiques. Biarritz, on the Atlantic Coast, is an hour away, as is the Spanish border. San Sebastian in the Spanish Basque Country is only an hour and a half away. Bilbao with its Guggenheim Museum is an easy day trip. Bordeaux and Toulouse are two hours away.
What participants said about this workshop:
Polly
“A fantastically thorough course for all abilities in an exquisite setting, Pauline’s patient teaching opened up a whole new skill set for me to explore.”
Thelma
When I signed up for your course I didn't know what I would find. Little by little we were taught with patience, dedication and generosity and suddenly we were making patterns and recognizing ourselves as pattern creators in our universe. Day after day we were acquiring autonomy knowing that we achieved this because of Pauline's help and know-how.
Nerissa
I attended Clos Mirabel 2025 to gain hands on experience with registration, repeats and other technical aspects of print making. I left with these skills, amazing memories and new friends. Pauline is a master print maker, patient, kind, encouraging and just all around lovely to learn from. My life is enriched from this experience.
Read more reviews here.
Prints and patterns from 2025 workshop
A selection of the prints and patterns made in the 2025 workshop at Clos Mirabel, showing a variety of styles and backgrounds of makers.
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