Summer workshop with Giacomina Ferrillo
June 21st to 27th 2026
"Botanical Sketching. How to create rich and harmonious pages that study and talk about nature."
A week of drawing Alpine flora with Giacomina Ferrillo, learning the ink pen technique, and an introduction to botanical watercolor in the beauty of Swiss Alps.
Limited to 10 participants
Limited to 10 participants
CHF 2985.- per person in an individual room
What's included:
• 6 nights of accommodation in your own room
• 3 meals a day
• visit of the alpin botanical garden with a local botanist
• guided walk harvest wild edible plants
• special lunch in a century old barn
• Daily art classes
What's not:
• International flights
• transfer from and to the airport
• Travel/Medical Insurance
• Soft and alcohol drinks
• Personal expenses
• Art materials (see below)
Giacomina's Recommended Material List (this list will be sent to you by email once you have confirmed):
Sketchbook:
- Favorite sketchbook you usually use, not spiral bound, about A5 size plus one (optional) with 100% cold pressed cotton paper. Some sheets of Fabriano Artistico 300g cold pressed paper will be available in the studio to try my technique. (On the market sketchbooks with 100% cold pressed cotton paper are produced by Koval, Hahnemühle, Etchr)
Watercolor paper:
- a pad of 100% cotton hot pressed paper, 300g. 23x30,5cm -9x12inch (Fabriano Artistico, Arches, Fontaine, are my favourite)
A ceramic palette or a simple ceramic plate
Pen:
- Fine liner ink pen in black or sepia or grey, 003 or 005 size. Micron, Unipin or Copic are a good choice. I recommend having with you for the sessions also some of them low in ink.
Pencil:
- Mechanical pencil (0.35 or 2.00 mm) with 2H and HB or traditional if you prefer.
Eraser:
- Staedtler Mars Plastic is good.
Brushes:
- I recommend sable brushes numbers: #3, #1 and number #1 miniatures from Winsor & Newton 7 Series or the numbers #2 ,#3/00 Raphael 8408 series and a number #1Raphael series 8400. Both are excellent. I also
recommend a small flat brush, #1 or 2 with synthetic bristle.
Watercolors:
- Box of professional quality watercolors with a standard palette.
Waterbrush:
- Medium size water brush. Pentel are good
a magnifying glass or lens, if you use it, can help.
A good dose of enthusiasm is absolutely required.
Any questions you want to ask me I’m at your disposal.
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Meet Giacomina Ferrillo
Giacomina Ferrillo is an Italian artist with a rich and versatile background. She has a degree with honour in Scenography, Art of Printing Techniques, Graphic Design and a Master in Illustration. During her career, she has held various professional positions in the theatrical field, interior design and publishing. As an illustrator and author she has published a dozen children's books, translated into several languages.
Since many years she has been completely dedicated to botanical art, in love with the discipline itself and the continuous sense of amazement that it is capable of arousing. She is ASBA member, for which she exhibited in 2024 at the Society of Illustrators in New York.
Four times SBA exhibition attended, she was awarded the RHS Silver-Gilt Medal in 2024.
Giacomina has drawn every project, large or small, throughout her career in the pages of a sketchbook before bringing them to life. Recognizing the enormous power of this tool, both professionally and personally, she shares her knowledge about it through workshops and classes, promoting the benefits of the botanical sketching practice as a space to cultivate one's own creativity.
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What will the week look like
In this week of observing alpine flora, Giacomina will introduce you to the ink pen technique and the basics of botanical watercolor.
The central themes of the lessons will be:
- ink drawing on rough paper
- how to choose the subject
- the composition of a page
- how to add lettering, color, carried shadows and small geometric studies in sketchbook pages
- introduction to the botanical watercolour technique
Through studio lessons and outdoor practice but above all how to create pages that tell stories and capture the poetry of natural forms.
We will also visit the alpine botanical garden of La Thomasia in Bex, which is one of the oldest alpine Botanical gardens in Europe still functional. And one day we will also go for a short hike around the hotel with a local guide to discover the edible plants around us. Don't forget your sketchbooks for this one!
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The botanical garden you will visit
La Thomasia Alpine Botanical Garden is located in the heart of the Vaud Alps at an altitude of 1260 meters, where it occupies part of the vast Pont-de-Nant pasture, at the foot of the imposing Grand Muveran wall, which rises to more than 3000 meters. Founded in 1891, La Thomasia, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2016, is one of the oldest Alpine gardens that has never ceased operations. The 2,000 alpine plants cultivated come from the mountains of all continents. Special emphasis is placed on species from the Vaud Alps, for example the Alpine pulsatilla.
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Where you will spend the week
The week will be spent in an eco-responsible village in the beautiful valley of Valais, at 1200 meters altitude. You will stay in small wooden chalets, made of local larch wood where you will immediatly feel at home. Each chalet has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms distributed in generous volumes and flooded with light. A private terrasse with a breathtaking view of the Rhone valley with lake Geneva in the horizon completes your cosy cabin.
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How to reach the place
By public transport:
The nearest airport is Geneva (GVA). There is a train station directly inside the airport. The closest train station to Whitepod is Monthey. The interregional train takes you to Aigle, than a regional train from Aigle to Monthey. Timetables and prices can found on www.cff.ch.
From Monthey train station (CFF), the bus n° 63 goes all the way up to Les Cerniers. We are located at the final stop «Les Cerniers Restaurant». Count approximately 45 minutes for the bus ride up. (Bus n°63)
By car:
Highway A9, exit n°19 Bex – Lavey. Drive direction Monthey. Arriving at the roundabout at entrance of Monthey, follow Choëx. Drive up up up, follow Les Giettes, Les Cerniers. The chalet Les Cerniers will be on your right when you arrive.
Parking is right in front of the chalet Les Cerniers.
Taxi pick up options
Prices per trip, not per person
Pick up from Geneva airport CHF 450
Pick up from Aigle train station CHF 115
Pick up from Monthey train station CHF 60
