NEW ZEALAND – Watercolor Journal with Sharon Pitts
Sharon Pitts
November 11 - November 19
$4250Exploring Watercolor at the Edge of the World
This is part of the Il Chiostro – Upside Down! series which mirrors our popular Autumn Arts Festival in Tuscany. This series is held in the southern hemisphere. In 2017, we kicked the program off to great success in South Africa. In 2018, we tangoed in sensual Argentina.
Our last New Zealand program was so popular that we decided to repeat it in 2026! We’ll spend 9 days in the city of Napier in the Hawke’s Bay area of the North Island. Non-painters are welcome to tag along, but we will also offer Sing Your Heart Out with Lennie Watts and Tracy Stark.
This program will immerse you in the natural beauty of the Hawke’s Bay on the eastern shore of the North Island, NZ – rivers, waterfalls, dramatic mountains, the sea, and gardens.
We’ll start in and around the Art Deco town of Napier, which sits right on the bay. From there, we will embark on field trips to nearby towns, beaches, and street life, visit the spectacular Cape Kidnappers point, see the gannet birds roost, and enjoy the bay from the heights of the Te Mata Peak.
November is spring in the southern hemisphere, an ideal time to visit New Zealand: the weather is mild, spring flowers paint the landscape, and the grapes are in development at the world-class wineries.
Program Description – Let your watercolor brushes record the feelings that New Zealand evokes.
Sharon Pitts will lead our workshop in the magnificent Hawke’s Bay. This workshop will encourage each student to capture their observations, thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the experience of being in this striking landscape. Just the words Hawke’s Bay evoke images of rolling hills, vineyards, rivers, and the sea. We will be immersed in that image!
Students will work with a book of watercolor paper to produce a personal journal of their trip. Each person will be encouraged to paint their impressions of New Zealand, from intimate village scenes to the light-filled coastal landscapes right outside our doors.
Additional Activities: We always want to understand the culture of the place we are visiting. So, in addition to or combined with the daily classes, we have organized other excursions to be selected from:
- Botanical Garden Visit
- Optional short hike to natural waterfalls
- Wine tour and tasting at the surrounding vineyards and cellars, such as Black Barn and Craggy Range
- Walking historical tour of our Art Deco town of Napier
- Māori cultural presentation and visit to an authentic meeting house
- Visits to the village of Havelock North, Te Mata Peak, and Ocean Beach
- Round Pond house and garden tour, Local farmers market
- Pre-dinner cultural discussions on topics such as the government of New Zealand, the indigenous population, local arts and crafts, etc.
- Special dinner at a winery bistro
- Cape Kidnappers Gannet bird colony tour
Meals:
At Il Chiostro, we believe that the food of any area tells a lot about the culture that hosts us. Hawke’s Bay is considered the fruit bowl of New Zealand. It’s also wine country with all of the cuisine and fine dining associated with that.
A casual breakfast will be served each morning at the hotel.
6 dinners with the group are included. There will be a mixture of meals at local establishments in town, at the hotel, as well as in the countryside. Since we are staying in Napier, we have left 2 dinners free for participants to explore other venues on their own.
Lunch is independent, although we will always suggest options, especially when we are on excursions.
Coffee and wine will be available for purchase throughout the day at the many cafés and bars around the hotel. New Zealand is a big coffee place with its flat whites and skinny cappuccinos. This is your opportunity to meet and interact with the locals on their turf. “No worries!”
Your Guides:
Linda and Michael of Il Chiostro will be with the groups every step. This is our third year offering programs in New Zealand, so you will reap the benefit of what we discovered last time.
In addition, we will also have our local drivers organized by our friend Di McBain, who has helped us enormously in navigating the local roads and culture.
Price: $4,250 p/p ($3,950 for non-participants)
- Single supplement $600 (limited number available)
Includes:
- 8 nights – double or single room with private bathroom in the Masonic Art Deco Hotel of Napier
- Breakfast each day
- 6 dinners with the group, including wine
- Workshop tuition – daily watercolor classes with Sharon
- All general activities and excursions (as noted above)
- Transportation for all excursions
Departure is on Thursday morning, November 19th. Napier has an airport, or you can continue your travels to other points in New Zealand or Australia (hey, you’re there…)
Price does not include:
- Airfare*
- Museum admissions
- Art supplies
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Gratuities
*We will meet the group at the hotel in Napier. You can fly into their airport and take a taxi. Or you may choose to arrive in Wellington or Auckland and travel around before the program.
To Register: just click on the Sign Up Now button. A non-refundable* deposit of $500 is required to secure your spot in the workshop. Payment can be made online with a credit card, or you can follow the instructions to send in your registration and payment by mail. Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a formal Registration Confirmation with further information about the program. You will receive 2-3 other correspondences by email before the workshop with information about New Zealand, a supplies list, and an electronic invoice for the balance. Final Balance is due by September 1st, 2026. Any time before your arrival, if you have questions about anything regarding the trip or the program, you can contact us by email or phone, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Cancellation policy:
$500 deposit is non-refundable. For cancellation:
- 60 days prior to workshop, full refund due less non-refundable deposit.
- 30-60 days prior to workshop, 50% refund of balance paid allowed, less non-refundable deposit.
Less than 30 days prior to the workshop, no refund due.
Il Chiostro recommends personal travel insurance to cover the possibility of unexpected or last-minute cancellation.
Contact us for more information: info@ilchiostro.com or speak to us live at 800-990-3506.
For this program, we will be staying right in the center of the town of Napier at the boutique Art Deco Masonic Hotel.
Napier is a wonderfully art deco town 0n the eastern coast of Hawkes Bay, right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. What makes Napier special is its unique concentration of art deco buildings constructed around the same time after the old town was mostly destroyed in the Hawkes Bay Earthquake of 1931.
That national disaster resulted in Napier becoming one of the purest Art Deco cities in the world! In 1931, after the massive earthquake that rocked Hawke's Bay, rebuilding the town began almost immediately. The new buildings all reflected the architectural styles of the times - Stripped Classical, Spanish Mission and in particular, Art Deco.
Local architect Louis Hay, an admirer of the great Frank Lloyd Wright, had his chance to shine. Maori motifs were employed to give the city a unique New Zealand character - for example, the ASB bank on the corner of Hastings and Emerson Streets features Maori koru and zigzags. The town today has a well-documented Maori heritage that is celebrated in museums, galleries and in daily life. A walking tour of Napier will be part of our itinerary.
Our hotel is located just across the road from the Marina Promenade along the bay. It is also near the main art museum and the pedestrian streets and alleys chock full of shops, restaurants and cafes.
Art Deco Napier, photo by Andy Holtzman
There are a few entry requirements you'll need to take care of before you go. First off, the good news—there’s no need for a traditional visa if you're visiting for tourism or business and staying less than 90 days. Instead, you’ll just need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, or NZeTA. It's quick and usually approved within 72 hours, but we recommend applying early just to be safe.
Along with the NZeTA, there's a small fee for the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which goes toward supporting New Zealand’s beautiful natural environment and tourism infrastructure. This fee is collected at the same time as your NZeTA application.
Make sure your passport is valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from New Zealand. Please also be aware that New Zealand has very strict biosecurity laws, so anything like food, plants, or animal products must be declared on arrival.
For additional assistance, please refer to the New Zealand Immigration Webpage, which will break down all requirements in further detail.
All participants will be required to travel independently to Napier per their own arrangements.
To get to Napier, New Zealand by air, you will first arrive at one of the country’s main international airports—Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. These cities serve as the primary entry points for overseas flights.
Auckland Airport is the largest and busiest, located in the North Island near the country’s biggest city. It offers the widest range of international flights from around the world and has the most frequent domestic connections, making it the most convenient entry point for travelers heading to destinations like Napier.
Wellington Airport, situated at the southern tip of the North Island, is smaller but serves the capital city. It handles mainly trans-Tasman flights (to and from Australia) and is ideal for travelers looking to explore the central part of the country or combine a North and South Island itinerary. While its runway and location make for famously scenic landings, it’s also well connected domestically, including to Napier.
Christchurch Airport, on the other hand, is the main international gateway to the South Island. It’s well-suited for visitors planning to explore southern destinations like Queenstown or Fiordland. Though it’s further from Napier, you can still connect via a domestic flight. In summary, Auckland is typically the best airport for international visitors heading to Napier, while Wellington and Christchurch offer great options depending on your overall travel plans in New Zealand.
Once in New Zealand, you can take a domestic flight to Napier, landing at Hawke’s Bay Airport (NPE), which is located just a short drive from the city center. Air New Zealand offers regular daily flights to Napier from Auckland (approximately one hour), Wellington (around one hour), and Christchurch (about an hour and a half). This is the quickest and most convenient way to reach Napier from other parts of the country. While there are alternative options like buses or driving, flying is by far the fastest and easiest method for international visitors aiming to explore this beautiful coastal city.
Getting from Hawke’s Bay Airport to the Art Deco Masonic Hotel is simple and takes about 10 - 15 minutes by car (depending on traffic). After landing at the airport, you’ll find taxis waiting just outside the terminal, offering a quick and direct ride to the hotel, which is located on Marine Parade in central Napier. Rideshare services such as Uber may also be available, though availability can vary depending on the time of day.
For those who prefer a pre-arranged option, shuttle services or private transfers can be booked in advance. If you’re renting a car, the drive into town is easy—just follow the signs to Napier city center, and you’ll soon arrive at the hotel, which sits right along the waterfront, within walking distance of local shops, restaurants, and attractions.
Travel Agents & Insurance: Over the last few years, the way we travel has undergone significant changes. For that reason, we now encourage everyone to use a professional travel agent when arranging their trips. Travel agents save you time and stress by handling all the details and tailoring your itinerary to your needs. One of the most important services they offer today is helping you choose and enroll in the right travel insurance program. With COVID and the continued possibility of schedule changes or postponements, travel insurance has become essential, and selecting the right plan on your own can be overwhelming.
If you encounter any issues during your travels, your agent can provide quick support and solutions, taking the pressure off your shoulders. While booking through online sites like Expedia or Hotels.com may seem more convenient or less expensive, they offer little help if you need to modify your plans. A travel professional, on the other hand, is there to assist you every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and worry-free travel experience.
If you choose to Go It Alone, we highly recommend taking out travel insurance for the trip in the event of any unforeseen obstacles to your travel. We recommend Travelex (800) 504-7883 or Travel Guard International (877) 901-7599.
Napier in the Hawkes Bay area of the North island, will be our home base. All around it is the prime wine producing area of New Zealand and is teeming with vineyards and wineries. Among those are towns, beaches, cities and many cultural sites. Here is a partial list of what is nearby:
Havelock North- Quite close to Black Barn, Havelock North has a natural, tree-lined charm -- a pretty country town known for a thriving arts community, honey and friendly country style restaurants. Nearby Te Mata Peak delivers panoramic views of the region.
Martinborough- Martinborough is famous for its 20-odd vineyards (Pinot Noir is the specialty grape), most within walking or cycling distance of the wine village square. A bit closer to Wellington to the south, it's packed with colonial charm, and criss-crossed with walking and cycle tracks. Check out some other things to do and fantastic places to eat.
Wellington- Wellington is the very cool capital of New Zealand, famous for its vibrant creative culture fueled by greatfood, wine, craft beers, coffee bars galore and ongoing special events.
Te Mata Peak - One of the most loved and visited places in Hawke’s Bay — a historical and cultural treasure. Standing almost 1500 feet above the Heretaunga Plains, Te Mata Peak offers visitors stunning and varied scenery, unique topography, geology, flora and fauna and a wide range of recreational activities.
Cape Kidnappers - An extraordinary sandstone headway in Hawke’s Bay that projects out from the stunning North Island coastline into the sea. It was named by Captain Cook after an attempt by local Mäori to abduct one of his crew. The Cape Kidnappers is home to the largest and most accessible gannet seabird colonies in the world.
I have been painting in watercolor since 1980. I began painting with acrylic on canvas, and when I started to play with watercolor, I was transfixed by its luminescence. From then on, I focused on watercolor and experimented with its transparency and luminous color combinations. I continue to learn watercolor techniques that come from nature studies and from the fascinating accidents that often occur when working with watercolor. I have learned that working with and accepting these unexpected occurrences with watercolor is what gives my work its vitality and originality.
Over the years, I have exhibited my work in group and solo shows. My work is in many private and corporate collections.
Several years ago, I began teaching watercolor workshops, which have ranged from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to Maryland, Florida, and New Mexico. Recently, I have taught three wonderful painting holidays in the south of France.
These trips have been extremely valuable to develop a connection to new places to paint, but mostly in terms of allowing students a new way to “see”. These trips have also become a major part of my inner self that I tap into every time I paint, wherever I am. I know that this becomes a special benefit for every person who experiences the personal growth that comes from taking a painting workshop.
For further information, feel free to email Sharon Pitts at paintergirl@comcast.net
Website: www.sharonpittsstudio.com
