2025 - Sonbahar Bitki Resim Kursu, İsviçre

Bir hafta boyunca, öncü bitki ressamlarında Işık Güner ile, Engadine'nin sonbaharda altın sarısına bürünmüş larç ağaçlarına odaklanarak bitki resimleri ile derinlemesine bir deneyim yaşamak için, İsviçre'nin Pontresina köyünde keyifli bir yolculuğa çıkıyoruz

Spend a week with Isik Güner, a leading botanical artist, in the picturesque village of Pontresina for an immersive experience in botanical illustration, with a focus on the golden larches of the Engadine in autumn.

12 - 18 October, 2025

Limited to 10 participants

CHF 3100.- per person in a standard double room single occupancy with ensuite bathroom.

To apply - info@sukharetreats.com

What's included:

6 nights of accommodation in a standard double room in single occupancy (if you want to come with your partner this is possible. Please take contact for pricing).
3 meals a day
1 special lunch in a special place
access to the wellness area of the hotel
guided tour in the forest to understand the local tree species and their role in a high altitude village
private visite of the Mili Weber museum in St-Moritz
daily art classes with Isik Güner

What's not:

International flights
Transfer from and to the airport
Parking at the hotel (20.- CHF per day) if your coming by car
Travel/medical insurance
Soft and alcohol drinks
Personal expenses
Art material (See list below)

Recommended material list:

Drawing Pencil (2H, HB, 2B, 4B)
 2. Divider
 3. Eraser
 4. Sharpener
 5. Tracing Paper 
6. Sketching paper (Smooth surface Cartridge paper or pad, 120-160 g/s, A3 or A4 size)
7. A range of Watercolour brushes (Number 4, 3 or 2, and some small number of brushes will be useful for fine details)
 8. Palette
 9. Watercolour pigments (Winsor&Newton Artists’ Value is recommended but any pigment you prefer to use) 
10. Watercolour Paper (Minimum 300 g/s, Hot Pressed, 50-100% Cotton watercolour paper is recommended, but don’t hesitate the one you like to use.  
11. Backboard (if possible)

What will the week look like

This week invites you to explore the art of botanical illustration through the theme of autumn, with a special focus on the majestic larches of the Engadine. Nestled in the heart of the valley, the picturesque village of Pontresina offers the perfect setting to capture the beauty of the alpine landscapes and local plants.

Over the course of the days, we will closely study the larches and their golden needles while exploring the incredible diversity of the Engadine flora in autumn, a time when the forests are adorned with vibrant colors and the mountains are shrouded in mist. You will be guided through each essential step of traditional botanical illustration, from the measuring of the plant to the watercolor techniques.

Each morning, Işık will demonstrate the different techniques and approaches that achieve life-like paintings. You may choose your own specimen on which to practice and to complete under Işık’s guidance. The classes will help you to combine a scientific accuracy with an aesthetic vision to create beautiful botanical paintings. 

During the week, we will have the opportunity to enjoy a guided walk through the woods to learn about the phenomenon of the golden larches, as well as the importance of forests in high-altitude villages like Pontresina. We’ll explore the types of trees and the general flora that thrive in this unique environment.

One afternoon, we will also visit a very special and hidden location on the shore of Lake St. Moritz: the former home (now museum) of Swiss artist Mili Weber (1891-1978), who dedicated her life to depicting nature, primarily through watercolor. We’ll have the chance to view some of her original works.

Mili Weber House

The Mili Weber Museum is of national importance and is protected as a historical site. Mili Weber (1891-1978) was a Swiss artist illustrator of various fairy tales, well-known for her flower children and her interpretation of nature which was her main theme. She worked primarily in watercolor.

In Mili Weber’s works, flowers are given a life of their own – for they take the form of children, growing out of a bud, with blossom wings that carry them up into the sky, the flower stem extending over their heads like a protective umbrella. In Mili Weber’s world, everything is alive: blossom petals falling into the water become swans, fuchsias serve as a team of horses pulling a carriage, and rays of light appear as harp strings.

More than just a house: Mili Weber transformed her home into a magical work of art, where walls and ceilings are becoming her canvas. You will have the chance to see her original work through a private guided tour of her house now the museum.

Where you will spend the week

Pontresina is situated in a wind-sheltered valley at 1805 meters above sea level and a mere 10 minutes drive from well known St-Moritz. The village of Pontresina is very close to the Bernina Massif with the two most famous peaks of the Engadine : Piz Palü and Piz Bernina. Standing at 4049 meters, the Bernina is the highest peak in the Eastern Alps. The main actress here is nature herself. She has all the space she needs to thrive and grants her visitors endless possibilities to enjoy her beauty.

We will be staying in a beautiful hotel located in the heart of Pontresina, in a traditional Art Nouveau house founded in 1881. The hotel offers a perfect blend of comfort, tradition, and modern amenities, such as fitness and wellness area. Each participant will have it’s own room with ensuite bathroom and view on the mountains.

We’ll enjoy local and homemade delicious food.

Traveling to Pontresina

If you’re arriving by plane the closest international airport is Zurich. And from there the easiest way to reach Pontresina is by train. The train station is within the airport. It’s approximately 3h40 depending on the connections and the journey with the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) from Chur is one of the most scenic and interesting train routes in Europe with it’s tunnels and dizzying viaducts. In 2008 the Rhaetian Railway Albula and Bernina lines became UNESCO World Heritage sites. So take the train, it’s worth the ride!

Online timetable at: www.sbb.ch

By Car:

You can easily reach the Engadine by car from any part of Switzerland or from Italy, Germany or Austria: