Painting Rajasthan

Imagine you were dropped into a foreign land, or on a different planet, with a paint brush and sketch pad and with everything organised for two weeks, including superb food and gorgeous accommodation, accompanied by local artists in each destination. That describes PAINTING RAJASTHAN.

This is a travel program built for artists. Each day is infused with time and space to sketch or make visual diaries during the day. The itinerary is purpose built for artists.

At night, in each beautiful haveli or inn, a pop-up studio allows work to be advanced. While we visit some stunning monuments this is essentially a journey into the backroads of tribal Rajasthan, with all the mesmerising colour, magnificent landscapes and, most of all, the tribal people who sit for us. They are the Bheel tribals, the Rabari herders, the Bhopa Gypsies and Manganiyar Muslims of Jaisalmer. These people are disappearing, not just from the Indian map, but from the diversity of human experience. Through translators you will hear their stories and aspirations, enriching both your art and your travel experience. The tribal communities love the interaction and the chance to welcome travellers.

We will meet local artists/galleries in each location with talks/workshops that examine beautiful art forms such as the Pichhwai of Udaipur and the single hair artists and miniature art forms of Jaisalmer.

PAINTING RAJASTHAN grants artists access to unique worlds and culture. Where so much of the planet is becoming homogenised in a stampede to modernisation - that is a special gift.

If this journey was a painter's palette, it would be full of every colour, shade and nuanced texture.

Painting Rajasthan is a traveller's dream and an artist's heaven!

PAINTING RAJASTHAN

Step into Rajasthan with a sketchbook in hand and everything arranged for you - exceptional food, gorgeous havelis, and the guidance of local artists at every stop.

This program is NOT A RESIDENCY but a travel journey designed for artists. Days are filled with sketching and creating. We visit India's most fascinating places and extraordinary people who sit for us. Time is allocated to allow absorption into the incredible world around you; evenings are spent in pop-up studios where your work takes shape.

Beyond the monuments and landscape we visit, we travel into the backroads - meeting the Bheel, Rabari, Bhopa, and Manganiyar people. Their traditions are disappearing, but their stories and colours will enrich your art and stay with you forever. Painting Rajasthan allows access to another world.

Along the way, we connect with local masters, exploring breathtaking art forms like Udaipur’s Pichhwai and Jaisalmer’s miniature single-hair paintings.

Painting Rajasthan is more than travel - it’s an immersion into a world of dazzling colour, rare culture, and authentic human connection; a journey into a fascinating world designed for artists to experience and process India through their art.

Painting Rajasthan isn't just a new way to travel in India,
but a new way to travel for artists.

We are accompanied by the wonderful Canadian/British watercolour artist - Lorraine Simonds - who will act as mentor and sounding board.

Lorraine is an award-winning watercolour artist and educator known for her expressive, emotive portraits. She is an International Brand Ambassador for Rockwell Art Canada and Golden Maple, BC Representative of the Canadian Branch of the International Watercolor Society and an Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, with a history of successfully showcasing her work in juried exhibitions. She has served as a juror for international watercolour competitions, including the annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition, and her work is held in private and permanent collections worldwide.

Her artistic journey began in Plymouth, England, where she first learned to draw from books and practised on the vast, rugged English Moorlands. She developed a love for portraiture through acrylics and oils and later formalised her understanding of contrast, focus, and composition through film photography at Plymouth College of Art & Design, before earning a BA in Fine Art from the University of Leeds. She has also studied under the mentorship of Thomas Schaller, refining her approach to composition and storytelling.

A deep admiration for traditional Chinese art also informs her approach, particularly its economy of brushstroke, expressive linework, and philosophy of capturing essence rather than mere likeness. These influences are evident in her signature style - loose, atmospheric, and richly textured, with an intentional interplay between control and spontaneity, presence and absence.

Through her work, she seeks to capture the essence of humanity - the beauty, vulnerability, and quiet resilience that unite us all. Each portrait tells a story, not just of a subject, but of a moment, a feeling, and a life fully seen.

The process: A full list of materials will be sent but essentially you will travel with a sketch pad, visual diary and whatever quick drying materials you prefer. The journey will access places chosen for their extraordinary beauty. Unlike conventional travel, there will be generous time allowed to sit, absorb and make sketches. Quick drying mediums work better in this travelling environment.
The Pop Up Studio: The accommodation will have beautiful spaces to set up a studio. Indeed the spaces are so beautiful that they themselves will make for a wonderful subject. We will provide easels in each location.
The Collaborators: In each location we will meet local artists who become a resource to explain the different local art traditions.
The Portraits: Local people with incredible stories and faces will sit for you both in our studio and in inspiring locations. Our guides/translators will gently interrogate the subjects about their lives, so that the stories of culture and personal and cultural history informs your art.
Art Level: There is no requirement to be at any particular level of artist. At its core this is a travel experience whereby visual souls are able to absorb the incredible world of India and create their own interpretations. It is important to note however that this is not an art class but rather an opportunity for artists to explore India with a program sensitive to their needs.
The Backroads: Vanishing India is dedicated to meaningful travel into the soul of India, which often resides in the villages and backroads. The emergence of boutique villas in these remote places provides the opportunity to access and contribute to tribal communities.

Delhi:
Delhi, our starting point, the complex, throbbing seat of government and home to millions.

Little Matar [Udaipur]:
A gem by a lake, surrounded by a vibrant and functioning Bheel tribal group who practice traditional farming much like they have for a thousand years.

Jawai:
A restful lodge set within the Leopard Conservation Area and surrounded by multiple tribal groups including the sheep herding Rabari people.

Jaisalmer:
Jaisalmer, set in the beautiful Thar Desert, its beautiful fort still standing after 700 years.This is the Golden City, home to fascinating tribal people and castes.

Delhi:
We select one of Delhi's established landmark hotels that allows access to the famous Delhi DAG - Delhi Art Gallery. Intrinsic to the choise of hotel is that you feel comfortable in a quiet and restful environment to ease into the Indian experience.

Udaipur:
We stay outside Udaipur in an environment that is culturally and visually rich while allowing access the made environments and art galleries of Udaipur.

Jawai:

The Godwod Safari Camp in Jawai located in the heart of leopard country and the section of the Aravali Hills inhabited by the Rabari tribal people. This is a beautiful location which provides access to extraordinary communities.

Jaisalmer:
We stay just putside the Jaiaslmer Fort a haveli that is a piece of art in itself, while allowing easy access to the fort and the fabulous Thar Desert

Walking with Bheels as they graze their livestock. Nice and slow with lots of laughter.
Experience the Gau dhuli - a word to describe the 'cow dust' of returning goats with Rabari herders and tinkering bells.
Tribal people sitting for portraits in beautiful locations.
Sketching Manganiyar Moslem musicians and Gypsy dancers in Jaisalmer.
The magic of Indian architecture - The fabulous Jain Temple of Ranakpur - the deserted city of Kuldhara outside Jaisalmer - the City Palace of Udaipur - the Royal Chhatri Cenotaphs of Bada Bagh - the beautiful Gadisar Lake.
A day with the Bhopa Gypsies. [While Irish Travellers and Roma do not like the term Gypsy, these proudly identify as such. Indeed it is an intrinsic part of their livelihood].
A day embedded in 500 year old Suraj Haveli listening to the artisans from the 700 year old living Jaisalmer Fort.
The chance, just a chance, of a leopard sighting in Jawai.
Evening in the Thar Desert with Manganiyar Muslims.
Extraordinarily beautiful boutique hotels and havelis, all built with love and passion.
More ... so much more.

+ INCLUSIONS

- Programs accompanied by Tour Facilitator, Tour Director plus one other translator/ cultural guide plus local specialist guides and cultural interactions in Delhi, Udaipur, Jawai and Jaisalmer. ...

Do I need to be an accomplished artist?

Who are the people we meet?

How do the pop-up studios work?

Are these people happy to sit for portraits?

VANISHING INDIA is an imprint of the market-leading Fabulous Lifestyle Private Limited, part of the Fabulous Media group, one of India's leading marketing networks. It works in association with India Personal Tours [IPT Travel Private Limited] and Explore Himalaya Tours Pvt. Ltd {Explore Himalaya Tours}, two long standing travel companies. Bookings are made through Stripe, one of the world's most secure payment gateways.

Legacy travel companies are working with one of India's leading entrepreneurial entities to deliver on VANISHING INDIA’s simple objective - to revolutionise the way travel is experienced on the subcontinent.

with Lorraine Simonds

AT A GLANCE