FRIDAYS ON
RIA FORMOSA

Step into the light of Ria Formosa!

Join us for Watercolour Fridays on Ria Formosa, a new outdoor adventure celebrating the luminous coastal landscapes of the East Algarve. Escape the urban bustle and step onto the islands, where every path, shore, and hidden corner invites observation, playful experimentation, and a touch of adventure — maybe even a spontaneous swim along the way!

These expeditions are for curious beginners and painters eager to explore. Learn to see like a painter: spot shapes, colours, and the dance of light.
Observe, discover, and translate what you see into expressive watercolour studies — experimenting with water, pigment, and the vibrant atmosphere around you.

Fridays on Ria Formosa are adventurous, playful, and immersive, giving you the freedom to experiment with observation, colour, and light in the real coastal environment of Ria Formosa.
We discover the shimmering waves from Ilha do Farol, the lights and shadows on Culatra, the greenery and lush flowers of Armona, the anchors at Ilha do Baril, the salt pans by Ilha do Tavira, and the lagoon of Cacela Velha — and around Fuseta, we can spot diverse wildlife along the Ecovia cycling paths.

🕒 From 2 to 4 hours of outdoor painting (depending on the season and the ferry schedule)
👩🏻‍🎨👨🏻‍🎨 Middle size group — 8 to 12 persons
💶 65€ | 85€ including all materials and ferry tickets:
• sketchbook with watercolour hq paper (yours to keep)
• watercolour paint-kit & brushes to use
• small water container & watertank brushes

I’m Grażyna Ostrowska, the person behind Lighthouse Artcourses — an artist working between light, colour, and the changing rhythms of the Algarve.
While my own artistic practice evolves primarily around oil painting, the passion for watercolour is what I share with people coming to Lighthouse.
As a teaching medium, it allows us to work directly from life — attentive, mobile, and fully present.
It is also ideally suited for en plein air work and travelling light.

Watercolour doesn’t wait.
Once the brush touches the paper, it demands quick choices, trust in the moment, and the courage to let go. Working this way sharpens perception and pulls you out of overthinking and back into seeing — light shifting, colours bleeding, forms finding their place.

It’s focused, honest, and quietly joyful.

Painting boats in the marina of Olhão
July 2025