Donna Hopcraft - B.Ed Hons.
I am a practising artist and art teacher from London and have spent 25 years teaching art in secondary schools in and around Bristol in the UK. in 2011 I moved to a remote village in the high Pyrenees, at 1100 m, to join to join my husband Malcolm. We both enjoy being creative while being surrounded by the beautiful mountains and nature.
Apart from drawing and painting, I work with stained glass. I have exhibited in both the UK and France and worked on a commission basis. The 2 things I most enjoy in life is doing my artwork and walking my dog Sony in the mountains where we live.
Over the past 9 years, Malcolm, myself and his 2 sons have come regularly to this region. We had some great fun exploring the castles and taking part in the many nearby outdoor activities such as white water rafting, mountain biking, canyoning and swimming in the mountain lakes. I understand the importance of keeping children both happy and occupied, to give parents some time to relax too. We believe the Aude region is the perfect place for a family holiday or for anyone interested in art or history.
In 2013, I bought ‘La Maison Blanche’ that is situated in a very pretty, friendly village, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, 50 minutes from Carcassonne. Apart from creating a family holiday home, I bought the house to provide us with extra studio space and as well as a refuge from the winter snow! Since buying the house I have renovated most of the ground floor to create a stain glass studio, a games room and second bathroom. I have also created a new sun terrace at the front of the house; ideal for adults to relax while the children enjoy the games room; or vice versa! In addition to the games room, there are also mountain bikes available to explore the many local trails or for just hanging out in the village.
I am currently working towards organising bespoke art holidays from La Maison Blanche so let me know if you are interested.
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