The creative process is strongly tied to the human biology underlying perception. In this course, students will learn the fundamental neuroscience of perception and be challenged to integrate this knowledge in their art practice.
We will explore Provençal France, a southern region that has historically fostered groundbreaking interactions between art and science, such as the Impressionist and Surrealist movements. Students and faculty will be hosted by the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing (LMSPD) in Aix-en-Provence, and will visit surrounding cities and towns such as Marseille, Arles, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Avignon, and more. Lessons will be led by graphic novelist Catherine Huang (critic, Illustration, RISD) and supplemented by neuroscientist Nicholas Tolley (PhD Candidate, Neuroscience, Brown).
The Wintersession Travel Course 2026 application will open on August 15, 2025 and close on October 1, 2025. The opportunity to apply for scholarship is embedded in the course application.
Estimated dates—final dates to be announced.
Course Dates: Jan 8, 2026 — Jan 30, 2026
Minimum 2.5 GPA required. First year students are eligible for this course with approval from their dean, collected within the application.
Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing
Estimated cost—final cost to be announced.
Includes accommodation, some group meals, field trips, local transportation, museum entrances, health and travel insurance. Airfare is not included.
The south of France - specifically Provence - is a rich physical and intellectual landscape that engendered various exchanges of art and science. Influential instances include the advancement of color theory via knowledge of light and optics, driven by pioneers such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Further advances include optical mixing demonstrated by Paul Signac, and the psychological influences of color and mark making employed by Vincent Van Gogh. All of these breakthroughs involved a crucial scientific concept: perception.
This course will study these historical science/art advancements immersed in the setting where they took place. Students will then replicate this by learning today’s scientific understanding of the neuroscience underlying perception, and link it to their own artistic practice in the contemporary world.
The course will be based in Aix-en-Provence in collaboration with the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing (LMSPD). LMSPD curates various programs that engage with the Provence region, and
emphasizes the importance of seeing and painting the visible world while contemplating the past. LMSPD has long established cross-cultural bridges between the south of France and the USA, with collaborators including The Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation, Princeton University Art Museum, and Tufts University.
The curriculum schedule will see each week starting with a guided didactic neuroscience lesson from Nicholas Tolley focusing on biological underpinnings of sensation, choice, and memory - which culminates in a holistic understanding of perception. The following weekdays will combine these themes with pertinent cultural experiences, including site visits connected to Van Gogh and Cézanne, image making and language workshops run by local artists from LMSPD, and lectures from leading neuroscientists from Meta, CNRS Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Aix-Marseille Université, University of Toulouse, and Brown University.
Students will document their experiences and realizations through a visual research sketchbook. At the end of each week, a group critique is held discussing the integration of science and art, the clarity of visual communication, and the evolution of each student’s artistic research. During the last week, students will create an artist book - a refined culmination of their notes during the entirety of the course. These artist books will be compiled at a later date into one anthology with commentary from the faculty and visiting lecturers
The entire application process will be completed using an online application portal. You will be able to upload, request and submit all required documents there. Apply to a Wintersession Travel Course
The Wintersession Travel Course 2026 application will open on August 15, 2025 and close on October 1, 2025. The opportunity to apply for scholarship is embedded in the course application.
View detailsIf you are a RISD or Brown University student with a GPA of 2.5 and up, you are eligible to apply. Permission of the instructor is required and is based upon application and selection.
RISD reserves the right to cancel a course due to under-enrollment or for reasons related to health and safety.
Requesting to withdraw from a RISD global learning program, including Wintersession Travel Courses, prior to the start of the course is highly discouraged and requires a formal process outlined in the RISD course withdrawal policy.
Have questions? The RISD Global team is available to meet for a 1:1 advising session. We can give you more information about your study options, help you figure out which program makes sense for you, and assist you with the application process.
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No announcements for this program.