A Week of Art in Hungary: VDMFK Painting Workshop 2026
In May 2026, I had the opportunity to spend a wonderful week in Tata, Hungary, taking part in an international painting workshop organized for mouth and foot painting artists.
The workshop was held from May 24–30, 2026 at the Gottwald Hotel and brought artists together for several days dedicated to painting, learning, exchanging ideas and, just as importantly, spending time together.
For me, these workshops have always been about much more than creating new paintings.
They are an opportunity to meet other artists, learn from one another and reconnect with a community that has been an important part of my artistic journey for many years.
A Week Dedicated to Art
The theme of the workshop was “Light and Shadow”, giving us an opportunity to explore how light, contrast and atmosphere can completely change a painting.
Our days included morning and afternoon painting sessions led by invited artist-teachers, while some evenings offered optional night painting sessions where we could explore the same theme under completely different lighting conditions.
There was plenty of time for painting, but the week was also designed around spending time together.
We shared dinners, enjoyed a Hungarian evening with music, visited Dunaszentmiklós and ended the week with a gala evening celebrating art, friendship and another workshop completed together.
Meeting the New President of VDMFK
One of the moments that made this workshop particularly memorable for me was meeting Tom Yendell, the newly elected President of VDMFK.
Only a few weeks before our meeting in Hungary, Tom had been elected as the fifth President of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World during the General Assembly held in London in April 2026.
Meeting him so soon after the beginning of this new chapter for the Association made our time together in Hungary feel even more special.
Tom is an artist himself and has been connected with VDMFK for decades. He became a Full Member in 1996 and later joined the Association's Board of Directors.
Having an artist leading an organization created by and for mouth and foot painting artists is an important part of what makes VDMFK unique.
Being Part of VDMFK
VDMFK has been part of my life and development as an artist since I was very young.
What began for me as an opportunity to develop my painting has, over the years, also become a way to connect with artists from different countries who create in their own unique ways.
Today, VDMFK brings together hundreds of mouth and foot painting artists from countries around the world.
We may speak different languages, come from different cultures and have completely different artistic styles, but when we meet at workshops like this one, painting becomes a language that we all understand.
More Than a Painting Workshop
— Dejana Nežić
Girl With Wings