Courses

Immerse Your Senses in Tuscany

With Sandra Duran Wilson

At Lucca , Tuscany - Villa Vistosa

15 June - 25 June, 2024

Painting in Italy is a dream come true for plein air landscape painters, but why should they have all the fun! We are the exception. You will explore interpreting your surroundings with color, context, shapes and emotions; no need to portray your story realistically. You will explore: Dynamic Color mixing and palettes to create successful compositions. Limited time painting studies to loosen your style and paint more impressionistically. Learn the value of your initial marks, follow your intuition, and tell your own unique story. Develop compositions that will visually tell your story and express your emotions. Italy is filled with beauty in the landscape, the history, food, the people, the songs, architecture, and the art. We will have access to all of this, be pampered with your own chef, your own driver, guides, and art instruction. This is my third to Tuscany and it fills my soul and nourishes my body. I know you will find such beauty here and you will have memories for a lifetime. And we get to paint. Your Tuscan experience dances between time to create time to nurture yourself, to eat, to drink, to travel and discover the treasures of Tuscany.

Course Highlights

  1. Painting tution by Sandra
  2. Beautiful accomodation
  3. Best Italian cuisine & wine during all stay
  4. Day tours to : Lucca , Florence , Viareggio & Pietrasanta , Portovenere
  5. Specialy selected cultural activities as : Puccini classical concert, bio-dynamic wine tour ,Cooking class with private Chef , Pizza making class , visit in marble sculpture art school
  6. Your private & luxury transportation

Day by Day Workshop Schedule

  1. Day 1: The arrival day! Group will be picked up from Pisa/Florence airport or Lucca Station 3-5pm. Arrival, unpack, settle in villa , time to rest. Around 6.00pm, Welcome and introduction of the workshop with Sandra and Karolina. Day-to-day schedule , plan, goals, and challenges followed by dinner by private Chef.
  2. Day 2: Home day! Slow Start, jet lag recovery. Breakfast at 8.30-10.00am.First instructional session with Sandra . Lunch at 1.00pm under pergola prepared by our Chef. At 4.00pm afternoon session with teacher. Dinner at 7.00pm -We will start making Verbencello (its our secret recipe for lemon-verbena liquor) To be ready for our last gala dinner.
  3. Day 3: Breakfast at 8:30am. Around 10.30am, Lucca introduction. Visit in the art store followed by guided tour of Lucca to spot the favourite places , later time on own for more individual exploration, group will have lunch on their own. At 4.00pm Pick up from Lucca. Back home ,relaxing time.Dinner 7.00pm By Karolina
  4. Day 4: Breakfast at 8.30am . Morning session with Sandra. Lunch served 1:00pm. Afternoon departure for wine tasting- in our local bio-dynamic winery. Dinner home 7.00pm by our Chef Luciana
  5. Day 5: Home day! Breakfast at 8:30am followed by painting class , the group will paint along with Sandra around the villa gardens. Lunch at 1.00pm . At 3.30pm group will be taken back to Lucca for more exploring, Puccini concert and dinner in our fvourite restaurant.
  6. Day 6: Time to explore Tuscany! Breakfast en-route! 09.00am: A day trip Florence – world famous art town! Guided history and art walking tour ,later time on own to shop and explore (if you want to visit gallery or museoum reserve on your own )Return home at 5.30pm for Pizza party!
  7. Day 7: Out for live painting. Breakfast at 8:30am followed by painting class in the Tuscan hills. We will go in search of the beautiful June flowers. Lunch at 1.00pm. Around 4.00pm, the group will enjoy cooking lesson with private Chef and prepare dinner for everyone.
  8. Day 8: Time to Explore Liguria! 08.30am:Breakfast en-route. A day trip to Portovenere -one of most beautiful coast villages in Italy, with spectacular sea landscapes,well known as lands of the artist.The group will have 1h boat tour of the coast afterwards (with the map in hand) time to explore ,shop. Lunch on own ,Return home 4.30pm.Dinner Home 7.00pm by Chef Ella.
  9. Day 9: Breakfast at 8.30am followed by painting class with Sandra. Around 12.00 We go on a fun lunch excursion to Viareggio to have lunch at one of the food boats in the beautiful seaside town. Do a little shopping and then continue on to Pietrasanta-known as a city of Sculpture, we will have a visit to the marble art school ,later time on own for explore and shop. We will have dinner al fresco in a local Trattoria, back home.
  10. Day 10: You’ll start the day with breakfast at 8:30am. The group will finish the art works on session with Sandra. After lunch at 1.00pm, there’ll be time to pack, relax, and rest. Later in the afternoon, we’ll create a gallery with all of your works! You’ll enjoy this with a spritz and casual spuntini. At 7.00pm there’ll be a glamorous gala dinner offering the Tuscan cuisine. You’ll have a meal prepared by our Chef along with home made verbencello
  11. Day 11: Departure day! After breakfast, the group will be taken to Lucca train station or Pisa/Florence airport.

Course Cost: 4099$

The package is $:4099 for double occupancy. This does not include airfare. It is recommended to fly into Pisa. Pisa airport is closest, and I have found it to be most affordable. I have also flown into other cities, traveled prior to the workshop, and then flown out of Pisa. Let me know or ask Karolina for travel tips. If you are visiting before you may take a train to Lucca as well.

Here is the payment plan:

The deposit payment is $1000 per person to be paid at time of booking

The single supplement is $750 if available

The rest of the payment needs to be placed up to 75 days before arrival but not earlier than 90 days-one payment.

The price includes your transport from Pisa or Lucca to the Villa , art instruction, lodging (double occupancy), all meals and drinks except where noted on travel days, excursions and Puccini concert and dinner.

I will send a short supply list of materials to bring. I have ordered supplies from an art supply store in Rome, and we all pitch in to cover the costs. In the past it has been about $35 each to cover the paints and acrylic mediums. This makes it so much easier to travel.

I have been working with Karolina and her lovely family hosting for many times over the years. It is an amazing experience. We can set up a payment plan of 2 payment options. She will be handling the contracts and questions may be directed to either or both of us.

I am so excited to welcome you along for this amazing adventure.

And I will put together a packing and travel tip guide for you.

Learn more about Sandra, her work, gallery and workshops:

https://sandraduranwilson.com/

This workshop is being arranged through followtuscany.com . Karolina will follow on all questions about the Workshop,accommodation,activities,coordinate arrivals and departures,food issues and all other details. All enquiries, and receive the payments of deposit and balance from the students directly.

Contact:

Karolina Lenart followtuscany.com Telephone: +39 3455809974 or +39 880876413 email: followyoursensesintuscany@gmail.com

Included in the cost of your workshop in Tuscany:

*Accommodations

*All tuition fees All excursions *All activities *Airport transfers and local transportation including day trips to Lucca,Florence ,Portovenere. *All breakfasts lunches and dinners (excluding 3 lunches) The use of folding stools

Exludes:

*Flights to and from Pisa

*3 lunches (Lucca,Portovenere,Florence)

*Painting supplies

Travel: It is suggested that you fly into Pisa/Florence airport as our transportation for the workshop will be coordinated from there around 3-5pm. We can also pick up participants from Lucca train station.

Departure is scheduled for 10.00am Please make sure your flight back is coordinated with departure from Villa.

Register: To sign up, a non-refundable deposit of 1000 $ is required. Reserve your place now, so you don't miss out!

Everyone should visit Italy at least once in their life.

Make 2024 your year to follow your passion and discover the Tuscan countryside, stroll through historic villages, enjoy a cappuccino in Lucca, taste the best sea food in Portovenere, sip a glass of Sangiovese wine in Florence.

Won't you come along with us?!

Tuscany is waiting...