Courses

Express your urban sketching technique with Pat Southern-Pearce

With Pat Southern-Pearce

At Lucca, Tuscany

11 April - 20 April, 2025

For so long I’ve yearned to drink in the feel, the heart, the essence of Tuscany and at last its finally happening! I cant wait to be here, with like- minded others, capturing it all, teaching every day in sun and dappled shade, wandering the villa’s gorgeous gardens and sketching, exploring Lucca town (oh my!), a day in Florence, a Puccini Concert..a town filled with inspirational towers. ..and it goes on. There is such a warm, welcoming history here and an energy, a relaxation that glows and calms. I will teach skills every morning, with demos and a new focus. And each afternoon we’ll pick up on these skills and deveop them, sketching, with help and more demos, wherever we go: around the villa or further afield. On day 1, exciting!..we’ll prepare a collection of different textural backgrounds that we can slip in our sketchbooks and carry with us, to choose from at will. Some will be coloured inks and water plus maybe a little gouache and acrylic. Some will be collaged.Some will be mixed media. We’ll have fun! Each day will bring new learning, new looking, new experiences. And each new day will build on the one before. We definitely wont be drawing a whole picture in ink or pencil, then colouring it in. Nor will we just be making marks on paper. The most important thing to me when Im sketching, is the sense of place: the feeling a place gives me, the light, the softness, the blueness of shadows, the unexpected patterns and textures, the shapes against the sky, the sky itself: ever changing. Places speak to me and bring me joy as I sketch and I lose myself and the dance begins. I trained as a painter. I love sensitivity of line and the punctuation of darks, freedom and energy balanced by precision. And all of this I want to share with you.I want you to know this joy too, wherever we go, lost in the zone but with me by your side. What a gift this long luscious course here, will be, to me and to you: with time to linger long, learn and grow, one day at a time..with your hearts and mine singing. Do join us. Pat

Course Highlights

1. SKETCHING LESSONS WITH PAT
2. PRIVATE CHEEF, BEST FOOD AND DRINKS THROUGHOUT YOUR STAY
3. DAY TRIP TO LUCCA, FLORENCE, PORTOVENERE, SAN GIMIGNANO
4. PIZZA PARTY WITH PRIVATE PIZZA CHEF
5. COOKING LESSON, WINE TESTING AND LIMONCELLO MAKING CLASS
6. ALL INCLUSIVE VILLA WITH SWIMMING POOL
7. PUCCINI CONCERT IN A ROMANESQUE CHURCH
8. PRIVATE VAN TRANSPORTATION

Day by Day Workshop Schedule

1. Day 1: 11th : The arrival day! Group will be picked up from Pisa /Florence  airport or Lucca Station at 3-5:00pm. Arrival, unpack, settle in the Villa, time to rest. Around 17:30, Welcome gathering with Pat and Karolina including day-to-day schedule and workshop plan, goals, and challenges. Dinner – Karolina’s favourite Tuscan delights.
2. Day 2: 12th : Home day! Morning recovery:) breakfast at 9.00. Time to relax and enjoy surrounds - first instructional session with Pat. Limoncello making lesson. Lunch under Pergola at 13:00 prepared by our chef. Post lunch, it’s time to explore Lucca! sketching session with teacher at Piazza Anfiteatro. After time on own for exploring, shopping (with a map in your hand) Dinner at the villa:)
3. Day 3: 13th : Breakfast at 8:30am. Sketching day in Florence -one of the most beautiful town in the world !Session with Pat upon arrival after finding the perfect spot , Lunch on Your own , time to shop and explore on own , you can arrange the museum visit too. Back home for delicious dinner home.
4. Day 4: 14th : Home day! Breakfast at 8:30am followed by session with Pat around the villa’s gardens. Lunch at 1:00. After lunch, time to relax, around 4:30pm  group will enjoy cooking lesson and prepare dinner for everyone . For non-cooks we offer optional massage (on own cost) by our specialized masseuse Charlotte!
5. Day 5: 15th : Breakfast at 7:30am, 8:30 day trip to San Gimignano . On the way we will stop to visit the leaning tower of Pisa -opportunity to sketch:)  San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena. Known as the Town of Fine Towers. After arrival, session with teacher , later time to explore on own with a map in hand. Lunch on own. Return home 5:00 Dinner-  pizza party at villa.
6. Day 6: 16th: Breakfast at 8:30am followed by session with Pat  around villa. Lunch at 1:00. Post lunch excursion to Fabbrica San Matino for bio dynamic wine tasting with Giuseppe. Back home for dinner.
7. Day 7: 17th: Time to explore Liguria! A day trip to Portovenere – beautiful coast town known as a bay of Poets  with spectacular sea views and colorful houses. There will be a sketch session with Pat , time to shop, explore and relax on own . Lunch on own. Return home at 4:30. Dinner served home.
8. Day 8: 18th: Breakfast at 8:30am followed by sketching demonstration by Pat and sketching around the villa. Lunch at 1:00. Post lunch it is time to go back to Lucca for more sketching and exploring. Puccini concert in the evening with dinner in ur favorite restaurant.
9. Day 9: 19th: You’ll start the day with breakfast at 8:30am. The group will finish their art works. 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 best Tuscan cuisine. You’ll have a five-course meal prepared by our chef along with homemade limoncello.
10. Day 10: 20th: Departure day.  Breakfast at 8:30am. After breakfast, the group will be taken to Lucca train station or Pisa airport.

Course Cost: 4299Euro