Discovering Tuscany with Ian Fennelly
With IAN FENNELLY
At Lucca , Tuscany - Villa Vistosa
01 May - 08 May, 2025
Join exceptional UK artist for unforgetable one week sketching experience in heart of Tuscany. Come with me on a journey of looking as together we sketch and discover the beautiful landscapes and cities in Tuscany. Each day I will deliver an Urban Sketching Workshop in pen and watercolour, which will enable you to tell your story, what you notice and experience, and to express your feelings about being in such a visually rich environment. My workshops are divided into clearly structured steps; from outlining the big shapes, to introducing colour and emotion, and finally going deeper into the subject to record detail, texture and pattern. They are suitable for artist of all abilities. Sometimes we pass through this world without allowing our senses a chance to really take notice of the things that surround, and what really matters. This magical adventure of creativity will fix you in the moment, and help you to appreciate through drawing and painting, how beautiful out world is. Check the book here : https://www.ianfennelly.co.uk/urban-sketching-books/
Course Highlights
- Itensive classes and instructions by Ian
- Most beautiful destination for skeching session in Tuscany&Liguria -Lucca -Colonnata -Arcola -Villa Torrigiani -Monarola -Iddylic vineyards
- Beautiful Villa Setting
- Special selected activities
- Private Chef offering best Tuscan & Italian cuisine
- Private transportation
Day by Day Workshop Schedule
- Day 1: 1may The arrival day! Group will be picked up from Pisa airport or Lucca Station at 3-5 pm. Arrival, unpack, settle in Villa , time to rest. Around 6:00pm, Welcome gathering with Ian and Karolina on day-to-day schedule and workshop plan, goals, and challenges. Dinner – best of Italian cuisine 5 course meal made by our Chef
- Day 2: 2 may Home day! Breakfast 9:00am , time to relax and enjoy surrounds - workshop session 1 with Ian -Capturing the vineyards with the Tuscan hills as a background. Lunch at 1:00pm under pergola prepared by our Chef. Post lunch it is time to complete the workshop. 5:00pm departure for wine tasting at Bio-Dynamic winery in the neighbourhood. Back home for dinner by our private Chef.
- Day 3: 3 may Buongiorno! 08.30am: Breakfast, 10.30am - Introduction to Lucca,session with Ian on Piazza San Giovanni , Lunch break 1,5h -lunch on own .Finishing on session,after class time to explore on own ,6:30pm meeting for Puccini concert in a Romanesque church , dinner at our favourite restaurant. Return home.
- Day 4: 4 may Breakfast at 8:30am, 10.00 am departure to Colonnata . Session- 1h break for lunch (on own) finish on session. Time to explore on own,shop a bit:) Return home 6:30pm. Dinner prepared by our Chef.
- Day 5: 5 may Time to explore Liguria! After breakfast a day trip Monarola (5 Terre) – beautiful coast town with spectacular views. Workshop session with Ian, time to shop, have lunch, explore . Return home . Dinner at 7:00pm.
- Day -18: 6 may Breakfast at 8.30am . Departure for the medieval town of Arcola .Upon arrival session with Ian , later time on own to strool ,enjoy coffee or gelato. .Return home 5:00pm.Time to rest , dinner prepared by our Chef.
- Day 7: 7 may You’ll start the day with breakfast at 8:30am. The secret final session:). Lunch at 1:00pm , later there’ll be time to pack, relax, and rest. 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 cuisine. You’ll have a five-course meal prepared by our Chef along with homemade Verbencello.
- Day 8: 8 may Departure day☹ Breakfast at 8:30am. After breakfast, the group will be taken to Lucca train station or Pisa airport.
Course Cost: 3599 Euro
ABOUT ARTIST:
I’ve been a professional artist and teacher for a long time; in fact I started life as a baby artist and I’ve been looking for shapes and colours in the world around me ever since.
I studied Fine Art in London and then became a Primary School Teacher. I am now a Primary Art Consultant, training teachers in creativity. I spend a lot of time travelling and drawing on location, running workshops and demonstrations.
My work focuses on the experience of being in a busy urban space, and how through art we can begin to make sense of the shapes, patterns, colours and energy that surround us. I believe that making art on location gives us a deeper understanding of the world we live in and out relationship to it.
I live in Hoylake on the coast with my lovely wife Annette and gorgeous little dog Elsa. I have two children, Hannah and Joe.
Your Tuscan Experience
Our 8-day courses are held at the beautiful Villa, on the idyllic hill overlooking the city of Lucca.
Tuscany is one of Italy’s most cherished regions. Its beautiful countryside is reminiscent of the landscapes of Renaissance masterpieces. Along with rolling hills and vineyards, it also offers a rich artistic heritage including exquisite art and architecture
– not forgetting premium wines and delicious cuisine. Set between the blue-green Apennine Mountains and the turquoise TyrrhenianSea, Tuscany is the heart and soul of Italy. Known and loved for its splendid landscapes, charming low hills, olive groves, vineyards,
and beautiful old farmhouses, Tuscany is the ideal location for any artist. The weather in may is wonderful, with sunny days and colder nights. The air is clear more than in the hot summer months, making for excellent views and great painting weather. Your days will be focused on sketching and painting on the daytime excursions to local points of interest where you will have your painting sessions and time to discover Tuscany. As an immersive cultural experience, we also offer cooking class with our Chef who specialises in Tuscan cuisine, and wine tasting in our favourite local vineyards. These are only a few of our many close-by attractions.
Exludes:
- Flights
- 4 lunches
This workshop is being arranged through followtuscany.com.
Karolina will follow up on all questions about the workshop, accommodations, activities, coordinate arrivals and departures, food issues and all other details. Karolina will handle all booking arrangements, all enquiries, and receive the payments of deposit and balance from the students directly.
Contact: Karolina Lenart
Email:followyoursensesintuscany@gmail.com
Web: followtuscany.com
Telephone: +39 3455809974 or +48 880876413
Deposit of 1000 Euro is required to book Your spot.
FOR YOUR COMFORT , WE ORGANIZE INDIVIDUAL TRANSFER FROM/TO PISA,FLORENCE AIRPORT OR LUCCA/PISA TRAIN STATION TO/FROM OUR VILLA.
Supply list :
⦁ Fabriano Spiral Bound A3 Sketchbook 140lb HP
⦁ Tombow Brush Pens – black and a range of greys, particularly the lighter greys – N15, N75, N79, N60, N89, N95
⦁ Fine liner pens – from 0.05 – 0.8 Pilot, Staedtler, Faber Castell, Derwent Graphik – any of these brands are fine. Have a few extra 0.1s
⦁ Watercolour pan set– I use Winsor and Newton, with a combination of full and half pans. These are the colours I typically have in my palette – though I swap them around depending on the subject and mood
Prussian Blue Sap Green \ Cad red Burnt Sienna Winsor Blue Winsor Green \ Cad Red Deep Burnt Umber Cobalt Blue Winsor Orange Raw Sienna Cerulean Blue Cobalt Turquoise Light Indian Yellow \ Indian Red Ultramarine Winsor Violet Yellow Ochre Alizarin Crimson *Always seem to have these
⦁ Titanium White watercolour – 5ml tube (for cheating)
Please note that colour is a very personal and emotional thing, and we all see the world that surrounds us with different colours. For each location and workshop I may use a different combination of colour, and the starting point may be a particular local colour. If you want to follow my colour journey fairly closely, then make sure you have the ones starred * as they usually come out to play.