Courses

The Light of Tuscany

With Alex Hillkurtz

At Lucca , Tuscany - Villa Vistosa

20 May - 30 May, 2025

In this workshop I will teach you techniques to enhance the story you want to tell with your painting: composition, perspective, lighting, detail (or lack of detail). We will work in watercolour sketchbooks, and larger sheets, and the media will be pencil, pen and ink, and watercolour. I will show how I choose a composition designed to draw your eye into a piece. Using a quick pencil sketch to jot down spontaneous ideas, then moving to ink for rough details, and finally watercolour, I will show you how I “see” the subject on the page, and how to avoid common mistakes. I will share insights about the importance of light and shadow to define shapes, perspective to add depth, and colour to tell a story. Most of all we will have fun! You’ll come away with a sketchbook you can be proud of, full of your unique paintings and colorful memories of this beautiful part of the world.

Course Highlights

1. Lessons by Alex
2. Day trips to : Lucca , Carrara , Pietrasanta , Lerici & San Terenzo , Florence
3. Cooking Lesson with personal Chef
4. Classical concert in a Romanesque church
5. Glamorous Tuscan farewell dinner, Pizza Party and best Italian Food and Wine during entire stay

Day by Day Workshop Schedule

1. Day 1: The arrival day! Group will be picked up from Pisa/Florence airport or Lucca Station beetween 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Arrival , unpack , settle in the villa , time to rest. Around 6.00pm welcome gathering with Alex and Karolina on day-to-day schedule and workshop plan, goals , and challenges. Dinner home served 7:00pm
2. Day 2: Home day. First session with Alex in the studio start 9:30am . Lunch at 1.30pm. Time to rest,swim,take walk or nap. 5:00 pm Cooking class- with Chef Karolina-Dinner for everyone served 7:00 pm (massages available for non cooks)
3. Day 3: Breakfast at the terrace serve 8:30am. Introduction to Lucca 10:00am - Starts at the Art store. After session with Alex on Piazza Anfiteatro , later time for lunch and shopping on own , with a map in your hand.Back home for aperitivo and dinner with Luciana.
4. Day 4: Time to explore Tuscany! Florence day tour, upon arrival session with Alex ,later time to explore on own with a map in your hand, lunch on own. Return home 5:00pm for pizza party at the villa.
5. Day 5: Home day! …breakfast 8:30 am , time to relax and enjoy surrounds - session with Alex start 10:30am. Lunch at 1:00pm under pergola prepared by our Chef. Post lunch it is time to rest , later in the afternoon bio - dynamic wine tasting with Giuseppe , Back home for dinner .
6. Day 6: Brekfast time , departure to Carrara -for the marble tour , later on Collonata village for lunch at ,,Lard Rock Café,, later medieval town of Pietrasanta, known as the “City of Artists” has deep roots in Italy’s legacy of art and sculpture.We will visit the church with Fernando Botero art. Around 4pm sketching session on the main square. Back home to Villa ,time to rest , dinner al fresco 8:00pm
7. Day 7: Home Day. Breakfast 8.30-9.30am , Later session with Alex , Lunch at 1:00pm , Afternoon time to rest , sketching on own , local wine , cheese and salumi tasting under pergola , dinner home with Chef Karolina.
8. Day 8: Wine tasting day! Breakfast 8:30am ,session with Alex under pergola , lunch home 1:00pm , time to rest .go back to Lucca to explore more! Meeting 6.45pm for Puccini concert and dinner in our favorite restaurant.Back home 10:00pm
9. Day 9: Time to explore Liguria! 09.00am: Breakfast en-route. A day trip to beautiful Lerici and San Terenzo magnificent coastal town in Liguria - session with Alex, time to shop, explore and relax on own . Lunch on own . Return home at 6:00pm. Dinner served 7.00pm
10. Day 10: The last day of workshops! 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 along with homemade verbencello.
11. Day 11: Departure day☹ Breakfast at 8:30am. After breakfast (10:00am) the group will be taken to Lucca train station or Pisa airport.

Course Cost: 4549 Euro