San Fedele-Grillo

Il Chiostro at San Fedele in Tuscany

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Il Chiostro
241 W. 97th St., 13N
NY, NY 10025
800-990-3506
fax: 858-712-3329

Creative Photography with Gina Grillo
June 14-21, 2008
Price: $2,695
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San Fedele nestled in the Chianti hills

Your home in Tuscany is San Fedele, a medieval monastery artfully renovated into deluxe accommodations, preserving the spirit and architectural detail of the historic structure.

Program Description:

Have you ever thought about taking the artistic and expressive quality of your photographs to the next level -- about going beyond the snapshot to create images with sophistication and meaning? Are you ready to use your camera as a tool for your creative expression rather than relying on it as an instrument of luck?

Then join me for this once in a lifetime educational travel opportunity this summer. Where, surrounded by cyprus trees and luxuriating in our accommodations at Il Chiostro-San Fedele, a restored ex-monastery tucked into Chianti hills of Tuscany we will explore the formal aesthetics of photography as a visual art form. With meals prepared by our private chef, photographic shooting excursions to Siena, Florence and Vagliagli, arranged meetings with an Italian gallery owner and photographic artists, and an option of Italian language instruction, come experience the region not as a tourist, but a connoisseur of Italian culture.

Why Tuscany? Tuscany for me is a place where all the external and internal obstacles are quietly striped away - allowing my most authentic creative voice to rise to the surface. It is also a place for uninterrupted creativity and photographic inspiration, a place that fills your senses and demands that you live in the present moment.

Vineyards in the mist, photo by Michael Ferris

About the Instructor:

Gina Grillo - is a photographic artist and teacher who has created innovative programs that explore photography as a means for understanding cultural diversity, and creativity as a positive force for social change. With an MFA from Columbia College Chicago, Grillo has served as adjunct faculty in the Photography Department of Columbia College Chicago since 1997 and has designed photography courses for the University of Chicago’s Graham School and for the University of Illinois at Chicago’s International Center on Response to Catastrophes, Houses of Memory Refugee Project. To her credit she has also developed international photography programs for Columbia’s Florence Italy Program and for Loyola University's’ John Felice Rome Center. Widely published and exhibited, Grillo completed her first major documentary book and exhibition project exploring immigrant life in the United States, entitled Between Cultures: Children of Immigrants in America published by the Center for American Places in 2004.

In addition to her personal creative projects, Grillo is a freelance photographer based in Chicago. Her photographs have been featured in magazines and newspapers worldwide. Among her credits Grillo has worked as an assignment photographer for the Chicago Tribune and has published photo essays in The Chicago Tribune, Migration World, Family Support Magazine, Exito, Interiors and New World Publications.

Click here to visit Gina's web site...

Activities:

Our exploration of Tuscany for the week will include some of these highlights:

Daily photography instruction and critiques with Gina
Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared at home, using only local and traditional products-wine included (independent lunch)
Visits to local hilltowns like Radda, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, etc.
Excursion to the Medieval city of Siena
Wine tour and tasting at a local vineyard
Optional morning hikes through the Chianti hills and fields surrounding the complex
Selected evening activities such as art history lecture, concerts, olive oil tasting, etc .

Accommodations:

San Fedele is an historic monastery dating back to the 13th century, painstakingly renovated in 2005-07. Every room is deluxe with modern amenities: heating/air conditioning, modern bathrooms,mini-fridge, internet access, TV, etc. This beautiful facility also has several efficient common spaces for classrooms and social gathering. For full details about San Fedele and photos of the restored rooms, please click on the Settings and Accommodations link.

Exploring the Area:

In addition to your workshop, optional activities offered with this program will focus on the cultural, gastronomic, historical and artistic heritage of Tuscany. This area has been an inspiration to countless people for centuries. What Tuscany offers its visitors is truly astounding:

Art - San Fedele is located conveniently between the cities of Medieval Siena and Renaissance Florence packed with some of the most famous masterpieces in the world.
Wine -You are in the heart of the Chianti region, synonomous with the most famous wine that Italy produces. But the innovative Tuscan vintners are also producing Super Tuscans, red varietals that are quickly ascending the ranks of world-class wine.
History - this area was settled by the Etruscans centuries before the Romans were a civilized society. Their necropoli dot the fields throughout the area. Nearby towns like Radda, Vagliagli and Castellina date from the early Middle Ages. Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. San Fedele witnessed most of this from its panoramic perch atop the hillside.
Food - cucina povera is the typical Tuscan cuisine that has become popular around the world. The recipes are simple, emphasizing local and seasonal products: porcini mushrooms, salumi, legumes, vegetables, pasta, bread and game meats. Visiting the outdoor food markets, you will understand the wisdom of this very healthy cuisine.
Crafts - perhaps the harmony of the landscape has been the inspiration for many local craftsmen. Exquisite hand-painted ceramics are the prime example, closely followed by mosaics, leather, woodworking, and textiles.

About Your Il Chiostro Hosts: Linda and Michael, who will be hosting your San Fedele program, have been organizing workshops in Italy since 1995. Please read more about them by following the About Il Chiostro link. The owners of San Fedele, Nicolo and Renata, live on site. They will be available throughout the program to talk about the history of the monastery, the renovation and this area of Tuscany they call home.

Getting There: Florence will be our meeting point on the first day of the workshop. For suggestions about getting to Florence, accommodations or other logistics, please consult our Travel to Italy link. Renting a car from all the major rental agencies is possible if you prefer to be more independent during the week.

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Price and Registration: $2,695 p/p
Jr. Suite Supplement - $150 p/p
Suite Supplement - $300 p/p
Single Supplement - $500 (limited availability)

Includes:

7 nights in the restored monastery San Fedele
Daily photography classes with critiques
Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared at the house, including wine (independent lunch)
Excursions to Siena and selected hilltowns
All local transportation
Pick up in Florence on first day of workshop
Optional activities and excursions

Does Not Include:

Airfare
Lunch
Workshop supplies
Independent meals and sight-seeing

To Register:

Download Registration Form by clicking button at left
Print, fill out and sign Registration Form
Mail or fax it to Il Chiostro with a non-refundable deposit of $500 (address and fax number are on the Registration Form)
You will receive a registration confirmation and subsequently, relevant information about your workshop, travel to Italy, arrivals, suggested supplies, etc.
Or call us at 800-990-3506 to register by phone