Tuscany-Jean Cauthen

If you love to paint and you love the idea of experiencing Italy in a way that few tourists do, this is the adventure you have been waiting for!Painting hillsides overlooking vineyards and the wonderful cypress-dotted landscapes you can expect to work quickly to capture the essence of our beautiful Chianti surroundings. In the tradition of plein-air artists, instructor Jean Cauthen encourages completion of two or more paintings in a day, as well as a couple of more sustained artworks. This is perfect for the advanced artist wanting to "loosen up," as well as the beginner wanting to learn the essentials of landscape painting. By concentrating on space, color relationships and design, students move toward discovering their own unique vision. Even on our excursions you will be encouraged to keep a sketchbook to journal your stay. In addition to Il Chiostro's planned excursions, you will have free time to explore the region on your own or just relax in the beautiful Chianti environment.

Jean works and teaches in oil paint, but other painting media are welcome as well. Each day will begin with a "focus," particularly suited to our subject. Students will benefit from 4-5 hours/daily of individual and group instruction including demonstrations and informal critiques. No matter your level of experience, Jean will help you build your ability as a painter and artist.We will live in a farmhouse situated within a short walk of a small village. At the farmhouse, we will enjoy delightful evenings of wining and dining after a fulfilling day of painting.

College credit may also be available. Please contact Jean Cauthen (JeanCauthen@uncc.edu) for more information on this.

About the Instructor: Jean Cauthen graduated from James Madison University with an MFA in Painting/Drawing. She is currently an art professor at UNC-Charlotte. She has exhibited extensively and won many awards for her oil paintings. She combines a love for travel, passion for painting and teaching by leading groups to Italy to discover what has lured artist to that region for centuries.Jean believes that it is "never just about painting," and strives for students to consider ideas behind the painting while learning to be thoughtful their own personal visual language. Her enthusiasm, generosity and positive approach to learning have earned her many awards in teaching.

Price and Registration: $1,695 p/p
($350 p/p supp. for ensuite bathroom or single room-limited availability)

Getting There: Florence will be our meeting point on the first day of the workshop. We will arrange for a van to pick up the group at the train station at about 3:30 pm on Saturday afternoon. We recommend that you fly into either Florence or Rome (Milan is a bit too far away). Florence is closer but it doesn't have an intercontinental airport, so there are no direct flights from the US. You would have to change planes in a larger European city. From the Florence airport you will need to take a shuttle bus into the center (20 minutes).
There are more scheduled flights from the US to Rome, many of them direct. From Rome, you will need to take a train to Florence (about 2 1/2 hours).
Important! In making your return flight arrangements, if you are flying home on Saturday after the workshop, try not to book a flight too early. From our location it will take 1 ½ hours to get to the Florence airport or 3 ½ hours to get to the Rome airport.
For suggestions about getting to Rome or 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.