Paint the Heart of Tuscany in Still Life
Dates: 5/21/2011 - 5/28/2011
Location: Tuscan Renaissance Center
Instructor: Dee Kirkham
Price: $2,195 
workshop details |
Immerse yourself in the heart of Italy and gather the ingredients for your authentic still life paintings!
Dee’s still life workshop will be full of fun, excitement, learning and concepts. We will take field trips to gardens, wild Tuscan fields, antique stores, village markets and unique places to gather that special item for your still life.
In the afternoons we will learn the concept of setting up the still life, using the beautiful northern light of Tuscany. Our inspiration will reflect in the still life paintings that we create in the beautiful studio at San Fedele.
At other times, we will get our inspiration from the San Fedele magnificent rose garden, the fountain full of beautiful water lilies or the garden with a multitude of herbs and fresh vegetables.
Or it maybe the simplicity of a wild poppy, a stem of wild garlic. The chiaroscuro style of painting a still life that David Leffel is so well known for will be the emphasis of our studies throughout the week. Dee has participated in the Il Chiostro experience in Italy for many years and is excited to share it with you. This workshop is for any level of experience, even those who want to experience painting for the first time. Dee will be demonstrating and painting in oils. A list of supplies (minimal for easy travel) will be supplied upon registration.
You will be immersed in the heart of Italy, enjoying accomodations at the San Fedele Monastery, shopping the local antique stores for your still life collectibles, gathering wild garlic, poppies, and other garden delights to make your still life composition complete.
We will focus on your concept for your still life painting while enjoying all that the Tuscan region of Italy has to offfer. Daily activities include:
- demos by Dee
- personalized instruction
- day trips to Siena and surrounding villages and countrysides
- critiques
- free time to enjoy just being in Tuscany.
For all the information, please contact Dee at 714-307-2377 or send email dee@deekirkham.com.
Come Join Us!
You will leave with many wonderful fond memories and beautiful still life painting as well!
In addition to the activities of the workshop, we will also see and explore this area of Tuscany with various excursions:
- visit medieval Siena
- winery tour and tasting at a local Chianti winery
- explore other small hilltowns (Radda, Volpaia, ...) to shop for local crafts or just relax at a cafe
- nature walk through the vineyards, olive groves and villages
The Food: for us at Il Chiostro, helping our guests to experience the food in one of the earth`s richest, most sensual areas is our pleasure. Chianti, the part of Tuscany where we are, is Italy`s famous wine and olive oil producing region. Here we want to expose you to the wonders of simple Italian cooking. We pick wild herbs to create our own twist on a pasta dish, shop in local markets for fresh mozarella and peccorino, pick mulberries from the tree in our garden for tarts and search for the best of Tuscany to serve you at our dinner tables. Tuscan cuisine is a simple art that has been refined over the centuries to surprise our palates while the wine comforts our souls. Come explore what food can really be all about.
Price: $2,195; $1,895 for non-participants
Supplements: $550 for single room; $150 p/p for suite, if available
Includes:
- Shared double room in restored monastery
- Daily traditional breakfast and dinner, including wine
- Daily workshop activities and excursions
- Excursion to Siena
- ½ day excursion to nearby hilltown (Monteriggioni, Radda, Volpaia…)
- Pick up from Florence train station at 3:30pm on arrival Saturday
- Transfer to bus/train station in Siena on final day
Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Lunch (Lite lunch available for 15 euros when we are not out on excursion)
- Art supplies
- Independent meals and sight-seeing