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24th -30th August 2027 Italian Landscapes in Oil Workshop

Immerse yourself into your creative zone in the midst of stunning Italian countryside, on this inspirational oil painting retreat. Whether you are already experienced painting in oils, or a complete beginner, during this immersive art escape you will be able to take your skills to a new level, develop personal style, gain confidence and learn master techniques of realistic plein-air painting. Here, you can you create to your heart’s content, in a relaxed and tranquil country house setting with professional guidance, daily demonstrations and painting sessions centred around your artistic needs. Nestled amidst rolling hills, sunflower fields, vineyards and olive groves, it offers uninterrupted panoramic views across the souther Le Marche region, from the Adriatic Sea to the mountains. There is an abundance of inspiration everywhere you look. 

With views this good, there may not seem much need to head anywhere. But of course, we venture out to historic towns, such as the Renaissance city of Ascoli Piceno, boasting Italy’s finest Travertine Squares. We’ll explore the local culture and engage in some traditional activities, including evening visits to ancient local towns and summer festas. Our curated program includes a fantastic vineyard paint and sip, a relaxing free day for a trip to the stunning sea-side for a swim or explore the travertine city of Ascoli Piceno with its one hundred medieval towers and magnificentsketching charming coastal scenes and soaking up the atmosphere and sea-side flair on the palm-lined promenade with its stunning Liberty villas. 

A well balanced and curated program of demonstrations, plein-air opportunities, cultural and culinary explorations of the area, make this a perfect and relaxed experience of one of Italy’s most beautiful and varied regions, Le Marche.

COST/DETAILS
 

€ 2.700 p.p. single en-suite

€ 2.600 p.p. single en-suite with shared bathroom

€ 2.500 p.p. twin/double en-suite

Deposit: €600 on booking

Full amount due 28 days prior to arrival.

Non-painting partners sharing room with participant at discount

See our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*
  • 7 nights Accommodation/ 8 Days
  • Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, aperitivi, coffee/tea breaks at The Retreat
  • tuition & demonstrations
  • studio and plein-air sessions
  • all day open studio
  • painting excursions to select locations in the area
  • Paint & Sip in vineyard with wine tasting.
  • Sight-seeing visit to the Renaissance city of Ascoli Piceno
  • cultural and sight-seeing visits to local towns 
  • Free day with transport to&from Sea-side town or historic town (lunch not included) or the opportunity to stay on and continue work independently or relax (lunch included at The Retreat)
  • all art materials for this course
  • use of studio easel and field easel
  • pick up and drop off at San Benedetto del Tronto train or coach station for all main-line and Rome and Rome airport connections

*Airfare and travel insurance not included

MEET YOUR TUTOR

THE ART

During this course, we’ll explore techniques of watercolour paintings to capture mood and atmosphere the landscape, urban scenes and still-life. On painting excursions, we will explore landscape themes and capture life in the piazzas of the local hill-towns, capturing the spirit of the beautiful and dramatic locations of the le Marche region. Your tutor, John Skelcher is a professional landscape painter who will give daily practical demonstrations and guide you in your work throughout. You will be able to improve your technical understanding of the media and learn techniques and processes. What sets this art escape apart, is that you are guided throughout by a tutor who cannot only paint, but teach to an excellent professional standard! Your work will develop via integrating high quality demonstrations with opportunities to practice, followed by show and tell sessions to highlight areas for development. Whether you are a complete beginner, or have experience but are looking to add more depth, capture more atmosphere and mood to your work – you’re in the right place on this retreat.

THE LOCATION

This art escape takes place at The Retreat and Studio. The Retreat is a beautifully restored country house with large art studio, dedicated to hosting art retreats. Set in the heart of the beautiful Italian countryside of the Le Marche Region, it has been home to Painting Holiday Italy and The Retreat Art Workshops and Creative Holidays for over 15 years.

A fully equipped, large studio provides ample space for demonstrations and easel work. But what could be better than to open the doors out to the most breath-taking panorama, and be inspired by the beauty that surrounds you, even before stepping outside?

THE FOOD

Culinary delights and deliciously fresh and healthy mediterranean meals are prepared by our very own nutritional chef, Jana who not only runs her own Cooking School, but she also has been a nutritional chef for a UK healthy ageing platform for numerous years. She has written over 2000 recipes for healthy living, and has taken care of The Retreat guests’ meals for many years.  Her daily, fresh and vibrant meals are a feast for the senses and will have your taste buds working in overdrive. From delicious breakfasts, to lunches, dinners and her speciality aperitiviti for our critique sessions – each meal is different, inspiring, and healthy. So, you can add the best of the mediterranean cuisine, for physical health and creative energy. All dietary requirements are catered for. Make sure though, to leave space in your notebook for new recipes! For our art retreats, she focuses on providing inspiring and tasty mediterranean dishes for improving creative and physical energy, so that you can simply relax, and enjoy every mealtime, knowing it will help let your creativity flow naturally.

Nearest Airports

  • Ancona
  • Pescara
  • Rome
  • Florence
  • Bologna
  • Bari
  • Perugia

Train Connections – all main lines

IS THIS RETREAT FOR ME?

The Retreat has welcomed painters from all over the world for many years looking for tranquillity, a relaxed and supportive creative atmosphere allowing guests to fully focus on their art work, find new inspiration, and re-charge their batteries.

If you love amazing landscape, rural tranquility and enjoy spending creative time in the company of like-minded people, then this retreat is for you. Coupled with deliciously healthy, mediterranean meals, cultural and artistic explorations and a big portion of relaxation, this retreat will not only energise your creative vibes, inspire your art work, and built beautiful memories. 

Nothing spells ‘Bella Italia’ more, than the uninterrupted panoramic views towards the mystic mountains of the Sibylline, the sandy beaches of the Adriatic coast, and the quintessential vineyards and olive groves that adorn the gently rolling hills. A dream for any experienced and beginner plein-air painter alike. 

A good level of mobility is required for this plein-air retreat. Suitable for beginners to advanced painters.