PLEIN AIR TUSCANY
Painting Journeys into the Heart of Tuscany
PASSION FOR
PAINTING, FOOD & PLACE
PIENZA, TUSCANY
Join us in 2024
EIGHT SUPERLATIVE DAYS PAINTING IN TUSCANY
Imagine a week of exploring the backroads of Tuscany. A week dedicated to progression in your art. A week exploring the intimate hill towns of central Tuscany. Set in the sublime landscape of the Asciano, it is a landscape of great beauty. Your week is complete with fantastic and inventive meals, a bounty of wine, art history, and exploring the charming corners of Toscana.
Since 1986 Garrett has taken to exploring the most remote and obscure roads, valleys and towns of Tuscany. Garrett's appreciation of everything Tuscan is infectious. Soon you'll be throwing some new italian phrases around.
“If you can’t live longer, live deeper.”
— Italian proverb
OUR DAYS
The workshop includes seven days of instruction. There will be one to two painting sessions per day. The program size is intentionally limited to a maximum of 13 students. This is intended to create an intimate learning environment for participants to flourish no matter their level of experience.
Taught by artist and teacher Garrett Speirs with over 32 years of experience painting Tuscany. Garrett first traveled to the region in 1986 as a student and became an observer of "everything" Italian. He has returned to Tuscany to paint every year since.
Montepulciano
PAINTING
-plein air
We start each day with an important painting concept. From practical ways to begin a painting to more complex concepts about using optical color in plein air painting. Demonstrations on painting clouds, how to include architecture in your landscapes, and color mixing.
Our locations are chosen from years of experience painting in the beautiful Tuscan hills. Sites change depending on the weather, wind direction, time of day, and subject we are interested in.
All our locations are just a short drive from our farm-stay within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Val D'Orcia. Two modern vans take us to our locations to paint and visit local towns.
SANCTUARY
Meet our energetic hosts Alessandro and Fabrizio. Their team of Vicenzo, Massimo, and Filippo will no doubt become friends. Their warmth is infectious and will leave a changed person then when you arrived.
Our historic property is set upon on of the most idyllic location, far from any paved road.
Rooms are country chic and provide characteristic atmosphere of a typical Tuscan home. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms.
Our View
LA CUCINA
-ahh the food
PRIMA COLAZIONE-breakfast
Our morning starts with a warm smile and "ciao" from Massimo. Massimo's fame comes from his beautifully crafted cappuccinos. Two magnificent tables are filled with a bounty of fresh baked goods, fresh local fruits, jams, honey, fresh yogurts and eggs to order.
CENA-dinner
Filippo is our young and gracious chef. So much creativity in a culture where the kitchen is so tied to tradition.
It's the little things that make each night an opera of flavors. Most of us have had amazing vanilla gelato before, but have you had vanilla gelato with olive oil drizzled on it, topped with cracked pink peppercorns? And the culinary surprises happen every night!
After many courses you will leave for the comfort of your bed. Readying for the next day of painting, observation, and adventure.
Bread is made weekly in the traditional wood oven by Filippo and Alessandro. Made as it has been for generations.
FROM FARM TO TABLE
HYPER - LOCAL INGREDIENTS
Ingredients here are the very definition of farm to table, "hyper local food." The pasta is made with wheat they grew, the meat is meat they butchered and raised, the eggs are from 25 feet away from the kitchen, the honey they serve are from hives they own. All presented with care and love.