We’ll start the art retreat by practicing the use of gouache paints through easy painting exercises. This will provide a good foundation for painting with gouache and help refine your painting technique for upcoming painting tasks. Participants will be guided to paint colorful botanical themes, including foliage in nature, colorful flowers and fruits. Participants will paint in the beautiful surroundings as well as indoors in the art studio using real flowers and fruits for inspiration. The painting style can be precise with bold lines or dreamy and gradient, gouache is suitable for a lot of different styles. Gouache has a matte finish when dry and is water-soluble, which makes painting fun and easy. Details can be added with colored pencils and oil pastels.
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Cost: €2999
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

A thought-provoking and inspirational art workshop open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Nine full days of plein air painting, art history/theory lectures, touring, and gastronomy in the most beautiful area of Tuscany. Our teaching approach and groups limited to eight participants allow us to offer personalized instruction and a stimulating environment that fosters creativity. Cost of CAD 4350 (around US$ 3170) includes instruction, 9-night single or double accommodation (limited single rooms available at no extra cost), all breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from and to the Arezzo train station, transportation to all painting sites (Montepulciano, Cortona, Pienza, etc.), train ticket to Florence, and a guided tour to the Uffizi Museum.
 
Location: Lucignano, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3170
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Join Charlotte Hamilton for an unforgettable artistic journey at a beautiful Boutique hotel nestled in the picturesque region of Le Marche, Italy. Surrounded by rolling hills, historic villages, and stunning landscapes, we will embark on a creative adventure that will inspire and rejuvenate your artistic spirit. From plein air painting sessions in the beautiful countryside to mixed media workshops in the hotel’s Art studio, each day will be filled with new experiences and artistic discoveries. Whether you’re a seasoned artist looking to refine your skills or a beginner eager to explore your creative side, this retreat is designed for artists of all levels. Join us for a week of inspiration, creativity, and relaxation in the heart of Italy!
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Charlotte Hamilton
Cost: €3899
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

Step into a world of creativity and inspiration at this transformative art retreat in the breathtaking landscapes of Italy. This immersive experience is designed for artists of all levels—whether you’re just beginning your creative journey or looking to deepen your artistic practice. Together, we’ll explore PanPastel portraiture, field journaling, watercolor studies, mixed media storytelling collage and on-location sketching, all while soaking in the rich atmosphere of Italy. We’ll take our sketchbooks into cobblestone streets, quiet gardens, and sun-drenched piazzas for some urban sketching and watercolor play and swatching. We’ll also spend time in nature, doing studies of local flora and fauna—slowing down to observe the beauty of our surroundings. Learn to release perfectionism and embrace joyful experimentation!
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Ivy Newport
Cost: €3699
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

Immerse yourself in a weeklong journey of creativity, growth, and connection in beautiful Italy. Guided by Jenny Grant, you’ll explore her mixed media process with collage, acrylic painting, and expressive portraits, all while discovering the joy of letting go and embracing your unique creative voice. You’ll connect with a group of like-minded creatives, creating friendships as you learn, and explore Italy together. By the end of the week, you’ll leave with a new approach to your art, full of inspiration, and amazing memories. We will also create a simple art journal to document our creative journey, capturing meaningful moments and exploring the freedom of creating without attachment to perfection. This retreat is open to all levels.
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Jenny Grant
Cost: €3499
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

Over the course of this week-long retreat, participants will have opportunities to explore the Le Marche region of Italy, visit regional food producers, and sample local culinary delights. All these materials and experiences will influence our work and find their way into our mixed media art journaling – which we’ll do in a handmade concertina journal, on paper, and on wood panels! You’ll work intuitively, allowing yourself to be influenced by the day’s experiences and materials discovered. Learn to be on the lookout for materials that will add “local spice” to your encaustic and mixed media creations. And you’ll be guided and supported each day by Bridget Benton with excursions, lessons, and exercises to delight your senses and help build your mixed media vocabulary.
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Bridget Benton
Cost: €3199
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

Join Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling for their workshop at the stunning Salinara Art Farm in Sicily. Discover an endless variety of restaurants and cafés, blue skies and beautiful nature, joyful and welcoming people, traditional foods, and excellent local wines. There will be plenty of opportunities to swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Cindy and Theresa will provide daily painting lessons, personalized guidance, and inspiring demonstrations. They’ll share techniques for sketching and simplifying your subject, playing with color and water, adding texture and composition, and enhancing your watercolor journal pages with writing and creative expression. The workshop will conclude with a review session and discussion of participants’ works. Limited spots available.
 
Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy
Instructor: Theresa Goesling and Cindy Briggs
Cost: Starts at € 3200
Sponsor: Salinara - Art Farm | Retreat Centre
Website, email, (+39) 339 77 57 062

A thought-provoking and inspirational art workshop open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Nine full days of plein air painting, art history/theory lectures, touring, and gastronomy in the most beautiful area of Tuscany. Our teaching approach and groups limited to eight participants allow us to offer personalized instruction and a stimulating environment that fosters creativity. Cost of CAD 4350 (around US$ 3170) includes instruction, 9-night single or double accommodation (limited single rooms available at no extra cost), all breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from and to the Arezzo train station, transportation to all painting sites (Montepulciano, Cortona, Pienza, etc.), train ticket to Florence, and a guided tour to the Uffizi Museum.
 
Location: Lucignano, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$3170
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Join Cathy for an unforgettable art retreat in the heart Le Marche—where golden hills, winding cobblestone streets, and the warm hospitality of Hotel Leone create the perfect backdrop for artistic inspiration. Each day, you’ll dive into Cathy’s signature layered mixed media botanical techniques, using the Italian landscape as your muse. You’ll learn how to build rich, expressive pieces filled with color, texture, and story—infused with the joy of intuitive painting and the magic of place. But that’s only the beginning… Your adventure includes a special botanical eco-printing workshop at a family-run weaving farm, a curated tour of three local, family-run producers of wine, cheese, and olive oil—with a delicious lunch included, and a “pizza-giro” evening at a nearby trattoria!
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Cathy Nichols
Cost: €3799
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054