The regions of Tuscany and Umbria are large, filled with many sites worthy of visits and we have selected some of the most notable to include in the Treasures of Tuscany and Umbria itinerary. Each day offers the chance to visit, photograph and explore new destinations. Breakfasts, Lunches and dinners are included and we return to our home-base in Cortona to dine together in a variety of Cortona landmark restaurants and trattorias!! After dinner enjoy relaxing in one of the piazzas, or take in music, film or special events. This is a tour with daily opportunities to photograph a wide range of subject!! Artists may bring portable painting supplies!
 
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Patrick Mahoney
Cost: From $3850.00 per person, all inclusive
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127

La Maison de Beaumont’s multi-disciplinary artist residency was created with the goal of offering a beautiful space for musicians, scholars, writers, painters and other artists who seek a quiet place to work undisturbed on their art. The scenery and beauty of the region, as well as the history and comfort of the house, provide an ideal setting to focus on creative work. The Residency provides: • Up to two months in residence at La Maison de Beaumont • A fully equipped private apartment with kitchen & bath • Access to a multi-use space that can serve as an artist studio or a performance and exhibition space • A Common Terrace for relaxation, networking with other residents, meditation, etc.
 
Location: Beaumont-de-Pertuis, France
Cost: 45 Euros to apply
Sponsor: La Maison de Beaumont
Website, email

Urban sketching is a skill anybody can learn! It will change the way you perceive the world. Whether you are a novice or a sketcher who feels they can do better, this workshop is for you. The focus is on black and white. It is the foundation of all sketching styles. Build confidence and practice urban sketching to capture the essence of the place by learning: What to look for, How to start the sketch, How to simplify the busy surroundings. Your Facilitator: Cristiana Mar is an experienced artist, architect, and educator, teaching adults, leading workshops in US and Mexico since 1989. Our location is Guanajuato, World Heritage city, the capital of Guanajuato state.
 
Location: Guanajuato, Mexico
Instructor: Cristiana Mar
Cost: $500.00
Sponsor: Cristi Fer Art
Website, email, 322-153-1906

Join our unique art workshop in South America and experience the stunning Caribbean coast from Puerto Colombia (Barranquilla) to Cartagena. Learn the fundamentals of perspective drawing and watercolors and have a taste of Colombian Caribbean food and culture. After an art class, try a "mojarra con arroz con coco" with a cold Colombian beer or an "aguardiente". Paint on the beach, attend cooking demonstrations by local chefs, take part in a street food tour, and much more. Price of CAD 2900 per person (around US$2200) includes eight-night double accommodation in comfortable and centrally located hotels, all ground transportation, all breakfasts, one lunch, a few aperitifs, two suppers, one street food tour, art instruction, cooking demonstrations and art supplies.
 
Location: Cartagena, Colombia
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$ 2200
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Urban sketching is a skill anybody can learn! It will change the way you perceive the world. Whether you are a novice or a sketcher who feels they can do better, this workshop is for you. The focus is on black and white. It is the foundation of all sketching styles. Build confidence and practice urban sketching to capture the essence of the place by learning: What to look for, How to start the sketch, How to simplify the busy surroundings. Your Facilitator: Cristiana Mar is an experienced artist, architect, and educator, teaching adults, leading workshops in US and Mexico since 1989. Our location is Guanajuato, World Heritage city, the capital of Guanajuato state.
 
Location: Guanajuato, Mexico
Instructor: Cristiana Mar
Cost: $500.00
Sponsor: Cristi Fer Art
Website, email, 322-153-1906

Join us as we return to La Serranía nestled in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana Mountains near Pollensa. This is our seventh trip to Mallorca and we are looking forward to painting and drawing the trees and plants of the Mediterranean as well as the sea, sky and rocky coastline. We have been traveling to Spain since 2000 and the history and culture of the island are shared over a glass of Tempranillo wine each evening!
 
Location: Pollensa, Mallorca, Spain
Instructor: Meredith Nemirov
Cost: $2850.00
Sponsor: Ridgway Gallery Workshops,LLC
Website, email, 970-318-8444

Picture yourself sitting in an outdoor cafe in one of the piazzas, sketchbook in hand, immersed in capturing the life around you while enjoying a cappuccino. Let me share the techniques I use in my work using a very portable means of sketching - pen and ink and watercolor – to record the beautiful, sensitive lines of an old building or the bold strokes of a street scene. Learn to zoom in on the important elements when working in the field to create interesting compositions and lasting memories with texture and rich washes of color! This class covers pen and ink and watercolor wash techniques, composition and simple perspective.
 
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Ann Thomas
Cost: From $3850.00 per person
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127

This Travel Journaling workshop in Provence has been designed with the Absolute Beginner in mind. Creating a watercolor journal when you are traveling is the complete opposite of how many of us travel these days: taking photos after photos with our phones. Watercolor Travel Journaling gives us a chance to slow down, to sketch scenes around us, to bring out our paints and add some color to our travel journals. Provence is the artist's dream destination. During the days, we will explore Luberon, and its spectacular countryside of vineyards and orchards, fascinating "perched" hill-top villages, outstanding natural produce and the light of Van Gogh and Cezanne. You will see why artists of all calibers are drawn to this alluring area.
 
Location: Bonnieux, Provence, France
Instructor: Lo Peyron Mathews
Cost: $3,590
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000

Join us for this weeklong plein air workshop in beautiful Tuscany and Umbria. Create vignette sketches and paintings of the dramatic vistas, colorful architecture, bustling people and more during your time on this magical trip to Cortona, Italy. Morning and afternoon sessions, followed by individual instruction, will cover the basic concepts of atmospheric and linear perspective, capturing people, architecture, and dramatic lighting. With pen and paper in hand, you’ll quickly document the sites. Add a touch of watercolor to enhance your sketches. Your art supplies are light and easy to tote making this ideal for all levels of artists. The traveler’s sketchbook is a wonderful way to document your trip in a carefree way.
 
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Jo Ellen Reinhardt
Cost: From $3850.00 per person, all inclusive
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127

Let’s explore Costa Brava with a sketchbook! Spending time observing a scene while travelling creates rich memories. When you spend time sketching the scene, those memories become indelible, and the studies you create are so much more precious than the usual travel snaps we see. We can record the fresh white buildings, the ancient stone castle, the gardens, the fabulous cliffs, the beach, all the while creating a rich and vivid record in our sketchbooks. Working from life, you’ll learn how to mix accurate colours, and how to work with a limited palette to simplify the painting process. You’ll discover how to sketch and paint whatever you come across and how to record them all in pencil, pen and watercolour.
 
Location: Costa Brava/Barcelona, Spain
Instructor: Jane Blundell
Cost: $3,590 before Nov 30th
Sponsor: French Escapade
Website, email, 510-483-5713

A Sketchbook Journaling Workshop with Karen Ramsay. Come join us and capture Lake Como in watercolor! As we fill our art travel journals with sketching and watercolors, Karen will give us tips and tricks for improving this special skill. Sketching on location, while traveling, is an art form that you can take with you on every future trip and the sketches that you create will become a treasured visual diary of your travel. During the week, we will guide you to the finest spots along the shores of the picturesque Lake Como with its charming lakeside towns, its Renaissance architecture, Italian villas and terraced gardens. Lake Como has a timeless beauty where you will find endless inspiration to create art!
 
Location: Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy
Instructor: Karen Ramsay
Cost: $3,890
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000

A thought-provoking and inspirational art workshop open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors). 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 learning environment. Cost of CAD 3975 (around US$ 3000) includes instruction, 9-night accommodation in single and double rooms (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 tour to the Uffizi Museum.
 
Location: Lucignano, Tuscany, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$ 3000
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Many of the Dutch painters were influenced by the light in the flat countries. In June we will meet in Zwolle, the Netherlands and the surrounding which is in the area of the Overijssel north-east province. Not only painting and sketching are in the program, but also stone carving, Monotype and print workshops, and exciting local stuff that a regular tourist won't be able to see or do, as Tali Lives here. She is very involved in the "Arty" scene and will introduce you to artists, places, landscapes, private gardens, and local homes. This all-inclusive art retreat boasts delicious meals, exclusive day trips, and lots of artmaking and Plein air painting. It will be a trip you won't forget.
 
Location: Zwolle, The Netherlands
Instructor: Tali Farchi
Cost: 3,100$
Website, email, +31624903316

A unique art workshop/art tour open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Seven days of plein-air painting, art history/theory lectures, and gastronomy in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence followed by four days visiting Barcelona’s top art sites and enjoying Catalan cuisine. The price of CAD 4475 per person (around US$ 3350) includes instruction,11-night double accommodation, 11 breakfasts, 6 healthy lunches, 6 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from the Manosque train station to our lodge, transportation to all painting sites, TGV train ticket Avignon-Barcelona, transportation and entrance fees to all sites on schedule (Cézanne’s studio, La Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, Miró Museum, etc.). Limited single rooms for a supplement of CAD 850 around US$ 650.
 
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$ 3350
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

A unique art workshop/art tour open to artists of all levels and media (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc.). Seven days of plein-air painting, art history/theory lectures, and gastronomy in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence followed by four days visiting Barcelona’s top art sites and enjoying Catalan cuisine. The price of CAD 4475 per person (around US$ 3350) includes instruction,11-night double accommodation, 11 breakfasts, 6 healthy lunches, 6 gourmet dinners including wine, transportation from the Manosque train station to our lodge, transportation to all painting sites, TGV train ticket Avignon-Barcelona, transportation and entrance fees to all sites on schedule (Cézanne’s studio, La Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, Miró Museum, etc.). Limited single rooms for a supplement of CAD 850 around US$ 650.
 
Location: Alpes de Haute-Provence, France
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$ 3350
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Urban sketching is a skill anybody can learn! It will change the way you perceive the world. Whether you are a novice or a sketcher who feels they can do better, this workshop is for you. The focus is on black and white. It is the foundation of all sketching styles. Build confidence and practice urban sketching to capture the essence of the place by learning: What to look for, How to start the sketch, How to simplify the busy surroundings. Your Facilitator: Cristiana Mar is an experienced artist, architect, and educator, teaching adults, leading workshops in US and Mexico since 1989. Our location is Guanajuato, World Heritage city, the capital of Guanajuato state.
 
Location: Guanajuato, Mexico
Instructor: Cristiana Mar
Cost: $500.00
Sponsor: Cristi Fer Art
Website, email, 322-153-1906

Join Alison for a week of joyful exploration of Place, in the beautiful city of Cortona. Sitting in ancient squares, by fountains, or in cafes, I’ll show you some simple ways to capture buildings. In markets we’ll talk about how to include figures in your sketches. Overlooking vistas of vineyards and far off hills, we’ll explore how to simplify the scene to focus on important elements and create depth. Drawing and painting on loose pages rather than in a watercolour journal, allows us to loosen up and have fun with experimental techniques and a variety of media. We’ll work with watercolour, pen, ink, marker, on different papers, to create images, which we will curate into a concertina book.
 
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Alison Watt
Cost: From $3,790.00 per person all-inclusive
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127

Just imagine….200 year old olive trees, charming hilltop villages, bustling outdoor cafés and window boxes overflowing with colorful flowers. Now, put yourself in the picture, sitting at a little café with your sketchbook and paints, sketching a window across the way, with its lace curtains, blue shutters, and red geraniums. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Well, why not experience it? Join me for an unforgettable painting holiday in Provence, a region famous for its stunning scenery and clear light which has captivated artists through the centuries. In this week-long workshop, we’ll relax and enjoy long autumn days sketching in this stunningly beautiful part of France. Capture once-in-a-lifetime experiences on the pages of your watercolor journals!
 
Location: Fontaine de Vaucluse, France
Instructor: Leslie Fehling
Cost: $3,790 before Jan 31st
Sponsor: French Escapade
Website, email, 510-483-5713

Just imagine….200 year old olive trees, charming hilltop villages, bustling outdoor cafés and window boxes overflowing with colorful flowers. Now, put yourself in the picture, sitting at a little café with your sketchbook and paints, sketching a window across the way, with its lace curtains, blue shutters, and red geraniums. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Well, why not experience it? Join me for an unforgettable painting holiday in Provence, a region famous for its stunning scenery and clear light which has captivated artists through the centuries. In this week-long workshop, we’ll relax and enjoy long autumn days sketching in this stunningly beautiful part of France. Capture once-in-a-lifetime experiences on the pages of your watercolor journals!
 
Location: Fontaine de Vaucluse, France
Instructor: Leslie Fehling
Cost: $3,790 before Jan 31st
Sponsor: French Escapade
Website, email, 510-483-5713

This oil painting workshop is for all skill levels. It's for anyone who wants to learn how to add more realism to their work. Experience this modern approach to the techniques and concepts master artists in Tuscany have used since the Renaissance. Immerse yourself in Italy's medieval beauty, while you learn how to paint in oils using chiaroscuro, sfumato, sprezzatura, and impasto. Are you surprised to learn that these oil painting techniques work on any subject? Whether you love to paint landscapes, portraits, still life, fantasy, or all of the above, creating in a way that makes images look three dimensional is the same.
 
Location: Cortona, Italy
Instructor: Debra Keirce
Cost: From $3790.00pp all-inclusive
Sponsor: Toscana Americana Workshops
Website, email, 978-407-7127

We will be a lovely small group where I can work with you individually to ensure that every aspect of the experience meets your expectations. There will be plenty of opportunity to have your questions answered and have fun along the way. I will show you how to make fast improvements by sharing my most successful tips for watercolour sketching. You will receive plenty of demonstrations and examples to support you along the way. Learn how to sketch confidently, understand paint consistency and application and mix wonderful glowing colours! The subjects covered will be truly inspirational – including beautiful beaches, cliffs, boats, botanical garden, local scenes and sketching the everyday such as your lunch.
 
Location: Costa Brava/Barcelona, Spain
Instructor: Judy Salleh
Cost: $3,790 before Jan 31st
Sponsor: French Escapade
Website, email, 510-483-5713

A Sketchbook Journaling Workshop with Karen Ramsay. Come join us and capture Mallorca in watercolor! As we fill our art travel journals with sketching and watercolors, Karen will give us tips and tricks for improving this special skill. Sketching on location, while traveling, is an art form that you can take with you on every future trip. The daily sketches that you create will become a treasured visual diary of your travel. During this week in Mallorca, we will explore the island, its many scenic areas - from the gorgeous views over the Mediterranean Sea to the small towns in the Tramuntana mountain range: the artist town of Deia, the scenic towns of Fornalutx and Valldemossa and the capital Palma.
 
Location: Valldemossa, Mallorca, Spain
Instructor: Karen Ramsay
Cost: $3,890
Sponsor: Alpine Creative Tours
Website, email, 970-846-9000

Urban sketching is a skill anybody can learn! It will change the way you perceive the world. Whether you are a novice or a sketcher who feels they can do better, this workshop is for you. The focus is on black and white. It is the foundation of all sketching styles. Build confidence and practice urban sketching to capture the essence of the place by learning: What to look for, How to start the sketch, How to simplify the busy surroundings. Your Facilitator: Cristiana Mar is an experienced artist, architect, and educator, teaching adults, leading workshops in US and Mexico since 1989. Our location is Guanajuato, World Heritage city, the capital of Guanajuato state.
 
Location: Guanajuato, Mexico
Instructor: Cristiana Mar
Cost: $500.00
Sponsor: Cristi Fer Art
Website, email, 322-153-1906