The three main elements of this program are the daily Workshop Sessions, Excursions to explore deeper into the Tuscan area and our new Twilight Italian Culture Series - special events we can include because of the evocative common spaces available at our new venue of San Fedele.
Every day we will offer structured classes in painting, photography and food and wine:
- Painting with Lynn Stender: explore your creative spirit whether you are an experienced painter or have never picked up a brush in your life. All supplies will be included for these sessions.
* Plein Air Watercolor - discover the wonders of watercolor. Capture the sparkle and light of the Tuscan landscape with movement and translucency - like the impressionists - using a specially selected palette of colors that will warm your soul.
* Acrylic Painting on Canvas - create a masterpiece ready for the Uffizzi! We will paint a Tuscan still-life in our studio. Learn how to mix heavy body, creamy paint in the rich darks that represent the chiaroscuro technique on your canvas.
* Pastel Sketching - sketch the terraces and architectural detail of our extraordinary monastery, San Fedele. Tinted pastel paper will be the foundation for our Da Vinci inspired sketches.
* Collage - the textures of Tuscany. We will collect materials that represent the history, architecture, landscape, vegetation of our Chianti area of Tuscany and layer them to create a memory of your Tuscan Affair in this non-objective art form.
* Private ceramics class - taught by local artisans in their intimate studio.
- Photography with Nina Prantis: this will be a series of flexible one-day workshops suitable for digital photographers at every level.
* The first session will be Basic Camera Handling for those who want to cover the essentials of shutter speeds, apertures, ISO settings, depth of field, focus, lens ranges, light metering.
* The Study of Light and Color, taking in painting's color theory and comparing it with that of photography. The Tuscan landscape is a perfect subject just for the study of light and its affects. We will photograph a landscape in hourly intervals from dawn to sunset to see the effects of the sun's position.
* Photographing the Portrait. This class will encompass the formal "posed portrait" in a studio as well as the "environmental portrait" taking subjects from the street life of nearby towns.
* Night and Evening Photography involving long exposures, learning how to use artificial lights, and electronic flash.
* The Still Life working in a more intimate scale with a suitable subject, location, and lighting. This will cover macro lenses, tripods, reflectors, diffusers. Learn how to make some of our own lighting tools and how to improvise while on location.
* The Il Chiostro Method - this is a unique process created by our instructors, Lynn, Nina and fine art collagist, Sherry O'Neill, that resulted from the cross-pollination of concurrent visual arts workshops. The idea is to take photographs of the locale, print them on typical papers of the area and use them to create a collage which is then enhanced through various painting techniques. The results can be quite astounding!
- Food and Wine with Linda Mironti and guests: in this week we will immerse ourselves in the Tuscan Food Culture and discover what makes Tuscany notorious for its delectable dishes and award winning wines. Il Chiostro friends and experts will be on hand to help guide us in this journey.
* An Introduction to Tuscan Cuisine and Wine - the hierarchy of essential ingredients in the Italian food culture, olive oil tasting and learning about extra virgin, first cold pressed and the levels of quality. Here we are in Chianti - what do Chianti Classico and DOC mean? Food philosophies from our San Fedele chef Signora Angelina.
* Local Producers - visit to a small family-owned goat cheese farm nestled in the Chianti hillside near Siena, then on to one of our favorite Chianti wine producers, Corsigniano. Learn why Mario doesn’t approve of the new formula for Chianti Classico.
* Market Day - visit to a Tuscan open air market, fecund with fresh seasonal and local ingredients. We will take these treasures back to San Fedele and make a feast of our own.
* Wine Tours -a visit to the famous wine producing towns in southern Tuscany, Montalcino and Montepulciano - not in Chianti. See how the Sangiovese grape can be used to make a totally different wine.
- Exploring the Heart of Tuscany: Beyond the walls of the San Fedele monastery lies the wonderful land of Tuscany. Tuscany is a concept as well as an area in the heart of Italy. Here are some things we have selected to allow a deeper exploration into what gives Tuscany its extraordinary appeal. The following activities and excursions will be available to all participants:
* Excursion to medieval Siena with a unique tour of a special hidden attraction.
* Visit to Castellina in Chianti with a lecture on Etruscan civilization by a local professor with a visit inside the ancient burial mound.
* Tour of classic Chianti wineries.
* Visit to the formal gardens and 17th century villa of the private Geggiano estate.
* Visit to local artisans in their studios.
* Morning hiking series through the Tuscan countryside: vineyards, olive groves, surrounding hamlets, estates and hill towns.
- Twilight Italian Culture Series: After the workshop sessions and excursions, our love affair with Tuscany will continue each evening before dinner with diverse cultural presentations. The San Fedele setting lends itself beautifully to the Il Chiostro experience. Here are some of the topics we have selected from the many things we love about Tuscany.
* Presentation on San Fedele Monastery, its history and renovation, by the owners and hosts, Nicolò and Renata.
* "Techniques For Tasting Italian Reds" plus "Chianti versus the Super Tuscan.".
* "The Historic Art of Frescoes".
* "Photography: How Close a Relative to Painting?".
* Live evening music programs.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices:
- Price and Registration: $2,695 p/p
- Junior Suite Supplement - $150 p/p
- Master Suite Supplement - $300 p/p
- Single Room Supplement - $500 (limited availability).
Price Includes:
- 7 nights in the restored historic monastery San Fedele
- Daily activities, workshop sessions and group events - as you choose
- Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared at the house, including wine (independent lunch)
- Excursions
- All local transportation
- Pick up in Florence on first day of workshop
- Optional activities and excursions
Price Excludes:
- Airfare
- Lunch
- Independent meals and sight-seeing.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Italy
Painting
Food & Wine
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
