The Artists Italy

Workshop members will be picked up at the airport or train station in Parma. Settle in to your hotel before meeting for an aperitif and dinner.

After breakfast we will meet at 9:00am for a morning guided tour of Parma with fabulous insight from a local guide who will travel with the group explaining the history, sights and local delicacies. This will  be followed by a session in the studio with Jennie, on drawing and exploring mixed media for travel sketchbooks. We will make a concertina sketchbook with watercolour paper and drawing paper to use on our daily outings.

Enjoy a casual lunch before heading out into the Palazzo Pitti for sketching with individual tuition. Around 5pm return to the hotel and relax before meeting at 8:00pm for aperitivo (light dinner and drinks) with Melina.

Today after an early breakfast, Melina and Jennie will take workshop members to Bologna for a day of painting, a guided tour of Bologna market and centre and food experiences. There will be so many great painting opportunities with cafes and secluded alleyways to entice us. A demonstration by Jennie will be followed by sketching with individual tuition.

We will lunch in Bologna, famous for Bolgnese sauce, tortellini, lasagne and mortadella! Then free time or move onto painting, exploring new compositions until 5pm when we will return to Parma to relax until dinner.

At 8:00pm the evening will culminate with an amazing food experience – a dinner at a famous Michelin restaurant – food art at its best.

Today we pack and leave Parma promptly at 9:00am as we will travel to Borgo Val di Taro where we will be working under the forest canopy. Using found materials we will immerse ourselves in nature, making brushes and using experimental drawing techniques in our sketchbooks. After a morning painting with inks and pine needles/sticks and possible mushroom hunting, we will enjoy a picnic lunch supplied by Chef Mario Marini, before heading to the historical centre for the famous Porcini festival.

In the afternoon we will travel to the hillside and check into the amazing Antico Borgo di Tabiano Castello Relais. We will have free time in the afternoon to paint or explore the Castle. Dinner this evening at 8:00pm will be at the restaurant of the Castello obtained from an old cheese dairy.

After breakfast we explore the upper part of Tabiano Castello with guided visit.

We will have a full day of painting with time to draw from a panoramic vantage point. The unique Italian landscape dotted with stone buildings, olive groves and vines will inspire and entice. Demonstrations by Jennie with individual tuition will occur throughout the day followed by a critique session early afternoon.

Workshop members have free time for individual paintings, relax by the pool or take full advantage of the wellness centre. Dinner this evening will be in the village with the locals.

Today we depart at 8:00am for a morning food excursion with Melina at ANtica Corte Pallavicina. We will take an easy, fun bicycle ride to see the famous parmigiano reggiano cheese and the culatello di Zibello medieval ageing cellars followed by a cooking class and lunch.

After lunch we will transfer to our lakeside Relais where you will have time for some sketching before dining at the Relais this evening.

After breakfast today we will be driving amazing vintage cars to the lakes where we will lunch on or overlooking the water. Don’t forget to bring your international drivers licence (drivers can be provided).

This afternoon we will be painting the incredible view from the Relais. There will be a demonstration of other techniques by Jennie followed by individual tuition and a critique session. Dinner tonight will be at the Relais Mirabella.

A full art day with Jennie and a guest Italian artist followed by our last critique session and summary of the week. This will be pleasantly interrupted by lunch at a winery.

Our farewell dinner will be held tonight at 8:00pm.

This morning we say our farewells after a beautiful breakfast. You will be transferred to Turin airport or train station for your journey home to complete your European holiday.

Private transfers can be arranged for other locations.

• First class teaching by renowned artist Jennifer Forster
• 8 nights 4 star accommodation in Northern Italy: 3 nights Parma, 2 nights Campiano, 3 nights Lake Iseo
• Sightseeing, guided tours and painting as per itinerary
• Welcome and farewell drinks
• All breakfasts, lunch experiences and fine dining daily
• Michelin dining experience
• Cooking school
• Cycling through the Italian countryside
• Vintage cars to Lake Iseo
• Arrival and departure transfers
• The services of a professional workshop manager

• Travel arrangements not specified in the itinerary
• Flights to and from the workshop
• Travel insurance – highly recommended
• Gratuities to local drivers and guides
• Unspecified sightseeing
• Drinks other than those specified in the itinerary
• Individual art equipment
• Personal items
• Excess backage charges
• Passports and visas
• The price does not include the tour extension option in Verona

Workshop members have the option to leave the tour or continue onto Verona. This 3 night extension is for the artist who wants to develop their sketches into more considered works. We will be working in a studio with access to art supplies and an Italian guest artist.

We will arrive in the stunning city of Verona, known as the painted city and begin with a guided visit to a gallery and visit an art supplies shop to purchase different art materials.

After lunch we will spend the afternoon in the studio where we will begin working on projects with individual tuition using sketches, rubbings and papers collected over the past week to create unique works.

Tonight we will enjoy the al fresco fair of Verona.

After breakfast we will be entertained by a Verona street food tour which will end on a high vantage point so that we can sketch its stunning rooftops.

Heading back to the studio we will continue exploring our larger works with a demonstration of varying mixed media techniques and a critique session.

Tonight we take in a show after dinner.

Today we will spend the morning in the studio working on individual pieces followed by time in the studio of a local Italian painter.

Following our last critique session we will pack up our works allowing free time to enjoy further sightseeing in Verona.

This evening we will participate in a cooking class and a dinner experience.

Transfers and departure.