Art & Study Retreats in Italy
Itinerary: Drawing & Pastel in Etruria
Tuscania—Day One
Arrive in Rome at Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) airport. We travel by private coach along the coast to the ancient Etruscan town of Tuscania in the heart of Etruria, an area D. H. Lawrence describes with haunting efficacy in his Etruscan Places. The trip up the coast, with the Tyrrhenian Sea on our left, will take about an hour. The afternoon will be free to relax, sketch, and explore the town, to enjoy the beautiful grounds surrounding the Villa Relais Pian di Vico, to sketch, and to swim in the pool. We will have a welcome dinner outside on the grounds of the villa.
Relais Pian di Vico—Days Two through Five
At Relais Pian di Vico artist Martha Wakeman will offer daily pastel and drawing classes classes outdoors, weather permitting, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There will be at least one late afternoon class to explore the quality of the landscape under the late afternoon Mediterranean light as the day merges into dusk.
Each class will begin with a brief introductory lecture of about 15 minutes that will include discussion of various techniques through the observation of reproductions and through demonstration. Emphasis will be on the development of a personal style. Basic drawing and pastel techniques will be presented. Instruction will be at all levels, from beginning to advanced. The drawing class will be especially structured for beginners.
During our week at Relais Pian di Vico there will be free time to enjoy the pool at the villa plus afternoon trips to the gardens at the Villa Lante, to the ancient town of Tuscania, and to the Etruscan Museum and tombs in Tarquinia. There will be an optional excursion to the Farnese Palace at Capraola as well as an optional cooking class.
Lago di Bolsena—Last Full Day
This morning, the beginning of our last full day in Etruria, we will travel by coach to the beautiful Lake of Bolsena. There will be a boat ride and an opportunity to sketch at the lakeside town of Capodimonte. We will visit Montefiascone, perched high above the Lago di Bolsena and home of the famous Est-Est-Est wine. We will return to Relais Pian di Vico for an Arrivederci Etruria dinner. Departure will be the next morning.