Courses: Painting

Course Dates:

Dates Currently Being Scheduled

Umbria is an enchanting place of great beauty, a region called “The Green Heart of Italy”. In this course, you will be introduced to classical and contemporary painting techniques and concepts. Color theory, linear perspective, pictorial composition, figure ground relationships, visual perception, spatial concepts and critical thinking skills will be emphasized in this exploration of the fundamentals of artistic expression. The course will involve the study of major painting styles and movements in historical context, with a particular emphasis on Italian painting. Demonstrations, slide lectures, painting on location, studio painting and individual and group critiques will be given throughout the course. Acrylic will be the primary medium used for the course. This course will also acquaint the student with western art history, the critical process and the productive order to foster a well-balanced appreciation for art and how it relates to the development of western culture. The class size, which is limited to 14 people, allows great flexibility in modifying the instruction to meet all skill levels.

During your time at Caifiordi, you will also have an opportunity to experience “up close and personal” life in a small Italian hill town. You will meet with local residents, explore local fresh air markets, meet your hosts at the various restaurants you will visit and enjoy many conversations with Manuele and Simone at Locanda del Borgo. You will also have the opportunity on Sunday to paint with the children of Pietralunga, an activity which has become a tradition at Caifiordi. These experiences will infuse your art; will help you to portray the true emotion and passion of the Umbrian people in a way which could not be done without this local contact.

Your time at Caifiordi will, weather permitting, culminate with an art show in Pietralunga’s main piazza in front of a medieval church. Local residents will stop to admire, discuss and possibly purchase. Following the art show, you will be treated to a farewell banquet at Locanda del Borgo, prepared by chef Paolo, which will feature local cuisine, cheeses, meats and wines. Your host there will explain the menu and the method of preparation.

COST:

The cost for your trip is $2,950. This cost includes the following items:

• All lodging in both Pietralunga and Florence
• Ground transportation from Rome and to Florence
• Ground transportation to all daily excursions
• Admission to all museums and attractions
• All meals with the exception of lunch and breakfast the day you are in Florence
• All gratuities
• All paints, canvases, paper for painting –you only need to bring your paintbrushes
• Painting instruction costs

To join us for this painting adventure, all you need to do is pay a non-refundable deposit of $500. This deposit will guarantee you space in this group which will be limited to no more than 14 persons. One-half the balance will be due thirty days after and the remainder will be due thirty days prior to your first day of travel.

More information can be found on our website at www.caifiordi.com or by calling Bert Grayson at 870-636-8082.

Our schedule for this all-inclusive eleven day program is:

DAY 1:	Depart from your home country
DAY 2:	Arrive in Rome, Italy where you will be met by Caifiordi personnel and your guide. From Rome, transportation will be provided for you with lunch along the way. You will be driven to Pietralunga where you check into Locanda del Borgo, the charming 16th century country house which has been beautifully converted into a hotel and restaurant. There you will be greeted by the father and sons who operate this charming facility. During your time here, you will get to know this family who will be prepared to assist you in every way to make your stay more enjoyable. Once you are settled into the hotel, we will meet for a welcome dinner at Il Triangolo in Pietralunga where you can sample one of the traditional Italian pizzas which Chef Franco will make for you in a wood-fired oven.
DAY 3:	You will have breakfast at Locanda del Borgo where you will be treated to an assortment of homemade breads and breakfast pastries, traditional of the region, fresh fruits, juices, yogurt, cereal as well as your choice of beverage. Following a leisurely breakfast, you will travel to Caifiordi where you will spend the morning painting in the studio there. Lunch will be served al fresco at Caifiordi so that more time will be available for painting and instruction. Following lunch, you will travel to Montone, a simply stunning medieval hilltown located approximately 20 minutes from Pietralunga. There you will paint a cityscape in this charming village where life seems to have stopped in time. Dinner that evening will be at Locanda dei Fiorucci in Pietralunga followed by a nightcap at the local pub.
DAY 4:	Your fourth day of this adventure is Sunday which is a good time to sleep in late or explore the ancient section of Pietralunga if you feel more energetic. The local ancient church has mass at 8:30 and again at 11:00 and you can enjoy the local custom of strolling to a local café for a coffee after church should you desire. Lunch will be al fresco at Caifiordi featuring the local cuisine where we are often joined by local neighbors. Following lunch, you will be in the studio for the remainder of the afternoon. In the late afternoon, you are welcome to just us in our weekly outdoor painting session with the children of Pietralunga. Once again, Franco will prepare pasta or pizza for you at Il Triangolo.
DAY 5:	On Monday, after breakfast, you will again paint in the studio during the morning. Just before lunch, you will drive the 30 minute drive over the mo u n t a i n t o Gubbio, perhaps the most beautiful of the hill towns you will visit. In Gubbio, you will have a picnic lunch at the Roman ampitheatre ruins where you will paint the ancient ruins followed by a gellato at the café located there. When the painting is completed for the day, you will travel by cable car up the mountainside to the church of San Ubaldo, the patron saint of Gubbio. Time permitting you will visit the monument to the 40 martyrs of Gubbio and explore the city sreets and the Piazzo dei Consuli. You will have dinner in Gubbio at Il Piccio Verde.
DAY 6:	You will spend much of the day painting the local vistas from Caifiordi. Following lunch at Caifiordi, you will travel to Citta di Castello to view the museum there which houses the collection of Alberto Burri, Umbria’s most well-known 20th century artist. Dinner will be in Citta di Castello at L’Hosteria.
DAY 7:	Today is market day in Umbertide located a short drive from Pietralunga. You will be able to explore and paint outdoors in the piazza there. Lunch will be in Umbertide at Tres Freres, an Italian restaurant with a French name in Umbertide. Following lunch, you will go back to Caifiordi to paint in the studio. Dinner will be served at Caifiordi so that you will have more time in which to complete your paintings.
DAY 8:	Today is a studio day with ample time for you to complete your paintings. Following lunch at Caifiordi, you will go to your hotel to get ready for the late afternoon art show which will take place, weather permitting, in the main piazza in Pietralunga. This show has proven in the past to be a success with the residents of Pietralunga and will give you the opportunity to have your work viewed by many. This evening, there will be a farewell banquet at Locanda del Borgo where you will be treated to a menu featuring many of the local meats, cheeses, pastas and wines. A post-dinner stroll to the pub for a farewell drink will top off the evening.
DAY 9:	Following breakfast,you will leave Locanda del Borgo and be driven to the village of Civita Castellana. There we will explore the ruins of an ancient Roman road, tour the cathedral and wander through this charming village where we will have lunch. Later in the afternoon you will check into Zia Cathy's, a charming agriturismo located in a beautifully restored 1850s farmhouse. There you can enjoy a swim in the pool or simply sit and sip wine in the garden. Dinner will be served here. For further information, visit their website at www.ziacathys.it.
DAY 10:	Early in the morning, you will be driven to the Rome airport to return to the U.S. You will arrive back in the U.S. this same day.
DAY 11:	Depart from Florence. Arrive in U.S.