RETREAT ART COURSES IN ITALY

An introduction to gilding techniques in a antique monastery retreat:

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This retreat is for beginners or for people who are unfamiliar with traditional painting mediums and gilding, and are inspired by Italy and historical artworks.

This is a small group retreat in a monastery in the south of Tuscany. You will find a pleasant combination of elements for both mind and body. There is fresh air, quiet, good food, renaissance treasures to connect you to history, and of course plenty of beauty to stir the heart as well.

You may be feeling uninspired and isolated after the past couple of years and need a break to indulge in your personal interests or to refresh your skills. You probably have an eye for beauty and have always appreciated the works of the Italian renaissance and wondered how they were made on a technical level.

This is a short but intense workshop, a perfect introduction, with all the elements necessary to make you fall in love!  Plunge into the beauty of a 16th century monastery for a long weekend and start learning a new art skill under the guidance of an expert teacher. 

We have added an (optional) pre-course day of visits to gilded renaissance masterpieces in Arezzo, Sansepolcro, and Citerna for a personal introduction to masterworks by Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, and Donatello executed with the same techniques we will be employing. This way you can observe first hand and take note of the materials and their beauty.

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The benefits of this introductory weekend are twofold, you get a blast of inspiration and realise how expressive and deeply moving these techniques can be, and you can start your own journey on the right track, with an experienced master artisan teacher to guide you so that you can continue practicing at home without developing bad habits or incorrect practices.

Each participant has a private room with ensuite bathroom facilities. The course group size is restricted (5 people) so you get individual attention and personal space both in the studio and in your lodgings. All meals are provided unless otherwise stated. (Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or preferences). Travel to and from our location to the  Arezzo train station is provided for those who sign up fo the full course. The hosts are on site at all times in case of any emergencies. Please read over the covid guidelines below. 

The workshop:

The studio area will be available on site from morning to late evening for those who wish to work on their projects. Projects are prepared step by step by the students. Product recipes and procedures are given in the class notes. Example projects and finished examples will be used to teach. Please read the class schedule below for more details of the class.

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Instruction is available in English and in Italian.

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Schedule (Fall 2022 INTRO Gilding Retreat):

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Day One Thursday September 29th, 2022: 

• 10am: Meet at Arezzo train station

• Morning visits on foot in Arezzo: Cimabue and Piero Della Francesca in the cathedral

• Break for independent lunch then meet to join the private minivan. 

• Trip to the town of Sansepolcro and the museum, then a brief stop at your lodgings to deposit your bags.

• A visit to the town and welcome dinner in Anghiari 

-Please note itinerary may change slightly

Day Two Friday September 30th, 2022: 

• Breakfast availablefrom 7:30 to 9:00 

• 9am- 12:30pm: Morning workshop class on introduction to gilding, preparing gesso and applying it, preparing bole. The materials and their characteristics are explained.

• 1pm: Catered lunch in the church hall

• 2:30pm-5:30pm Afternoon class: sanding gessoed panels, applying bole. The application of gold leaf will be explained and demonstrated.

• 7pm: Catered dinner

-Small wooden panels and/or frames will be supplied

Day Three Saturday October 1, 2022: 

• Breakfast available from 7:30 to 9:00 

• 9am- 12:30pm: Morning class on the application of gold leaf with the water gilding method, handling of leaf, proper practices and tools.

• 1pm: Catered lunch in the church hall 

• 2:30pm-5:30pm Afternoon class: burnishing the gilded surface will be explained and demonstrated, if students panels are ready they can be burnished. Pigment paints made with rabbit skin glue, and casein paints will be demonstrated.

• 7pm: Catered dinner

Day Four Sunday October 2, 2022: 

• Breakfast available from 7:30 to 9:00 

• 9am- 12:30pm: Morning class: introduction to decorating and finishing the gilded surface including discussion, demonstration and hands on work.  

• 12:30pm: Catered lunch in the church hall 

• 2:00pm-3:30pm: Afternoon summary: students can put the finishing touches on their projects, ask questions and review their work with the teacher

• 3:45 circa minivan transfer to Arezzo train station ( approx. 40 minutes)

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