Dates: June 12-19, 2026
Instructor: Mel Williamson
Venue: Castello di Petroia, Umbria, Italy
Medium: Oil or Acrylic (Mel will be painting in oil)
Level: All levels are welcome
Join Mel Williamson for an inspiring week of plein air painting in the heart of Umbria, where history, landscape, and atmosphere come together in one unforgettable location: the majestic Castello di Petroia. Simplify your approach, deepen your understanding of color, and loosen up as we capture fleeting moments of light and mood.
Throughout the week, we’ll be working alla prima, embracing the spontaneity of painting on location with a limited palette. The focus will be on landscape as our primary subject, but the opportunity may arise to shift gears and spend a day with still life or the human figure, in the castle’s beautiful interior spaces.
Mel’s teaching style emphasizes simplicity, curiosity, and confidence-building — helping you find a personal rhythm in your work without overcomplicating the process. Daily demos, one-on-one guidance, and group discussions will support your personal goals in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.
With the Umbrian countryside as our studio and the castle as our home base, this workshop is not just a chance to sharpen your skills, but also to slow down, connect, and paint with presence. Winslow Art Center will host a pre-trip Zoom session to go over materials, travel tips, and what to expect at the castle.
The venue for this week-long art immersion is the 10th Century Castello di Petroia, an authentic medieval fortress perched on a hilltop between the towns of Perugia and Gubbio, with inspiring views of the surrounding landscape. The castle, birthplace of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (b.1422), is surrounded by a 600-acre traditional Umbrian farm with beautiful olive groves, hiking and horse-riding trails, meadows, woods and abundant wildlife.
What’s Included:
With over 10 years of experience organizing art tours, and with part of our team, my daughters Anne and Amy, living in Europe and fluent in Italian and Spanish, we maintain long term relationships with the owners and staff of our favorite venues. We personally participate in every travel workshop to ensure the quality and to coordinate all the needs of an art instruction program.
If you have any questions, please use the form below, phone 206-715-6663 or email martha@winslowartcenter.com to contact us.
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