Dates: May 21-30, 2027
Instructor: Bernard Dellario
Venue: Castello di Petroia, Umbria, Italy
Medium: All mediums welcome – Bernie will demo mostly in gouache and acrylic
Level: Open to all levels
This extended retreat offers the rare opportunity to immerse yourself fully in painting, with dedicated time for both studio and plein air work. Over the course of the retreat, we’ll explore landscape, still life, figure, and portraiture while developing the skills that connect them—observation, composition, color, value, and expressive mark-making.
Taught by Bernie Dellario, the retreat combines daily demonstrations with extensive painting time and highly individualized instruction. Bernie works closely with each participant throughout the retreat, offering one-on-one guidance, thoughtful critique, and encouragement tailored to your experience and goals. Periodic group critiques provide an opportunity to look closely at the work, discuss artistic choices, and learn from one another.
We’ll move between painting outdoors and working in the studio. Plein air sessions will focus on landscape and responding directly to changing light and atmosphere. In the studio, we’ll explore still life as well as figure and portrait painting from a live model. A still life will remain set up throughout the retreat, allowing you to return to it and develop different compositions and approaches.
The dedicated studio is available whenever you wish to paint, giving you the freedom to continue working beyond scheduled sessions and follow your inspiration.
All skill levels are welcome. All mediums are accepted, with Bernie demonstrating primarily in gouache and acrylic. Easels and painting supplies are included—you simply bring your favorite brushes, colors, or surfaces and arrive ready to paint.
Deeper engagement with your painting through sustained studio and plein air practice.
Individualized instruction and feedback throughout the retreat.
Experience across landscape, still life, figure, and portrait painting.
Daily demonstrations and periodic critiques to expand your approach.
Time and space to experiment, develop ideas, and work at your own pace.
Set in the heart of Umbria, Castello di Petroia offers an extraordinary venue for a 10-day art immersion. The 11th-century medieval castle combines the romance of a historic castle with the ease and comfort of a refined countryside retreat.
Perched on a hilltop between Perugia and Gubbio, the castle overlooks the rolling Umbrian countryside and sits within a 500-acre estate of ancient olive groves, meadows, forests, and abundant wildlife.
The birthplace of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (b. 1422), a major figure of the Italian Renaissance, Petroia offers a rare opportunity to experience the history, beauty, and hospitality of the region.
With just 15 guest rooms, Petroia offers an intimate and unhurried stay. Each artist who registers individually has a private room with ensuite bathroom, featuring exposed beams, stone arches, antique furnishings, and painted ceilings—historic character combined with modern comfort.
The castle and its estate are a painter’s paradise: weathered medieval walls and quiet courtyards, silvery olive groves, open meadows where Chianina cattle graze, and long views rolling out across the Umbrian hills.
A newly renovated 450-square-foot studio with soaring 25-foot vaulted ceilings is yours for the entire stay at the castle, so you can paint whenever inspiration strikes. This bright comfortable workspace offers ample room to spread out and paint, whatever the weather. It’s also a perfect space for painting the still life and the figure. Nearby, the covered loggia on the top floor of the main building offers another sheltered space with sweeping views.
We provide the equipment: easels and painting materials are included and available throughout your stay. Just bring your favorite brushes and we’ll take care of the rest.
Note: We provide traditional oil paints, acrylics, and gouache. Other mediums are not provided.
Meals are served in the castle’s historic spaces, from a breakfast of homemade sweet and savory specialties to relaxed family-style lunches and a daily aperitivo on the terrace. Each evening, Michelin-starred chef Walter Paseri presents a four-course dinner inspired by traditional Umbrian cuisine and seasonal local ingredients.
Beyond painting, guests can relax by the pool among the olive groves, hike the estate’s trails, take a cooking lesson, or simply read and enjoy the views. Gubbio, Assisi, Perugia, and Spoleto are within easy reach, and we’re glad to help arrange visits to hill towns and markets, as well as hiking and biking in the countryside.
What’s Included: Â
With over 10 years of experience organizing art tours, and with part of our team, our 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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