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Painting Umbria: Seeing and Simplifying the Italian Landscape

with Mark Russell - October 12-19, 2024

Painting Umbria: Seeing and Simplifying the Italian Landscape

with Mark Russell - October 12-19, 2024

A creative week of painting, experimentation, discovery and discussion in the Umbrian countryside!

Dates: October 12-19, 2024
Instructor: Mark Russell
Location: Castello di Petroia, Gubbio, Umbria, Italy
Medium: All painting mediums. Instructor demos will be in oil and watercolor.
Level: All levels welcome. Some painting experience in your preferred medium is preferred

Join Winslow Art Center and Mark Russell on an unforgettable journey to Italy to paint in beautiful and historic Umbria. Seeing and observing the landscape is our focus. We’ll work on filtering to select only the essential, “listening” to what you see, and on simplifying both your paintings and your approach to painting. Through daily instructor demonstrations and ample time for you to paint in your preferred medium, youll come away with new ideas and ways to approach your work. This promises to be a creative week of painting, experimentation, discovery and discussion.

This workshop will be a combination of guided exercises in observation, planning and editing, individual instruction and ample time for each artist to paint and explore ideas. All artists will receive generous 1:1 feedback and personal guidance. Each day will be filled with instructor demonstrations, group conversations, and supportive personal critiques and group critiques to share ideas and learn from others. The demonstrations will be in oil and watercolor. The watercolor demos will be focused on quick-sketch and idea generation and will include a few guided exercises throughout the workshop. Exercises will include painting and drawing.

Focus will include:

SEEING

Finding your inspiration through observation and response

Listening to what you see

SELECTING

Planning and composing your painting

Filtering and removing the unnecessary

SIMPLIFYING

Simplifying your approach to each painting

Working with shapes to “suggest” not “tell”

Finding the essential elements

COLOR

Color choices, color mixing, understanding complementaries

About the Instructor

Mark Russell has been creating landscape and nature paintings for more than 30 years. He has exhibited his work in group shows, in galleries and museums across the country and won numerous awards. His paintings are included in private and corporate collections. He has degrees from DePaul University and The American Academy of Art in Chicago.

Luxury Accomodations at Castello di Petroia

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.

The castle’s 16 bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom, feature original wooden beams, stone arches, antique furniture and painted ceilings. The luxurious accommodations have been restored with an eye to modern amenities, while preserving the authentic medieval structure. The 13th Century dining room is warm and refined, with historic furnishings, soft light, fireplaces and candles. Breakfasts, which include homemade yogurts, breads, pastries, jams, fresh fruit and local meats and cheeses, are served in the historic Guidobaldo Hall, an elegant book-lined, wood-beamed room with magnificent views of the Umbrian countryside.

Itinerary

Saturday, October 12, 2024
  • Pickup at meeting spot in Rome at 1:30 
  • Arrive Castello di Petroia, Gubbio 
  • Orientation/Welcome, Aperitivo and Dinner 
Sunday, October 13, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Lunch at Hotel 
  • Full day of painting instruction
  • Aperitivo and Dinner at Hotel 
Monday, October 14, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Lunch at Hotel 
  • Full day of painting instruction
  • Aperitivo and Dinner at Hotel 
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Lunch at Hotel 
  • Full day of painting instruction
  • Wine Tasting
  • Dinner at Hotel 
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Excursion to Town of Gubbio
  • Aperitivo and Dinner at Hotel
Thursday, October 17, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Lunch at Hotel 
  • Full day of painting instruction
  • Aperitivo and Dinner at Hotel 
  • Outdoor astronomy lecture and stargazing
Friday, October 18, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Lunch at Hotel
  • Full day of painting instruction
  • Farewell aperitivo and exhibit of work 
  • Farewell Dinner 
Saturday, October 19, 2024
  • Breakfast at Hotel
  • Depart for Rome – 9:30 AM
  • Arrive in Rome at drop-off spot – 12:00-12:30 PM
(Planned itinerary is subject to minor alterations.)

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Experience Counts

Martha and the Winslow Art Center team have over 10 years of experience organizing destination art workshops. We personally participate in every travel workshop to ensure the quality of the accommodations and cuisine as well as to coordinate the special needs of the 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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