Focus on Florence and Fiesole:

This year's workshop includes three days in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, and Fiesole, the Medici's favorite retreat. Florence includes a guided tour of the Uffizi, visits to the San Lorenzo market and the Mercato Centrale, the fascinating Church of Santa Croce and its leather school, the gold-laden Ponte Vecchio, and much more. Fiesole contains incredible examples of garden design from the Renaissance to the 20th century, as well as a Roman amphitheatre and Etruscan ruins. Built in to the schedule is quiet time for artists to paint.

Europeans, and particularly Italians, love the sight of artists setting up easels on public streets or byways, and you’ll have fascinating encounters and lots of encouragement. You’ll also have the private time you need in the countryside, on the estate and at the farmhouse.

Italian Immersion

And let's not forget food for your body as well as for your soul. This year we've dedicated a day in the kitchen to create other types of artistry, so you can re-create at home some of the dishes you learned to love during the week. You'll visit selected restaurants and osterias, wineries and markets, specialty shops and enotecas, and you'll enjoy the traditional pizza night at Selva.

Every evening begins with aperitivi and antipasti under the pergola, giving you the opportunity for friendly and helpful critiques of the day’s painting. Throughout the week, you will have special "tastings" from the estate – wine, olive oil and cheeses – as well as regional salamis and balsamico. Over evening coffee, you may continue your painting discussions; and some evenings will present the opportunity to attend a special event, such as a musical concert in the Duomo in Lucca or a retrospective of a local artist’s work.

Lunches will vary daily and may be taken in a restaurant, at the farmhouse or you may wish a sack lunch so you can spend the day working on your painting. You'll also have a picnic lunch at one of the Lucca villas.

Judy Nakari

Judy Nakari of Tucson, Arizona, leads the group and offers assistance and instruction to those painting in watercolor. Her approach is relaxed and spontaneous, emphasizing value, color and composition. Her teaching style is non-intrusive, honoring individual style while offering assistance with technical challenges.

This painting workshop is not limited to watercolor artists. Painters in other media are encourage to join in this special Italian opportunity.

For examples of Judy's work, log on to her website, www.nakari.com, and click on the travel page. You will see selected works from her painting trips to Italy in 1999, 2003 and 2004, 2005, and also to France in 2000.