2012 Program Schedule

A Gastronomic Tour with Angelo Prosperi-Porta, award-winning chef and co-owner of the luxurious Cooper’s Cove Guesthouse on the Sooke waterfront on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Angelo offers 5-star dining, an impressive wine list and cooking classes. His cookbook, Flavours of Cooper's Cove Guesthouse written with Ina Haegemann, was an Independent Publisher Book Award winner and was named Best First Book in English from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Angelo terms his teaching style "interactive" and will lead participants through a week-long cooking course that also includes cultural excursions and wine adventures in the surrounding area. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and dig into the pasta dough with Angelo!
Dates: June 9 - 16, 2012

Italian Watercolor Art-Adventure in the Tuscan Hills with Susan Cowan and Lee Baughman. Susan and Lee are accomplished artists who have paired their passion for creative plein air painting with their passion for travel and exploring new places . . . and they invite you to join them. Since 1995 when they formed ArtAdventures, they have been taking artists and art lovers to their favorite places in the Pacific Northwest as well as to Hawaii and Europe. Both teach watermedia classes at Clark College in Vancouver, WA and are highly acclaimed for their teaching techniques as well as their own work in watercolor. Both experienced artists and newcomers laud their workshops and classes for the individual attention Susan and Lee provide and the insights they offer to expand the artist's creative vision. In this Tuscan adventure, your venues include the working wine and olive oil estate that's home for most of your two-week stay plus the charming coastal towns of The Cinque Terre, San Gimignano with its historic towers, the walled city of Lucca and a three-day excursion to Florence. To learn more about Susan and Lee and their work and travels, visit their website at www.art-adventures.com.
Dates: August 18 - September 1, 2012 and September 1 - 15, 2012

The Poetic Landscape of Tuscany: A Painting Workshop with Elizabeth Mowry. Pastel artist Elizabeth Mowry invites you to join her in exploring the poetry of the Tuscan landscape. Perch above the hillsides covered in vines heavy with grapes and capture the essence of some of Tuscany's most memorable scenery. This Pastel Society of America Hall of Fame Honoree and Master Pastelist will provide individual guidance and suggestions for taking your work to the next level of accomplishment. Painting demonstrations by Elizabeth plus sharing your work with other students make this an ideal opportunity to develop your skills and personal style. You'll seek out painting venues "at home" on the working wine and olive oil estate where you'll be staying plus "off site" in the walled city of Lucca, in nearby fortified hilltop villages, on the coast when you visit the colorful towns of The Cinque Terre plus at the wineries and among the olive groves of northern Tuscany. Learn more about Elizabeth and her work at www.elizabethmowry.com.
Dates: September 18 - 28, 2012

A Photographic Journey with Pat and Emi Kanan. Internationally acclaimed photographers Pat and Emi Kanan share their passion for Tuscany with enthusiastic photographers. Regardles of previous experience or equipment, they encourage all students to creatively experiment. Their workshop concentrates on composition, simplicity and the ability to recognize and capture those rare moments in time. Excursions include the magnificent Cinque Terre, the charms of small corners of Lucca, a fortress town in the mountains, Baroque villas and gardens, beautifully landscaped vineyards and olive groves . . . and more. You'll learn how to chronicle your own travels with a more perceptive eye and how to create professional quality photographs. To see some of Pat and Emi's work, visit their website at www.DoorsToTheOldWorld.com.
Dates: October 6 - 13, 2012

Watch here as additional programs for 2012 are added.