The Experience

Sunday, June 1, 2025
Check into your room at the Palazzo Leopoldo Hotel in Radda-in-Chianti or Villa Rosa in Panzano.

Monday, June 2, 2025 - DAY 1 - Fundamentals at the Farmhouse
Foundation & basics. Materials and techniques. Line, shape and shade. Color, tint and texture.
Sketching still life and landscape.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - DAY 2 - Explore Local Color: Medieval Hilltop Town & Winery
Plein air sketching in Radda-in-Chianti

Wine tasting and sketching at award winning local winery Colle Bereto.
Dinner in the garden at destination Michelin guide restaurant Osteria Le Panzanelle.

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - DAY 3 - Sketch in the Birthplace of the Renaissance: Florence
Guided tour with top-rated local guide focused on the Art and Architecture of Florence;
Sketching street and piazza scenes.

Thursday, June 5, 2025 - DAY 4 - Sketching the Vinyards: Rolling Hills View & Winery
Plein air sketching at Monte Bernardi.

Review and wrap at the Farmhouse.

Subject to change.

This art holiday, retreat & workshop takes place in the center of the Chianti Classico region, which is in the center of Tuscany. It will include visits to local inspirational locations within a few minutes drive of our historic medieval farmhouse (escapetochianti.com), about 45 minutes drive south of Florence.

If you’re flying in, Florence Peratola / Amerigo Vespucci airport is the closest airport. You may find cheaper flights to other regional airports like Pisa or Bologna (each about 90 minutes drive away). Rome airport  is just under two hours from Florence by train and offers another good airport to fly into. We recommend renting a car from Florence for convenience getting around the Tuscan countryside. If you don't wish to drive you could get a taxi to Radda and we'll help you with local transportation / carpooling etc. In the cities a car isn’t needed and the train connections between major cities are excellent.

 For those needing accommodation we recommend either the historic 4 star Palazzo Leopoldo Hotel & Spa in Radda or Villa Rosa in Panzano. The Palazzo Leopoldo Hotel is in the center of the beautiful medieval fortified hilltop town of Radda in Chianti, ten minutes drive from the workshop location. As a guest at the hotel you can use a beautiful swimming pool located at their sister property, the Ultimo Mulino, a ten minutes drive away. Villa Rosa has their own swimming pool and is five minutes drive from our farmhouse.

The price, $1,250, includes instruction; portable sketching kit; transportation for the field trip to Florence; a historical art tour in Florence by a top tour guide; lunches, aperitivi and a class dinner. Non-class participating companions / guests  are welcome to join in the Florence day trip, aperitivi and the two class dinners for an additional $350.

The workshop fee does not include hotel, air or ground transportation (other than the Florence field trip) or meals besides those mentioned above.  Payment is paid in full on registration and guarantees you a place in this art retreat. The payment is non-refundable but is transferable to future classes. A minimum of four students is required to run the workshop and your payment will be refunded if the class is cancelled due to too few students. The maximum number of students is ten.

• Learning to draw and paint what you see, reflecting your own unique style and point of view
• Inspirational subject matter in a beautiful environment
• Small class size (ten maximum)
• Custom portable, plein air art kit that includes all the media and papers you will need.
• Two world class artist instructors
• One-on-one feedback and support
• Art history tour of the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence
• Sketching field trips to historic hill towns and local winery
• Delicious food and wine—lunches, aperitivi, snacks, drinks and a special class dinner at a Michelin guide restaurant.

Peggy ( PeggyGyulai.com) and Jeremy (JeremySutton.com) are both professional artists who have taught hundreds of beginning and experienced students how to sketch and paint with easy-to-follow methods. We bring different perspectives and approaches, each sharing our techniques and tips that we use as professional artists. You’ll learn a wealth of practical skills and ideas you will use well beyond the workshop!