Landscape painters, I am happy to announce my third annual workshop, “Autumn Landscape Painting in Tuscany with Lori McNee” in beautiful Italy – October 20 – 27, 2019! (SOLD OUT! Please email
lori@lorimcnee.com to be added to the waitlist or with questions.)
*****
Eight lucky painters will join me (Lori) for an exclusive painting adventure of a lifetime in the beautiful Tuscan countryside of Lucca, Italy! This year, I am offering a one week workshop session October 20 – 27, 2019. ( We already have sold a few spots!) I am thrilled to be returning to Casa Berti to lead another amazing workshop. This experience is beyond description. But, I hope the following information give you a taste of our time in Tuscany.
*This workshop is open to all levels from beginner to professional. In October 2018, I had two total beginners who had never painted before PLUS two professionals along with intermediate painters – all in the same session! It was wonderful. The following photos are from my October 2018 workshops.
The villa where we stay was featured in 2018 Veranda Magazine! Follow the link in the comments section below to discover more about this incredible painting trip filled with plein air painting, photography, new ideas, art business tips, excursions, authentic Italian cuisine, wine tasting, homemade olive oil, fresh baked bread, music, dancing, laughter, new friends and much more!
Autumn in Tuscany is a spectacular time of year! The crowds are gone and the weather is perfect for plein air painting – not too hot and not too cold. Late October is the beginning of olive harvesting season because the weather is warm and therefore perfect for outdoor painting!
The sunrises and sunsets are truly breathtaking. I took the following video one morning at Casa Berti…
Where You Will Stay:
Once again, I am conducting this fabulous workshop at Casa Berti http://www.casaberti.com/ in the beautiful countryside above Lucca, Italy. This will be my third consecutive October workshop at Casa Berti! The estate is spacious, comfortable and quiet with modern conveniences including newly remodeled ensuite bathrooms. There is the main villa and the old 12th century farmhouse right next door where I like to stay!
Meet Casa Berti owner, Ben Gooder…
Casa Berti is a peaceful hideaway in the Italian countryside, only minutes from the historic walled city of Lucca. Lucca was founded by the pre-Roman Etruscans and it is surrounded by thick and high fortifications that date back to the Middle Ages. The jagged walls that encircle Lucca designed by the famous artist and architect, Leonardo Da Vinci. Lucca is a vibrant city with a labyrinth of narrow streets which are filled with great shopping, wonderful cafes, and historical sites. I love Lucca!
“Lori’s Tuscany workshop was one of the best decisions of my life. Everything about it was incredible. Lori is a great teacher and gives every student individual attention. She’s so good at bringing out each painters personal style. I highly advise signing up early because her past students might fill up next years workshops before anyone else get a chance lol.” ~Romona Youngquist
Casa Berti is a beautiful 16th century estate and a working olive farm owned by my dear friend, Ben Gooder an expat from England. Olive oil is often called the liquid gold of Tuscany and Casa Berti produces some of the finest!
This year you will spend 7 restful nights, and 6 busy days plein air painting under the autumn Tuscan sun! Each day you will be surrounded old olive orchards, charming vineyards, a swimming pool, wildflowers, magnificent villas and picturesque buildings. For more information about Casa Berti visit http://www.casaberti.com/. Or email Lori with any questions lori@finearttips.com 🙂
“I’ve been here for two incredible painting sessions. I am a totally untrained beginning painter. Lori has shown me everything from brushstrokes to sky holes. I want to come back next year!” ~Diana
“You can’t imagine how much I miss all of you!! It seems like a dream! Magical Casa Berti, filled with some of the greatest people I have ever met. Top that off with common passion for art and painting…there’s no way to express what this experience meant to me!! This is the second workshop I have taken from Lori. The first one was in Giverny, France. Lori is a gracious and talented teacher who shares everything she knows. This has been a life changing experience.” ~Harmony
What You Will Learn:
- You will improve your painting skills.
- 6 days filled with classroom lectures, studio & outdoor instruction and demonstrations.
- Each day, I will guide you through simplified steps to create a successful landscape painting.
- You will discover the fundamentals of design, value, edges, color mixing and harmony, as well as brushwork and texture.
- You will be taught an approach that will help you create your own successful paintings.
The objective of this workshop is to have fun, relax, come with an open mind, and a willingness to try new things.
I will be demonstrating with water-mixable, solvent-free oil paints. Traditional oils, watercolor, and acrylic paints are welcome, but this is a great time to try solvent-free with Lori McNee! Learn more about me here and visit my popular art blog, www.FineArtTips.com.
Ben, Debs and I will take very good care of you!
Casa Berti’s grand art studio is absolutely stunning. The large picture window fills the space with natural light as it overlooks the Tuscan landscape. The studio is equipped with French easels, but participants are welcome to bring their own pochade boxes. (A full supply list to follow after registration)
“The most incredible workshop class I have ever taken! I have learned so much including composition and value. Every minute of this trip was enjoyable.” ~Linda
Example Workshop Itinerary: (subject to change)
Day 1, Sunday, Oct 20
Pick up from Lucca train station at 3pm
Orientation meeting and welcome dinner at Casa Berti
Day 2, Monday, Oct 21
Breakfast
9:30am-12:30pm: Introductions, handouts, Our first working day! Q&A, equipment prep, canvas prep, setting up palette.
Lunch
2pm-5pm: Thumbnail sketchbook work, value sketches in the field, monochrome painting studies
5pm-8pm: Optional studio time
8pm: Dinner
After dinner: Optional studio painting
Day 3, Tuesday, Oct 22
Breakfast
9am-12:30pm: Color mixing basics: discuss limited palette plein air painting, low versus high horizon design.
Lunch.
2pm-5pm: Limited palette or extended palette option plein air painting, focusing on design and edges.
Day 4, Wednesday, Oct 23
Breakfast
7am-10:30am: Optional morning-light plein air painting.
11am-4pm: Excursion! Shopping and Lunch in LUCCA!
5pm-8pm: Optional plein air painting or studio time
8pm: Dinner
After dinner: Art business night! Bring your tablets/laptop and notebook
Day 5, Thursday, Oct 23
Breakfast
9am-12:30pm: Using color harmony to enhance your paintings.
Lunch
2pm-4:30pm: Plein air painting, or studio painting.
4:30pm-7:30pm: Optional sunset/nocturne plein air painting
8pm: Dinner
After dinner: Movie night
Day 6, Friday, Oct 25
Breakfast
10am: Excursion!
Lunch during excursion
8pm: Dinner
Day 7, Saturday, Oct 26
Breakfast
9am-12:30pm: Painting at Casa Berti
Lunch
2pm-4:30pm: Plein air painting at Casa Berti, or studio painting. Finishing up pieces.
5pm: Group critique
8pm: Farewell dinner, Brick oven authentic PIZZA PARTY followed by after dinner social party in the studio!
Day 8, Sunday, Oct 27
Breakfast
10:30am: Goodbyes
11am: Departure, transfer to Lucca train station
Cost:
$3400.00 USD per participating workshop student.
$2200.00 USD for non-participating spouses, friends or partners.
*Cost for returning students $3200.00
$950.00 non-refundable deposit at registration. (Please review the Terms & Conditions agreement.)
Or you can mail your $950.00 deposit via cashier’s check or money order to:
Lori McNee
Po Box 10098
Ketchum, ID 83340
What’s Included:
6 days of instruction and 7 nights accommodation, all on sight meals including, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and wine. Meals are prepared by our talented chef / hostess “Debs” who uses the freshest local ingredients.
Our host, Ben Gooder will provide the transfers to the Lucca train station on the first and last day of the workshop. You can contact Ben with any questions regarding travel to Casa Berti. I suggest flying into Pisa or Florence and taking the train to Lucca. It’s an easy trip from either airport. Others may opt to rent a car or hire a private car.
*Authentic Italian cooking lessons and relaxing private onsite massages are available upon request at an extra cost.
Our Special Tuscan Excursions!
To add to you well rounded Tuscan immersion, Ben will be taking us all on a few fabulous optional excursions!
Here are some excursion ideas! (All within an easy drive)
1) The Walled city of Lucca. Get lost exploring the Roman town. (This is approximately a 10 minute drive from Casa Berti)
2) The coast; from super chic Forte dei Marmi where the fashionable set of Milan spend their summer to the wilderness nature reserve at Migliarino. Here river meets sea and the wildlife is abundant. (This was a spectacular day trip!)
3) Pietrasanta – home to the artists. Galleries, artist studios, materials, exhibitions, cafes and chic shopping. (I loved the art galleries, museums, and the shopping! Michelangelo spent a lot of time in this city.)
4) Carrara – visit The marble quarries when Michelangelo selected his stone and which still operate today. Dramatic scenery and amazing views of the Mediterranean
5) Cinque Terre- A day trip to the famously picturesque Ligurian villages that cling precariously between mountain and sea.
6) A short hike in the Garfagnana- follow marked trails up into Alpuan alps and enjoy amazing scenery far off the beaten tourist track.
7) Wine tasting at a famous Lucca winemaker
8) Renaissance villas- spectacular palaces nearby open to the public by special arrangement. Incredible Renaissance Gardens. Villa Reale, Villa Oliva and villa Torrigiani…
“I honestly could not have imagined a better beginning to my learning to oil paint journey! Lori is a wonderful talent and wonderfully passionate about painting! More importantly her enthusiastic, positive teaching style and her wonderful communication skills create such a great learning/growing painting environment for all skill levels! The Lucca, Tuscany setting is simply incredible and inspiring! In short, Paint in Tuscany with Lori McNee was epic! I highly recommend the experience and certainly hope to attend many more of Lori’s workshops in my plein air painting future!” ~Chris
My 2017 & 2018 Tuscan workshops filled very quickly and it even had a waiting list. (Please refer to our Terms & Conditions agreement before booking). I highly suggest purchasing travel insurance. BOOK NOW below…
Cost:
$3400.00 USD per participating workshop student.
$2200.00 USD for non-participating spouses, friends or partners.
*Cost for returning students $3200.00
$950.00 non-refundable deposit at registration. (Please review the Terms & Conditions agreement.)
Or you can mail your $950.00 deposit via cashier’s check or money order to:
Lori McNee
Po Box 10098
Ketchum, ID 83340
Click the BOOK NOW button below to reserve your spot! (Please refer to our Terms & Conditions agreement before booking).
Skill level: Beginner to Professional
Includes: tuition, accommodation, on-sight meals, excursions, transfers
Location:
Casa Berti
Via di Mastiano e Giuliano
5007, Lucca, Italy
Questions?
Contact Ben:
IT: +39 347 346 5078
UK: +44 7973 393 682
Contact Lori:
lori@lorimcnee.com
(208)720-3724
A non-refundable deposit of $950.00 USD is required to be paid at the time of registration. Your place is confirmed once the deposit is received. The remaining balance is due 10 weeks prior to the start of the workshop. If you are booking less than 10 weeks from the scheduled start date, the full fee must be paid at the time of registration.
Lori McNee is a professional artist, instructor, and an internationally known art blogger, art-marketing expert, and the owner of FineArtTips.com. Lori’s broad spectrum of artwork includes landscape, plein air, still life, and wildlife paintings in oil or encaustic wax. She is an exhibiting member of Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society, and is a popular demonstrator and faculty member at the Plein Air Convention. Lori’s paintings are in private and corporate collections throughout the world as well as the Gilcrease Museum and the permanent collection of the Encaustic Art Institute in Santa Fe.
Lori shares her online success secrets to artists, businesses, and organizations around the world. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal Online and The Huffington Post, and writes for publications including Artist’s Magazine, Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market, Photographer’s Market. Her own book, “Fine Art Tips with Lori McNee: Painting Techniques & Professional Advice” is available on Amazon.
Your Host
Ben Gooder is an award-winning feature film script writer and documentary film producer. He divides his time between Italy and the UK. He discovered Casa Berti 20 years ago and realized a long held dream when he purchased the property from his family two years ago. Since then he has embarked on a development program to improve the buildings and land. He is proud to have restored Casa Berti and made it a Centre for excellence and self fulfillment. He takes great pleasure in sharing his love of this place with visitors from all over the world.
I look forward to seeing you in Lucca for “Landscape Painting in Tuscany with Lori McNee” at Casa Berti – Ciao! ~Lori
