Artist in Italy, Painting Holidays and Art Courses between Tuscany and Umbria

I spent a week in Chiusi in July 2019. The whole experience was absolutely perfect! Julian was a great host, friendly, welcoming, fun and so knowledgeable in art and Italian history and culture. He made us feel comfortable and at home since day one. Accommodation and location are amazing. The studio is beautiful, spacious and inspiring. The tours in the area were interesting and fun. I was lucky enough to be part of a group of charming and talented painters who made my stay even more enjoyable. We spent together delightful evenings, got to know each other and laughed quite a bit! I’m happy to have shared this experience with you, Sarah, Jo and Anna. Theo, the cutest dog, I fell in love with your puppy eyes greeting us in the morning:) Thank you Julian and the whole team!I can go on talking about this amazing holiday but you have to experience it yourself. Highly recommended!

What can I say, I've been five times and it never fails to blow me away. There is SO much to love at the house, the views, the grounds, the apartments, the incredible and inspiring studio, the FOOD(!), the wine, the other participants, the many animals roaming, the locals, *that* light but most of all, Julian and his team. Julian works tirelessly to ensure everyone has the most incredible experience, his knowledge of Italy and Art history is unparalleled, he's always upbeat, focused, friendly, and has a wonderful way of offering constructive criticism making sure you get the most out of your time there. The course has a unique way of allowing you to essentially choose what you want to do, even on dedicated weeks whereby the majority might focus on watercolour, if you fancy print-making, then that's what you shall do. Inspiration is in abundance and I've seen some incredible and also truly varied work coming from the courses, including work I've produced myself when really I'm a photographer at heart. This year I found myself just fancying a little down-time and a few sketches and I found just being surrounded by such lovely people a gift in itself. It's become a home from home for me and I'm never back long before I'm itching to book flights for the next visit. I think what makes this a truly wonderful experience is that it's family run, and by a family who really, REALLY care about what they do. You'll never regret becoming a part of this special place, if you're considering one of their courses, don't hesitate, you'll be hard pushed to find a better way to spend your time. Thank you Julian, Mandy and all the team for making my time there so amazing each year. x

This was a return visit for my husband and I and I guess that says it all! We only go back to places that we really enjoy. For folk looking for a relaxed holiday but also wanting to either brush up on their artistic skills (or learn for the first time) this has a lot to offer. Julian (the tutor) is very skilled at encouraging/noticing/tailoring his help to what ever level you are at. I tried acrylics for the first time and my husband experiemnted with printing. Discovered some useful things about photos and editing too! The small groups allow for a friendly and personal atmosphere. The practical sessions are interspersed with trips to renaissance locations. Beautiful setting that allows you to feel away from it all but with the enjoyment of Italian vino and cuisine!

I had the privilege of spending one amazing week in this particular breathtaking area in Tuscany called Chiusi last May. I only have nice things to say from the warm welcome from Julian and his staff to the spectacular views from our place. I was at first skeptical in travelling alone not knowing where I'll end up but to my surprise this now entices me to do this again. I also met 6 wonderful ladies from different areas where we shared fun stories and of course.... the love for art. I will definetly do this again. Thank you Artists in Italy for this amazing experience.

Hi. My name is Dympna Gray and my friends and myself spent a week in Tuscany in May 2017. What can I say? This was a dream come true for me but the reality exceeded my dreams. From start to finish the whole week was amazing. The location was breath taking with views to die for, the building was absolutely beautiful and food was delicious. Most importantly, Julian was an amazing teacher and willingly shared all his knowledge of art, culture and local history. Even if you have never painted and spend a week with Julian, you will go home with the ability to paint and a love for art so this holiday is definitely not restricted to artists. A very special part of this week was the social side of it meeting up with lovely people from various parts of the world and forming friendships. I could rave on and on about this amazing week and I would absolutely recommend it as an art holiday and experience you will never forget. The Tuscany art experience will always hold a special place in my heart.

I participated in 3 workshops by 3 different groups last summer and Artists in Italy was by far my favourite! Julian was knowledgable and supportive of me, a beginning painter, who had no idea what I was doing. It was a good balance of independent work time and hands on instruction from Julian. I also enjoyed the opportunity to explore a variety of media at my own pace. The mix of culture, art and food was just right too. It was a terrific experience all around.

I enjoyed my painting holiday in Chiusi immensely. Julian is a remarkable teacher. He is also a lovely lovely person, is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humour too! The location is just perfect and I shall certainly come again.

If you want to learn more about drawing, painting and art history in and around the Tuscany & Umbria countryside this is a wonderful workshop for all levels. Imagine a cozy rustic stone farmhouse with lavender flowers, green foliage, butterflies, hummingbird moths, birds and beautiful rolling hillsides all around. This is Julian & Amanda's place just outside Chiusi and it was the perfect spot to take in daily art lessons and learn more about the region. Everything at the workshop is very personalized and the whole team made sure my mother, daughter and I were very comfortable and well taken care of. It's also a very casual and relaxed space and feel, so the daily atmosphere was calming and good for the soul. It's not just an art workshop, but a place to recharge and unwind. Amanda helps with all booking details and how to reach the Chiusi train station. She was so detailed when answering all my questions, which made me feel very supported and confident that it was the right fit. Julian picks up all students personally and is the most fantastic art teach and tour guide. He is positive, upbeat, humorous and also an incredible art teacher. He knows how to pull more creativity out of every student and at just the right time. We looked forward to each new day and lesson. From beginner to more advanced, there are group lessons then time for individual coaching from Julian. Every student worked on what they needed to create and express and we all worked at different paces. While I was working in watercolor for example, others were using acrylic and oil paints. Some did small scale and some painted larger pieces. There were days when some were working on sketching, travel journals and doing block printing, so it was fantastic to have options and explore new mediums. Each daily excursion is better than the last. Such a gorgeous and idyllic region for art, food, exploration and let's not forget imagination. The history of the region's villages and towns and the many buildings, squares towers and churches were perfect subject matter for sketching and our many photographs. Later back in the studio we used these images and scenic views for even more inspired painted pieces. Nick & Molly were our wonderful cooks and each meal was fresh, beautiful and delicious. Daily meals and aperitivo & wine were always something to look forward to after our work and touring. We felt so spoiled. Erin teaches yoga and meditation, but our workshop focused on drawing and painting. Next time! Theo is the most darling resident dog and we all were drawn to him right away. The accommodations are clean, comfortable, Italian country style and relaxing. The pool is gorgeous and so refreshing on afternoon breaks. The reason we loved this workshop so much was because the staff and other students were just wonderful to be with and we felt a true sense of camaraderie during our stay. Also, we learned so much in a short time and came back with finished pieces, as well as, inspiration to do more work once home. We would like to go back for another workshop with Julian sometime in the future. Book now, don't hesitate!

My husband and I have just returned from a holiday in Italy – a dream trip we have been talking about and planning for many, many years.It was back in early June that we arrived at Rome airport bound for Chiusi and a week’s tuition with Julian at ‘Artist in Italy’.Within hours of settling into Julian’s beautiful Tuscan home, we were on the porch with antipasto platters, local wine, chatting with the other group members whilst gazing across the expansive Tuscan countryside. Julian spoke of the week ahead and his express desire to understand what each individual wanted to achieve whilst there….. this then became his focus and commitment to each of us.The week included creative exercises which stretched our minds and observation skills, trips to beautiful local towns to sketch and soak up the history, and much time in Julian’s studio, painting and learning a myriad of different techniques. This all took place amidst the joy of connecting and getting to know an amazing group of people from many different parts of the world!My goal was to master ‘perspective’, and Julian consistently supported me in refining this aspect of my drawing. He patiently explained how to observe a subject, and what specific strategy’s to use when translating this onto paper……. this gave me the confidence to continue sketching and painting my way through Italy these past three months! Thankyou Julian!! 

I've been back from Italy about two weeks now, the 10 days I spent with Artist in Italy was time well spent. Julian is an excellent host and instructor, he genuinely is interested in your success as an artist. The food was excellent, the wine plentiful, accommodations and staff are great, and the Tuscan/Umbria countryside was breathtaking. Having spent the past two years painting in France, I had no idea what a new challenge Italy would be. I was so impressed, I'm returning in 2019.