DETAILS
Dates: 18-24 May 2025
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Price: From €1985 - €2750
Includes: 22% VAT, 5 days tuition, 6 nights accommodation, all meals & drinks (including wine), evening events, transfers, models, easels & solvents
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Non-Participaing Partner: €790
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Location: Antico Borgo La Torre
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Medium: Oil Painting
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Class size: 18
Painting Experience: All levels welcome
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Language: English (Gustavo also speaks Portuguese)
If you need Italian translation email us
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Workshop Description
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What is it that gives a masterful oil painting its jewel-like quality, mysterious luster and lasting freshness? The extensive properties of oil paint have enabled the creation of iconic portraits that prove difficult to decipher. In this week-long workshop, Gustavo will walk students through his award-winning portrait method from the ground up. Working from the live model, the artist will demonstrate his unique way of dissecting visual information into a rich and dynamic likeness. Students will have hands-on experience with Gustavo’s sensitive color palette and particular brush-handling to lay thick impastos and translucent shadows. One-on-one instruction will be given to internalize the principles of light, structure, shape design, tonal abstraction and broken color. Lively class discussions and rigorous focused time on the easel will equip the beginner or advanced student with a newfound arsenal to create luminous professional portraits in a way that only oil painting at its highest level can achieve.
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During this all-inclusive art retreat, meals will be home-cooked by our wonderful Tuscan chef, and eaten together in our large dining room, or outside on the terrace with a view of the vineyards. After class you will have free use of the grounds to explore, including the swimming pool, woodland, lake and olive groves. Join us for evenings around the fire, or for our after-class events, such as a night of live music, pizza night using the outdoor pizza oven, and tasting the wine produced here at the venue. If you need to unwind after class we have a volleyball/badminton net, football field, and a games room with table tennis and table football. Otherwise feel free to continue practicing your art, sketching by the lake, or contine painting in our studio, which is always open.
This is a chance to focus on you and your art, you'll be living and working together, and alongside Gustavo, with the opportunity to dive deep into eachother's knowledge and experience, building relationships, whilst making the most of the surrounding nature in this beautiful Tuscan setting.
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The Venue
This workshop will take place at a converted farmhouse and winery located in Chianti, 25km from Florence.
Originally a medieval tower, the structure dates back to the middle ages. Now an agriturismo, the venue produces it's own wine and olive oil. It is made up of 32 hectars of land, which include olive groves, vineyards, woodland, orchards, walnut trees, and a swimming pool.
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See photos and more details about the venue here
What's included?
22% VAT - 5 days tuition - 6 nights accommodation - Life Models - Arrival & departure transfers - Breakfasts, lunches, dinners & snacks - Tea, coffee & soft drinks - Alcohol (wine grown & produced at the venue) - Wine tour & tasting - Evening Events - Laundry - Swimming Pool - Wifi - Easels & Solvents for painting
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Prices
€1985 Shared Twin Bedroom with private bathroom (shared with one other participant of the same gender)
€2490 Private Bedroom with a double bed and private bathroom
€2750 Private Apartment with a double bedroom, bathroom and private living room/kitchen
€790 Non-Participating Partner to share a private bedroom or private apartment with you
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The Food
All meals will be made up up of delicious, home-cooked Tuscan cuisine, and will take place in our beautiful dining hall or outside whenever the weather is nice. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available, please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements (dietary needs rather than preferences).
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Materials list, itinerary & more information
At least 3 months before the retreat we will send you an information pack with the full materials list and more details about the retreat. See airport and transfer information on our FAQ's page here
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Bring a partner or friend - €790 all-inclusive rate
If you book a private bedroom or apartment then you are very welcome to bring along a partner or friend with you who will not be participating in the workshop. Partners will be very welcome to join all of our meals and activities, and become a part of our group. Whilst participants are in the class, partners have this beautiful Tuscan venue all to themselves.
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We are happy assist in planning activities during the days for your partner, such as bike tours, trips to local towns, and walks around the surrounding countryside. Equally, your partner is very welcome to relax by the pool and enjoy the beautiful countryside. We recommend bringing a car so that you can travel around freely, however, we can also drive you to the local train station if they would like to explore the nearby towns of Florence or Arezzo.
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The price for non-participating partners includes: 22% VAT - 6 nights accommodation - Arrival & Departure Transfers - Breakfasts, lunches, dinners & snacks - Tea, coffee & soft drinks - Alcohol (wine grown at the venue) - Wine tour & tasting and other evening activities - Laundry - Swimming Pool - Wifi.
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Participating Partner - €1480 all-inclusive
Bring a partner or friend who will attend the workshop with you. If you book a private bedroom or apartment you are welcome to bring along a a travel companion who will participate in the workshop with you and share a bedroom with you.
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Booking information
To book a place on this retreat click Book Now below and you'll be taken to a separate page where you can choose your bedroom option, register and pay. To confirm your place on this retreat you will need to pay a €750 deposit. You can choose to pay the deposit via credit card or bank transfer, the full reamining balance must be paid by bank transfer. When paying by bank transfer choose 'offline payment' when you check out, and from there you will be given our bank details. If you require a different payment plan email us for details.
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Review our terms & conditions of booking here
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Questions? See our FAQ's page here
Gustavo Ramos
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Gustavo Ramos (born 1993) is a Brazilian-American fine artist and oil painter. He initially gained recognition for painting a series of realistic portraits that went on to receive national and international awards. In 2020, he was a featured artist at the Springville Museum of Art, where one of his paintings was acquired for the museum's permanent collection. In 2022, he was selected as a winner of Royal Talens' The Year of Rembrandt Award, when his work was displayed in the Rijksmuseum. Along with numerous other exhibitions, Gustavo's panitings have also been featured at Sotheby's and MEAM (European Museum of Modern Art).
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You can see more of Gustavo's work here:
Website: gustavoramos.com
