Painting holiday, Tuscany, Italy... Oct 2025.
A dream week of watercolour in Tuscany. I can't wait! Join me in October 2025.
I’ve been invited by the Steinberg family to guide a small group on a painting holiday. We’ll be staying at their completely renovated rural complex, Hortulanus, that stretches over twenty hectares in the Seggianese countryside.
Overlooking Castle Potentino and opening its gaze on the pretty village of Seggiano, Hortulanus is a tranquil paradise of beautiful gardens and century old olive trees. Sounds like a dream come true!
We will have 5 days to go on excursions, paint in the studio set up in the pretty limonaia / glasshouse, and enjoy cultural experiences like wine tasting and pasta or pizza making. We will travel into the lovely countryside to paint and visit some of the scenic towns in the area. Being late October, we might even be there in time for the olive harvest – an experience I’m told is very special.
A week of painting in Tuscany – from 3,950euros per person (includes airport pickup, local transport, luxury accommodation & meals). Limited spots!
Group sizes are small
A maximum of 10
Allowing me to have ample time to help each person every day. And you'll be thoroughly looked after by our hosts.
I also feel so much more comfortable sketching on location which is adding so much joy to my life. I can’t recommend her classes and retreats highly enough.
Fully hosted
Situated on 20 tranquil hectares, Hortulanus has been lovingly restored in close contact with unspoiled nature. There are beautiful landscapes and views, wonderful gardens, an infinity pool and a hot tub, comfortable, cozy accommodations, a wine tasting room and artist studio from the converted ‘limonaia’ (a type of glasshouse). You’ll be able to explore it all. Food will be inspired by local cuisine and we’ll dine together around a large table, giving us a chance to share stories.
Traveling alone? No problem! Many of our guests come solo and leave with new artist friends. And we'll be there to pick you up, drop you off and everything in between.
The details
When…
18 - 24 October 2025
Where…
Hosted by Hortus Courses at Hortulanus (click on the links to find out more about the location, accommodation and booking information)
Cost…
- Private single bedroom at Hortulanus - 4,300 euros pp
- Double occupancy at Hortulanus - 3,950 euros pp
- Private single room at nearby B&B - 3,950 euros pp
Please note that on booking you pay a 50% deposit. The remainder is payable when the course is fully confirmed. Please don't book your air tickets until the course is confirmed.
Cost includes - pretty much everything!
- fully hosted, luxury accommodation
- all meals and drinks (except 2 lunches)
- transport from and to Rome airport
- local transport and excursions during your stay
- tuition by me
- Not included are your flights to Rome or travel insurance.
For watercolor enthusiasts of all levels
- Whether you're a beginner or experienced, you'll get expert guidance in a relaxed, inspiring setting.
- Learn how to become more confident when painting on location.
- Learn how to create sketches with minimal materials.
- Be guided by me step-by-step by following demos.
- Have plenty of time to ask questions and receive one-on-one feedback.
- Learn about the different kinds of perspective (and to not be afraid of perspective).
- Learn to work with a limited palette of colors to ensure harmony and cohesiveness in your work.
- Go on excursions to beautiful places to sketch.
- Explore charming towns full of history and character.
- Enjoy local cuisine lovingly prepared at Hortulanus.
- Experience true Italian culture and connect with other artists who share your passion for creativity.
- Enjoy a fully immersive art experience, with everything taken care of, and the cares of the world far away!
Ready to join us?
Bookings are open! Please drop me an email or a message on Facebook or Instagram.
Travel sketching is a passion of mine.
18 years ago, I packed a sketchbook along with my climbing gear on a trip to Spain and France and I filled it. Since then the sketching part of a trip has overtaken my climbing passion and I never go anywhere without a sketchbook.
I've been visiting Europe for about 6 months a year, almost every year, since 2007 and I have a massive stack of sketchbooks that are filled with priceless memories. There are watercolour sketches of villages, landscapes, flowers, food, and people in every sketchbook, along with little notes that bring me straight back to a place whenever I open a sketchbook. Sketching outside has immersed me in places, creating very vivid memories and has allowed me to meet so many local folks I would not have encountered otherwise.
I've been teaching people to paint in watercolours since 2017. I've run classes outside giving people the tools to learn to sketch plein air; studio-based classes on painting birds, flowers, and landscapes; and classes on Zoom. Since June 2022 I've been guiding painting holidays annually in France and I can honestly say these trips are some of my favourite days of my year! I'm excited to guide one in Italy this year.
Ask me for more details...
Please drop me an email
I have been truly fortunate to attend Renee's watercolor retreats on two occasions, and both experiences have been nothing short of transformative. Her teaching style is not only exemplary but also infused with genuine support and encouragement that makes learning so much more enjoyable. ... beyond her exceptional skills, Renee exudes warmth and kindness, making her a joy to learn from and be around.
I absolutely love painting lessons with Renee. I first discovered her on Patreon last year, what a fabulous selection of tutorials and everything is so easy to find and well laid out! ...
Then I was lucky enough to join Renee at Perigord Retreats and I absolutely loved it! We had such fun painting each day, going on excursions, chatting, eating and drinking, Renee and everyone were so friendly and supportive it was so great I'm booked again for next time! 😊
Renee has an amazing way of breaking down complicated subjects into concrete steps. Watching her paint in real time, and explain her “why” behind choices such as color palettes and composition was so valuable to me. I learned so much about perspective, capturing light and shadow, and questions to ask yourself when planning a painting that I now apply to my creative practice since coming back.
Renee is a phenomenal teacher and artist! She explains techniques and fundamentals for sketching and painting in such an understandable and applicable way. When painting, she also gives wonderful encouragement and tips to help you not only feel confident in your work, but also push you to be brave. Working with her is absolutely the best. Renee is friendly, knowledgeable, kind, and so incredibly talented.