LANDSCAPE PAINTING SEMINAR / SICILY 2017
(for details on UMBRIA 2017 please email Lucy macgillis@gmail.com)

Siracusa, Sicily Landscape Painting Seminar June 18-23 2017 with Lucy MacGillis
Agriturismo La Frescura http://www.lafrescura.com
This intense oil painting class is set in a typical old sicilian masseria surrounded by an orange grove, 10 minutes from the sea and the Unesco World Heritage site of the ancient city of Ortygia by Siracusa. Ortygia’s stunning main piazza is also home to a wonderful painting by Caravaggio, the Burial of Santa Lucia.
The focus of this class will be painting the landscape. We will work on site, from observation. Our presence in the landscape is fundamental in order create something more visually powerful than a postcard, yet painting outside can be physically demanding. There are interesting spots for the group to paint in the afternoons, such as along the port of the nearby Island of Ortygia and the tonnara di Vendicari which juxtaposes architecture with the sea. Observing the water, the changing sky and the rapidly moving light, we are presented with the challenge of mixing the paint to quickly create the colors before us. There will also be an emphasis in sketching continuously during the week.

We will work from different sites, completing paintings in single 3 hour sessions. We will paint from Monday June 19th to Friday, the 23rd from 9.00-12.00 in the morning and 5-8pm in the evening to capture the golden light. At the conclusion of the morning session at La Frescura there will be a critique of the work with art historical references.
Participants are welcome to bring their own materials. However in this seminar I will provide basic oil paints, palettes, primed paper and easels. The simplest way to come to Siracusa is by flying into Catania and renting a car at the airport to drive the 45 minutes to La Frescura. It is important that each participant have a means of transportation either shared, with another painter or independently.
The lodging at La Frescura ranges from around €64/night for a single room to €105/night for a double apartment, some have kitchens. The beautiful breakfast is prepared with fresh eggs, fruit grown on the property and homemade jams. Participants must book their own lodging and pay the agriturismo directly for the room and breakfasts. In the surrounding area there are many wonderful restaurants and markets to chose from for lunch or dinner. Ida and Giovanni (info@lafrescura.com) of La Frescura, speak English and can address any concerns regarding your stay there.
Participants are encouraged to arrive no later than Sunday the 18th when there will be a welcome aperitivo where materials and course details will be discussed, at La Frescura in the late afternoon. Arriving a few days in advance to visit Sicily while recovering from travel is also recommended, there is so much to see.
On the final evening we will have a casual show of the week’s paintings with prosecco and some typical sicilian food to conclude the seminar.
For more info and to apply for the class please contact macgillis@gmail.com. Seminar fee is €550. Space is limited to 10 participants.
In the months prior to the seminar participants are sent via email a list of the materials we will be using, as well as an optional reading list to prepare for the seminar.