Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Art in Tuscany May 2018 with Artist Trudi Doyle

  Late Offer ends on 30th April -only 2 places 

5% off    - reduced to €850

                                                                      contact Trudi


Art in Tuscany Holiday Package  May 2018 with Artist Trudi DoyleOne week -Tuesday  22nd to Tuesday 29th May 2018


The planet instantly seems a lot more beautiful when I touch  down in Tuscany each year for my painting holiday. Senses are heightened by the heat of the sun, the scents of coffee, herbs, gelato, figs.   Driving into the countryside historic villages make way for vineyards of gnarled grapevines and olive groves, for fields of sunflowers, herbs and lavender.Old world atmosphere blends with modern Italian sophistication.



Cars manoeuvre  through cobblestone alleys and ancient streets. The spectacular Tuscan Apennine mountain range fades to fragile pale blue  in the heat haze, the sky is a constant  azure dome
.
Maybe this is your year to experience this wonderfully relaxing break in Tuscany where everything is laid on and all trips  included ! 





One week -Tuesday  22nd to Tues 29th May 2018

A
  Visit quiet medieval villages and  experience the beauty and mystique of  the Tuscan countryside  at a leisurly pace.  
 Bask in the Tuscan sunshine visit FLORENCE   for  spectacular art and architecture
Beautiful FLORENCE 
Enjoy dining on delicious freshly cooked dishes at a friendly Italian family run  hotel 

An all inclusive holiday with like minded people in La Pia hotel Montecatini  Relax and do a little  sketching and painting with  expert tuition and helpful advice in a friendly non competative  atmosphere 
What is included -
1.Seven nights  stay at La Pia Hotel Montecatini - 7 breakfast buffets and 7 delicious four course dinners with wine included  . single room or  double rooms for sharing if required. All rooms ensuite. 
 2. Transfers to/from Pisa airport  are included -( flights are not included)
3. Half day guided tour of Montecatini historical Spa and complimentary lunch. 
4.Two full day  mini bus excursions to paint/explore in  medieval villages including the charming  and historic fortress town of Montecarlo.
5. Train trip to Florence  with guided tour of  the Uffizi  Gallery (Booked  Tickets to skip the line included )one of the most famous Art Galleries in the world  and free time to explore and shop in  this historic and beautiful city.
 6. Professional guidance , lessons and tuition to suit your requirements  from artist Trudi Doyle  with demonstrations.
7. Free  days with options to visit Lucca by train / avail of Spa treatments and a swim or  travel via cable car to Montecatini Alto hill town- a place not to be missed.
Fee   -€895 
No Single supplment applies to all bookings 



The View 
Painting the view  



Some watercolour paintings from my previous trips - extracting the essence of the landscape -  simplfying the view .







Deposit of €400 secures a place. Balance of fee payable by April 21st 2018   

Full Itinerary 2018

Day  One   -- Tuesday  22nd May    Arrival at Hotel .

Ryanair Flight  at 9.45  from Dublin  to Pisa Tue 22nd May 09:45 - 13:30 FR 9908  arrives at 13.30.  If you are travelling on this flight you will be met by a courier and taken to your hotel by taxi. Settle in to the hotel and meet informally with  fellow guests and your  tutor.  You have the option to take part in this INTRODUCTORY CHAT  and  painting / sketching lesson with me (Trudi ) by the Hotel  fountain in the afternoon .
If you have the energy and inclination I will hold this optional short class with some  basic  techniques and hints An introduction to painting outdoors and demonstration.  
( When you book this holiday I will provide a short  list and suggestions /advice on basic painting equipment suitable for travelling and for working outdoors.)

Delicious freshly cooked dinner menu at the hotel. 

 Day 2.  Wednesday 23rd MAY -  Montecatini tour  - and Art 


 Breakfast at hotel    Morning -To introduce you to  Montecatini  - After breakfast  we will have a guided half day tour and a visit to  Tettuccio spa  with its fabuous gardens , fountains,sculpture, striking  art-nouveau architecture. Enjoy the beauty of its interor and art galleries and a welcome drink and  complimentary light lunch /snack  in the historical café, situated inside the Tettuccio building .


 Afternoon .A painting / sketching lesson in the afternoon .
Another chance to recieve some  hints on painting outdoors  including a  demonstration  by the Hotel  fountain . 
Over the week I will show you how to capture the beauty of a landscape in watercolour or acrylic. Whether you are a beginner or have experience this will be suitable for you as I will provide demonstrations and one-on-one feedback. As well as some fundamental tecniques of painting, my aim is to enhance your ability of see with an artist's eye and to understand the importance of a basic knowledge of colour.
Delicious freshly cooked dinner menu at the hotel.

Day 3   Thursday 24th May-  Painting in Medieval villages
 There are many beautiful medieval villages near Montecatini . We will travel by taxi  to Buggiano  and spend the morning  painting, sketching or just relaxing or walking -  your choice -then travel on by taxi  to another historic Medieval village Massa where we have  lunch time  snack at a local cafe . More time to relax  enjoy the afernoon sightsee, walk, relax, paint or sketch . Fold-up artist chairs provided.  The taxi will pick  us up later in the afternoon.  We  return to Montecatini  with time to  freshen up before dinner at the hotel.


 

















Day 4. Friday 25th May   A day in Florence ! 

Breakfast at hotel.   Morning Departure for Florence by train from Montecatini . In Florence we skip the inevitable queue - our  guide will  take us to  world famous Uffizi Gallery  to provide a short guided visit to view  works by artists I have selected from the extensive collections  of pricless art such as  Sandro Botticelli (who gave art history two of  its most sublime masterpiece"the Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" )   Michelangelo, Giotto, Cimabue and  Leonardo da Vinci   . 
The Birth of Venus is by Sandro Botticelli probably1480s.
Lunch break.- Afternoon free to do your own thing – visit famous landmarks or trust your artist's instincts and wander around.... the best way to experience Florence  -a place I love to get lost in - its full to the brim of beautiful and unusual  shops , cafes and  historic  buildings 
Meet up and return to Montecatini by train for  dinner at the hotel - choose your own time to return  - ( train tickets included ) 






Day 5  Saturday 26th May  Painting day/free day
     Free day or painting  in Montecatini Alto  –the historic  upper old town . A visit via cable car  with spectacular vistas and medieval streetscapes  should not be missed -  a painters paradise.
 Have lunch in one of the charming cafes in the square - your choice – continue painting / go shopping  for quirky souvenirs , browse or just relax and people-watch in the cafes   Dinner at Hotel  (OR take the  day  to visit  the beautiful city of  LUCCA -  a short train trip away - this is a optional extra .and can be arranged for you  if you choose when you arrive.
 Also it is possible to arrange a Spa treatment and swim 


 Day 6   Sunday 27th  May.   Montecarlo 
Breakfast at hotel . Departure by taxi for Montecarlo  in the morning - a charming medieval town situated about 15 Km from Montecatini.
the fort Montecarlo
lunch al fresco at MonteCarlo 

from the fort Montcarlo

Plenty of small shops and cafes, walks and interesting vistas and streets, Inspirational  views , nooks and crannies  interesting  streetscapes .
Included -At 4:00 we have  an Entance Ticket  to visit  and explore the picturesque fortress where you can also paint if you wish .Return by Mini bus / taxi.  
Dinner at the hoteL





 Day 7   Monday 28th  May 


Morning - Optional  Painting  in the  by the  Hotel fountain 
Tuition from Trudi  .
Afternoon - free to shop do your thing.


Also it is possible to arrange a Spa treatment and swim. Just ask  and it can be arranged. 


 Departure day  Tues 29th May 
Breakfast at Hotel  Departure for Pisa airport by taxi by mini-bus to arrive  in time to check in for Ryanair  flight  to Dublin.
             ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Late Offer - last 2 places -ends on 30th April    

  5% off    - reduced to €850

COST OF FULL PACKAGE  €895  per person  -(No single supplement ) 
-Included - Hotel -Breakfast and lavish evening meals with wine,  all Taxi/Mini bus trips and train trip  and guided tours in FLORENCE . Professional  guidance -painting in Watercolours, and on the spot plein air demonstrations and advice at all times if required. 
REDUCTION €30  for non painting partners/ friends / family 
   You don't need to be a painter to enjoy this lovely relaxing holiday in Tuscany -all comers are welcome - join  us in the trips and do your own thing Contact trudiart@eircom.net  to secure a place  or simply to make  inquiries. 
 €400 deposit secures a place  .  To Book on line via email with Credit card  Contact trudiart@eircom.net Trudi will invoice you via Pay Pal  
or Send a cheque to Trudi Doyle Ballyconnell, Tullow, Co Carlow R93R123

Balance of fee payable on or before 21st April 2018 

Please include postal address for a paper receipt also your  contact details (email and phone )



N.B.Oil Paints are NOT allowed on flights. even in checked luggage,-They are considered as flammable liquid in the dangerous goods regulations. .Breaching the regulation carries serious penalties!
Over the week I give some basic lessons in painting outdoors using watercolour - the principles also apply to other mediums. Pastels Acrylics as well as watercolours. The amount of time you spend painting is largely up to you as there are many trips and excursions so sketChing on the go using pencils / pen and ink / water soluble crayons, Watercolours etc. etc. is the norm - Pieces can be competed back at the hotel or later at your leisure.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

INCOGNITO 2018 and "A Grand Stretch in the Evenings "


As January closes and we approach the official first day of Spring I share some old and new images of Winter  - not over yet by a long shot - winter that is -but there is a peceptable "stretch in the evenings "  

Snow at the Studio from 2010 
Studio in Snow from the lane 

and January 2018 


      A walk on the lane -Snow on Lugnacoille                   


A few beech leaves in the otherwise bare hedges




 Outside he back door in the flower beds and under the shrubs, snowdrops are doing their lovely sweet best to cheer us all up ! 




I have not forgotten the purple and yellow croci about to flower  !











Winter Sunsets are spectacular - especialy when the skies are clear 





A little watercolour -my recent painting of snowdrops available here Snowdrops in a Jug on etsy 

I have been invited to take part in the 2018  "Incognito" exhibition in the Solomen Gallery Dublin 2 from 4th to 8th April so I have donated 3 postcard-size watercolours as requested in aid of the Jack and Jill foundation - As the title suggests - all works are being sold anonymously. 
 INCOGNITO is Ireland's largest single-gallery public art exhibition, with 1500 postcard-size artworks available. Each of these original art pieces will be sold to the public to buy on a first-come-first-served basis for €50 – the twist is that no one will know the identity of the artist until after they buy ..some work valued at many times the sale price
They go online to be viewed at the beginning of March and will be on display at the Solomon Gallery in Dublin 4th & 5th April before they go on sale 6th-8th April, 
Every single euro from the sale of these works will go to Jack & Jill to help nurse brain damaged children across the length and breadth of Ireland ..


Some of the other Artists submitting their work for INCOGNITO 2018 include:


Martin Gale,  Tracey Emin,  Richard Gorman, Rhona Byrne, Mo Kelly, Peter Curling, Anne Marie O’Brien, John Kelly, Mick O’Dea, Anthony Lyttle, Ed Miliano, Dede Gold, David Crone, Olivia Golden, David Begley, Nicky Hooper


https://www.jackandjill.ie/events/incognito-2018



My next blog will have details of my 2018 painting holiday in Tuscany in May this year!