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Art and Nature in Tuscany 2023Art and Nature in Tuscany 2023
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Art and Nature in Tuscany 2023

May 2023 - July 2025
  • Sarah Stiles
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An open-ended adventure by Sarah Read more
  • Sarah Stiles
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  • Italy Italy
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  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    AVE travel
    MA 20Back home in EsteponaCloud art!

    Travel back to Spain

    May 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    “The best journey takes you home.”

    It’s been a great 10 days in
    Italy 🇮🇹 and my painting course with Thomas Schaller is something I’ll never forget! That said, we’re both looking forward to getting back home to Estepona.

    We stayed at an airport hotel to make our 7am flight today less stressful (and because the average room rate in Florence was 500 euros for one night!) Dinner at the Novatel restaurant was delicious (honestly, we haven’t had a bad meal this entire trip!) Over dinner we shared our highs and lows; agreeing that our tour of the countryside surrounding Siena was the best. I am determined to paint some of those scenes.

    Spain’s high-speed train AVE is fast, clean, and comfortable, and the 2 1/2 hour trip gave us uninterrupted time to read the FT. I don’t know why we haven’t used this to pop up to Madrid more frequently. It’s definitely on our radar now.

    We arrived back in Malaga to more rain but we’re not complaining because we need it so badly here. Speaking of coming home, we used our GPS to help us navigate from the Malaga train station, out of the city. Instead of reading MA 20 she said Massachusetts 20! That gave us a giggle 😂    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023

    4 hours in Florence

    May 20, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Our day in emojis:
    -Up early☀️
    -Rain🌧️
    -Taxi debacle!🚕🤬
    -15-minute sprint 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏻💪🏻🥵
    -Missed 🚊 😡😢
    -Turkish toilets😩
    -Later 🚊 and Find Penguins update!🐧
    -Luggage storage👍🏻😃
    -Ponte Vecchio😍
    -Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens😍
    -Crowds😬
    -Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore😍
    -More crowds🤺
    -Street art🎨
    -8.5 miles and 20 floors👣🥵
    Finito!    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    The moka
    10am in the amphitheater (before the battle of the bands)Value and compositionShadows!Color and brush stroke instructionStudent sketch book in the gallery walkFried anchovies

    Last Day in Lucca

    May 19, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Coffee is important here in Italy and we’ve embraced the moka each morning https://youtu.be/oVwtNYd3eQU
    We woke again to rain (ugh) and then I tripped the breaker by running the oven and dishwasher at the same time (at 6:30 am). Don’t ask! Unfortunately, I had planned on painting this morning but not in the dark (though I plan to explore abstract watercolors more fully at some point in the future.)
    So I couldn’t paint (more later on why this mattered).

    Class started at the amphitheater under a large umbrella and out of the rain (our group of sixteen whittled down to eleven hearty souls for the damp and soggy start at 10am). Two different restaurants opened at 11am and each turned on their own brand of music. Then construction work started on a nearby hotel and Tom gave up the competition… it was just too loud and chaotic.

    Plan B was a large covered plaza at the opposite end of town. I won’t bore you with the details but Google maps in Lucca is not my friend and I had to be rescued from the spinning blue arrow on my phone. Tom attempted another demo but five sets of boisterous school children descended to eat lunch there (escaping the rain) and after 20 minutes we decamped again because of the noise (ah, the joys of plein air painting).

    ‘Third time lucky’ as they say… we found a covered area in the Palazzo Ducale Di Lucca where they let us set up for the rest of the day. Despite the rain and two relocations, today’s instruction was probably the best out of the entire week. It involved specifics on brush strokes, color and composition—exactly what I needed. Tom also did a great demo of the covered archway. At 3:30 there was a gallery walk featuring finished student work (see video). I had planned to finish my arch from Pfanner and my tree lined walkway but as you know, we had a morning hiccup.

    Regardless, it was fun to see all the other finished results and hear Tom’s feedback. I did have the opportunity to ask him for advice on a watercolor I’d brought from home. I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned this week. We joined five others for dinner at a seafood restaurant (the fried anchovy photo is for you Curt!)
    We head to Florence tomorrow.    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Cafe sketch from Wednesday afternoon
    Tom painting on the outer city wallHis final demoPossible future painting?One student attempted this sceneThursday afternoon demoColor!!My arches... not there yet! (Watercolor is so challenging!)Lucca ampitheater at nightFried artichokes

    Painting Class- Day 4

    May 18, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    The sun was shining (finally!) and after a not-so-great day yesterday I was more optimistic. Watercolor is so much harder than oils or pastels… and my drawing skills clearly need work (in the church yesterday I wanted to retreat to abstract painting). I woke early and took a stab at my painting from Pfanner.

    I think the other students felt the same way as there was a lot more positive energy when we met at our arranged spot. (With the exception of one woman who is very upset about the lack of structure and personal feedback…as this is/was my first class like this, I didn’t come with any expectations.)

    Today’s topic was landscapes, my favorite.
    Two great demonstrations on the Lucca city wall and I have pages of notes! I can’t wait to try to apply what I’ve learned. For example, on the topic of clouds, which I love to paint, he recommends that they are either the center of attention or very subtle so the rest of the painting can be the focus. I have several paintings that would definitely benefit from this small edit.)

    In the afternoon I asked for feedback (and triage) on my arches from Pfanner. It is not there yet …but I’m learning a lot.
    We skipped the Puccini concert and opted for a quiet dinner at de Nona Clara. We shared fried artichokes and both opted for non-pasta dishes—delicious! And now we are definitely going to have to go on diets when we get back home.    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023

    Painting class- Day 3

    May 17, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Today kicked off with an optional critique (only one brave soul). It was raining so the morning lecture/demo was canceled and we sketched inside the Basilica de San Frediano (a 6th century church here in Lucca). The church was beautiful but I struggled to find a subject that spoke to me. (I kept thinking that maybe abstract painting would work better… though we weren’t permitted to paint inside).
    The rain cleared out for the afternoon and we were able to sit in a cafe on the Puccini plaza and watch Tom paint a demo. Construction noise and throngs of tourists made it difficult to hear/concentrate at times (plein air painting is so different than studio work). Tom helped several of us with human forms; he’s articulate and a good teacher. After class Paul and I strolled the city and visited a beautiful art supply store… it’s probably a good thing there isn’t a store like this in Estepona.
    Tonight was the group dinner and at my table we hailed from the USA, Spain, Latvia, and Switzerland. It was fun talking about our favorite artists and how we came to learn about Thomas Schaller and this course.
    We are painting on the city walls tomorrow and there’s no rain in the forecast!    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Palazzo Pfanner
    Perspective lectureGardens at Palazzo PfannerFocus for my sketching todayAfter set up in the garden space under the city wallsToday's work in progress

    Painting Class- Day 2

    May 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    We used Palazzo Pfanner as a base today due to rain. Today’s lecture and demo focused on perspective and value. When it comes to watercolor painting, the drawing is everything. And the focus is on deciding where the lightest lights are in the painting so you can leave the paper white (or very pale!) I’m learning a lot but still in awe of Tom and some of the other students in the class.
    After class we joined 4 other students for dinner, which was fun.    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Kick-off meeting!
    First demonstration- painting this archOn Day 1 arches and buildings felt too daunting so I headed up to the city wall walkway.

    Painting Class -Day 1

    May 15, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    The truth is, I have never painted in plein air and only started with watercolor this past January. My mediums are oil, acrylic (pours), and pastels. I feel way out of my depth, but am determined to learn! Due to copyright issues I’m not supposed to post any of Tom’s work/demonstrations in this public app— You can view his work here Thomas Schaller https://www.thomasschaller.com/ —There are 16 of us in the class (hailing from Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the USA). Two thirds are women, and several have taken previous classes with Tom.
    It was amazing to see his plan, drawing and then rendition of this archway—value is everything in his paintings. We were set free in the afternoon to paint on our own but we could call for critique and support if needed (it wasn’t clear what this entailed). Having not spent much time in Lucca yet, it was a challenge for me to find something not too daunting to paint.
    I managed a sketch of the tree-lined walkway atop the old city walls (that are so wide you can ride a bike around the entire 2+ mile circuit). Juggling equipment is a challenge… I’m definitely outside my comfort zone with plein air AND watercolor but that can be a good thing…right?
    We have divided the city into thirds and knocked off the first segment after class. A book market with antique prints kept us busy for a good portion of this drift!
    We now see why Thomas Schaller brings his painting classes back here year after year!    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Just around the corner from our apartment.
    Heading here tomorrow for my first day of painting with Thomas SchallerDinner in

    Lucca or Bust!

    May 14, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    We woke to gray skies in Siena but are hopeful for some sun in Lucca (the overall forecast for this trip was dire, but so far we’ve been lucky!) It’s colder than we expected but we anticipated this.
    We’re a bit down on train travel in Italy and I am officially retracting our earlier proclamation about it being easy. Three doors on the circa 1950’s train car wouldn’t stay shut and swung open and slammed shut with each acceleration/lurch of the train. The next 2 trains were thankfully newer.
    It’s Mother’s Day here in Italy and it feels like there are more travelers/or less trains running. Getting to Lucca from Sienna took ~4 hours and required 2 taxis and 3 different trains, hence the title of this post!
    We made it, checked into our apartment, and celebrated with a drink on a lovely little plaza. (I had procrastinated finding this rental and as it is a new listing, it didn’t have any reviews (it’s terrific). We food shopped, unpacked, and had a quiet dinner in. Life is good!    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Out of large glasses?Scenes from the Saturday driftSame artist as in Casole d'ElsaOrchids at the horticultural fair

    The Siena “Drift”

    May 13, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    A “drift” is when you either wander aimlessly around a town stopping at whatever catches your eye or else choose a distant destination as your guide even if you never end up there. We drift around Estepona all the time. And even though it is our backyard, something always seems to happen to knock us off course.
    After two long days we decided to drift around Siena (keeping the major sites in mind). Palazzo Chigi Piccolomini was our first stop followed by the Duomo complex. We continued our art gallery tour and even bought some trinkets (a hand-carved candle and some wooden/ceramic bowls). We enjoyed a lazy lunch overlooking the Piazza del Campo (more on this Plaza here https://www.pps.org/places/piazza-del-campo#:~:….
    Although pizza, along with many other “Italian” dishes, was actually invented in the States https://www.ft.com/content/6ac009d5-dbfd-4a86-8… …they’ve definitely perfected it here in Siena! Stumbling across a horticultural fair was fun and the search for the Weekend FT newspaper took us to several hidden corners of the city. We aren’t too worried about calories here on these hilly streets of Siena, my watch recorded 13,467 steps and 11 flights by 4:30. On our way back to our rental, at the 5th news kiosk we struck gold, and none too soon as he was just closing up!)
    And yes, drifts also include stops for food and drink… the afternoon stop was for gelato (with some Find Penguins blogging.)    Read more

  • Sarah StilesTravelerArt and Nature in Tuscany 2023
    Touristy Monterriggioni!Art galleries to escape the rainItalian pastriesPalazzo VitiLovely Casole d'ElsaSculpture in Casole d'ElsaStreet art in Casole d'Elsa

    The Tuscan Countryside

    May 12, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    We’d heard that ChatGPT can create an itinerary so we decided to give it a try, asking the AI for a “relaxing day trip around Siena (not including Lucca)” where we’ll be heading on Sunday for Sarah’s weeklong painting course. Read to the end to find out how she performed…
    Paul rented the quintessential Italian touring car (see photo) and we set off, first stop Monteriggioni! This small walled town is known for its medieval fort and watchtowers, and the castle walls offer views of the surrounding Chianti region. I’m not sure if we’d recommend this stop… it was both touristy and poorly maintained. ChatGPT let us down. Maybe we should have asked for “an off-the-beaten path itinerary”.

    After this somewhat disappointing start we headed to San Gimignano, ChatGPT’s next stop (also recommended by HI (human intelligence in the form of trusted friends and family). This hilly village reminded us of the medieval villages in Catalonia; it’s beautiful. The predicted rain finally caught up with us and we were “forced” to browse art galleries and have an early lunch.

    Our final planned stop was Volterra… and this was our favorite. Another a walled town, Volterra showcased the most beautiful and expansive Tuscan vistas (enhanced by the dramatic thunderheads circling the region). I’m not sure the video or photos do this justice. A favorite stop here was Palazzo Viti https://palazzoviti.it/ Cheers to the AI for the Volterra rec!

    Our final stop was completely unplanned, and of course, these are the best types. Spotted on a distant hill by the intrepid travel guide, the artsy and idillic town Casole d’Elsa beckoned. The route was beautiful via worn single lane back roads and the town surprised us with art and more vistas.
    The only slight hiccup in the entire trip was locating the Avis drop-off location back in Siena. Google Maps, Waze and the vague directions on a tiny printout all contradicted one another. I’m sorry ChatGPT wasn’t around to share her two cents.

    What a great day!    Read more

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