The workshop in Tuscany

Wow.  What a trip!  Joe Garcia and I taught a one week workshop in Certaldo, Tuscany for Sedona Arts Center, September 4 - 11.  Though the economy trimmed the workshop to a smaller than usual group, we had a fabulous time!  The setting for the workshop is Fattoria Bacio (Bacio Farm) where the owners Alberto and Patrizia are the hosts. For this workshop we all stayed in the main villa, built in 1810. The first morning there, I flung open my shutters and was greeted by this view...

Jan paints the view from the villa grounds

Some of the students linger over breakfast

Karen on a day trip to Certaldo Alta

The main villa at Fattoria Bacio and below this, the view from the villa

Joe Garcia does a demo for watercolor students

Students wearing their 'Spirit of Tuscany' wreaths for the final dinner!

The final night dinner was inside the villa's dining room which we shared with people from Poland, Germany and Canada.  The wine flowed and before long, the Polish visitors stood and sang what sounded like a patriotic Polish song.  Not to be outdone, the Germans followed with their own song - and then the Canadians.   Our group sang a pretty weak rendition of 'The Day the Music Died'.  No one knew all the lyrics for songs so I'm bringing song lyrics to the next workshop!    Funny, but the only song that all nationalities knew was Old McDonald Had a Farm.   

We had an unforgettable week at Fattoria Bacio!  Thanks to the students who enthusiastically laughed at our bad jokes, turned out some darn good paintings and at the end of the workshop, turned the tables on us after our little awards ceremony, and gave Joe and I some beautiful European bath towels which I will treasure.  Thanks!