Le Marche: Italy’s Hidden Canvas
With Joann McDaniel & Tim Kitts
16th - 23rd July 2027
Cradled between the Apennines and the Adriatic, Le Marche is a land of golden hills, sunlit vineyards, and timeless villages.
Renaissance towns whisper of masters past, while the sea glimmers with secret coves and pastel harbors. Here, every horizon feels like a painting—changing with the light, inviting you to sketch, paint, and capture Italy at its most authentic and untouched.
This week-long art retreat is designed to engage all five senses—the sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and aromas of travel—and show you how to capture them vividly in your art.
Each day you’ll practice setting up strong, pleasing compositions that connect inspiration with creativity and learn how to quickly capture the beauty of the landscape, interesting architecture, delicious culinary specialties and the colorful people of Marche.
Back in the studio, you will bring your sketches alive with the passion of place by weaving together a variety of mediums with the ephemera collected from the day’s experiences.
By the end of the retreat, you’ll have created a personalized, mixed media collage travel journal layered with memories and a slideshow of gorgeous travel photos to share!
About Joann & Tim
Joann McDaniel strives to be a creative powerhouse and art education architect — equal parts visionary, mentor, and maker.
As a national award winning artist with 28+ years of teaching experience, she leads vibrant, multi-generational classrooms where papers, paint, wax and even wool become tools of transformation.
With an eye for curriculum and a heart for community, Joann designs experiences that awaken creativity and curates creative journeys which sparkle with intention and spontaneity, always leaving room for a breadth of personal expression.
Tim Kitts is a multifaceted artist and designer whose career bridges architecture, graphic design, and technology.
With over 25 years as an Architectural Designer and 20+ years in graphic design, Tim brings precision and artistry to every project. His architectural background shines through in his strikingly clean line work, while his passion for photography and eye for detail capture the world in unexpected ways.
A true tech guru, Tim thrives at the intersection of creativity and innovation, mastering cutting-edge tools while maintaining an artist’s soul.
Your Stay and Retreat Experience
Tuition & Creative Space
• Five days of painting tuition, including demonstrations and one-to-one advice and guidance
• Three days of painting at specially selected, stunning locations
• Unlimited use of the air-conditioned studio
Your Accommodation
• Seven nights accommodation in luxury, air-conditioned, en-suite rooms
• Luxury bedding
• 100% cotton waffle robes and slippers
• High-quality, 100% natural Italian toiletries (shampoo, shower gel, body lotion and hand gel)
• Daily room servicing
• Mid-week linen and towel change
Food & Wine
• All meals are provided throughout your stay
• Daily breakfast
• Buffet lunch at the hotel or lunch in local eatery
• A choice of up to four courses from our daily changing gourmet evening menu
• Local wines served with lunch and dinner
• A relaxed “pizza-giro” evening at a local trattoria, just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel
Experiences During Your Stay
During your stay, we arrange a selection of small-group experiences designed to connect you with the landscape, culture and traditions of Le Marche:
• A full-day “Taste of Le Marche” experience, visiting local, family-run artisanal food and wine producers
Transfers & Getting Here
For your convenience, we offer one scheduled group transfer on arrival and departure day from either:
• Ancona Airport
• Pedaso (station or bus stop)
This is provided as a complimentary service for guests arriving at similar times.
We also arrange transport for group activities during the week, allowing you to relax and enjoy each experience without logistical concerns.
Guests travelling outside of the scheduled transfer times are welcome to make their own arrangements, and we are always happy to assist with advice.
Room Type
Shared Classic Ensuite Room
Private Classic Ensuite Room
Private Superior Ensuite Room
Private Deluxe Ensuite Room
Private Junior Suite Ensuite
2 Bedroom Suite - private room, shared en-suite bathroom
Price Per Person
€3449
€4049
€4149
€4249
€4349
€3949
For more information, including pricing per room type, please fill in your details below
Deposit
To secure you spot on the retreat please click on the Retreat Booking button above, complete the form, select your preferred room type and pay a non-refundable deposit of €350.
Travel / Transfers
The group pick up is at 2:30pm from Ancona airport and 3:30pm at Pedaso train station or bus stop.
On the day of departure we will leave for Ancona airport after breakfast at 9.30am. Hotel Leone is about one hour and a quarter from the airport so you should arrive just before / around 11.00am your ideal return flight should be later than 12 noon.
If you’d like to arrive a day or two early and stay in Ancona or Pedaso, below are the hotels we normally recommend:
ℹ️
The hotel will be booked exclusively for you and your art group. Please note that the hotel is situated in a medieval hill-top town and that from the main building to the studio building there is a very brief walk on a slightly sloping but smooth cobbled street. All rooms have stairs-only access and if you choose a room the upper floor in the main building this will entail two sets of stairs. Therefore, this venue may not be suited for participants with limited mobility. Please also be mindful that the days on location may involve walking on uneven, cobbled streets. The exact locations will vary based on instructor planning, group dynamics and/or weather conditions.
