Painted Postcards from Italy: Plein Air in Gouache
With Cory Wright
20th - 27th August 2027
Join Artist Cory Wright and learn to capture your own version of the Italian countryside using gouache- a fun, versatile, & easily portable opaque watercolor medium, perfect for on-the-go travel, creating postcard size paintings.
No previous experience needed, just an open mind and a willingness to learn!
Cory will do daily demos and provide individual instruction as you paint together at various locations throughout the week.
She will share with you the flexibility and versatility of Gouache and how it can enhance your creativity and “playtime.”
You will observe her methods up close as she guides you in how to use various techniques to create strong compositions, mix the colors you want, loosen up your brushwork, make every brushstroke count and eliminate fussy detail by focusing on the big shapes first.
At the end of your week in Le Marche, as well as having gained new friends and cultural experiences, you will come away refreshed and reenergized, with a stack of postcard-sized visual memories of your Italian adventure and the confidence to enhance your painting practice in the future!
About Cory
Cory Wright earned her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1998, following 9 months of study abroad on the school’s European Honors Program in Rome, Italy.
Since then, in addition to being an art instructor & studio painter, she has had an accomplished career as a muralist, specializing in the tromp l’oeil technique, for over 25 years.
In 2011 Wright discovered her passion for painting en plein air with oils during a 10 day workshop in Italy. She soon began participating and winning awards at various Paint Out events throughout the state of Florida, where she has resided since 2004.
Cory paints full-time and enjoys teaching workshops in oils and gouache (an opaque watercolor medium.) Her paintings are now held in numerous national & international private collections.
These days she can most often be found outdoors at her easel capturing the ever-changing effects of light & shadows, and creating larger pieces from her plein air work in her studio.
Your Stay and Retreat Experience
Tuition & Creative Space
• Five days of painting tuition, including demonstrations and one-to-one advice and guidance
• Two 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 hands-on pasta-making masterclass with a local family, learning to make traditional tagliatelle and ravioli
• An excursion to either Ascoli Piceno or Fermo, known for their historic centres, boutique shops and cafés (to be decided nearer the time; lunch not included on this day)
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
€4099
€4699
€4799
€4899
€4999
€4599
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:
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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.
