Oil Painting Holiday Workshop in Italy 
Lake Garda    Hosted by Il Chiostro
I will be returning to Lake Garda, offering this class agian in 2011.  Loved it!

2011  -  September 24 - October 1 (Sat - Sat) 

Accommodations
After our first night in a small Milan hotel, the program will move to a former Franciscan monastery in the lake town of Gargnano in the Lombardy region of central Italy. Complete with a formal cloister (chiostro), 3 tiers of gardens, a chapel and a bright painting studio, the monastery sits on top of a hill overlooking the serenity of Lake Garda. There is still a small spiritual community that lives on the premises. The rooms - single or double - are small but comfortable each equipped with a sink, toilet and bidet. Showers are down the hall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Convent of San Tommaso, photo by Cindy Bartosek 

Meals
Our personal chef will prepare meals from the region and we will eat together in the monastery dining room. The town of Gargnano, with cafés, restaurants, shops and a small beach is a short walk down the hill, while other towns lie within walking distance to the left and right. The hills behind the monastery are ideal for early morning hikes and evening stargazing.

Where is Lake Garda?
This region is situated between Milan and Venice in northern Italy. 
Lake Garda, shaped by glaciers, is the biggest of the Pre-Alpine lakes & the largest in all of Italy. The climate is temperate and mild supporting the unusual Mediterranean vegetation (vineyards, olive groves and citrus orchards). Gargnano is a small town midway up the western flank of the lake. It is a perfectly formed port with yachts and sailboats bobbing behind a promenade of orange trees and cafes. The region is known for its cuisine and wines like Valpolicella and Soave.

  Meet our hosts!
Linda and Michael from Il Chiostro Workshops Inc.

"I have taught classes in Italy, hosted by Linda and Michael for the last 4 years, they are the most wonderful travel guides and talented individuals this painter could ever have imagined.
I hope I get to travel and teach with them forever!"   Karen

About Lake Garda:

Those who are sensitive to all that is sublime. are invited to look at the map of Lake Garda. The shores of this lake with its beautiful forests and calm waters constitute perhaps the most beautiful landscape in the world.   Stendhal

Also called Lake Benaco, Garda is the biggest of the Pre-Alpine lakes and the largest in all of Italy. It was shaped by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The climate is temperate and mild supporting the unusual Mediterranean vegetation (vineyards, olive groves and citrus orchards) which has more in common with the southern regions of Italy. Given these features, the lakeside areas have since ancient times seen flourishing civilizations, from the Bronze Age to the first settlements of the Gauls until the area finally became one of the strongholds of the Romans. It takes its name from the powerful castle of Torri del Benaco that served to “guard” the entire lake area in times of pestilence and invasion. Today it is invaded mostly by German and Austrian tourists and is a popular weekend getaway for white-collar Milanese. The most famous section is the so-called Brescia Riviera, between Salò and Gargnano. This is an area of parks, gardens, large country houses, trees and well-known health resorts.

2011 pricing is $2250  - Please register before December 15th, 2010

Includes:
Single or double room in monastery with sink, 
toilet and bidet (showers down the hall)  
Single Supplement: 

4 long morning plein air workshop sessions with Karen
There will be plenty of time for painting each day!
Demos / Class Handout / Group and Private Critiques 
4 Plein Air Free Paint Afternoons with Karen

First night in Milan hotel
Dinner in Milan
Transfers between Lake Garda and Milan
2 meals per day (breakfast and dinner with wine) prepared 
by our own chef at the Monastery
Light lunches when we are painting at the Monastery
Excursion to Verona
Note: if you are traveling alone, we can match you with a roommate.

Price does not include:
Airfare
Art supplies 
Independent Lunches