
Workshop Overview
Dates: 1-7 November 2025
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Price: From €2140 - €2990
Includes: 22% VAT, 5 days tuition, 6 nights accommodation, all meals & drinks (including wine), evening events, transfers, easels & solvents
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Non-Participating Partner: €790
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Location: Agriturismo Fontallorso
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Medium: Oil/Acrylic/Mixed Media
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Class size: 17
Painting Experience: All levels welcome
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Languages: English
If you need Italian translation email us
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Payment plans available ♥
email info@artescapeitaly.com
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Workshop Description
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This workshop is not about following a structured path from start to finish—it’s about showing up, working hard, and pushing yourself alongside fellow artists. Over five days in the studio, we will explore painting not just as a technical process but as a way of thinking, observing, and making decisions. Fear, doubt, and failure are all part of this journey, and learning how to navigate them is just as important as mastering brushwork. Instead of seeking a perfect outcome, we will focus on the mindset that allows for discovery. Through portrait painting, we will break down essential ideas about intention, emphasis, and expression while embracing the unpredictability that makes art alive. The process itself will guide us—great elements often emerge from accidents, in places we least expect. The goal is not to follow a rigid plan but to immerse ourselves fully, remaining open to new paths that reveal something deeper.
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Key Ideas We Will Explore
Understanding Your Why - What drives you to paint? What do you want to explore, express, or discover?
Setting an Artistic Goal - Learning to make choices that guide your process and define what should stand out.
The Attitude of Painting - Moving beyond hesitation, embracing spontaneity, and balancing control with freedom.
Fear & Failure - Identifying fear in your process, finding ways to trick self-doubt, and learning how failure can be a tool for growth.
Breaking Down the Portrait - Using portraiture to discuss structure, expression, and abstraction in painting.
Making Key Elements Stand Out - Understanding how to emphasize certain areas and simplify others to create impact.
The Long Road - Accepting that painting is an ongoing process where the result matters less than the journey itself.
Developing Your Own Voice - Finding personal meaning in your work and moving beyond imitation.
Letting the Process Lead You - Don’t be a slave to your initial idea. Try things. Be open to accidents and unexpected discoveries. Let the painting show you where to go instead of forcing it into a fixed vision.
About the Retreat
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During this all-inclusive art workshop, meals will be home-cooked by our wonderful Tuscan chef, and eaten together in our large dining room, or outside with a panoramic view of the stunning landscape. After class you'll have free use of the Villa and grounds to explore. During the week we will host some evening events; such as pizza night using our outdoor pizza oven, an evening of life drawing, and a night of live music. Many of our evenings will be spent around the fire, under the stars. If you need to unwind after class you can use our sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. Or if you prefer to explore you can wander through the woodland, walk, cycle or take the bus into town. ​And of course you are always welcome to continue practicing your art, sketching outside, or continue painting in our studio, which is always open.
This is a chance to focus on you and your art, you'll be living and working together among many other creatives, and alongside Nikolas, with the opportunity to dive deep into each other's knowledge and experience - building relationships, whilst making the most of the surrounding nature in this beautiful Tuscan setting. This is a place where you have the opportunity to learn from some of the world's top artists, without judgement or competition, and with everything taken care of, so that your primary focus can be to learn and create.
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The Venue
This Autumn, we are excited to welcome you for our very first season at our new dedicated art retreat Villa.
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This 19th Century Villa used to belong to an ancient noble family, the Dukes of Caffarelli. It is located near the Casentinesi forest park, in the Chianti region of Tuscany, just 40 minutes from the centre of Florence. Enjoy a 360 degree view of the surrounding hills, entirely covered with woodland and vineyards.
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The Octagonal studio is a large, bright and welcoming 220 sqm geometric structure, with views of the surrounding woodland. This is a space where you can learn, create, and feel inspired.
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This season is going to be something special ✨
See more photos of the venue here

See photos from our recent art workshops here: Gallery
What's included?
22% VAT - 5 days tuition - 6 nights accommodation - Arrival & departure transfers - Breakfasts, lunches, dinners & snacks - Tea, coffee & soft drinks - Wine - Evening Events - Jacuzzi/Sauna/Steam Room - Wifi - Easels & Solvents for painting
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Prices
€2140 Condivisa | Twin-Share Bedroom a place in a spacious shared bedroom with private bathroom (shared with one other participant of the same gender)
€2590 Piccola | Cosy Private Bedroom with a double bed and private bathroom
€2790 Classica | Classic Private Bedroom with a double bed and private bathroom
€2990 Grande | Spacious Private Bedroom with a double bed and a private bathroom
€790 Amici | Non-Participating Partner bring along a partner or friend to share any of our private bedrooms with
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The Food
All meals will be made up of delicious, home-cooked Tuscan cuisine, and will take place in our panoramic dining room or outside whenever the weather is nice. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available, please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements (dietary needs rather than preferences).
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Materials list, itinerary & more information
At least 3 months before the retreat we will send you an information pack with the full materials list and more details about the retreat. See airport and transfer information on our FAQ's page here
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Bring a partner or friend - €790 all-inclusive rate
If you book a private bedroom then you are very welcome to bring along a partner or friend with you who will not be participating in the workshop. Partners will be welcome to join all of our meals and activities, and become a part of our group. Whilst participants are in the class, partners have this beautiful Tuscan venue all to themselves.
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We are happy to assist in planning activities during the days for your partner, such as bike tours, trips to local towns, cooking classes or walks around the surrounding countryside. Equally, your partner is very welcome to stay at the villa and relax using our sauna/jacuzzi/steam room. We recommend bringing a car so that you can travel around freely, however, we can also drive you to the local train station if you would like to explore the nearby cities of Florence or Arezzo.
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The price for non-participating partners includes: 22% VAT - 6 nights accommodation - Arrival & Departure Transfers - Breakfasts, lunches, dinners & snacks - Tea, coffee & soft drinks - Tuscan Wine - Jacuzzi/Sauna/Steam Room - Wifi.
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Participating Partner - €1490 all-inclusive
Bring a partner or friend who will attend the workshop with you. If you book a private bedroom you are welcome to bring along a travel companion who will participate in the workshop with you and share a bedroom with you (subject to availability).
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Booking information
To book a place on this retreat click Book Now below and you'll be taken to a separate page where you can choose your bedroom option, and fill out your registration details. We advise not booking your flights until payment requests have been sent out, confirming that this retreat is going ahead. And if you would like to discuss payment plans, feel free to email us.
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Review our terms & conditions of booking here
Questions? See our FAQ's page here




Nikolas Antoniou
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Nikolas Antoniou (b. 1988, Larnaca, Cyprus) is a painter whose work moves between figuration and abstract expressionism, seeking balance within chaos. His practice focuses on exploring human experience through dynamic compositions, where landscapes and forms coexist and transform. Through the transparency of multiple surfaces and shifting compositions, his works explore the relationship between order and uncertainty, presence and absence.
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His work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions internationally, in institutions and galleries in Italy, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and other countries. He has participated in major art fairs and in various artist residencies, including the Budapest Art Factory.
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You can see more of Nikolas' work here:
Website: www.nikolasantoniou.com
Instagram: @nikolas_antoniou