NIKOLAS ANTONIOU

Workshop Description

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Join us for an all-inclusive week of oil painting in the Tuscan countryside with Nikolas Antoniou. 

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 approach 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 chasing a perfect result, we focus on the mindset that allows discovery to happen. Through portraiture, we will explore intention, emphasis, structure, and expression, while embracing the unpredictability that makes painting alive. The portrait acts as a tool, a way to understand essential ideas and sharpen awareness.

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However, this workshop is not about portraiture itself. During the final days, participants are encouraged to move toward their own subjects, questions, and personal direction. The focus gradually shifts to each artist’s individual work. What I share is not something to copy or follow, but something to use, a foundation to help you become more independent, more confident, and more free in your practice.

The process itself will guide us. Strong elements often emerge from accidents, in places we least expect. The goal is not to follow a rigid plan but to stay present, work intensely, and remain 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 — Making decisions 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 — Recognizing fear in your process, finding ways to overcome self-doubt, and using failure as a tool for growth.

Breaking Down the Portrait — Using portraiture to explore structure, expression, and abstraction.

Making Key Elements Stand Out — Learning how to emphasize certain areas and simplify others to create impact.

The Long Road — Understanding that painting is an ongoing process where the journey matters more than the outcome.

Developing Your Own Voice — Moving beyond imitation and finding personal meaning in your work.

Letting the Process Lead You — Staying open to accidents and unexpected discoveries. Allow the painting to show you where to go.

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About the Retreat

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During this all-inclusive art workshop, meals will be home-cooked by our wonderful Chef Giovanna, 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, yoga and sound bath in the ball room, 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 can learn from some of the world's most inspiring contemporary artists, without judgement or competition, surrounded by nature, so that your primary focus can be to learn and create, whilst enjoying your time on this planet.