Journey with Marla to the cradle of the Renaissance – Florence, Italy. Walk the same cobblestone streets as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli, drawing inspiration from a city that has nurtured artists for centuries.

Your home for this transformative week will be an historic palazzo in the Santo Spirito quarter, a neighborhood that still pulses with artistic energy. Here, artisan workshops and antique boutiques line the streets, and creativity flows as freely as the nearby Arno River. You’ll live like a local in the heart of Florence, developing your artistic vision through Marla’s innovative approach that begins with sketching.

Each day, you’ll discover how thoughtful sketching can transform your pastel work. Marla’s unique method helps you capture the essence of a scene before touching your pastels, leading to more confident and expressive paintings. You’ll sketch in sun-dappled piazzas, along winding streets, and in hidden courtyards, building a visual vocabulary that will enhance your pastel paintings. Between artistic sessions, you’ll savor authentic Tuscan cuisine in characteristic trattorias.

Florence offers endless possibilities for creating art: the golden light on the Arno River, secret Renaissance gardens, flower-filled windowsills, animated street scenes, and architectural treasures at every turn. While the focus is on developing this powerful combination of sketching and pastel skills, you’ll have ample time to absorb the city’s artistic heritage and find your own sources of inspiration in this living museum that houses one-third of the world’s art treasures.

To ensure personalized attention, the class size will be intentionally small. While the workshop welcomes all skill levels, some basic drawing and painting experience will help you make the most of this opportunity. The daily schedule may adjust to embrace spontaneous artistic opportunities that arise.

This is more than a workshop – it’s an immersive artistic retreat in one of the world’s most inspiring cities, guided by an accomplished artist who will help you discover how sketching can revolutionize your pastel painting process. heritage and find your own sources of inspiration in this living museum that houses one-third of the world’s art treasures.