“Tuscan wine and sketching holidays “in Statiano farm.
Book now for holidays in September 2024 at Statiano in Tuscany.
We are offering a week-long sketching holiday with tuition by visiting artist,
Jane Smith. We will explore places and have experiences that will not only provide a slice of authentic Tuscan life but will also be a great source of
inspiration for drawings, sketches and photos.
• Sketching workshops with tuition by visiting artist Jane Smith
• Exploring Val di Cecina and other localities
• Accommodation at Statiano Farmhouse for the true Tuscan experience
• Beautiful surroundings; vineyards, hills and fields with plenty of places
to walk.
DESCRIPTION
From Monday 2nd til Monday 9th September 2024 we are offering a 7 night sketching holiday with tuition by visiting artist, Jane Smith. The holiday will include visits to local villages and markets, wine tastings with our own winefrom the farm and wine pairings with Tina, one of the owners and a qualified sommelier. Excursions to local places and markets will provide excellent sketching subjects and the authentic Tuscan experience. We can also trek along the wild and beautiful riverbanks of Trossa river. Visits to the medieval hilltop town of Volterra (Tuscan Capital of Culture 2022), the market of Cecina and the Mediterranean coast will be included.
Guests stay at Statiano, our beautiful country house in a quiet corner ofMaremma, Tuscany. Tiny hilltop villages perch above rolling fields;
Montegemoli, Querceto and which are still relatively undiscovered. Nature will provide plenty of inspiration too; we are surroundedby beautiful woods where wildlife, including foxes and turtles and jays, lives among the oak trees.
The area is famous for Sangiovese wine and typically the cuisine will include “bruschetta”, “pappa al pomodoro” and “ribollita”.
Statiano,our beautiful stone farmhouse lies in a quiet rural setting surrounded by woods 5 km from the lovely village of Micciano and 5 km from Ponteginoriwith its own ‘panetteria’. We can shop daily for ‘pane toscano sciocco’ here or you can have a typical aperitivo or prosecco at the lovely bar down in the village.
STAY
Statiano offers 5 double, twin or single en suite bedrooms. There are 4 large
apartments with panoramic views.
Apartment A: ground floor with two bedrooms, en suite bathroom, kitchenette
and private terrace with breathtaking sunset views.
Apartment B: private garden, ground floor kitchen, 2 upstairs bedrooms with
panoramic views and two bathrooms.
There is an outdoor pool with a covered terrace and shaded surroundings
ensuring plenty of relaxing spots.
About Jane
Artist and Illustrator Jane will guide you through sketching and drawing, giving suggestions and encouragement, whether out on trips or back at Statiano. She will show you techniques and tips for sketching architecture, markets, restaurants, people and landscapes, using a variety of media. She says of herself :
“I am an artist and Illustrator based in east London. I love drawing and have been doing it ever since
I could hold a pencil. Originally from the rural north of England and Wales, I studied at what is now
the University of Northumbria then moved to London. Working briefly for the BBC led to a freelance illustration career that has lasted until the present day. Other clients have included Marks and Spencer, Jamie Oliver, Ted Baker, Greenpeace and many others. Also I exhibit widely in galleries, cafes and shops around London.
I have given art workshops for lots of groups including an art retreat in France, staff at Facebook and Marks and Spencer’s head offices and local schools and community .
I have travelled widely, but these days concentrate on Europe and the UK. I never go anywhere without at least a small sketchbook in my pocket. If I am away for more than a couple of days, I will pack a variety of sketchbooks and art materials, a box of watercolours and a few pens and brushes. To me there is nothing better than sitting sketching outside a cafe somewhere, with a nice coffee or cold beer, totally in the ‘zone’, with the sounds, smells and general ambiance of life going by, whether in a Roman piazza, a small street in Marseille, at home in London or the beautiful Tuscan countryside”.
Your Host
Tina has lived with her husband in Statiano since 2003, and there she has planted deep roots. She is devoted to her land, as well a sto good food and wine.
She has a degree in English language and literature from Pisa University and is a certified sommelier, too.
She loves to make pasta with friends and guests.
In Winter she likes to read classic novels or attend to her studies as well as spending a lot of time managing the farmhouse and tending the garden. Moreover, she is in charge of bookings.
Tina also enjoys making jam, discovering new wines, and trying out new recipes for you. She will happily make pasta with you as well as let you in some wine-related secrets.
ITINERARIES
Day 1: The holiday begins at 7.30 pm at Statiano, settling in with a well-
deserved aperitivo on the terrace before a relaxing dinner with wine.
Day 2: A leisurely breakfast and a chance to get to know the farm and the vineyard. Jane will be available to introduce you to her sketching workshops and you’re free to start drawing. Lunch at 1 pm on the shady terrace and time
to relax by the pool before the next sketching session. Opportunity for pleinair sketching in the garden. Dinner at 7 pm with wine.
Day 3: Breakfast and a working trip to the Etruscan/Mediaeval hilltop town of Volterra, visiting Piazza di Priori, the Roman Theatre plus coffee in a lovely café and a delicious lunch at the “Chich and Chock” café and ice-cream shop. Plenty of time to sketch, take photos and paint while there. A visit to the Saline of Volterra, before returning to Statiano in the afternoon, with time to sketch, relax or swim before a delicious dinner with wine.
Day 4: Breakfast and a working trip to Querceto, a picturesque, well preserved village. Time to explore, sketch and take photos before going on to
Montegemoli and Pomarance with lunch at a local pizzeria. Back home for an afternoon of painting, relaxing and dinner on the terrace with wine at 7 pm.
Day 5: Breakfast followed by a morning visit to the colourful market in Cecina, then to the beach, with lunch at the ‘Delfino’ restaurant and a walk in a
beautiful maritime pine wood. Home in the afternoon with time for sketching, relaxing or swimming before dinner at 7 pm with wine.
Day 6: After breakfast, pasta tuition with Tina. We can enjoy making pasta together, for example ‘fettuccine e gnocchi’, then having it for lunch on the
terrace and a relaxing afternoon. You’re free walk around the area, up to thebeautiful hilltop village of Micciano, along the river, continue sketching or helpTina to prepare a nice ‘apericena’.
Day 7: Breakfast followed by time to devote to sketching with lunch at 1pm. Evening wine tasting with Tina. Dinner at 7 pm with wine.
Day 8: Breakfast and ‘arrivederci’. Transfer to Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport.
Please note: the itinerary may be subject to minor changes due to weather and/or after consultation with the tutor.
www.agriturismostatiano.com
ph + 39 3385057879
www.agriturismostatiano.com
