Painting in Italy has been featuring relaxed and supportive painting holidays for over 10 years in sublime Italian locations.  If you're still looking round for something inspiringly special to do this year - igniting a new passion or re-igniting an old one -  the niche specialist still has a few places remaining on one-week courses in Venice (late September) and Florence (late November).
 
The next Venice course commences the week of September 27, a perfect time to visit when the hordes and the heat have departed and the city once again becomes the perfect artist's palette.  Guests are collected from the airport and whisked by private water taxi to tranquil Lido, just a 15-minute vaporetta ride from St Mark's.  Renowned for his wonderful Venice paintings, Lakeside Society artist Phil Hobbs, will take guests to his favourite painting locations in Venice each morning to paint.  The week includes a 7-day vaporetta pass and 7-day entrance ticket to the museums and churches.  For opera lovers there's also the chance to see Verdi's opera “La Traviata” at the famous La Fenice Theatre.  

Alternatively you could instead choose to base yourself in that other studio of the masters, Florence,  for a one-week course commencing November 29.  The Christmas atmosphere in Florence in early December is very special with traditional Xmas lighting along many of the city streets, special shop window displays and the Christmas market in Santa Croce.  Alongside options in painting and sculpture tuition, there will also be visits off the tourist grid such as a tour of The Vasari Corridor in the Uffizi, learning the art of Florentine paper marbling and attending a lecture at The British Institute on "The Role of the Artist in Renaissance Florence".  The workshops will take place in a light-filled studio in a handsome Palazzo just a four-minute walk from the Ponte Vechio bridge and the friendly and very comfortable base, the Hotel Della Signora. The two tutors, Frank Rekrut (sculpture) and Laura Thompson (painting), are both alumni of The Florence Academy of Art.    During your stay there will also be an opportunity to see Sergey Khachatryan playing violin at Teatro Verdi.
As it's Italy, food also features majorly in both courses and at night the group will eat at the tutors' favourite restaurants. Both holidays cost from £1599 and include tutoring, accommodation, excursions, and evening meals with wine in different restaurants Flights can also be arranged.  Further information www.paintinginitaly.com / Freephone 08081185729.