About – renaissance-retreat-italy.com

Imagine staying a week in a castle in Tuscany or Umbria…

Learn the art of oil painting or creative writing steeped in an iconic landscape which has been inspiring artists for centuries
Enjoy daily meals of fine Italian cuisine and delicious wine
Savor your free time with a swim, spa, or massage
Relax each evening with an aperitivo in hand
Refine your cooking skills with a lesson from a Michelin star chef
Explore picturesque towns, historic museums, and natural wonders

This is the Renaissance Retreat in Italy experience.

History

Conceived in 2017 by painter, Timothy Joseph Allen, the first Retreat took place in the Spring of 2018 in Tuscany. Three retreats followed— all focused on portraiture.

Over the years, special activities have included:

Cooking lessons with Michelin Star Chef Roberto Rossi and dinner at his restaurant, Il Silene.
Cheesemaking with local shepherds
Wine-tasting with various wine makers in the Tuscan region

In 2023 we expanded into Umbria and ran our first custom Retreat in the Castello di Postignano.

Special activities included:

Visit to the sacred forest of Monte Luco
Truffle Hunting
Guided tour of the town of Spoleto
Guided tour of the town of Assisi

On this retreat, primarily focused the landscape en plein air, we were able to bring on board the writer, Rebecca Harrington, who added a creative writing workshop.

Bringing together painters and writers, be they professionals or amateurs, is something we want to continue— so come one and come all!

Ready to Join Us?

If you are interested in joining an upcoming Renaissance Retreat in Italy, please have a look at our ‘Come Along’ page.

If instead you would like to develop a custom Renaissance Retreat in Italy, please have a look at our ‘Create Your Own’ page.

rr-2023-group-photo-postignano-opt

Kim, Valerie, David, Sophia, Patti, and David pose for a group photo in front of the Castello di Postignano during our 2023 Summer Retreat.

Timothy Joseph Allen with his superstar assistants, Nika and Matilde.

Our Team

Timothy Joseph Allen

Tim is a classical painter who has lived in Rome, Italy since 1998. He has taught at The American University of Rome since 2006, and has managed and directed his own painting school in Rome–PADASOR, The Painting and Drawing Art Studio of Rome–since 2010.

“There is nothing quite like the Renaissance Retreat: the locations, the landscapes, the people, the food, the wine and the painting all combine for an extraordinary experience. I hope you’ll join us!”

–Tim

For more about Tim and his paintings, please visit his website.

Painting the Landscape – What Can You Expect to Learn in the Workshop?

Painting en plein air, our primary considerations will be:

Composition
Consideration of scale and the arrangement of the subject(s) within the frame.
Light and Contrast
Management of light in connection to the specific subjects vs. management of light of the whole (the light pattern).
Color and Atmospheric Perspective
Discussions on color strategies: to what extent should the palette serve the local color versus the use of the subject in the service of the palette? How should color function in the service of atmospheric perspective?

Rebecca Harrington

Rebecca Harrington has published three books with Random House— the novels “Penelope” and “Sociable” and the essay collection “I’ll Have What Shes Having.” She has written for the New York Times, New York Magazine, Elle Magazine and other publications.

For more about Rebecca and her work, please visit her website.

Writing in Italy – What Can You Expect to Learn in the Workshop?

Description
How to describe the physical world
What do our surroundings look like? Or smell like? Or feel like? You will be able to put sentences together that accurately describe a physical setting
Dialog
How do you write accurate dialog? How do you interpret what people say? How do you hear the rhythms of peoples speech? You will learn to represent communication in your own particular way.
Structure
How do you structure a short story? How long should it be? How many scenes are there? How much should you put in? How much should you leave out? You will learn how to craft something you will be very proud of and a great memory of your time in Italy!

Daniela Cittadoni

A native of Spoleto, Italy and an experienced and licensed travel director and tour guide, Daniela is the vital force behind Mother Umbria For over fifteen years, Daniela has been involved in all aspects of the Italian tourism business with a focus on her home region of Umbria. Daniela has helped individuals, couples, families, and specialty groups achieve their goal to experience the life-affirming vacation of their dreams. Her extensive knowledge of Umbrian history, art, and Italian cuisine is second to none.

Mother Umbria also collaborates with many experts in various fields, including chefs at selected restaurants, sommeliers at well-known wineries, and authentic olive oil producers.

Specializing in custom-tailored tours and the above-mentioned services, Daniela is today one of the best and most knowledgeable tour leaders in the tourism industry today, the perfect choice for your unique traveling experience throughout Umbria.

For more about Daniela and her travel company, please visit her website.

All traveling and excursions operated by Tasting Travel di D. Cittadoni

Via III settembre snc
06049 Spoleto (PG)
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