This is the year you promised you’d do it—learn to paint. Or write that book that’s deep inside you trying to get out. No pressure, but the year is almost half over, so if you need assistance keeping that promise to yourself, help is on the way.
This September, Barga plays host to the first-ever Artists and Writers Retreat, at Casa Cordati.
If you’ve always wanted to write a book but didn’t know where to begin…or wanted to paint but are convinced you can’t draw a straight line, this retreat is for you. Classes will be taught by American artist Leah Wiedemer and writer’s coach Diana Scimone, who promise you’ll be inspired and encouraged to paint the masterpiece and write the best-seller that you’ve always dreamed of.
Artist Leah Wiedemer launched her art career in 1987 when she took a watercolor class, followed by much personal study of various master artists working in different mediums. Since that first step Leah has garnered many art awards and much experience painting, teaching and exhibiting her work.
Over the course of her career she has taught art to children and adults, painted murals, worked as a chalk artist at Disney MGM Studios, illustrated children’s books and continued to study, paint and grow in her craft. Much of her work can be viewed on www.lwiedemer.com .
Writer’s coach Diana Scimone is president of Peapod Publishing, Inc. A writer and journalist, her work has taken her to more than 40 countries on 5 continents, including Sudan, Zimbabwe, China, India, Kenya, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, and elsewhere. Diana has helped countless people all over the world write the books that are inside them. She offers numerous workshops throughout the year, personalized writer’s coaching, and a blog, www.HowToWriteABook.biz, to help people write the book they’ve always dreamed of writing.
Classes are for beginning as well as experienced artists and writers. Leah and Diana will teach 2 classes each(in English) over two weekends in September. You can attend 1, 2, 3, or all 4 classes. The more classes you take, the greater your discount (and you also get a nice discount if you register by June 15).
To register, go to Roaming Artist or How to Write a Book. Want more info? Contact Leah Wiedemer leah@lwiedemer.com or Diana Scimone. diana@peapodpublishing.com
Registration is limited in order to keep classes small, so don’t put it off. That landscape is waiting to be painted and that book doesn’t want to wait another year.
My next stop was a fairy tale village called Barga in northern Tuscany. It’s a medieval town complete with four story palazzi hugging narrow curving lanes. From my third floor window I could see much of the town and surroundings mountains. It was magic. Enchanted. I felt light headed, as I climbed the winding stairway to the top floor where the walls are frescoed and the rooftop views stunning. I stayed at Casa Cordati ,the home of a deceased painter of some renown and considerable skill. There is a museum featuring his works, lovingly curated by his grandson. I wandered through the museum rooms marveling at the works and gaining inspiration. It was worth the hours of unpredictable train travel, with late arrivals and missed connections to get here. I’m hoping that the difficulty of finding Barga keeps it hidden from hoards of tourists until I can return to spend more time. – source Roaming artist’s blog
“Everybody should take active part in the battle of art, because the artist’s life is connected to the life of all his contemporaries, and because art leaves eternal traces of the life of peoples.” – Bruno Cordati
Artists and Writers Retreat September 2010 Casa Cordati, Barga
Saturday, September 18
Drawing with the Artist’s Eye: Learn proven drawing techniques used by artists all over the world
Taught by artist Leah Wiedemer
10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, September 19
How to Write a Book 101: 7 practical steps to help you write the book you’ve always dreamed of writing
Taught by writer’s coach Diana Scimone
10 am – 6 pm
Saturday, September 25
How to Write a Book 102: 23 valuable tools to make your fiction and non-fiction sing
Taught by writer’s coach Diana Scimone
10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, September 26
Beginning Soft Pastel: learn color basics and how to work with this wonderfully portable and forgiving medium
Taught by artist Leah Wiedemer
10 am – 6 pm
All classes will be taught in English at Casa Cordati, Via di Mezzo, 7, 55051 Barga (LU). For more information, see http://roamingartist.wordpress.com and www.HowToWriteABook.biz.
Limited seating. Register today at Roaming Artist or How to Write a Book via PayPal or credit card:
Advance registration by June 15:
75e for 1 class
125e for any 2 classes
175e for any 3 classes
250e for all 4 classes
Registration by July 15:
100e for 1 class
175e for any 2 classes
250e for any 3 classes
325e for all 4 classes
Registration by August 15:
150e for 1 class
225e for any 2 classes
325e for any 3 classes
450e for all 4 classes