The painting trip to Tuscany, Italy far exceeded my expectations. The accommodations at the I Veroni former factory were wonderful. We had a villa with a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside with a little kitchenette and a large living room. The instructor, Stefan Baumann, was a great teacher and he provided much more hands-on instruction than was originally scheduled on our itinerary. The group meals provided at local restaurants like Bastion Contrarion and Trattoria Archemide were wonderful, three- and four-course meals. The tour of the I Veroni winery and the tasting meal was a highlight of the trip. The painting trip into Florence with our small pochade or thumb boxes where we painted at the Palazzo Vechhio was also a very memorable and rewarding experience. All in all, a wonderful painting trip that I would highly recommend to anyone.

The accommodations for the Brittany trip were very good, and the food was fantastic. The chef, Nicholas, provided some of the best food that I have ever had at a restaurant--fresh appetizers like artichokes, wonderful entrees, fresh quiches, beautiful tomato tarts, and savory stews. The painters who attended along with their spouses were a very congenial group whom I very much enjoyed. Nan Dawkins extended herself to ensure that we got to some great painting locations including Brignogan, and a day trip to the Isle de Batz. The beach was within walking distance and we had a great time painting there. All in all, a very enjoyable trip with a great instructor.

Very well planned and wonderful experience. Lovely people, fantastic food and great location.

The time spent in Brittany was wonderful and far exeeded my expectations (which were high to being with!). It was so well-organized, our Cerulean Blue representative, Nan Dawkins anticipated our every wish and need and did it with grace and style! The group was well-prepared and the itinerary very effectively organized. The location was beautiful and charming and the chef-prepared food every day was superb. The painting instruction was thorough and included several media - as the artists painted in oil and watercolor and also used pastels. Having the Sennellier and other art supplies was a great way to learn the qualities of the different materials - an added bonus in our instruction and learning. It was a perfectly chosen area for this endeavor and Cerulean Blue provided a memorable expereince. Thank you.