First Truth

13- 20 April 2026

With Lucy Threlfall at Verrocchio Arts Centre in the heart of Tuscany

The motivation to paint, to respond to what we see and sense, comes from an impulse or attraction that we don’t understand but which compels us to keep going even when we ‘fail’! The art is to keep that strange spark alive, to dig into it and keep returning to it as we develop ways to describe it in paint.

We will gather visual information outside with drawings and colour notes in the mornings and then, after a delicious lunch, we will explore how to find greater freedom with paint using drawings charged with the fresh memory. This is a chance to sink into the senses, trust your responses and refuse to let self-judgment block your way.

We will focus on how it feels to see as the guiding force, we will be developing our own visual language, not making pretty pictures. If you have little or no painting experience, it won’t matter - the most important thing will be enjoying the beautiful environment and hopefully watching yourself create something completely unexpected.

Our week at Verrocchio Arts Centre will give you the chance to find your own voice in translating the Italian landscape into paint. Going entirely at your own pace, Lucy will guide you towards your own expressive response to the light, colour and natural forms of the Tuscan countryside surrounding the village of Casole d’Elsa.

For her second time at Verrocchio, Lucy titles her course after the Italian “primavera” or spring. This directly translates into english as “first green” or “first truth” which perfectly encapsulates what we will be trying to capture over our week, both visually and in essence.

We’ll be working with that first truth that hits us before our brain tells us what we’re looking at; discovering the forms and colours through free, expressive drawing and growing that into our own story of the landscape.

Course Information

    • Rooms start at £1700 for a single en suite. A double en suite ranges from £1800-£2100. For a full room list with pictures please complete a booking form.

    • Each participating artist will need to book their own room, non participating guests are welcome to join for a fee of £500

    • In the heart of Tuscany lies Casole d’Elsa. A Charming Italian town with Verrocchio Arts centre nestled within the ancient terracotta.

    • The house was rebuilt by Nigel Kostman, an artist and sculptor, and the founder of Verrocchio arts center. Art permeates through the building, including many of Nigel's original sculptures, at every turn one can tell the house was intended for art. The house is classically Italian, from the  canopy of wisteria on terrace, to the lime wash inside, the house has been tastefully preserved of its Tuscan heritage, creating the perfect environment for the creation of art.

    • Accommodation is arranged over two floors with a mix of ensuite and non ensuite rooms. Rooms are rustic but comfortable and have beautiful hilltop views. There is no air conditioning but rooms come with a fan. The arts centre wraps around a terrace with beautiful views of the surrounding land. There are three large painting studios and a sculpture studio downstairs.

    • We have a total of 8 rooms available, 2 single beds and 6 doubles. The rooms vary greatly in size, and this is reflected in the price.

    • This course is open for oil, acrylic, pastel, and water colour, but will be focusing on acrylic. Please get in contact if you have any questions regarding this.

    • Lucy is a diligent and thorough tutor, and will aim to cater to your level. To fully experience Verrocchio, artists will be free to roam the grounds and decide where they want to paint. The daily structure will be varied and flexible as there will be two day trips, but will largely follow a morning demonstration by Lucy, followed by a morning session before lunch, and an afternoon session after the light has lost its severity. Please bear in mind that you will be outdoors in the Italian heat, so please pack accordingly!

    • Example daily structure
      -8:00 - 9:00 - Breakfast
      -9:00 - 12:00 - Demonstration and morning session
      -13:00 - 15:00 - Lunch and midday break
      -15:00 - 17:00 - Afternoon studio session
      -17:30 - 18:00 - Apperitivo and discussion
      -19:00- Supper.

    • This is an example schedule, but you are not obliged to strictly adhere to it, we encourage you to follow your artistic intuition and curiosity, and  will cater toward wherever that may lead.

    • Tuition and full access to the arts centres facilities are included within the price of your room. The arts centre has two large painting studios and a downstairs sculpture studio with plenty of outdoor spots around the estate for plein air painting (the terrace, the field looking over the hills, and local amphitheatre, and the turret - an amazing vantage point for large landscape paintings). 

    • Basic art equipment will be provided. (easels, gessoed boards, stools, pastels, chalks, limited oil and acrylic paints, paper). We encourage artists to bring their own paints and brushes so lessons learnt are transferable after the course. If you cannot bring your own brushes and paints, let us know before booking and we can order a paint set to the arts centre at your own cost.

    • There will be two day trips to locations of exceptional beauty. We will be returning to a local waterfall with an Italian picnic for a whole morning of drawing, eating and exploring.

    • Air travel is not included.

    • Airport transfer is organised by us but not included within the price, this is estimated to cost £60-80 each way.

    • This course is open to everyone, whether you are a first time painter, or looking to dust your brushes off and get back into painting, or a regularly practising artist, we are confident you will have something to gain and learn by coming on our course.

    • Well-balanced and tasty food is an essential part of what we do at Triptych Course. All our menus are bespoke and tailored to the area, using only organic and local produce. Italy boasts some of the most extraordinary produce the world can offer. We will offer a seasonal spring menu that will be light and nourishing.

    • A breakfast buffet will be available with a wide variety of fresh fruits, yogurts, cereals, homemade granola, fresh juice, and smoothies. Cooked breakfast will be available on request meaning food is hot and fresh. Whichever way you like to start your morning, we have you covered. The students will break before lunch with tea and coffee accompanied by cake and other sweet treats.

    • Lunch tends to be light as the painting continues straight after a brief rest. You will be greeted with a cocktail once teaching ends, with time for relaxation and reflection before supper. For supper you can expect two courses; usually main and pudding, with complimentary wine.

    • We cater to all dietary requirements and there are vegan and vegetarian options available. We publish all menus two weeks before the course. Please see the photos for a rough idea of the food.

    • there will be a limited amout of complimentary wine per night for supper.

    • We advise flying into Pisa Airport. Verrocchio is accessible by public transport however we will arrange an airport transfer. Please contact us directly before booking travel.

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