Spaces limited, enroll early to ensure your participation!
Cortona Medieval week activities included!!
Particiapnts enrolling on or after February 16, 2026 will be assigned
accommodations at one of our other nearby partner hotels.
All participants receive a complimantary signed copy of Ann's book
"Pen and Ink & the Fluid Motion
of Watercolor"
on the final day of the workshop!!!
Ann Thomas
Capturing the Charm of Tuscan Hill Towns
in Pen and Ink and Watercolor
Picture yourself sitting in an outdoor cafe in one of the piazzas, sketchbook in hand, immersed in capturing the life around you while enjoying a cappuccino. Experience a week of creating art alongside Ann Thoms using a very portable means of sketching - pen and ink and watercolor (or your choiceof medium) – to record the beautiful, sensitive lines of an old buildings or the bold strokes of a street scene. All levels are welcome to enjoy a magical week of art in Cortona, Italy in this non-instructed week, working in the field to create interesting compositions and lasting memories with texture and rich washes of color!
Participants may work in their choice of medium(s)
Quiet Street in Cortona
Side Street in Cortona
Picture Yourself...
among the sights and sounds of beautiful and romantic Tuscany: olive groves, vineyards, centuries-old buildings, winding streets, texture and vibrant sunlight.
Feel Yourself...
in the warm ambiance of Cortona, overlooking Lake Trasimeno and the Val di Chiana, originally fortified by the Umbrians, claimed by the Etruscans, touched by the Renaissance, almost unchanged for centuries, one of Tuscany's jewels.
Experience...
the joy of painting en plein air in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere with the camaraderie of a small group of enthusiastic painters.
Enjoy...
great Italian food, delightful wines, new friends, breath-taking vistas, history and the hospitality of the people of Cortona.
All-inclusive* workshop includes: Escorted group travel Florence to Cortona May 27, 2026**** Painting sessions on location each day Seven nights accommodations in historic Cortona** (Private room & bath) Local Etruscan Museum & Museo Diocesano All meals*** (Italian breakfast, lunch and dinner) Daily wine tasting opportunities Day trip to Perugia & Lago Trasimeno
Day trip to Pienze & Montepulciano A farewell wine tasting dinner Escorted group travel Cortona to Florence June 3, 2026****
**Included with private and shared room plans only. Hotel San Luca based on availability
as well as other nearby hotels and accommodations.
Particiapnts enrolling on or after February 16, 2026 will be assigned accommodations at one of our other nearby partner hotels. ***Included with "Group Meal Plan" only. Italian breakfsat simply includes coffees, brioche, toast, milk, juices, cheese. ****Specific departure time from Florence airport May 27, 2026 only at 12:00noon ****Specific departure time from Cortona to Florence airport June 3, 2026 only at 8:00am *All-inclusive plans are "Hotel" only. Air travel and ground transportation to/from Cortona is not included and is the responsibility of each participant
Artist Ann Thomas is widely recognized for her fine architectural style renderings of homes, businesses and landmark buildings in pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. Ann is also known for her detailed images used in children’s books, greeting cards and other print media. Ann freelances out of her home studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is currently an online instructor for Craftsy.com. She can be contacted at annsart@sbcglobal.net, web site address: www.annthomasillustration.com
Ann Thomas
Ann..."I have always loved to draw. Since 2nd grade. Really.
Trained as a Graphic artist and working in that field for several years, I changed gears to focus on my illustration skills. Proficient in colored pencil, watercolor, pastels and most recently water-based oils, my first love is pen and ink.
Years ago a friend gave me his technical pen and I immediately fell in love with the crisp, dark lines against the creamy background of the paper. Since then I’ve done countless homes and buildings in and around where I live and currently give workshops sharing this wonderful media with others.
My other passion is drawing children and illustrating for children’s books and creating my yearly Christmas card. I have an online class available through Craftsy.com devoted to this.
I’ve worked as a graphic designer, taught as an adjunct instructor at Mount Mary University for 6 years and am currently giving workshops in pen and ink and watercolor."
Itinerary
Medieval week activities as available!!
27 May Wednesday – Arrival in Cortona
-11:30/12:00 noon – Escorted group travel Florence airport to Cortona
-Arrival and Check-in in Cortona
-Free afternoon to shop, rest, explore!
-6:30p Welcome to Cortona wine and chocolate tasting at La Saletta
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona at
28 May Thursday - Cortona
-9:00a-12:30p Morning Session
-12:30-1:30p Lite Lunch
-1:30-5:00p Afternoon Session
-7:00p Wine/aperitifs
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona
29 May Friday - Perugia & Lake Trasimeno
-8:30a Depart Cortona
-9:30a-12:30p Morning visit
-12:30-1:30p Lite Lunch
-1:30-4:00p Afternoon Session
-7:00p Wine/aperitifs
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona
30 May Saturday - Cortona
-9:00a-12:00p Morning Session (Market day...until about 1pm)
-1:00-2:00p Lite Lunch
-2:00-5:00p Afternoon Session
-5:30p Wine/aperitifs Il Pozzo Gallery
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona
31 May Sunday - Cortona
-9:00a-12:30p Morning Session
-12:30p Lunch
-2:00-5:30p Afternoon Session
-7:00p aperitifs
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona
1 June Monday - Pienza & Montepulciano
-9:00a Day trip
- Morning Session
-12:30p Lite lunch
- Afternoon Session
-4:00p Depart and return to Cortona
-7:00p aperitifs
-7:30p Evening dinner in Cortona
2 June Tuesday - Cortona
-9:00a-12:30p Morning Session
-1:00p Lite Lunch
-FREE AFTERNOON
-7:30p Farewell Wine Tasting Dinner in Cortona
3 June Wednesday – Departure
-Morning Check-out
-8:00a departure from Cortona with escorted return to Florence airport.
Note: Toscana Americana reserves the right to alter this itinerary. All times are approximate. Note: Transfers are provided only for programmed meals and activities away from the hotel. Note: All guests are responsible for handling their own luggage/baggage....we suggest to pack light. Note: No refunds are given for any unused aspects of the itinerary or for any activities outside the above itinerary.
Note: Airfares not included
Note: Guests are responsible for all personal hotel service charges
Pen and Watercolor Illustration in Tuscany Supply List:
Keeping in mind we want to be very portable, these are the tools I use most often:
• Option One - Waterproof (felt tip) ink pens in several point sizes, one of my favorites is the Very Fine Waterproof Sharpie pen.
• Option Two - any portable sketch pen with waterproof ink, there are some very nice fountain pens that I use for sketching – example: Lamy , Noodler, Platinum Carbon Ink Pen, Sailor Fude
• Watercolors: A set of miniature travel pans. Windsor Newton has nice ones.
• 2 or 3 round watercolor brushes that form a nice point when wet.
• Sketch pad: a size you are comfortable using and that will fit in your backpack or shoulder bag with paper heavy enough to accept watercolor but not too coarse that the pen doesn’t move over it easily.
• Soft pencils and kneaded eraser
• Portable water container
About Cortona
Cortona is one of the true jewels of the Tuscan “hill towns.” Cortona, which is often called the “City of Art,” has its origin as an Etruscan city that pre-dates Roman times with sections of its walls dating back some 2500 years. As is typical of Tuscan hill-towns, Cortona is a walled city that, for purposes of defense, was built atop a prominent geographical point. The stone buildings and streets not only have the romance, style, and charm that are particular to Tuscany, but also speak of the lives and times Cortona has witnessed. An encounter with Cortona is an encounter with music & art, with history and with spirituality. Getting to know this timeless city is a real rediscovery of our past. Cortona offers testimony to its history as well as an enchanting view of the landscape enclosed by Lake Trasimeno and the Apennine mountains.
Meet your host in Tuscany...Patrick Mahoney
Patrick Mahoney has called Cortona, Italy home since 2001! Patrick shares his very personal and intimate knowledge of Cortona's people, history, art, culture and food & wine to Toscana Americana Workshops experience. With his love of travel and after studying and working for many years in the Art & Entertainment industry Patrick's sensativity creates and shapes, along with a stable of wonderfully talented instructors, meaaningful, creative and memorale experiences in the Arts. A testament to the quality of the Toscana Americana Workshops experience is the large number of participants who return to enrich their lives while participating in creative programs...not only in Cortona, but also the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, Venice, Portofino, as well as Santorini, Greece and Austria, and the American Southwest!!
Covid-19 Protocols and Safety Measures (No current restrictions as of July 19, 2023) To respect our local host communities/countries and to ensure the safety and health of our guests and participants we follow the safety measures and protocols in place by our host communities/countries at the time of any given workshop or program or tour. These measures and protocols may vary and or change from time to time as well as during the course of any given workshop or program or tour and we will adapt to and abide by official safety measures and protocols. All of our guests and participants, without exception, are expected to adapt to and abide by official safety measures and protocols during any given workshop or program or tour in which they are participating. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks are the responsibility of each guest or participant. Health documents such as proof of vaccination or inoculation or other required by a host country, such as Italy for example, are the sole responsibility of each guest or participant. We strongly suggest all such documents are carried on-person at all times during any given workshop or program or tour in which they are participating. Persons who may be in an at-risk category or state of health are suggested to not participate.
