Renee Walden-Sketching your Travel Memories
About Renee Walden
For 18 years, I’ve taken a sketchbook everywhere with me. What started as a side hobby on a climbing trip to Spain and France completely transformed how I experience the world. Now I have a big stack of sketchbooks filled with priceless memories – villages, landscapes, flowers, food, people, and little notes that transport me straight back to those moments.
Sketching outside has immersed me in places in ways I never could have imagined, creating vivid memories and allowing me to meet locals I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. I take these sketches into the studio to paint larger works – either representational or an abstract expression that captures the memories.
I’ve been teaching watercolour since 2017. My teaching approach is relaxed and fun. Whether you’re nervous about painting in public, unsure about colour mixing, or intimidated by perspective, I’ll guide you through it with patience, encouragement, and practical demonstrations. Small group sizes mean ample one-on-one time with each participant daily. By the end of our time together, you’ll be the artist who never travels without a sketchbook.
Register before June 16, 2026 for early registration pricing.
(price thereafter: $3650)
Photos of Renee’s artwork
Renee Walden-Sketching your Travel Memories
Join me for 10 transformative days of watercolour painting in one of Italy’s most enchanting regions, where you’ll develop the confidence to paint anywhere, anytime.
You’ll sketch vibrant watercolour memories of Italy’s hidden heart – the buildings and gardens at La Romita, sun-drenched piazzas in hilltop villages, the play of light on ancient stone, cypress trees punctuating rolling landscapes.
We paint OUTSIDE – that’s where the magic happens
Our focus is plein air watercolour sketching. Over 10 days, we’ll venture from La Romita’s terraced gardens into hilltop towns where time seems to stand still – cobblestone streets, flower-filled balconies, and sweeping countryside views waiting to be captured in watercolour.
Through daily demonstrations and one-on-one feedback tailored to your goals, I’ll help you become braver with your paints and build a visual travel journal that’s truly personal and that you’ll treasure forever.
This retreat welcomes all levels, from complete beginners to experienced painters wanting to grow their confidence on location.
You’ll learn to work with a limited palette, understand perspective without fear, capture Italian light and atmosphere quickly, and create loose, expressive sketches that preserve the feeling of a place.
La Romita’s light-filled studio is available 24/7 for demos and practice, while the monastery’s peaceful grounds offer endless corners for inspiration.
In an encouraging atmosphere, with delicious Italian cuisine, laughter, and all practical details handled, you’ll leave with a sketchbook bursting with memories and skills that travel with you
Register before June 16, 2026 for early registration pricing.
(price thereafter: $3650)
As La Romita School caters to multiple levels of instruction and various forms of the arts, prices will vary by session, season, instructor, and offerings.