PAINT THE SPLENDOR OF UMBRIA WITH WATERCOLOR – with Michael Friedland
June 28, 2025 - July 8, 2025
$3750
In Michael’s workshop, you will immerse yourself in the splendor of the Umbrian villages and countryside, to drink in and capture the beauty and wonder of it all! You will learn and practice maintaining awareness of the principles of painting and the focus that painting on location takes. You will come away with incredible memories of the experience, a stack of paintings from a unique and wonderful part of the world, and the benefit of many discussions and demonstrations about painting with watercolor.
In addition to specific techniques that watercolor demands, the workshop will focus on all of the other important principals of painting, including drawing, design, composition, color, values, edges, etc. There will be lots of time both on location and in studio, and Michael will be teaching for all levels of experience.
Michael works with each student on an individual basis. When on location, he discusses what he’s doing as he paints, and encourages the group to paint along with a similar view. In the studio, paint-along sessions give students a chance to see and hear about color selection and mixing, how washes are applied and why… and to watch and then do it themselves on their own.
Each day will start with a session on location. After lunch will be another session – in the studio, on La Romita’s grounds, or a trip to another town – depending on the day and focus.
About Michael
“I fell in love with watercolor in my first year of art school. In my second year, I put the oil and acrylic paints in the closet and have focused on painting with watercolor ever since. I just love the way that this very unique medium can capture the feeling of light and how it can be made to do things with color that no other medium can. I love how it’s portable and more conducive to painting en plein air. It’s a really wonderful medium to have spent a lifetime with! As an interesting parallel, for years I was drawn to and collected colored glass vases and enjoyed how they looked set against my windows. Looking at them one day recently, I finally realized, ‘OH, it’s the same thing as a watercolor…looking at (enjoying!) color illuminated by light!”
Obviously my area of specialty is painting with watercolor. But teaching over the last eight years, I’ve come to realize that I seem to have somewhat of the ‘teacher gene’…I love to help, talk with and explain to others how this exciting medium works and how to get control of watercolor and move forward with their own paintings.”
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.