Back

MONTE SAN MARTINO COURSES

Next

The workshops will have unrivalled access to these important paintings: participants will be able to make studies directly from these paintings. In addition, visits can be made to important artistic sites, including the Duranti Collection in Montefortino, the Museum of Sacred Art in Sarnarno, the cities of Ascoli Piceno, Macerata and Fermo and the early fresco paintings at Abbadia San Ruffino.

Pip Seymour Courses About Paint Technique in Italy


Pip Seymour is a painter and writer, who lives in England and Italy. He studied Fine Art at Bradford College of Art, Winchester School of Art and Brighton Polytechnic and has been a practising artist since the mid-1980s.
He teaches about the use of painting materials at a number of institutions in the United Kingdom and is a member of the Society of Dyers and Colourists.


Studio for Paint Technique Workshops in Italy, 2007.

These workshops can be booked on a first-come first served basis. Spaces are available for 1-3 students, although larger groups can be accommodated on request.


The following subjects are available to book:


Workshops Discovering Materials and Techniques

Egg Tempera - working with Historic Pigments Historic Watercolour Palette Making Soft pastels and Pastel Grounds Encaustic Painting Making Oil Colours and Oil Paint Mediums Making Colour from Plants and Rocks Preparing Resins and Colours for Violin Varnishes Fresco Colour Swatch Making for Textile and Interior Designers. Paper-making with Plant Fibres

Landscape Painting at Monte San Martino

Symposium on Oil Painting Symposium on Gouache Painting Symposium on Watercolour Painting Symposium on Soft pastel Painting

Studio for Paint Technique

Established in 2001, the Studio for Paint Technique is a purpose-built workshop designed to facilitate a greater understanding of painting materials and techniques for artists. The studio and house are located in the village of Monte San Martino, Macerata Province, Marche, Italy. Artists are accommodated in Monte San Martino, the studio and house being a 18C Almshouse, adjacent to the Church of Monte San Martino, in the most elevated part of the village.
The studio programme is open to all artists, at any level, but will be offered to a maximum of 1 - 3 people per workshop. Places are limited and available on a first come, first served basis and will run during the Spring, Summer and Autumn of 2005.














The Studio for Paint Technique is co-ordinated by artist and writer, Pip Seymour.
The studio programme is designed to give artists an insight as to the working properties of different paint media, with the broad aim of encouraging good practice among artists. Through the studio programme, invidual artists are enabled to expand their knowledge of specific areas of paint technique and to try out materials which in other circumstances they may not have access to.
The studio is equipped with a complete stock of raw materials for paint-making: pigments, binders, waxes, resins, oils, solvents, etc. In addition a full stock of oil colours, watercolour and gouache paints and painting supports are available for use. All material costs are included in the studio fees.

The Location

Monte San Martino is a medieval village, perched 600metres above sea level, overlooking the Tenna river valley and imposing Sibillini mountains. It is an ideal base for exploring the southern half of the Marche region, being within one hour's drive from the historic cities of Ascoli Piceno, Macerata and Fermo.






















The Sibillini National Park is some 20 kilometres from the village: the peaks of Mt. Vettore (2476m), Mt. Sibilla (2175m) and Mt. Priora (2332m) dominate the view from the garden of the house.
The house itself is positioned at the highest point in the village, adjacent to the historic Church of Saint Martin, in a quiet and tranquil setting above the valley. The westerly outlook ensures dramatic sunsets towards the panorama of the Sibillini mountains.The house has recently been restored, preserving the original 18th century plan and incorporating a large painting studio. The house has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, kitchen and two sitting rooms, arranged over three floors.
Within five minutes walk into the centre of the village you will find a baker, bar, two excellent restaurants, store (selling fresh fruit, meats, fresh milk), post office, chemist, petrol station and bank.

The Studio for Paint Technique

The studio programme offers a series of intensive practical workshops, which explore the materials and techniques of painting, with particular reference to important artworks in the region.
The workshops will involve a thorough exploration of the raw materials for painting: supports, grounds, pigments, binders, varnishes. For each workshop, participants will prepare materials and learn through practice how a variety of colours and binding agents behave. The studio houses an exhaustive collection of historical pigments and painting materials. The workshops are offered 1-3 participants: each artist will be given their own room within the house. There is no entry requirement, other than the will to work closely with others in a small group, thereby learning together.

The studio at Monte San Martino is located
adjacent to the church of St. Martin, which
contains four important panel paintings, in-
cluding a joint work by Carlo and Vittore
Crivelli. The brothers were political exiles
from their native Venice and were active in
the area at the close of the fifteenth century.
The church also houses two further works
by Vittore Crivelli and an important triptych
by Girolamo di Giovanni, from nearby Camerino.