No promo codes allowed for this course*

Mythology & Place: Artistic Inspiration in Umbria

Dates: May 31- June 10, 2025

Instructor: Robert Minervini

Through observation and storytelling, including field trips and visits to local towns and markets, we'll develop a personal series of pictures from Umbria and Italy. Students will create drawings, paintings, and mixed-media pieces inspired by the archetypes, icons, and legends of Italian life. We'll explore the colors and symbols in historic art and architecture that underpin the richness of Italian mythologies. Every day, students will learn new techniques from instructor demonstrations, including how to develop and mix a color palette based on the Umbrian landscape, developing personal sketches and compositions onsite and translating these to larger pictures in studio. You'll have time for your own studio focus, receive individual feedback, and participate in casual discussions about contemporary interpretations of Umbrian themes.

An important part of this workshop incorporates day trips, as we follow ancient paths from the Roman empire, to Medieval architecture, to Renaissance painting, and to the present moment. Exploring "the Green Heart of Italy, we'll visit unique local towns and discover the famous Umbrian light. Possible destinations include Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, and Bevagna; where artisans carry on centuries of traditional crafts like handmade paper, ironwork, fabrics and ceramics. We'll be inspired in our plein-air sketches of towns and fields, using mixed media and water-based materials.

Optional evening activities may include: an Aperitivo time / social gathering with wine and cheese, casual group critique sessions, slide shows, and opportunities for students present their work. And the studio is open 24 hours a day.

All basic materials are included in the cost of the workshop, and the instructor will share a list of optional materials upon registration. Painting materials are water-based and the instructor will discuss material properties.

Robert says: "As an Italian American painter from the Bay Area who has been living in Italy for several years, I'm thrilled to invite students to see Italy from my perspective. Together we'll explore historic towns, ancient landscapes, and our personal expression through making art. This workshop isn't just about painting; it's about experiencing Italy in a way that will enrich your art and your life."

About the instructor:
Robert Minervini received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and his BFA from Tyler School of Art. His work has been exhibited internationally, including solo shows with Hirschl & Adler Modern, NYC; Edward Cella Gallery, LA; Rena Bransten Gallery, SF; as well as group and two-person exhibitions with the San José Museum of Art, Torrance Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, Palo Alto Art Center, Schneider Museum of Art, and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Minervini has completed multiple murals and public art commissions nationally including through the San Francisco Arts Commission, The Alameda County Arts Commission, and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. He has been a resident artist at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the Headlands Center of the Arts, and the Vermont Studio Center. His art has been published in New American Paintings (No. 91 and No. 109), Beautiful Decay, and Mural Art: Large Scale Art from Walls around the World. His work has been reviewed in the LA Times, Modern Painters, San Francisco Chronicle, Art ltd., and featured in ArtWeek LA, 7x7 Magazine, and The Huffington Post. Minervini’s work is in the collections of the San José Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, the City and County of San Francisco, and many private and corporate collections.

Robert Minervini currently lives and works in Florence, Italy & Oakland, California.

What's included:
All ground transportation on the La Romita private bus, all accommodations, meals, 24/7 access to the studio and art instruction. Most basic art materials are included and an optional materials list will be provided. Price includes a single room.

What's not included:
You may prefer to buy your own lunch from a cafe or trattoria on one or two of the longer full-day trips. Personal laundry is not included. And of course, if you leave the group to do your own thing, your expenses are your own. The price does not include airfare.

Please reach out to us at ccsf.extension@ccsf.edu if you qualify for any of the below discounts or would like to set up a payment plan:

$200 discount each for double occupancy (must be traveling together)
$200 discount for returning students to La Romita
If you would like to set up a payment plan of three separate, equal payments.

About La Romita: For 50 years, La Romita School of Art has been bringing people to the Umbrian region of Central Italy to participate in its painting, culinary, and art workshops. Our art workshops are intimate, unique, and informed by our decades-long experience in the region and in art workshop organization. Whether you are painting or sketching, taking a photograph of a beautiful mountain lake or remote hill-town, drinking espresso in a bar or watching an elderly Italian signora water the geraniums in her window garden, you will leave a La Romita workshop feeling as though you’ve seen the heart and soul of La Bella Italia.

Email ccsf.extension@ccsf.edu if you have questions.

Refund and Cancelation Policy: In the case the workshop is canceled, a full refund will be issued.

Please send all refund requests via email to ccsf.extension@ccsf.edu

Before April 5th, 100% refund less a $25 processing fee

April 5th – 20th, 50% refund less a $25 processing fee*

After April 21st, no refund available for any reason, including illness, travel, or other personal circumstances. (*If you can find a replacement to fill your spot, we will issue a full refund.)

City Extension runs on enrollment fees alone and is not tax funded. The decision to run a workshop is based on enrollment numbers. Thank you for understanding!

Enroll inMythology & Place: Artistic Inspiration in Umbria CEXTN001-202560