We are not affiliated with any degree granting programs. The 50+ hours—studio and museum tour time—are equal to a college level studio/art history class in terms of contact hours. In that way, participants may be able to request consideration for independent study credits at their college.
No. The techniques of pure egg yolk tempera, egg oil emulsion, gilding, and painting with oil glazes in the Renaissance manner, are generally not taught at American colleges and universities. Participants need not have expertise as artists—with a 1:4 teacher/student ratio, we are confident in our ability to teach those unfamiliar with methods.
The program seeks participants with a sincere interest in Renaissance art and painting, in particular, along with a desire to learn.
Florence, Italy provides a singular, first-hand opportunity to examine significant masterpieces of Renaissance art created with the very materials and techniques that are taught in our program.
As experts in our fields and by virtue of our academic positions, we are qualified to write letters of support for requesting college grants or other funding, which are determined by the standards of each college.
As academics, both Professor Bill Drew and Richard Gann are qualified to submit/write/issue letters substantiating participants completion and fulfillment of the program.
If people wish, they may bring a guest, although those individuals may not participate in the studio or museum tours. Hotel arrangements are based on single occupancy, but they can be adjusted in advance.
All necessary art materials will be provided by the residency.
Buffet breakfast will be provided by the hotel each morning. We have scheduled three group dinners at excellent restaurants which will be covered by the residency. Participants will be responsible for other meals.
No. Each participant is responsible for their own travel plans to and from Florence.
No. The residency does not pay for any travel fees or costs.
We will be staying at a 4-star hotel located in central Florence, not far from the Duomo, the cost of which is included in the residency fee, for eight nights, from Saturday, October 11 to Sunday, October 19.
As of this date, a valid passport in all that is required to enter an EU country. You will be notified if the requirements change.
That is a personal choice. Many health plans in the United States cover overseas travel, others do not. You should check with your health provider. Travel insurance to cover missed and canceled flights etc. is a personal choice.
We have scheduled our studio and museum tours from 9:30am to 3:30pm, with a brief lunch break. This will allow for personal time in the later afternoon and evening.
We have set a limit of 12 people in our program, giving us a teacher/student ratio of four to one.
The dates of the residency are October 11-19, 2025. The program will begin with a walking tour of Florence and some museum visits on Sunday, October 12. Therefore, participants should arrive the day before, Saturday, October 11.
Note: Participants will provide their own transportation from the airport or train station to the hotel which is centrally located in Florence near the Duomo. The cost is approximately 50 euros.
A public bus is also available from the airport to the city.
We are asking each applicant to tell us in a few sentences their interest in participating in this program. Those who are selected will be asked to provide a $500 deposit to hold their place, with final payment due one month before the dates of the residency or on September 12. Should the program, for any reason, need to be canceled, participants will receive a full refund within 30 days of cancellation. Should the participant need to cancel, they must notify us 30 days before the start of the program. Cancellations within thirty days forfeit the deposit.
Yes. One of our goals with this residency is to introduce educators to the materials and techniques of the Renaissance so they may share this knowledge with their students. Therefore, we will furnish a detailed curriculum explaining what each material and technique is, how they fit together historically, and the significance of each material and technique insofar as visualization of ideas are germane to Renaissance thinking/art. We will also be available to help those interested in developing new courses or this subject matter into courses, recommendations of materials, suppliers, etc.
Madrid, Spain is home to an outstanding collection of significant masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque art, both at the Prado and the neighboring Thyssen-Bornemisza. It is an alternative to Florence with a comparable opportunity to examine works of art created with the very materials and techniques that are taught in our program.
No. We do not recommend driving in Florence. It is a pedestrian city and very walkable.