Instructor: Jerry Fresia, AIS Master Artist
Florida Painting Workshop
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
February & March 2027
You can enjoy the best of all worlds in St. Petersburg, Florida, from award-winning beaches to theme parks and waterfront parks along a street lined with clubs and restaurants with views of the bay. In addition, a dazzling array of museums, galleries and performing art centers that have made St. Petersburg the cultural gem of Florida’s west coast, including the world-renowned Dali Museum.
There are several museums downtown such as the Museum of Fine Art that features European masters Monet, Renoir and Cezanne. The Chihuly Museum celebrates American glass-sculptor Dale Chihuly via a clutch of bright, colorful works. The downtown gallery district provides exhibition space for a diverse range of local and regional art exhibits.
In contrast to St. Pete’s impressive museums, the Grand Central District is a grassroots arts strip that stretches from approximately 16th to 31st streets along Central Avenue between downtown and the beaches (with the Central Avenue Trolley shuttling from city to sea). If you’re visiting on the second Saturday of any month, the 2nd Saturday Art Walk from 5 to 9 p.m. is an excellent way to browse the district’s studios and galleries. Participating spaces include neighborhood anchors Duncan McClellan Glass and Nuance Galleries, as well as smaller enclaves and boutiques. This area is also home to a number of artist studios.
And we cannot forget a grand Saturday farmer’s market that presents its wares, drafts, vegetables, prepared food, along with several musical groups, all within walking distance of downtown hotels.
To discover more of what downtown St. Pete has to offer, check out this local guide.
Course Description
In this 3-day painting workshop, you will learn the authentic method of painting handed down directly from the French Impressionists to various Americans such as John Singer Sargent and Robert Henri. This method is valid for all visual art media. You will learn not only the craft side of painting but also the history and philosophy behind the method.
In the demonstrations, Fresia will explain how and why the painting process is broken down into 5 distinct separate stages: Composition, Construction, Underpainting, Reconstruction, and Painting.
Fresia will walk you through the stages, with individual instruction at your easel, throughout the session. This painting workshop offers you an opportunity to paint in the studio and en plein-air.
Schedule 2027
Dates: Feb 24-26 (Wed-Fri) | Mar 1-3 (Mon-Wed) *DATES TO BE CONFIRMED
Welcome Reception: Feb 23 (Tues) | Feb 28 (Sun) 5:00-6:30pm
Instruction: 9:00-12:00 | 1:30-4:30
Workshop Fee
Each 3-day painting workshop in Florida costs €675 per person. Non-painting guests are welcome to attend the welcome reception and the demo for an extra fee of €25.
The workshop fee covers tuition with 18 hours of instruction and a welcome reception. It does not include airfare, lodging or ground transportation.
Workshop Location
The North Shore Aquatic Complex is located in Downtown St. Petersburg at 901 North Shore Dr. NE. It is close to Vinoy Park, Straub Park and the Old Northeast Historic District. The location allows students to walk to/from their hotels and a string of restaurants on Beach Drive. It’s also close to the beach and the harbor where they can paint from.
St Petersburg is served by two international airports: Tampa and St Pete/Clearwater. Go here for a list of transportation options from Tampa airport.
Accommodation
These downtown hotels are all within a short walk to the workshop venue at North Shore Aquatic Complex on 901 North Shore Dr. NE. They are also within walking distance to restaurants, bars, shops, and the trolley stop. See map here. Please contact the hotel directly to make a reservation.
Hampton Inn & Suites
80 Beach Drive NE, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.hilton.com
(727) 892-9900
1-800-HAMPTON
Courtyard by Marriott
300 4th St N, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.marriott.com
(727) 450-6200
Marriott provides complimentary shuttle service within 3 miles of the hotel, which covers the North Shore Aquatic Complex where the workshop will be held. Please check with the hotel if they currently offer a Long Term Stay rate (LTS) or a senior discount.
Ponce De Leon Boutique Hotel
95 Central Ave, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.poncedeleonhotel.com
(727) 550-9300
Exchange Hotel
234 3rd Ave N, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.exchangehotelstpete.com
(727) 822-4814
Hollander Hotel
421 4th Ave N, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.hollanderhotel.com
(727) 873-7900
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront
333 1st St S, St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.hilton.com
(727) 894-5000
Art Materials
You will need the following for the painting workshop:
- French easel & palette
- Oil paints (at least 11 colors)
- Filbert brushes (3 sizes)
- Canvas boards/stretched canvas (12×16 in)
- Palette knife
- Vine charcoal
- Rags or paper towels
- Paint thinner (will be provided)
Download the ART MATERIALS LIST (PDF); it has detailed description of each of the items listed above.
THERE IS NO GOOD ART SUPPLY STORE IN ST. PETE SO PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BRING ENOUGH SUPPLIES.
Intended Students
Our intended students are amateur and professional painters who are looking to learn the Impressionist method of painting. We no longer accept raw beginners. The reason is this: Fresia teaches a structured method that was handed down from teacher to student beginning in Paris around the turn of the last century. If you have been painting for awhile and wish to learn this process to enhance your work, you’ve come to the right place. But if you see the class as a chance to escape the winter and try out a fun adventure in painting – a perfectly fine desire – this class is not for you.
If you are a raw beginner, however, you can join our online course, which you can access for free for 30 days and, thereafter, for 395 euros for an entire year. If you can study the material online and submit photos of your work, then you may be ready for the live workshop.
In other words, prospective students are expected to be sufficiently experienced with easels, palettes, and paints so that they do not need help in setting up their equipment, and they arrive with the proper brushes and supplies ready to go.
This painting workshop is designed for those who are looking to immerse themselves in the five stages of Impressionist painting, and hope to study painting at a deeper level.
Registration
To sign up for the class, a non-refundable deposit of €200/session is required.
Please send an email to Conchitina at painting-at-fresia.com along with the workshop dates and a copy of your passport, which is an Italian tax requirement to get the 22% VAT exemption.
She will then send you a NEXI Money Request and then, after she receives your deposit, an invoice with the workshop confirmation.
We recommend that you book early; hotels/apartments in St. Petersburg fill up quickly in February & March as they are peak tourist months. We always book ours 1 year in advance.
Payment of Balance
The balance is due on November 15 regardless which week you’re attending. You will receive a NEXI Money Request about a week before the due date. If you fail to pay the balance by the due date, your space will no longer be guaranteed.
After November 15
Full payment is due if you are registering after November 15. Please contact Conchitina to check if there is any space available and, if there is, she will send you a NEXI Money Request for the full amount.
Cancellation Policy
Refunds on balance paid are given only if we’re able to resell your space to our waitlist. Maximum class size is 15.
Travel insurance is highly recommended. You may compare travel insurance thru an online broker such as insuremytrip.com or squaremouth.com, and best to go with a well-known provider such as MH Ross, Travelex, Travel Guard, or Travel Insured Intl.
We reserve the right to cancel a workshop for emergency reasons, in which case you will receive a full refund (€675/€1350).
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Italy
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