Tag: courses

Gilding Course in Florence

Dear Diva Readers, 

top: 5px; float: left; color: white; background: #781300; border: 1px solid darkkhaki; font-size: 100px; line-height: 90px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 5px; font-family: times;”>I just learned of a sensational weekend course in Florence that has me dying to return to Renaissance City.  Visiting twice last year apparently wasn’t enough.  This time, in addition to treading the paths of the Medici’s, I’d like to dig deeper into Italian art. In fact, I’d like to take a weekend in Florence to LEARN a time-worn Italian art!   

Florence Art.net is offering an Easter Weekend Gilding, Painting & Restoration Course at the Maiano Estate, a quiet rural resort overlooking the city of Florence.  The skills taught in the course are useful for people who like to restore or refurbish old paintings and frames, decorate or gild frames and furniture, or even create contemporary works of decorative art using these high quality materials and techniques.  Being able to restore or produce gilded and decorated frames seems like it go hand in silk-gloved hand with being both an artist and antiques dealer!  Plus, learning the skill against the swell of the Tuscan countryside… does life get any better than this?

How could I not be inspired in a setting such as this?  On the hillside overlooking Florence with Brunelleschi’s Duomo in sight, students learn the ancient craft of gilding.  Mornings and afternoons are spent in the studio painting and gilding your works of art and learning the skills of restoration. Then to top it off, the course brings in accomplished Florentine artisans and offers opportunites to learn about Florence’s world-renowned historical works of art. 

Easter Weekend in Paradise – I mean, Florence, that is!

The Antiques Diva®

Christa Snoek Flower Arranging Workshops

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top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>Clients who take Antiques Diva Tours are often looking for a different way to see a country. In my case, I offer retail therapy and a chance to score the perfect souvenir – a chance to bring home a bit of that country and to set it on the mantle as your home décor! Tourists often take courses while on holiday, but it’s usually something sporty like scuba diving, parasailing or kayaking courses, but Christa Snoek “Bloemsierkunst” is offering something different – floral design workshops fit for a diva!
Whether you’re a seasoned floral expert or merely interested in learning to puff your home décor, all you have to do is sign up to attend one of her many workshops throughout the year! Then you simply show up at her atelier which is located in what seems to be the middle of no-where, but is in fact in the middle of Holland’s flower district. When you walk into her workshop stuffed from end to end with gorgeous buckets of flowers you’ll think you’ve died and gone to – Holland!

Can you think of a better way to “get to know a country” than through their most famous export – in this case flowers? Upcoming workshops include:

Kerst (Christmas) Flowers – courses run from 1 Nov – Dec 22 and cost between 17.50 and 45 Euros
Passen (Easter) Flowers – courses run from 27 March – 9 April and cost between 17.50 and 25 Euros
Zomerbloemen (Summer Flowers) – courses run 5 June – 25 Sept and cost from 15 Euros

Not only do you learn great hints and tips for flower arranging, but you also have a chance to meet local ladies who are taking the workshop with friends as well. Christa also sells a variety of “Woonaccessoires and Bloemisterijartikelen” – Home Goods and Floral Accessories – at significantly lower prices than you’d find elsewhere in Holland. All in all, Christa Snoek Flower Workshops receive 2 thumbs up from this diva!