Introduction to the Art Centre

Nigel Konstam established the Verrocchio Art Centre in 1986. The spacious and airy painting studios are conducive to creative inspiration with a high up view out onto the landscape. The historic walls of the building itself are also food for the artistic eye. The sculpture studios, where great jars of olive oil used to be stored, are cool in the summer, while the open air carving area is in the dappled shade under a canopy of wisteria and vines. There is a library full of art books for reference and information.

Our bedroom accommodation is simple and rustic, but quite adequate. The terrace with its enormously wide view encompassing Volterra, San Gimignano, Chianti, right down to Monte Amiata in the south of Tuscany, is a wonderful place for artistic inspiration. Here we take breakfast in the morning sun, lunch under the shady wisteria, and dinner accompanied in August by a huge, red harvest moon. Good company and a congenial house-party atmosphere have always been an important part of life at the Centro.

A Typical Day

Your day might start with breakfast on the terrace in the warmth of the early morning sun. Some will already have been up for hours to catch the misty sunrise from an upstairs window, or from the terrace. then into the studios. Tea and coffee is always on hand and chats to compare notes and gather inspiration from the library or a bit of catching the sun on the terrace. Or a break to go to the village for a capuccino at the bar and write a few postcards home, or buy some fruit or that forgotten tube of toothpaste or a newspaper.

At lunchtime there is the choice of preparing something yourself in the kitchen at the Centro, or various venues in the village for anything from a bruschetta to a pizza or 3 courses. Then time for a siesta before returning to the studios or you may want to go out into the landscape to sketch or paint.

At the end of the working day you may want a dip in the indoor plunge pool, before meeting up with your new friends for an aperitif at the bar, or you may prefer a sunset walk around the old walls of the village. Supper could be had up in the village or prepared at the Centro. After that there's still time for another trip to the village for a night cap, or a 'passeggiata' alongside the locals and an ice cream from the local 'gelateria', or maybe there's an open air concert, or the once a week craft market.