Charles H. Cecil Studios

11/08/2026

Charles H. Cecil Studios is now taking applications for all short-term workshops in 2027 as well as full-time applications for the academic year of 2027 - 2028.

For extensive information on all study options and how to apply - visit the link in bio or email directly to [email protected]

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Featured in this post:

slide 2 Olivia Arts and Gigi Ettedgui work on cast drawings at the start of their
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slide 3 oil portraits from the advanced group by e m i l y and Margot Gillespie with model Jordan Kaspar demonstrating the proper set up for from life, to the scale of life, with no recourse to photography.

20/05/2026

Saturday, May 23 - Saturday, June 6, 2026 - at Villa Il Palmerino, Florence

‘Un volto e i suoi sguardi’ is the fifth annual showing, at ll Palmerino, of portraiture from students and faculty of the Charles H. Cecil Studios.

Portraits by 11 artists made up of teachers, advanced students and graduating students, will be on display in the gallery space - a site known not only for its beauty and cultural importance but also linked to the Studio’s dna as it was the residence of Vernon Lee - writer, aesthete, pacifist and life-long friend of sight-size portrait painter John Singer Sargent.

This year, a special initiative is taking place as Il Palmerino is calling for writers to visit the show on Sunday 24 May to view the work and create short stories of their interpretations. For full details be sure to read the second image in this post.

Opening evening: Saturday May 23 17:30 - 21:00
Address: Via del Palmerino, 10, 50137, Firenze

All welcome for the opening event - drinks and refreshments.

Exhibitors:

Sam Good -
Olivia Arts -
Gabriel Lewis - .j.lewis
Margaret O’Hare -
Alastair Dunstan -
Alice Leng -
Margot Gillespie -
Poppy Harris - .art
Alice De Pelet -
Rowan Fullerton -
Rosanna Webb -

20/03/2026

LAST MINUTE CALL FOR SPRING 2026

There are still a limited number of spaces on our 2 week drawing workshop, April 6th to 17th 2026.

For details about this workshop, all other courses and how to apply please visit the link in bio. Apply directly to [email protected]

01/03/2026

Portrait of Mirko Fearli by Ebba Olsson

A portrait of .fearli from the last 3 weeks by alumna and visiting instructor made alongside students whilst teaching with us this Spring term in Florence.

Oil on linen, sight-size, from life, under natural light, to the scale of life.

To learn about studying at our atelier, visit the link in bio or email directly to [email protected]

28/12/2025

Detail of the head of Christ from ‘The Deposition’ by our founder Charles H. Cecil.

All figures in the full painting (next slide) are painted from life, to the scale of life, sight-size and under natural light.

28/12/2025

Another detail - Mary Magdalen - from ‘The Deposition’ by our founder Charles H. Cecil.

All figures in the full painting (next slide) are painted from life, to the scale of life, sight-size and under natural light.

28/12/2025

Detail from ‘The Deposition’ by our founder Charles H. Cecil.

This detail features American painter and teacher Richard Serrin (1928-2022) as Joseph of Arimathea.

All figures in the full painting (next slide) are painted to the scale of life, sight-size and under natural light.

18/10/2025

An portrait study of made in these first two weeks of our Autumn Term as a demonstration alongside our advanced students at our painting studios in Piazzale Donatello, 31 by assistant director Sam Good.

Hand ground oil paint on hand primed linen.

Sight-size from life, to the scale of life, under natural light.

Tolearn about how to study on our full-time programme and all other course information follow the link in bio or email directly to [email protected]

29/09/2025

29/09/2025