Charles H. Cecil Studios

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]

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]

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.

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.

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.

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]

Assistant director Sam Good: My demonstration and Liv Arts’ demonstration charcoal portraits of Francesco Cappellini made alongside our September 2 week intensive drawing workshop at Charles H. Cecil Studios. @nitramcharcoal on @fabriano1264 Roma paper. #sightsize from life and to the scale of life. The workshop is intended as a crash course introduction to the fundamentals of our full-time training. To find out about all courses @charlescecilstudios - follow the link in bio.

Earlier this month we joined Charles H. Cecil at Kenwood House - @kenwood_house_english_heritage - in London where he had been invited by imminent Sargent scholar (and grand-nephew) Richard Ormond to give a talk on the paintings featured in the exhibition ‘Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits’ which is curated by Wendy Monkhouse - @wendy.monkhouse - and Richard Ormond and sponsored by English Heritage - @englishheritage - and will be open until 5th October, 2025. In the fabulous ‘Music Room’ Charles spoke, surrounded by the portraits, to members of Friends of Kenwood - @friendsofkenwood - about Sargent’s methods and legacy and he even demonstrated the sight-size set up using our very own @liv_arts as the model. Special thanks to Mala Gole for organising the event!

Analog photographs taken by Giorgia Legnani at the opening night of the Charles H. Cecil Studios annual summer show at Villa Il Palmerino on 01.06.2025

The exhibition occupies a space in a villa that was once owned by Vernon Lee - childhood friend of JS Sargent. Each year we showcase the current work of instructors and graduating students runs for the month of June - we look forward to seeing everyone there in June 2026.

Artists exhibited this year:








j.lewis



Thanks always to Federica and Stefano at Residenza del Palmerino.

An insight into the process of instructor Liv Arts - @liv_arts - as she demonstrated, to a group of 1st year students, the method of starting a portrait painting in a two hour session at our painting studios at Piazzale Donatello, 31. Sight-size, from life, to the scale of life, under natural light. 🎥 Video by Giorgia Legnani - @giorgialegnani.art Model - @giannettaccio3 To find out more about studying at Charles H. Cecil Studios, please visit the link in bio or email directly to [email protected] #charlescecilstudios #sightsize #portrait #painting #atelier #tradition #oldmastertechnique #classicaltraining #learntopaint #allaprima

Charles H. Cecil Studios alumna and Senior Instructor Isabella Watling - - has been award Second Prize in the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024 at the National Portrait Gallery in London for her painting ‘Zizi’.

The painting, executed in Watling’s London studio, was painted sight-size, entirely from life, under natural light and to the scale of life.

Congratulations to First Prize winner Anthony Williams, Third Prize winner Catherine Chambers and recipient of the Young Artists Award Rebecca Orcutt.

The show will now be open to the public London from 11 July - 27 October, 2024. A portrait painted at Cecil Studios by advanced student Gabriel Lewis - .j.lewis - has also been selected for the show.