Sun, Sep 26
|Marsala, Sicily
Ellen Eagle: The Luminous Portrait— Pastel Painting, Sensitivity, and The Present Moment
A rare chance to study with Ellen Eagle, one of America’s most acclaimed pastel portrait artists. Deepen your eye, refine your technique, and learn to capture the living presence of the sitter.
Time & Location
Sep 26, 2027, 3:00 PM – Oct 02, 2027, 11:00 AM
Marsala, Sicily, 91025 Marsala, Free municipal consortium of Trapani, Italy
About the event
Workshop Overview
Study pastel portrait painting from life with Ellen Eagle, one of America’s most acclaimed pastel portrait artists. This rare Sicily workshop offers serious artists the chance to step away from daily distractions and enter a week of focused studio practice, deep looking, and refined technique.
Although the work will take place primarily in the studio, Sicily is central to the experience. Autumn in western Sicily is a season of harvest, warmth, and quiet abundance — olive groves, vineyards, long meals, soft light, and a slower rhythm that allows artists to settle, observe, and work with greater presence. In this setting, portrait painting becomes more than a technical exercise; it becomes an opportunity to slow down enough to truly see the living sitter.
Working from the model, students will strengthen the essential foundations of pastel portraiture: proportion, gesture, color, value, surface, and material handling. Through demonstration, individual guidance, and sustained studio practice, Ellen will help artists move beyond simple likeness toward portraits that hold sensitivity, atmosphere, and emotional truth.
Set within the beauty and stillness of western Sicily, this is an intimate week of serious study and restoration — a chance to refine your technique, renew your attention, and learn pastel portrait painting at the highest level.
About Ellen Eagle
Ellen Eagle is one of America’s most respected pastel portrait artists, celebrated for intimate portraits that combine technical mastery with
extraordinary psychological sensitivity. Working primarily from life in natural light, she is known for quiet, luminous images that reveal the sitter with
restraint, honesty, and emotional depth.
A Master Pastelist of the Pastel Society of America and its 2024 Hall of Fame Honoree, Eagle is also a longtime instructor at The Art Students League of New York and the author of Pastel Painting Atelier: Essential Lessons in Techniques, Practices, and Materials. Her portraits have been exhibited widely in museums and galleries, including Forum Gallery, which describes her pastel portraits on pumice board as possessing the sensitivity and depth of oil paintings.
Eagle’s teaching reflects the same depth and patience that define her work. She approaches portraiture as a sustained encounter with the living sitter — beginning with close observation, gesture, proportion, and compositional choices, then building slowly through color, value, surface, and mark. For students, studying with Ellen Eagle is a rare opportunity to engage pastel portrait painting at its highest level: as both a disciplined technical practice and an act of profound perception.
Partners are welcome for an additional retreat fee.
Ellen's Workshop Materials List
PASTELS:
Because we never know what colors we will see in our subjects, it is
important to have available for our use as many colors as possible. A
large set of pastels can be financially daunting, but a set is a
one-time purchase; each stick has a very long life, and the replacement
of even frequently used individual sticks is necessary only on occasion.
REMBRANDT SOFT PASTELS:
I recommend the largest set of REMBRANDT pastels that you can afford.
(The largest set contains 225 sticks; the 150-stick set is also
excellent.) If you choose to begin with a smaller set, it is advisable
to supplement it with some individual Rembrandt sticks, so that your
total selection includes at least a few shades of the widest range of
colors possible. I can guide your individual stick selection based on
the size of the set you purchase.
NUPASTELS:
Nupastels have always been my go-to stick for detail work. However, they
are now sold only as sets, which is impractical when we need to replace
just one or two sticks. (The largest set contains 96 sticks.) Cretacolor
is also an excellent hard pastel. The sticks can be purchased
individually, so may make more sense. You would then have to buy a
pastel case to house them.
PAPER AND BOARDS:
Ampersand Pastel Bord. I recommend the 11 x 14 inch size in gray.
Two pieces of white foam core, 3/16" thick, or Gatorboard. They are
both lightweight. The boards come in a variety of sizes; your's should
be slightly larger than the pastel paper. One board will be the back
board, the other will be the cover.
DRAWING PAD:
I like a slight tooth to drawing paper, such as Strathmore Drawing Pad,
400 Series. I like the 9x 12" size. 11 x 14" is also fine.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:
Four clips, such as bulldog or the long slide-on type.
Vine charcoal, hard and soft.
Charcoal sandpaper block.
Graphite pencils. I like Faber Castell, a range from 4B to 8B.
Kneaded eraser
Hand-held mirror
ITEMS AVAILABLE AT SICILY ARTIST RETREATS STUDIO:
X-acto knife or mat cutter, ruler and straight edge to cut your paper
and boards down to size, if you wish to work smaller than the
manufactured size.
Razor blades, single edge
Paper towels `
About Sicily Artist Retreats
Sicily Artist Retreats offers intimate, master-led art workshops in western Sicily, combining serious studio instruction with the beauty, history,
food, and slower rhythms of the island. Based in Marsala, our retreats are designed for artists who want focused study, meaningful cultural immersion, and the time and space to deepen their work in an unforgettable setting.
Participants will work in Sicily Artist Retreats’ ample, fully furnished and professionally lit studio, with space for painting, discussion, demonstration, and individual development. The studio is designed so artists can settle into the rhythm of serious work without the distractions of ordinary travel.
Studio lunches will be prepared by a private cook, giving participants time to rest, refuel, and return to their work without leaving the creative environment.
Afternoons will offer time to unwind after a day of painting — whether relaxing poolside or enjoying a sunset aperitif along the Stagnone Lagoon, with views toward the Egadi Islands. On two afternoons during the retreat, we will also step beyond the studio to visit archaeological sites and important works of ancient art, deepening our connection to the history, beauty, and layered culture of western Sicily.
What Can I Expect From a Week in Sicily Artist Retreats?
Arrival day airport transfers, orientation, aperitif, and welcome dinner
Daily studio sessions with Ellen
Guided pastel painting instruction, demonstrations, and individual feedback
Private, chef- prepared studio lunches
Excursions to nearby archeological sites and places of interest
Boutique hotel accommodations at Baglio Custera Resort with private rooms and en-suite bathrooms
Most meals and all ground transportation included
Time for rest, conversation, poolside relaxation, cultural immersion, and unhurried exchange with Ellen and fellow artists.
Dinners at award-winning Baglio Custera Restaurant; one free evening with dinner at Marsala's historic center
Cultural farewell event.
Departure day airport transfer
Accommodations
Participants will stay at Hotel Baglio Custera, a charming boutique resort nestled among olive groves in the countryside surrounding Marsala. Combining traditional Sicilian character with modern comforts, the property offers private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, elegant common spaces, and a relaxed atmosphere of understated luxury. From the upper terrace, guests enjoy sweeping views across the Stagnone Lagoon and its islands—an inspiring setting in which to unwind, connect with fellow artists, and experience the beauty of western Sicily.
Cuisine
In Sicily, food is part of the experience. Guests will enjoy fresh, seasonal, garden-to-table meals rooted in the flavors of western Sicily, with menus designed to be vegetarian or pescatarian. Studio lunches will be prepared by a private cook, allowing artists to relax, gather, and return easily to their work. Dinners will hosted at the award winning Baglio Custera restaurant. We will also visit local eateries and participate in a special evening with folkloric dancers.
Traveling with an Accompanying Guest
Accompanying guests are warmly welcome for an additional retreat fee. While studio instruction is reserved for registered workshop participants, guests may enjoy the beauty and comfort of the retreat experience, including shared accommodations at Baglio Custera, scheduled excursions, airport transfers, and time to relax by the pool or explore the surrounding area.
This is a wonderful option for a spouse, partner, or friend who would like to experience Sicily alongside you while you take part in the workshop. Guests will be included in group dinners, cultural outings, and excursions to local cultural and historic sites.
Payment Options
Retreats are paid in full at the time of booking. For guests who prefer to spread payments over time, flexible payment options such as Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm “book now, pay later” services are offered at checkout. These payment options are provided through third-party payment platforms and are subject to their approval, terms, and availability. All bookings remain subject to Sicily Artist Retreats’ cancellation and refund policies.
More Information
Please see below for information on our Cancellation Policy and Travel Insurance suggestions. If you have questions, please dont hesitate to contact us at: Info@artistretreats.com
Package
Artist Early Bird Ticket
Early Bird Artist Ticket — Save $200 Reserve your place early! Artist Early Bird Ticket -- receive $200 off the regular artist registration through September 30, 2026
$4,100.00
+$102.50 ticket service fee
Artist
This ticket is for registered participants.
$4,300.00
+$107.50 ticket service fee
Accompanying Guest
This ticket is for an accompanying guest sharing a room with a registered workshop participant. It includes accommodations, meals, scheduled excursions, airport transfers, and retreat activities. Workshop instruction and studio participation are not included. During studio hours, guests may relax at the hotel or arrange optional self-pay activities, subject to availability.
$2,100.00
+$52.50 ticket service fee
Total
$0.00