Six weeks ago I started a six month sabbatical from my London job in property to focus on what I love, painting. The thought of studying art in Florence felt like a dream, so when I got onto a 5 week intensive painting course at the Florence Academy of Art, I was eager to go. The academy focuses on teaching classical art techniques, using sight size, and I will be predominantly painting and drawing still lifes, figure and portraiture. When I first decided to dedicate more time to improving my...