Embarking on a 6 Month Sabbatical - Starting with studying Art in Florence

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 art practice I was deciding between focusing purely on landscape painting or branching out to becoming a more all rounded classically trained artist. My ultimate goal is to be able to paint or draw anything - from portraits to landscapes, and even portraits within landscapes. I chose the latter because switching between topics and having the skills to paint anything that inspired me rather than solely landscapes would make a big difference.

In February I was excited to start my Florence art adventures. I looked forward to fully immersing myself in painting and exploring art history. I was surrounded by so much inspiration, not just in the galleries such as the renowned Uffizi, but also in the streets, cityscape and surrounding countryside. Combining this picturesque city with intense learning daily, alongsided evening anatomy classes, life drawing classes and organised visits to local galleries with an art historian was an unforgettable experience.

To give some backstory, I have been doing courses that teach in a similar style to the Florence Academy of Arts, working through the method of sight size, at London Fine Art Studios, on and off for the past 3 years.

When I went part time with my job in property 3 years ago, it meant I had two days a week where I could work on commissioned works or study one day a week on still life classes and landscape courses. Over this time I was happy with my accomplishments of creating a body of work for 2 studio exhibitions in the summer of 2024 and in Autumn 2025 as well as having work accepted into ‘Art for Youth’ in the Mall Galleries.

That being said, the more I learnt the more I wanted to learn. Which brings us back to my desire to do a 6 month sabbatical to enhance my art career. It would give me the opportunity to immerse myself in courses, to build on the skills I have and expand these to other areas, such as portraiture and figure painting. In between courses I would also take the opportunity to get out and paint some of the stunning scenery from life either in Florence or other cities and surrounding locations. As well as doing all the essential behind-the-scenes tasks that accompany a successful art business.

Writing a blog is definitely new for me, with English never being my strong suit, however I realised it would be an excellent way to document my time away from office life and reflect on what I have learnt. If you'd like to join me on this artistic journey, follow my blog for updates and insights. For more frequent updates, connect with me on Instagram: @rosiehaggasart.