Creative Retreats

I am delighted to have been invited to run workshops for Strada Toscana in Tuscany, Italy in May 2026 and for Atelier Clos Mirabel in the Pyrenees, France in April 2026. All details below - and do feel free to email me with any questions.

  • 🇮🇹 Strada Toscana – Sketching & Printing in Tuscany

    24–30 May 2026
    Città della Pieve, Italy

    All-inclusive: $3,995–$4,495 (approx. £3,150–£3,540)

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    This fully hosted retreat combines daily sketching and linocut printmaking with immersive cultural experiences — all set in a stunning hilltop town in Umbria.

    It’s a more structured experience than Clos Mirabel, with everything taken care of from the moment you arrive. You'll stay at the elegant Boutique Hotel Vannucci and enjoy local food, excursions, and cultural activities alongside your creative work.

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    What’s included:

    – Sketching & linocut tuition

    – All materials

    – 6 nights hotel accommodation

    – Most meals and drinks

    – Pasta-making, saffron tasting & excursions

    – Local travel during the retreat

    Not included:

    – Travel to Italy

    – Insurance

    This is a fully immersive creative week — ideal if you’d like everything arranged so you can focus on your art.

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    🔗Book here

    GBP prices are approximate and may vary.

  • 🇫🇷 Atelier Clos Mirabel – Drawing into Printing

    4–11 April 2026
    Jurançon, South West France

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    Spend a relaxed, creative week drawing and printing at Atelier Clos Mirabel, a peaceful retreat in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

    This retreat is ideal if you're looking for a quieter, more flexible experience — with time and space to develop your work at your own pace.

    We'll begin with observational sketching, then move into linocut and drypoint printmaking in the beautiful, light-filled studio. There will be daily warm-ups, group sessions, and plenty of one-to-one support.

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    Step 1 – Book your accommodation

    All stays are full board, with a range of private and shared room options. Please note, rooms are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and Atelier Clos Mirabel do not usually place guests in shared rooms unless they know each other.

    Here are the 2026 prices (in euros and approximate GBP):

    – Single occupancy: €2,395 (approx. £2,035)
    – Shared room (participant): €1,895 (approx. £1,610)
    – Shared room (non-participant): €1,895 (approx. £1,610)

    A non-refundable deposit of €350 per person is required to secure your accommodation. The remaining balance is due 8 weeks before the course start date.

    Please note: prices will increase at the end of this season. Any bookings made before the change will be honoured at the current rate.
    🔗 Book accommodation

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    Step 2 – Pay your workshop tuition

    Once your place is confirmed, return here to pay the €500 (approx £425) tuition fee.

    🔗Pay tuition fee

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    What’s included:

    – Daily drawing and warm-up sessions

    – Linocut and drypoint tuition

    – All materials

    – One-to-one support

    – End-of-week informal exhibition

    Not included:

    – Travel to Clos Mirabel

    – Accommodation and meals (booked separately)

    This retreat is quieter and more independent than my Italy one — perfect if you enjoy space to work at your own rhythm.

    GBP price is approximate and may vary.

Which creative experience is right for you?

  • Strada Toscana ( Italy)

    Setting : Boutique hotel in a hilltop village + surrounding Tuscan countryside

    Focus: Creative adventure, Italian culture, community

    Activities: Sketching on location, studio printmaking, excursions to hill towns, pasta making, saffron tasting, and other local cultural experiences

    Tone: Joyful, sociable, playful, immersive

    Ideal for: Those wanting to combine art-making with travel, culture, food and community

    Pricing : All-inclusive — choose your room; price includes accommodation, meals, excursions, tuition and all local transport/transfers. Flights not included

  • Clos Mirabel, France

    Setting : Elegant private French estate

    Focus: Creative space, personal reflection

    Activities: Studio-based sketching and printmaking in a peaceful setting

    Tone: Calm, nourishing, spacious

    Ideal for: Those wanting deep creative space and time for personal reflection on site

    Pricing : Accommodation paid directly to Clos Mirabel (choice of rooms, priced accordingly). Tuition paid separately to me. Flights and transfers not included.

Testimonials from Strada Toscana 2025

  • What a fantastic week, with a lovely group. This was a wonderful opportunity to get back to drawing – something I hadn’t done in a long time – and then learn how to create a linocut.

    Sam was great at guiding and helping me to produce a final print, while always letting me develop something in my own style. The location was beautiful and inspiring, and the balance between the sketching and seeing the sites just right.

    Deborah, UK

  • This was the trip of a lifetime! I hadn’t travelled outside the US in nearly 40 years, and this retreat was everything I hoped for — and more.

    The town of Città della Pieve is stunning, the food was incredible, and the hotel staff couldn’t have been kinder. Sam is a thoughtful, encouraging teacher who helped me reconnect with drawing and create a block print I’m truly proud of. I returned home with new skills, new friends, and a full heart.

    Lisa, USA

  • Sam is such an encouraging teacher, helping to build my confidence in my drawing abilities.

    I had a wonderful time, and there was a good balance of drawing, printmaking, sightseeing, and eating delicious Italian food. Pamela’s passion for the local people and places really shines throughout each activity, and I have so many memories to treasure from our week in Italy.

    Rebecca, UK