Etching & Printmaking Retreat
M a y 1 5 – 2 1 2 0 2 6
I n k & P a p e r I t a l y
C r e a t i v e P r i n t m a k i n g R e t r e a t s
Come and join us in your Umbrian home for a week. Treat yourself to a creative retreat focused on etching, printmaking, culture, delicious food, wine, and connection.
About This Retreat
Come and join us for a creative escape in the heart of Italy.
Step into the Umbrian countryside for an immersive printmaking retreat where art and place gently inspire one another. Set in a beautiful historic villa near Lago Trasimeno, this experience introduces you to printmaking — an art form that explores line, texture, pattern and mark making in a thoughtful, accessible way.
If you enjoy sketching or drawing, this retreat will feel like a natural extension of what you already love.
Surrounded by Umbria’s rolling hills, olive groves and timeless hilltop villages, inspiration is everywhere — from the etched lines of the landscape to the quiet rhythms of daily life.
Whether you’ve never made a print before or you're an artist curious about etching, you’ll be guided step-by-step to:
• Transfer drawings onto copper
• Explore line, texture and tonal techniques
• Learn drypoint & aquatint
• Ink, wipe and print a copper plate using an etching press
• Create your own small edition of prints to take home
Come with a sketch — or simply respond to what surrounds you.
You’ll be supported from first mark to finished print in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
All materials are provided — just bring yourself.
Your Home for the Week
Your villa, once the noble summer residence of a Perugian family, is the perfect setting for creativity and rest. Guests will have the entire Villa, the studio and the grounds to themselves.
Enjoy:
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Original frescoes and elegant interiors
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Lavender gardens and rose-filled terraces
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Sunlit stone pathways
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A limonaia, gazebo & tiny chapel
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A pool nestled among olive trees
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Wide views to the medieval town of Panicale
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Beautiful Olive Groves
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Plenty of beautiful rooms to relax and be inspired in
Every corner invites sketching, dreaming, and slowing down.
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6 nights accommodation
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Full use of villa, grounds & pool
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All printmaking/art materials
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Daily guided printmaking workshop in etching and intaglio, including:
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Demonstrations
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Individual instruction
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Supported studio practice
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Breakfast, lunch & dinner at the villa
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Wine during on-site meals
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Welcome drink & select aperitivo hours
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Private wine tasting
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Olive oil sampling
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Excursions to Tuscan & Umbrian towns
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All transport on tour days
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Transfers to/from Chiusi–Chianciano Terme station
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Tips & taxes
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Airfare (nearest airports: Rome, Florence, Perugia)
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Personal expenses or extra beverages
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Selected meals and beverages during excursion days
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Travel and Medical insurance are highly recommended
What's Included
Not Included
'Nature is the art of God.' Dante Alighieri
What Makes this Retreat Different?
This intimate, hands-on etching retreat
is for those seeking something deeper
than a holiday.
Here, you won’t just observe —
you’ll create.
With thoughtful support throughout the process, you’ll transform your ideas into an etched plate and print your own small edition in a peaceful Umbrian setting.
Beyond the studio, the week unfolds gently:
• Chef-prepared meals shared together
• Visits to medieval villages and Lake Trasimeno
• Encounters with local wines and olive oils
• Time to sketch, wander, and rest.
There is no rush —only thoughtful making, cultural immersion, easy conversation, and
the kind of shared moments that naturally include laughter.
Expect:
• A calm and inspiring environment
• A warm, welcoming atmosphere
(solo travellers feel at home)
• Slow, meaningful art-making
• Time for both connection and quiet
• Evenings of conversation, good food, and the simple pleasure of being together.
You leave with more than just new skills — You leave with your own set of original prints, and the memory of a beautiful week in Italy where art, place and people simply came together.
Week's Schedule
May 15-21(2026)
Day 1 — Welcome to the Villa
Arrive, settle in, meet your group, aperitivo in the limonaia, and a traditional Umbrian dinner.
Day 2 — Inspiration & Orientation
Morning village walk with lake views, studio tour, first sketching + drypoint techniques.
Day 3 — Sketch-eat-Explore
A day out exploring villages, sketching, shopping, sunset aperitivo and dinner by the shores of Trasimeno.
Day 4 — Plate prep-wine tasting
Studio time, copper plate preparation, etching demonstrations. Wine Tasting in a private vineyard.
Day 5 — Olive Oil & Etching
Studio time, continued etching and printing, olive oil tasting, villa dinner.
Day 6 — Final Printing & Celebration
Print final editions, group critique during aperitivo hour, celebratory farewell dinner.
Day 7 — Departure
Breakfast, hugs, transfer to Chiusi Station.
The opulent main sala in Villa LeMura graced with original frescoes painted by Mariano Piervittori.
One of several beautiful parlours at the villa, tastefully decorated with a mix of eclectic pieces and antiques. Aside from their large bedrooms, there are many such rooms in the villa where attendees can go to relax in private.
Our chefs are not only lovely people but excellent cooks! Our guests are throughly spoiled-as you should be!
The opulent main sala in Villa LeMura graced with original frescoes painted by Mariano Piervittori.
Accommodation & Pricing
HUGE PRIVATE VIP BEDROOM
SHARED VIP ROOM
SHARED TWIN | TRIPLE ENSUITES
Double ensuite bedroom with salon. (one includes a huge terrace)
€2,900
Deposit: €500
Double ensuite bedroom with salon for couples / two friends sharing a double bed
€2,500 per person
Deposit: €500
Twin/Shared Bedrooms with ensuite -Beautiful Bedrooms with ensuites to share with 2-3 people
€2,600 per person
Deposit: €500
Participates in all activities except the course €2000 Deposit: €500
Non participating partner
Coming By Yourself ?
You Won’t Be The Only One...
“I came to the retreat on my own and was really looking forward to it. The atmosphere was warm and easy from the start, and I felt completely comfortable throughout. After travelling through Europe and spending time in Florence, the calm of the countryside was exactly what I needed. I especially loved the balance — time in the studio, shared meals, and also quiet moments to myself by the pool or in the gardens.”
Margot Allatt, South Coast, NSW, Australia
Enquire or Secure Your Place
“If you think this sounds too good to be true — that’s exactly what I thought before I signed up. But it was even better than I hoped for.”
— Jan Conradi, Rochester NY
With only a few places now remaining, I’d love to hear from you if you’re considering joining.
If you’d like to check anything first — whether it’s the studio, the accommodation, or simply whether it feels right for you — you’re very welcome to get in touch.
Speak to a past participant
I am happy to connect you with a past participant. You can speak directly with a former attendee about their retreat experience.
I personally respond within 48 hours, and if it helps, we can arrange a relaxed call to talk things through.
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Email Megan using the form below
Or:
Or, if you're ready: Secure your place with a €500 deposit.
Balance payments are arranged individually.
Your Tutor and Host
Megan Hunter is a printmaker and artist with over 20 years of experience practising and teaching printmaking. She holds a Fine Arts degree from Monash University, a Master of Teaching from Deakin University, and completed further studies at Il Bisonte printmaking studio in Florence.She has taught printmaking across Australia and Europe, managed the Firestation Print Studio in Melbourne, and exhibited both nationally and internationally. Passionate about all art forms, but in particular; drawing, etching, and the meditative, transformative nature of printmaking, Megan loves guiding students through each stage of their artistic journey to create an etching and a small edition of prints they will be proud to take home.
“One of the most rewarding parts of teaching is witnessing the moment a student pulls their first print — the joy, wonder, and sense of accomplishment. It’s a privilege to share my love of this art form in such a beautiful part of Italy.”
Our fabulous group: May 2023 Combined Painting and Printmaking Retreat with Julian Hyzler, from Easels and Lens and Megan Hunter, artist and printmaker.
Come and Join Us
We Would Love to Have You!
