RetreaTs
Meet the tutors
P r i n t m a k i n g & A r t R e t r e a t s i n I t a l y
I n k & P a p e r I t a l y
Meet the tutors
Ink & Paper Italy retreats bring together experienced practitioners, with decades of experience, who share a commitment to creativity, craftsmanship, and meaningful engagement with their practice. Led by printmaker Megan Hunter, each retreat combines focused studio practice with the cultural richness of the Italian landscape. Selected retreats also feature guest specialists whose knowledge complements the creative process, offering participants a deeper connection to the materials, traditions, and the immediate environment that inform their work.
Megan Hunter
Megan Hunter is a printmaker, artist, and educator with over 25 years of experience in printmaking practice and teaching across Australia and Europe. She holds a Fine Arts degree (Printmaking) from Monash University, a Master of Teaching from Deakin University. She has further studied painting under David Moore at Montsalvat in Eltham, Melbourne and completed advanced studies in mezzotint at Il Bisonte International Printmaking Studio in Florence.
She has exhibited throughout Australia and Europe and has worked as both a studio educator and printmaking technician, including managing the Firestation Print Studio in Melbourne. This technical foundation informs her teaching, allowing her to guide participants through both the creative and practical aspects of printmaking, with particular attention to troubleshooting and process clarity in the studio.
Alongside her studio practice, Megan maintains a sustained engagement with contemporary printmaking approaches, with a focus on non-toxic and reduced-impact methods. Her ongoing research explores safer alternatives to traditional materials and processes, integrating material awareness with contemporary studio practice.
Her work and teaching are grounded in drawing, etching, and experimental monoprinting, with an emphasis on observation, material understanding, and layered image construction. She leads immersive retreats that guide participants from initial concept through to resolved bodies of work shaped by place, process, and material exploration.
Julia Behrens
Julia Behrens is a qualified medical herbalist, educator, and writer with over 25 years of experience in herbal medicine, plant knowledge, and community health. She holds an Honours degree in Herbal Medicine, together with diplomas in Nutrition and Therapeutic Massage, and has taught at institutions including the University of East London, the University of Westminster, Heartwood Education, and Plumpton College. Her work has also included collaborations with organisations such as WWF and Neal's Yard Remedies.
Alongside her clinical practice, Julia has developed community herb gardens, contributed to publications on medicinal plants and conservation, and authored work exploring the relationship between people, plants, and wellbeing. Her approach combines traditional herbal knowledge with a deep commitment to sustainability, education, and ecological awareness.
Within the Wild Botanicals retreat, Julia guides participants through the Umbrian landscape, sharing insight into the medicinal, ecological, and cultural dimensions of local flora. Plant identification and gathering become the starting point for a deeper exploration of traditional herbal knowledge, with participants also learning how selected plants may be prepared as herbal infusions and simple botanical salves. Her contribution enriches the creative process by connecting botanical printmaking to the living histories, uses, and traditions of the plants encountered throughout the week.
Participants have the opportunity to arrange one-to-one herbal consultations or a massage with Julia during designated free time outside the core retreat programme activities.