The Retreat Experience

I n k & P a p e r I t a l y

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

Wild Botanicals: Botanical Monoprinting & Plant Lore

Next Retreat: October 4 – 9 2026

The days begin in the landscape. Alongside Julia Behrens, a qualified herbalist, mornings are spent walking through the Umbrian countryside identifying wild plants, native herbs, and overlooked botanical specimens. During the retreat, Julia guides participants in exploring the Umbrian landscape through plant identification and foraging walks, offering insight into the medicinal histories, ecological, and cultural uses of local flora. Participants collect flowers and plants and once back in the studio the flora is separated-some are placed under boards to flatten and dry in preparation for printing, and the rest will be used to make herbal ointments and herbal tea infusions with Julia.

These gathered materials become the starting point for the monoprinting practice, using both a single pass and multi-layered approaches, blend roll-ups, and translucent colour. Through demonstrations and guided experimentation, Megan Hunter, your host and printmaking instructor, encourages participants to explore composition, layering, blending, mark-making, and creating colour palettes to produce richly textured unique botanical prints.

Part artwork, part visual field journal, the resulting prints become a personal record of the plants, landscapes, and observations gathered throughout the week — whether framed individually or later developed into an artist’s book or botanical archive. Balancing studio practice with time outdoors, Wild Botanicals offers an immersive approach to contemporary printmaking rooted in observation, place, and the Umbrian landscape.

Etching & Drypoint Retreats

Next Retreat: May 5 – 11 2027

This retreat combines traditional copper plate etching with immersive studio practice in the Umbrian countryside. Working from sketches, photographs, observation, or a particular image brought with them, participants are guided step by step through the process of creating original prints using both drypoint and etching techniques. This retreat is suitable for both complete beginners and artists with some or no printmaking experience.

Days unfold through demonstrations, drawing, mark-making, etching, inking, and printing, with each stage supported through guided practice and individual attention. Work moves both inside and outside the studio — from sketching in the villa gardens or surrounding villages to printing together on the etching press back in the studio. Whether arriving with a clear idea or simply a starting point, participants are encouraged to experiment, build confidence, and develop their imagery within a relaxed and supportive environment.

Using non-toxic etching methods, Megan Hunter — printmaker and retreat host — guides participants through transferring drawings onto copper plates, developing line, tone, and texture before learning to ink and print their own small editions. Class sizes are intentionally kept small to ensure meaningful individual guidance throughout the week.

Balancing focused studio practice with the rhythm of Italian village life, participants leave not only with original prints and new technical understanding, but with the experience of a shared creative week in Italy where art, place, and people come together.

The first reel shows me printing up one of my favourite plates filmed by my colleague Julian. The remaining three short reels offer a glimpse into the etching process — following the journey from initial sketch through to the finished printed image - gently demystifying the stages of traditional and contemporary etching processes.

Printing of Nylex-3am

Part 1of 3-Plate Preparation

Part 2 of 3-Aquatint & Etching

Part 3 of 3-Inking & Printing

Life Inside the Retreat

These reels capture the atmosphere of the retreat - the Villa and grounds, time in the studio, shared meals, the surrounding villages and sights, quiet moments, and the joy of creating alongside others.