Over the course of this week-long retreat, participants will have opportunities to explore the Le Marche region of Italy, visit regional food producers, and sample local culinary delights. All these materials and experiences will influence our work and find their way into our mixed media art journaling – which we’ll do in a handmade concertina journal, on paper, and on wood panels! You’ll work intuitively, allowing yourself to be influenced by the day’s experiences and materials discovered. Learn to be on the lookout for materials that will add “local spice” to your encaustic and mixed media creations. And you’ll be guided and supported each day by Bridget Benton with excursions, lessons, and exercises to delight your senses and help build your mixed media vocabulary.
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Bridget Benton
Cost: €3199
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054

Join the Venice Art Biennial 2026, Bologna and Milan Tour, a unique 10-night art history trip in Italy open to everyone, from artists and art lovers to students and lifelong learners. The cost of CAD $ 4700 (around US$ 3450) includes 10-night double accommodation in well-rated and centrally located hotels in Venice, Bologna and Milan; daily breakfast, train ticket from Venice to Bologna and from Bologna to Milan, group transportation to sites on schedule (vaporetto, taxi, subway) daily discovery walks, two-day entrance to the Venice Biennial, entrances to all museums and galleries on schedule, and the constant service of a qualified art historian guide and a logistics responsible. We offer single rooms for a supplement of CAD 1475 (around US$1080).
 
Location: Venice, Bologna and Milan, Italy
Instructor: Prof. Yves M. Larocque
Cost: US$ 3450
Sponsor: Walk the Arts
Website, email, 800-611-4789

Join Cathy for an unforgettable art retreat in the heart Le Marche—where golden hills, winding cobblestone streets, and the warm hospitality of Hotel Leone create the perfect backdrop for artistic inspiration. Each day, you’ll dive into Cathy’s signature layered mixed media botanical techniques, using the Italian landscape as your muse. You’ll learn how to build rich, expressive pieces filled with color, texture, and story—infused with the joy of intuitive painting and the magic of place. But that’s only the beginning… Your adventure includes a special botanical eco-printing workshop at a family-run weaving farm, a curated tour of three local, family-run producers of wine, cheese, and olive oil—with a delicious lunch included, and a “pizza-giro” evening at a nearby trattoria!
 
Location: Montelparo, Italy
Instructor: Cathy Nichols
Cost: €3799
Sponsor: Hotel Leone
Website, email, +39 340 4166054