Writing and Art Retreats in Italy
  • Memoir Writing Retreats for Women
  • About Penne
  • Intuitive Art Workshops
  • About your Host
  • Contact us and Booking Form
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 A special place just for Women 
Laughter, Sunshine, Singing Chocolate, Friendship

Are you thinking  about starting  some writing but don't know where to begin?
 
Have you always longed for  the  time  to spend your days painting or  writing and drawing ?
Have you been producing  art  for a while but would love to learn something new?

Do you long for supportive  feedback and mentoring for your writing ?



If the answer to any of those questions is YES , Then the  combined Writing and Art Retreat for women sounds like it could  be the perfect place for You
 This amazing  retreat has been  designed  by Women for Women with the goal of providing creative  women with the perfect  opportunity to explore, experiment and develop,  their passion for art and writing.  Some people  may ask, WHY women would  need a  retreat of their own? The answer is simple So they can spend time doing the things they love without  any interruptions. So they can take a much needed break away from their work and family responsibilities. So they can meet up with other like minded creative women in a welcoming safe environment. 
BUT mostly so they can reconnect again to their creative side and become Inspired Relaxed and Rejuvenated

This retreat has been set up in an idyllic  environment, far away from the  demands and daily routines dictated by a  busy life. Each  workshop provides a balanced mixture  of  discussion and  feedback at a pace that is tailored to suit  your individual needs. Each participant will have their own room  and private bathroom at the BIO IL Portico Agriturismo .All you have to do is  Relax unwind and explore your new surroundings, whilst you Paint, Write and ENJOY  the delicious,  home cooked Italian meals and local wine.  You can find out more and See more details on the 'Retreats and Costs' page. 

But I don't really have a creative project at the moment. Can I still go ? 
Even if  your are a complete novice to both writing and drawing it doesn't really matter because  the combined Retreat is the perfect place for Women to Explore their potential, become inspired and  tap into their creative energies, so hopefully they will keep  on writing and  creating art long after they return to their  home. It is also a place for you to meet up with  other like minded creative women and let your 'Hair Down' for the week as you Laugh, Write ,Sing, Paint and share good times and build lasting friendships over a meal and a glass of wine. Not only that, Writing and Art retreats in Italy offers you the  chance to learn all about a new culture. There will  be many  opportunities to explore the nearby medieval town of Penne, with its  quaint old buildings and churches, Museum and cobblestone streets. These buildings are especially interesting as subjects to paint and draw. As well as visiting Penne there will be optional tours to the local vineyards and olive groves and cheese makers. A time to Explore, Experience and build some lasting Memories in a special place.
Note : All optional tours are not included in the  overall retreat price. There will be an independent tour operator  available for you to consider buying  a tour within Penne.  The host of the retreat will assist you with this.

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What kind of  workshops will the retreat offer?
During the week long retreat you will be given the opportunity to participate in a combined program of Writing and Art workshops, that will ultimately lead to the creation of your own Personalised Illustrated memoir Art Book. These workshops will  provide the  opportunity to explore your creative side  by combining a few  specifically designed activities. There will be a strong focus  and exploration of Photojournalism, Memoir writing  and  the art of Illustration . The following topics will be included  
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Intro to Memoir writing using poetry, prose
  * Intro to Sketching,  painting, Landscapes, Buildings
                                                                                                                    *Intro to Intuitive Art and tapping your creative energy


Here is a sample of the  planned  itinerary for the first two days of the retreats, a full itinerary is available upon request.

Saturday : 
2.30   Arrive  in Penne on a Saturday afternoon and travel to the chosen accommodation where each
woman will be shown to her own bedroom and private bathroom facilities. Transfer  to and from Pescara airport can be organised at a nominal cost of $15 US each way  in an eight seater van. The rest of the Afternoon will be used for settling in  and becoming acquainted with the property and the wonderful Italian ambience of  the countryside.
 5.00  Meet and Greet Aperitivo with the Hosts and the other  participants of the course. This time will be a getting to know you session. We  will  all meet in the lovely  comfortable lounge area of the  IL  Portico Agriturismo. 
6.00  It’s off to the  Lovely dining room with its fabulous  vaulted ceilings for a delicious  home cooked meal, and 
if you wish, a glass of red or white  wine, soft drink, juice , water.
8.00 Free time to relax,  unpack your bags, settle in and chat at the IL Portico before retiring for a well deserved good nights sleep. .
Sunday
A full day to completely rest and soak up the fresh air and Ambiance of the lovely surrounding
Italian countryside .Tours in and out of the lovely town of Penne may also be organised at an optional cost with the Host of the retreat. However please be aware that  this is a Sunday and therefore not all of the  local shops will be opened. It is also possible to arrange an optional  Wine and Cheese,Vineyards or Shopping in Pescara tour before the Workshops start on Monday. Please indicate a preference for this on the Application Form when you make your final booking.  
Monday : 
 
7.30
  Breakfast,  cereals, fruit juices, eggs, toast, tea coffee, etc 
 9.00 An interactive discussion on the definition of Memoir/reflective writing/travel journal.  Workshop focusing on Mind mapping and Brainstorming ideas for your Art  book.
 10.30 Morning tea, coffee, tea, water, fruit juice, biscuits. 
 11.00  Presentation and definition of an  Illustrated fold out Memoir Art Book.  Workshop some examples on the subject of illustration and its use to complement,  enhance, comment and relate to words you have chosen to include . 
12.30 Lunch at a Local  Trattoria in Penne.  
2.00 Photography field trip in the township of Penne. Participants will be  asked to focus on small objects of interest such as windows, doors, door -knobs, Frescos, water fountains etc, that they may see in the town. 
3.15  During this workshop this you  will be  guided through a series of fun drawing exercises related to the
photography field trip . This workshop will provide the opportunity to experiment with a variety of illustrative styles. 
5.15 Apperitivos 
 6.00  Dinner a selection of  typical dishes from Abruzzo, including Pasta's Salads, Breads, Cheeses and dessert. One glass of Local wine will be provided each night with the meal. You may purchase more if you like but, it will be at your own expense.  
 8.00 Free time.

You will have the benefit of working with the talented Bea Davenport who is an experienced Memoir Writing tutor and there will also be an experienced Art tutor.
Practical demonstrations  and interactive workshops will be  facilitated by experienced and professional Art and Writing  teachers in the mornings. Please refer to the 'About your host page  for more information.
 Optional field trips and or free time to work on your Artistic  or Literary project/s will be the  optional activities for most afternoons. Early evenings may be used to visit the nearby town of Penne.  See our About Penne page for more information.


 
It is also possible to attend this retreat purely to develop skills in Writing for Memoir without the Artistic component. Please check Our Retreats and Costs page for  more details.


PictureA sample of an Illustrated Memoir Art Book.
Will I need to bring any thing ?
No everything, apart from your own personal needs will be provided, please refer to our Retreats and Costs page for details of accommodation and board.
Note: For the Memoir Art Book  We will be working with art paper rather than canvas  and because  of  the limited period of only one week we will work with acrylic paints rather than oil. Please note: we will also be working on developing a Photo Journal so it is important to bring  along your own camera  to use on the field trips . Of course you can also bring over some of your own materials if you like . You may also like to bring some poems that you like and other prose you would like to use as part of the book.
Please Note : Gr
oup sizes will be kept to a maximum of  ten women and there will need to be a minimum of four women for the  retreats to go ahead. Please try and  book well ahead to avoid disappointment.


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