Join me in Lake Como!
Announcing my Vintage Travel Journal Art Retreat in Italy!
Visiting Italy is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Imagine spending a week at Lake Como in the springtime—making art, creating connection, and seeing the beautiful sights of this special part of northern Italy! This is your chance to awaken your senses, embrace the unexpected, and create lasting memories.
My intention is to inspire creativity, nurture connection, and empower transformation through mindful retreats that honor wisdom, spark joy, and celebrate the art of renewal.
Join me for a week of creativity in Italy inspired by the beautiful Lake Como, back roads, serene lifestyle - creating a gorgeous travel diary that you’ll treasure always. I’ve partnered again with Jeannette and Suzy of The Blue Walk to create a fabulous week creating, sightseeing, and exploring the history, art, and culture of our home base at Lake Como at the base of the Italian Alps, plus Milan, Varenna, Bellagio, and other lovely areas.
We’ll collect found objects, papers, ephemera, and other treasures throughout the week that will become the layered pages of our vintage travel journals. I’ll show you my process for putting together my signature vintage travel journals. I’ll show you how I source materials and ephemera from these inspiring locales to use in a keepsake artist book that you’ll treasure long after you return home. We’ll create these bespoke art journals and fill them with found objects and collected memories from our time together in Italy.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or new to journaling, this workshop is designed to spark your creativity and bring the magic of France into every page. Throughout our time together, I will guide you through my favorite mixed media techniques utilizing vintage materials, gathered papers, paints, and ephemera. My teaching style is rooted in the belief that there are no mistakes in making art—only opportunities for discovery and growth. I offer gentle guidance, encouraging you to set aside expectations so your creativity can flow freely. Together, we’ll create an open, supportive space where experimentation is celebrated, and the magic of the process can truly unfold. My goal is to help you trust your instincts, embrace imperfection, and find joy in the unique beauty of your artistic journey. Leave with not only a beautiful journal, but also unforgettable memories and newfound artistic inspiration!
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
Foundations & Gathering – Finding and preparing vintage materials
Marks & Meaning – Creating unique marks with found objects
Layering & Textures – Building depth using ephemera, gesso, and fabrics
Storytelling & Composition – Arranging elements to tell a story on the page
Trusting Your Intuition – Making bold choices
The Poetry of Layers – Experimenting with textures
Creative Play & Serendipity – Letting go of control
What to expect:
The perfect blend of discovering the serene beauty of Lake Como and time spent creating your vintage travel journal. Working both in the field and at an informal “studio” space at our hotel, each art class will be inspired by, and include content from, the locations we visit.
Art Program
Each day I will lead you through how to make your very own vintage mixed media travel journal. On our daily walks you’ll search for what inspires you. If you dig a scavenger hunt… If vintage and handmade papers, old Italian maps, magazines, and ephemera are your jam… And, if you love creating, laughter, and maybe a little Italian wine…This is the workshop vacation for you.
Your found objects will create and fill your vintage travel journal with memories of Lake Como. First, our early excursions will provide foundational materials and inspiration. Next, you will begin to build collaged pages of your European vacation adventures. Then, using collected ephemera, I will guide you in using color, pattern, simple sketches, and snippets of text to create a rich, personal, and unique chronicle of your Italian experience.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or new to journaling, this workshop is designed to spark your creativity and bring the magic of Italy into every page. Throughout our time together, I will guide you through my favorite mixed media techniques utilizing vintage materials, gathered papers, paints, and ephemera. My teaching style is rooted in the belief that there are no mistakes in making art—only opportunities for discovery and growth. I offer gentle guidance, encouraging you to set aside expectations so your creativity can flow freely. Together, we’ll create an open, supportive space where experimentation is celebrated, and the magic of the process can truly unfold. My goal is to help you trust your instincts, embrace imperfection, and find joy in the unique beauty of your artistic journey. Leave with not only a beautiful journal, but also unforgettable memories and newfound artistic inspiration!
This will be my fifth European tour with The Blue Walk. The sixth, when you count my first tour as an art student. Jeannette and Suzy really know what they're doing. The programs they put together, the care they put into planning just the right mix of art-ing and walking, and their off-the-beaten-path itineraries are top drawer. You've heard the phrase “your vibe attracts your tribe”, and I count myself very fortunate to be a part of theirs. You will, too. Come find out for yourself in Italy.
For more information and to register for this amazing Lake Como Art Walk, click here.
