Visual Wanderings

An Italian Sketchbook Journey

Slow down, explore, and capture Italy through art with Helen C. Stark

15-20 september 2025

 
 
 

Create lasting memories

Meet a small group of like-minded people, nurture your creativity, develop your own artistic voice, while enjoying the incredible views and amazing food!

the venue

Our venue for this art retreat is an organic farm and guesthouse nestled in the peaceful Italian countryside, north of Rome. Enjoy delicious organic vegetarian food, incredible vistas and tastefully designed accommodation. With exclusive use of the organic farm grounds, take your sketchbook into the gardens and wander its olive groves. During our down times, take a swim and relax by the pool. In the evenings, enjoy our carefully prepared dinners. Stargazing in this part of the world is an incredible experience. 

The workshops

Our workshop sessions are designed to nurture your self-expression and develop your confidence in creating travel sketchbooks. We will consider composition and layout, cohesive colour palettes, lettering, life and still life drawing, plein air landscape painting and local recipe illustration. This retreat offers an opportunity to experiment and play with different materials such as watercolour, gouache, pencils, crayons, pastels and even includes an introduction to Italian earth pigments.

The outings

Immerse yourself in Italian history and culture. Together we will explore local sites on four separate trips: the medieval Abbey Abbazia di Farfa, the archeological site of a Roman villa located on an ancient olive grove, the medieval hill top village of Mompeo and finally, enchanting Roman river mills down in the valley, only minutes away from the guesthouse. Each location provides unique opportunities to enjoy the art of noticing and experimenting with on-the-go techniques.

 

Your tutor

Helen Stark is a French-Irish illustrator, artist and teacher, living in South Yorkshire, UK. She’s passionate about heritage, the seasons and the art of noticing. She keeps a visual journal as an integral part of her creative practice.

She did an art residency at Le Mole sul Farfa in September 2024 and fell in love with the place. Have a look at the work that she made here.

Helen can’t wait to meet you on this creative journey!

 
 

six creative days immersed in the beautiful sabine hills

 

schedule

 

monday

  • Pick up by taxi at the train station 

  • Settle into your room and discover the beautiful grounds

  • Special welcome workshop with local ceramist Karla (make your own ceramic palette and water cup to take home)

  • Welcome aperitivo

  • Travel sketchbook introduction (complimentary Pith sketchbook for each participant)

  • Dinner

tuesday

  • Breakfast

  • Trip to the ruins of a Roman villa site with surviving ancient olive grove

  • Plein air sketching on site 

  • Lunch at the guesthouse

  • Session 1: Life Drawing workshop 

  • Session 2: Colour workshop and Introduction to Italian Earth Pigments

  • Dinner

     

wednesday

  • Breakfast 

  • Trip to the historic abbey

  • Plein air drawing on site 

  • Picnic lunch enjoyed on site

  • Session 3: Visual Journaling (Composition and Layout)

  • Session 4: Illustrating Local Recipes

  • Dinner

 

thursday

  • Breakfast 

  • Trip to the medieval village of Mompeo

  • Plein air sketching on site

  • Lunch at the guesthouse

  • Session 5: Visual Journaling (Colour and Layering)

  • Session 6: Still Life drawing with organic fruit from the farm, Karla’s ceramics and organic linen

  • Dinner 

friday

  • Breakfast

  • Walk down the valley to medieval river mills and enchanting woods

  • Plein air sketching on site  

  • Lunch at the guesthouse

  • Session 7: Decorating Your Sketchbook Cover

  • Session 8:  Celebratory Review of our artwork

  • Dinner

saturday

  • Breakfast

  • Receive your handmade ceramic palette and water cup from Karla

  • Taxi back to train station

  • Continue your travel sketchbook on the go (if there’s any space left!)

This program may have variations.

 

join us for an italian escape

Have a room to yourself or bring a friend!

3000 EUR single occupancy

2600 EUR per person in a shared room

Please read all the FAQs before booking and do contact us if you have any questions: fiumefarfa@gmail.com

 

What’s included

  • Accommodation (single occupancy and twin occupancy available) and all meals

  • Refreshments (tea, coffee and still/sparkling water) 

  • Swimming pool access

  • Exclusive use of the guesthouse and facilities

  • Taxi collection (from rendezvous point Fara Sabina-Montelibretti Train Station) on day 1

  • Taxi drop-off (from guesthouse to Fara Sabina-Montelibretti Train Station) on day 6

  • All transport for the day trips

  • One-to-one meeting on Zoom with Helen prior to the retreat

  • Handcrafted itinerary, including:

    • Expert artistic instruction from Helen C Stark, for an intimate group of maximum 9 participants

    • 1 x Pith Lumia sketchbook per guest

    • Studio space with communal art materials carefully curated by Helen to play and experiment with

    • Guided tour of an ancient olive grove and a Roman Villa archeological site

    • Workshop with ceramic artist Karla Sotres, including your own hand made ceramic cup and palette to take home

what’s not included

  • Flights to Rome

  • Local travel to rendezvous point (Fara Sabina - Montelibretti Train Station)

  • Travel insurance

  • Art materials (Helen will send you a list of art materials several months before the retreat.)

 
 

If you have any question regarding the booking process, feel free to email us at fiumefarfa@gmail.com

 

FAQ’s

  • Make sure to get travel insurance, so you’re covered if anything happens. The booking is non-refundable.

    Participants are required to purchase travel, medical, and cancellation insurance for protection against all circumstances that might require cancellation or change of travel arrangements.

  • Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements, we’re happy to accommodate you.

  • Your flight is not included. The retreat begins Fara Sabina-Montelibretti, where we pick you up. There is a direct train from the airport of Fiumicino to Fara Sabina-Montelibretti.

    All transfers during the retreat are included.

    After booking, you’ll receive an email with general tips on planning your trip.

  • Follow the Book Now button and you will get all the payment information.

    To confirm the reservation we ask for a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total amount. The remainder should be paid before 15th May 2025. You will be send a payment link for the remainder.

    Note that all bedrooms have their own charm, but that they are not identical.

    This booking is managed by Italia Travel.

  • The retreat is both for beginners who are getting started, as for experienced artists. The retreat will be a blend of relaxation, creativity, and indulgence, leaving you refreshed and creatively recharged.

    This retreat may not be suited to participants with low and limited mobility. The art trips will involve plenty of walking. Getting to and from the accommodation areas, the studio, and the areas where meals are served also involve staircases.

  • Closer to the time of the retreat, Helen will send out a list of materials to bring. And host Elisabeth will send a list of recommended things to pack as well as some tips for your train journey to Fara Sabina.

  • If the retreat is cancelled due to force majeure events or circumstances out of our control, we will let you know as soon as possible and refund you, minus 50 euro for administration costs.