Visual Wanderings

An Italian Sketchbook Journey

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

13-18 september 2027

 
 
 

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 vegetarian dinners. Stargazing in this part of the world is an incredible experience. 

The workshops

With a maximum of 8 participants, 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, still life drawing, plein air landscape painting and nature journaling. This retreat offers an opportunity to experiment and play with different materials such as watercolour, gouache, pencils, crayons and pastels.

The outings

Immerse yourself in Italian history and culture. Together we will explore local sites: the archeological site of a Roman villa located on an ancient olive grove, the medieval hill top village of Mompeo and finally, and we’ll hike to the enchanted Roman river mills down in the valley. 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. Since 2025 she has hosted the Visual Wanderings Art Retreat at Le Mole sul Farfa.

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

 
 

five creative days immersed in the beautiful sabine hills

 

schedule

 

monday

  • Pick up by taxi at the Roma Termini train station

  • Settle into your room and discover the beautiful grounds

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

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

  • Welcome aperitivo

  • Dinner

tuesday

  • Breakfast

  • Plein air sketching in the whimsical alleyways of the village of Mompeo with landscape painting from the castle windows

  • Picnic lunch enjoyed on site

  • Session 1: Colour and Layering

  • Session 2: Visual Journaling

  • Dinner

     

wednesday

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

  • Session 4: Visual journaling

  • Dinner

 

thursday

  • Breakfast 

  • Trip to the medieval village of Mompeo

  • Plein air sketching on site

  • Lunch at the guesthouse

  • Session 5: Botanical painting workshop with freshly picked fruit and vegetables from the farm

  • Session 6: Visual Journaling

  • Dinner 

friday

  • Breakfast

  • Hike down the valley to medieval river mills and enchanted woods

  • Plein air sketching on site  

  • Lunch at the guesthouse

  • Session 7: Nature journaling, create a nature journal spread with gathered inspiration from the river bank and enchanted woods

  • Session 8: Visual Journaling

  • Receive your handmade ceramic palette and water cup from Karla

  • Dinner

saturday

  • Breakfast

  • Taxi back to train station at 08:00

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

This program may have variations.

 

join us for an italian escape

SINGLE OCCUPANCY

3200 EUR (early bird!)

SINGLE OCCUPANCY OLIVAGO

3500 EUR (early bird!)

SHARED TWIN ROOM

2500 EUR per person in a shared room,

female only (early bird!)

Please read all the FAQs before booking and do contact us if you have any questions: lemolesulfarfa@pm.me

 

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 Roma Termini Train Station) on day 1

  • Taxi drop-off (from guesthouse to Roma Termini 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 8 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 (Roma Termini 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 lemolesulfarfa@pm.me.

 

FAQ’s

  • The booking is non refundable or exchangeable .

    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.

  • During this retreat we can accommodate gluten free diets.

    We’re a small family run business, so due to health and safety reasons we can accommodate a very limited amount of special diets. Please get in touch prior to booking to make sure there’s still availability for a special diet.

  • Your flight is not included. The retreat begins in Roma Termini, where we pick you up.

    All transfers during the retreat are included, also the one on Saturday morning 8 am to the train station of Roma Termini.

    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 2027. You will be sent 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 Roma Termini.

  • 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.