Bring the color and rhythm of Italian maiolica to life—on paper, not ceramic. Guided by artist Jeanette Platania-Harper (Italian maiolica-style painting and Sicilian henna art), this immersive week in Vallo di Nera, Umbria (May 11–18, 2026) translates classic motifs—birds and mythical beasts—into easu brush techniques, pattern building, and layered color work on archival paper. You’ll learn how to sketch, ink, and paint maiolica-inspired designs with clear, step-by-step demos and individualized feedback.
Our home base is Casa Della Zia, with a small-group studio rhythm, village walks, and culture-rich excursions (including a look at Deruta’s living ceramic tradition for inspiration). Expect relaxed mornings in the studio, delicious Umbrian meals, and time to refine your pieces. You’ll leave with a portfolio of finished works, a materials list to keep going at home, and a deeper understanding of how to adapt historic ceramic aesthetics to fine-art painting on paper.
Jeanette Platania-Harper (Aunt Jet)
Proprietor of Aunt Jet's in Delhi, NY
Jeanette Platania-Harper (“Aunt Jet”) is a Delhi, NY artist and devoted Italophile whose Sicilian roots and love of Italian ceramics inspire her vibrant maiolica-style painting on paper. In this Italian workshop, she’ll translate classic motifs—and help participants build confident pattern, color, and brushwork without needing a ceramics or painting background.
Aunt Jet’s is Jeanette’s cheerful studio-boutique in downtown Delhi (68½ Main Street)—an enchanted emporium & apothecary offering original art, Italian/Sicilian-inspired pattern work, henna, crystals, incense, handcrafted jewelry, and more. The shop hosts in-person classes and community events (Witchcraft Class, Beginner’s Runes, pop-up readings) and welcomes walk-ins for psychic/readings and henna on regular shop days—blending Catskills charm with Italophile flair and a little “wicked good magick.”
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TERESA BONNER
Travel Sketching in Umbria
June 8th - 15th, 2026
Join artist and instructor Teresa Bonner for a week of travel sketching in the heart of Umbria. Based out of the medieval hill town of Vallo di Nera, this immersive workshop blends art, food, and the unfiltered rhythms of Italian village life. Each day brings a new subject and a new light — from the Roman arches and Renaissance facades of Spoleto to the river reflections of Scheggino, the quiet intimacy of the village cemetery, and the golden walls of Spello glowing at dusk.
We’ll visit frescoed churches, stroll medieval lanes, and enjoy moments of daily life —locals chatting over espresso, bread rising in outdoor ovens, and linen fluttering in stone archways—all opportunities for sketching. One afternoon, the scene is an outdoor 200-year-old stone oven where Giacomo and Anastasia bake their traditional Umbrian focaccia; another day, you’ll draw among the cheeses and artisans of the Fior di Cacio festival right in Vallo. The week culminates in a feast and sketching session at La Lecceta, a horse farm overlooking the Umbrian hills, where long tables, homemade wine, and laughter replace any need for Wi-Fi.
Casa Della Zia is your home base — a lovingly restored stone house at the top of a steep lane, where the espresso is strong, the walking is vertical, and the Wi-Fi is politely unreliable. It’s not a tour; it’s a week of seeing like an artist, sketching what can’t be photographed, slowing down, and maybe — just maybe — calling it “work.”
Statement from Teresa Bonner
Travel Sketching: Collections of Memories
Urban scenes, landscapes, random objects, people, musicians, food – there’s no limit to what can be drawn with a quick sketch. Not ever perfect, not always realistic, travel sketching allows me to capture these moments. A sketch is personal and provides a memory. My small pocket-sized sketchbooks become collections of memories.
In this workshop, you’ll be introduced to a few techniques and styles through brief demonstrations and examples. You’ll receive guidance and support throughout the week to develop technical skills and tap into your own creative voice. Maybe you’ve often thought about sketching while traveling but didn’t know where to start. This is the workshop for you. While the approach is geared to beginners, all are welcome. (In other words, if you already sketch and are looking to travel and draw in beautiful Italy – join us!)
Join us for relaxing excursions where we learn how to capture memories on the go.
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CANDACE RUDD
Sky & Stone
Small-Group Yoga Retreat
Sept 14–20, 2026
Join Candace Rudd for Sky & Stone, a restorative week of yoga and slow travel in the medieval hill village of Vallo di Nera. Each morning begins with mindful movement and deep breathwork, followed by unhurried days exploring the Umbrian countryside, sharing local meals, and reconnecting with simple rhythms of life. Evenings wind down with gentle practice and conversation over wine and candlelight. Guests stay at Casa Della Zia, a 12th-century stone home in the Valnerina, surrounded by olive groves and quiet walking paths. With day trips to nearby towns like Spoleto and Trevi, artisan encounters, and long table dinners, this intimate retreat invites you to move, rest, and truly belong in the heart of Italy.
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Create your own adventure
Select a date and time to book
Zoom Call with Jessica Vecchione to talk about Custom Retreats
VirtualJoin me for a brief Zoom call to talk about Umbria and see if a scheduled retreat or a custom trip for your small group is the right fit. We’ll go over dates, pricing, travel, lodging, meals, and what a typical week looks like at Casa Della Zia in the Valnerina. I’ll also explain how custom trips work for groups of up to 10 and how we shape each experience around your interests. Whether you're drawn to food, art, workshops, or time exploring the countryside, we’ll talk through what matters most to you and find the right balance of structure and free time. No pressure, just a friendly conversation to answer your questions and help you decide what feels right.
Select date and timeEvent time zone:America/New York GMT-04:00
Zoom Call with Nick & Jessica (Winter Light Photo Retreat - December 7 - 14, 2026)
VirtualSchedule a Zoom call to learn more about Winter Light in Umbria, a one-week photography retreat in the medieval village of Vallo di Nera led by photographer Nick Kelsh. This is not simply a photography workshop. It is an immersive winter experience in one of Umbria’s most beautiful stone villages, where the pace is slower, the light is softer, and everyday life becomes part of what we photograph. During the call, we can talk through the retreat experience, the village setting, the photography approach, accommodations, meals, travel logistics, and what to expect during a December week in Umbria. You’ll learn how the retreat blends daily shooting, in-the-moment guidance, shared meals, village walks, firelit evenings, and the chance to photograph real moments as they unfold. This is a good opportunity to ask questions, meet your hosts, and see whether this small-group retreat is the right fit for you.Select date and timeEvent time zone:America/New York GMT-04:00
Zoom Call with Jessica & Jeanette (Maiolica Painting Retreat, May 10 - 17, 2027)
VirtualCurious about our Maiolica Painting Retreat in Umbria? A brief Zoom call is the best way to explore whether this experience is the right fit for you. Join Jessica Vecchione, host of Casa Della Zia, and Jeanette Platania-Harper, master maiolica artist, for a relaxed, no-pressure conversation about what the week truly feels like — not just the itinerary, but the pace, setting, and creative experience of living and painting in Umbria. We’ll cover retreat dates, pricing, travel logistics, accommodations, meals, group size, and what a typical day looks like, including studio time, excursions, and downtime. You’ll also have time to ask questions and talk through your goals, experience level, and expectations. If you’re considering a custom retreat or private small-group trip, we can also discuss interests, preferred pace, and possible tailored options. This call is purely informational — an opportunity to gain clarity, meet your hosts, and decide whether this retreat aligns with what you’re looking for. Schedule your Zoom call below.Select date and timeEvent time zone:America/New York GMT-04:00
Zoom Call with Jessica and Randy (Songs Across the Mountains - June 20 - 27, 2027)
virtualJoin singer-songwriter Randy Miritello and Casa della Zia host Jessica Vecchione for a relaxed Zoom conversation about Songs Across the Mountains, an immersive songwriting retreat taking place June 21–28, 2027, in the medieval Umbrian village of Vallo di Nera. Randy and Jessica will share what makes this retreat so special, from focused morning songwriting sessions and informal song circles to shared meals, cultural excursions, local traditions, and the unforgettable landscapes of the Valnerina. You’ll learn how the week is designed to help both experienced songwriters and those just beginning turn memories, stories, melodies, and a sense of place into original songs. This is an informal, no-pressure opportunity to meet Randy and Jessica, hear more about the retreat experience, ask questions, and discover whether a week of music, storytelling, community, and creative inspiration in Umbria feels right for you.Select date and timeEvent time zone:America/New York GMT-04:00
Zoom Call with Candace & Jessica (Sky & Stone Yoga, September 20-30, 2027)
VirtualJoin me for a brief Zoom call with Candace Rudd to talk about Umbria and Sky & Stone, a small-group yoga retreat, September 20–30, 2027, based at Casa Della Zia in Vallo di Nera. The full itinerary is available to review in advance. This is a friendly, no-pressure conversation where we’ll walk through dates, pricing, travel and transfers, lodging, meals, and what a typical week feels like. Candace will also answer questions about her yoga approach and how the retreat is welcoming to people who want to move, rest, breathe, and reconnect at their own pace. We’ll talk about the rhythm of the week—from morning mindful movement and breathwork to slow days exploring the Umbrian countryside, sharing local meals, visiting nearby towns like Spoleto and Norcia, and winding down with gentle practice, conversation, wine, and candlelight. Book a Zoom time below and bring your questions. This call is simply an opportunity to get clarity and decide whether this retreat is the right fit for you.Select date and timeEvent time zone:America/New York GMT-04:00
