with
Katia Margolis
& Anna Kwiecinska
23-30 October, 2026
8 days /7 nights
Day 1- arrival day - Welcome dinner & warm ups
Day 8 - departure day - no program
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6 Days with Daily Art Program + free time
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AIRPORT is MARCO POLO Venezia (VCE)
" In a sense, we ourselves are watercolour. We are largely made of water. And within each of us lives an artist unlike any other "
"This is an exciting and unfamiliar experience. And when combined with a city that stands on water, these brush-walks across paper become at once a discovery of oneself, of Venice, and of the infinite possibilities of creative engagement with reality", says Katia Margolis, an artist who has made Venice her home for more than twenty years.
Watercolour is a special medium. In fact, it is not so much a technique as an entire world in which philosophy, poetry, one’s relationship with oneself and with the world, a new way of looking and a new way of seeing all merge. Watercolour comes toward those who are ready to abandon rigid frameworks and preconceived notions of “how it should be” and “how it must be,” and who are willing to take a risk and step onto the water.
You are invited to step off solid land into this wondrous world of reflections, watery ways and ceaseless, softly lapping sound for a week of creative expansion with Katia Margolis and Anna Kwiecinska.
We have timed this retreat to coincide with the last weeks of the Venice Biennale, when the summer tourists have long gone, and Venetians start to have their city to themselves again.
" This is the area in which we'll be based, with our canal-side boutique hotel (only 11 rooms) and its excellent restaurant, all hidden in a narrow calle ('street' in Venetian dialect) which is easy to reach from the airport (I will tell you how when you book). From the moment you arrive into this sestieri ('neighbourhood'), I guarantee you'll be feeling like a local!" says Anna, who has been visiting and studying in Venice for more than 30 years ... "I even got married here!" she says ... but that's another story ...
There is something primordial about travelling on water, even for short distances. You are informed that you are not supposed to be there not so much by your eyes, ears, nose, palate or palm, as by your feet, which feel odd acting as an organ of sense ... on water you are somewhat more alert than onshore, your faculties are more poised ...
from 'Watermark ; an essay on Venice', 1992
by Nobel Prize Winner for Literature
JOSEPH BRODSKY
Feel how your toes feel prehensile on the steps of the bridges, clutching at worn or squared edges as you climb... wear light
shoes, soft-soled, no spongy inner padding.
I suggest this spiritual exercise: become a foot ...
Venice is a Fish, 1988
TIZIANO SCARPA
WHAT YOU'LL DO
This 8-day/7-night retreat provides a richly-curated week of life in Venice.
The first 5 days will be spent exploring the six sestiere, the 'neighborhoods' of Venice; the 6th day, will be an all-day boat tour of the lagoon, stopping for painting at Burano island, and then Torcello island (painting, monument visit, and lunch), with, time-permitting, the option to visit Murano before returning for our final evening,
Each day consists of a 3-hour painting session with Katia (this means 3 hours of art time, not including our walks to get to the locations), either morning or afternoon (depends on the light and weather for each location), and during 'the other half' of the day you'll be experiencing Venice's art in-situ with guided visits to churches, galleries and artisans.
The week is sprinkled with treats - be enthralled by an evening of opera and the gondola ride home late at night, our food walk, and a wine tasting with literary tales to entertain you over aperitivi, and I know you're going to love making a Venetian-themed candle as a very special keepsake of your time here. Your week includes a private dinner, an opera supper, a lunch and of course, hearty breakfasts in the beautiful restaurant of our hotel.
With 18-hours of art tuition (3 hrs art time per day for 6 days, in various settings, mostly en plein air, becoming aware of Venice through a sensory appreciation of all that surrounds you, and allowing this 'sense journey' to inspire the way you paint, learning Katia's techniques and processes for creating atmospheric interpretations of Venetian scenery.
"On our daily walks - both actual and then on paper, we devote a great deal of attention to tuning the eye—balancing inner vision with outward observation. We will learn from the city and from one another. We will free the mind from the tyranny of language. The more attentive our gaze becomes, the freer the hand will learn to move. The more possibilities we will begin to see—on the sheet of paper and beyond it", says Katia.
All that is needed is the courage to step onto the water.
After that, watercolor will take over.
Every walk on water is unique. The traces vanish, but the watercolors remain.
KATIA MARGOLIS
Katia Margolis is a prominent Russian-born artist, writer, and translator who has lived and worked in Venice, Italy, for over two decades. She is well-known for her multi-disciplinary approach to art.
Her work often explores the intersection of visual art and literature, with a style characterized by its delicacy and use of transparency, frequently incorporating:
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Watercolour and graphics - where she often uses light and ethereal textures.
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Book Illustrations - she has illustrated works by famous poets and authors, notably Joseph Brodsky, with whom her work is often associated.
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Venetian Themes - Living in Venice, she draws heavy inspiration from the city's unique light, water, and historical architecture.
She is highly regarded in the word pf translation and ' artist books'. Traces of Water is one of her most celebrated projects, which blends her visual art with the prose and poetry of Joseph Brodsky.
Cultural Mediation: she acts as a bridge between Russian and Italian cultures, translating poetry and writing essays on art history and linguistics.
Key Publications and Projects
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Venice: A Map of the Heart is a visual narrative exploration of her adoptive home.
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Brodsky in Venice: various exhibitions and publications dedicated to the Nobel laureate's relationship to the city.
Creative Living Retreats by Anna Kwiecinska
Anna spent a year in Florence, Italy, studying Art History at the British Institute, before postgraduate studies at The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, gaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Renaissance Art, and MA in Early Sienese Art - From Guido Da Siena (1298) to The Back Death (1348).
With her background as an art historian and later, an art gallery owner, Anna's collaboration with artists continues to be a fascinating career which evolved into specialist art retreats designed to combine seriously good art tuition with authentic cultural experiences.
Over the last 15 years, hundreds of people over dozens of retreats have experienced the depth of wellbeing that being creative can foster in the beautiful destinations she has called 'home' over her many years of slow travel - Bali, Fes, the island of Hydra, and now, Italy. A passionate photographer, all of the images on this site are hers.
Creative Living Retreats are a source of focus for creative inspiration, with our intuitive teachers guiding you to Live Creatively.
Over a decade, many retreatants have returned for our thoughtfully curated weeks of supported creativity, and I genuinely look forward to welcoming you to experience the depth of wellbeing that Creative Living Retreats have become known for, More info
'THE LISTENING ROOM' was an audio art program presented by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. In this episode, recorded in September 1989 in Venice, Anna speaks about the Byzantine mosaics in the Church of Santa Maria Assunta on the island of Torcello, with Robyn Ravlich. Torcello is the destination for the last day of our retreat ...
If I had to look for a word to replace 'music',
I could only think of 'Venice'.
FRIEDRICH NIETSCZHE
Venice! The birthplace of Baroque music, the home of Antonio Vivaldi, and the site of the world's first ever opera house.
The sublime details above are from Giovanni Bellini's San Giobbe Altarpiece, c.1487, in the Accademia Gallery, where we'll take a guided visit to enjoy an overview of the Venetian Renaissance, but the great joy of Venice is that so many of its painted and sculpted treasures are still in the churches for which they were originally commissioned; it's here where you can appreciate the nuances and originality that the artists employed to take account of the unique locations. For this, you'll your own 'Church Pass' giving you unlimited access to many ecclesiastical venues - skip the line!
And your retreat includes a Night at the Opera preceded by an opera supper, and to wrap up this gorgeous evening, we'll take a gondola home for an hour's ride to our hotel and step off the boat directly into the loggia of your hotel ... have a look ....
A meticulous restoration has brought the building back to its former glory, carefully preserving the elements that characterize the Venetian palaces of the sixteenth century.
These include the original Venetian floors of the time, present in some rooms, the typical ceilings with exposed wooden beams, also original from that century, without forgetting the ancient wellhead in the centre of our courtyard, from which the inhabitants of the time drew drinking water.
Your stay here will take you back in time, to relive the Venice of the times of the Serenissima Republic, without giving up contemporary comforts: Satellite TV, WiFi, air conditioning, minibar, telephone and an excellent in-house restaurant.
Our 11-room boutique hotel is in the Castello district, a quieter area of Venice, near Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, a richly historic area of Venice and is easily reachable on foot from San Marco and the Rialto Bridge.
The inn, or 'locanda' in Italian, is close to some of the most important sites of Venetian art, including the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, the largest Gothic church in the city built between the 12th and 14th centuries, the church of Santa Maria Formosa from 1492 with the baroque bell tower completed in 1688, and the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a masterpiece of polychrome marbles built between 1481 and 1489 by the Lombardo family.
From here you can also reach the island of San Pietro di Castello with its church which was the cathedral of Venice until 1807, the year in which the Basilica of San Marco became from the doge’s private chapel to the city’s cathedral; and the whole Castello district.
Where do you stay?
What does your Retreat include?
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Accommodation 7 nights in a spacious boutique hotel with private courtyard
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Breakfasts 7
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18 Hours of Art Tuition with Katia Margolis over 6 days
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Some Art Materials - a separate list will be sent to you on enrolment about art materials, but essentially all you need is a 'travel set' of pan or solid watercolours, 300 gsm paper as loose sheets or in a pad, and a small selection of brushes with high holding capacity.
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a special 'Venetian Signature' candle-making workshop
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An Insider's 'Welcome to Venice Dinner' with aperitifs
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Farewell al la carte Lunch on the island of Torcello with a glass of wine
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Light lunch Venetian-style on the 'Dorsoduro day'
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Full day island pass for boat travel to the 3 Venetian lagoon islands
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Pre-opera a la carte dinner
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A Night at the Opera
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an extended gondola ride
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Guided Evening Food+Wine Walk
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Church Entrance Pass to many Venetian churches (this pass gives you entrance to 16 key churches where artworks of note are in situ.
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Entrance to 2 churches not included in the Church Pass
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Entrance to the Accademia Gallery
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Curated and fully escorted by Anna Kwiecinska, with pre-tour notes
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Your special Art Retreat Bag contains the two essential watercolours you need for this course
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and surprises along the way!
What's not included
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airfares
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transport to and from hotel from airport
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your personal insurance
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all alcoholic beverages not mentioned in the list of inclusions
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any entrance tickets to places not described in the itinerary on this site
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all personal expenses laundry, telephone etc.
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any boat trips extra to those described in the itinerary
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any other activities not mentioned in the 'inclusions'
Late October is a beautiful time to be in Venice for many reasons - less tourists, cooler weather for painting outside, the quality of the light for painting, and this year, you can also enjoy the Venice Biennale which runs until 22 November.
The quality of light at the end of October is especially entrancing as the city transitions into a crisp, romantic Autumn. The weather is generally mild during the day but can feel quite brisk once the sun sets or if the breeze picks up across the lagoon. You can expect daytime temperatures around 15-18 C (59-64 F), and evening lows may dip to 10C (50 F). With around 11 hours of daylight, and the sun setting just after 5pm, our painting comes to a close and we look towards aperitivi and the joy of people watching!
The video above IS NOT OCTOBER! ... it's mid-winter ... but isn't it beautiful? Just listen to those bells ....
WHO WILL THIS RETREAT SUIT?
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If this happens to be your first time in la Serenissima, as Venice was known during its golden period, you'll appreciate the thoughtful curation of a week in Venice designed to offer a rich and varied experience of a city whose history stretches back more than 1500 years. You'll enjoy music, food, wine, high culture, street culture, slip into places only locals access and scoot by those that are crowded, to find quieter locations where we'll paint each day.
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If you are returning to Venice, you'll savour the insights that only come with the experience of living as a local here for more than twenty years, in the company of two talented Venetian residents - a painter and a writer - as well as Anna, who has been visiting Venice for even longer than that!
We warmly invite you to join us for this exceptional art experience in Venice!
COST
Your selection is confirmed with a Eu 1000 Deposit ; please Read the Terms and Conditions here
Thank you Anna for convening this fabulous experience.
Your style, grace and attention to detail made everyone feel important. Sharing your home for those days of art and food and armchair yoga will be a special memory for me to hold.
You have gathered an amazing staff around you ... thank you again.
Gloria C. Queensland, Australia.
on a CREATIVE LIVING RETREAT in BALI
Loved the whole thing ... I just thought you did the retreat so well. I felt totally satisfied with the way you made it all happen and made us all feel very special.
You really were the glue. Very professional.
The exhibition was just so beautifully put together.
Lyn M., Australia
on a CREATIIVE LIVING RETREAT in BALI
