Join Judy in Italy!

In a recent Facebook Live, Artistic Artifacts owner Judy Gula shared the travel journal she has worked on over the past few years as she led mixed media art and cultural retreats in Italy. The trips are organized by Judy’s long-time friend, Lewis Gautieri. of Italian Cultural Tours.

The Italy Creative Retreat — Creating a Sense of Place has as its homebase Ischia di Castro, located approximately 55 miles northwest of Rome in the northernmost area of Lazio. This medieval village is rich in history and is strategically located near many fascinating cities, historic archaeological sites such as the ancient Etruscan city of Castro, and bodies of water. Participants enjoy authentic accommodations in apartments in the city. The pages of Judy’s journals, as shown below and throughout this post, combine a variety of mixed media techniques taught during the week-long retreat.

Judy selects the supplies she brings based on what she knows they will experience during the week. Most participants continue to work in their journals after their return home, as Judy does.

Artistic Artifacts has a designated studio in the heart of Ischia di Castro, where the students work each morning, enjoy a homemade, catered lunch and then head off to explore the region. Visit our YouTube channel for a video walkthrough of Ischia di Castro including the studio!

For several years, her good friend and mixed media artist Liz Kettle of Textile Evolution joined Judy on these trips as they helped the participants Create a Sense of Place in their journals.

In Judy’s pages you can find block printing, mono printing, stone rubbings, photo transfers and of course hand stitching and ephemera. You will find images from visits to Pigtigliano, designated as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Above you can see that Judy included her ticket and other ephemera from the retreat’s visit to Villa Lante in Bagnaia, Viterbo.

Above, Villa Lante with the Fountain of the Square (or of the Moors) and Italian Garden, dating from the 16th century. You will find inspiration throughout this beautiful destination! Judy included urns and sculptures from the gardens in her pages.

There are mosaics, which you see everywhere, recreated in fabric, monoprinting on a gel plate, and photo transfers.

A visit to Orvieto conjures up the cathedral and architecture along with a wine bottle label from a favorite restaurant. Add in a few pages of images from the The Tarot Garden in Pescia Fiorentina.

Above left, one of the many stunning mosaic statues found in Il Giardino dei Tarocchi (The Tarot Garden), designed by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. It’s always one of the highlights of the tours that make up the retreat. Right, a two-tailed mermaid mosaic. This ancient imagery is found in multiple venues; Judy was delighted to learn that it symbolizes balance.

For her Tarot Garden, Niki de Saint Phalle was inspired by Sacro Bosco di Bomarzo, another popular destination for the Italian retreat. Translating to Sacred Grove or Sacred Wood, this also dates to the 16th century. The statue of Orcus featured the inscription OGNI PENSIERO VOLA (All Thoughts Fly) above the wide open mouth. (Above photograph by Ben Skála, Benfoto - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link.)

Not captured in Judy’s book are the home cooked meals served in the studio by a local woman — who even gave a lesson in making gnocchi — or the visit to the local market on Wednesdays, held right outside the Artistic Artifacts studio.

Has she enticed you? Judy will return to Ischia di Castro in Northern Italy on September 6–13, 2025 — mark your calendars and start planning! Our dedicated studio space is fully stocked for your fiber and mixed media adventure, with all art materials and tools provided for your morning classes. Afternoons you’ll explore historical and art-filled towns and venues.

Email Lewis to let him know your interest! He can also assist you with spouse and companion arrangements — this is a wonderful opportunity for partners and friends to vacation together!