Postcards Home, Small Mosaics with Pam Goode in Orvieto, Italy
May 22 – 28, 2016
$3,100, Double Occupancy
Morning in Orvieto, © Pam Goode
What’s better than a weeklong mosaic studio session in Italy? (I know, right?!) A week of mosaic sessions interspersed with vineyard visits, wine and olive oil tastings, an archaeological tour of ancient mosaics, Etruscan caves, a visit to the Duomo and her dazzling gold mosaics, and a cooking class? Yes!
In May I’ll be returning to heartbreakingly beautiful Orvieto, a hilltop village in Umbria built atop a warren of caves from the Etruscan era (800 – 400 BC). The pedestrian streets are cobbled and lined with artisans and cafes, iron lanterns and bountiful markets, with valley views never more than a stroll away.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We’ll stay in the Institute San Ludovico Convent (pictured above), circa 300 – 400BC, which hugs the town wall presenting lovely views. Each room has its own bath. A library and beautiful gardens are available for us, as well as a colonnaded portico for lunches, sketching, or butterfly watching. Single, Double, and Twin rooms are available. Daily breakfast and some lunches are included. Photos of accommodations are here.
WORKSHOP
Our theme will be Postcards Home, small mosaics that will capture a detail of our travels, helping us reconnect to moments of discovery long after we return home. Some tools and materials will be provided, and a materials list will be included upon registration. Subjects and styles are up to you, though I’ll have some samples and designs available for use, as well as a bit of poetic inspiration. Alternately, you’re welcome to use this time as an Open Studio for your own projects; I’ll be available for consultation and/or assistance. Workshops and guided studio time will be morning or afternoon with cultural tours and free time rounding out the day. The studio will be open from early morning until late evening, and you’re welcome to work on your own before or after sessions. All levels, from never-touched-a-piece-of-glass to advanced, are welcome.
CULTURAL TOURS
Learn how wine is made and what to look for in olive oils, savor local cheeses, whip yourself up some wild boar alla pappardelle, grab a rare view of a preserved Christian-era mosaic floor set a story beneath the current church, and sample a few of Italy’s finest wines. Now that’s what I call relaxing after a grueling day in the studio!
A WALK AROUND TOWN
There’s nothing quite like rounding a corner and getting that first In-Your-Face view of the Duomo, a 14th century Roman Catholic cathedral lined with gold mosaic (more here). Then again, there’s nothing quite like walking down to the village market early in the morning and ogling the artichokes for taste (and art) possibilities, then settling into the best morning cappuccino. Or sharing a simple and impossibly fresh just-picked/just-cooked meal with friends. Or wandering the narrow streets of the medieval section, where you can feel the life and stories resonating from each stone. Grabbing a handful of fresh flowers for your room and an Orvieto-made pottery pretty to stash them in. Clean, exhaust-free air and a quiet sun-bath on the ancient undulating walls of the town. Take me now! Click on the first photo above for a slideshow.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Pam Goode is a mosaic artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a creator of fine and functional art, installations, and community projects, she works with a variety of materials, including Italian and Mexican handmade glass, stained glass, porcelain, stone, and found objects. Known for her sense of whimsy and color, Pam’s mosaics transcend the subject at hand and go straight for the heart. “My goal is to bring a sense of joy, wonder, or peace to viewers. It isn’t enough for me to create a mosaic; I need to create a mosaic that sings, that resonates.” Her work has been selected for inclusion in Mosaic Arts International four times, and has appeared twice in Mosaic Art Now, a publication featuring mosaic art across the globe. With Lin Schorr as designer, she served as project manager for Unfurled, a collaborative installation featuring the work of 52 international artists.
Immersed in mosaics since 1999, Pam founded Ciel Gallery in 2008 in an effort to provide exhibition opportunities for mosaic artists across the globe. Now an art collective focusing on local artists working in every medium, Ciel continues to present juried exhibitions, classes, and special events.
An avid traveler, Pam is most inspired by being in unfamiliar surroundings where every sight, every thought, is new. “I see everything differently — feel everything differently — and the ability to communicate my own transformation though art thrills me.” In 2012 Pam founded Mosaic Art Retreats, offering international art tours and workshops. Pam has also been selected for an artist’s residency in Ireland for June, 2016.
ABOUT ADVENTURES IN ITALY
Adventures in Italy is the labor of love created by Kristin and Bill Steiner. They are Hosts Supreme, sharing joy and knowledge and comfort. You couldn’t be in better hands, and you will love them 🙂 Learn more here.
REGISTRATION
To register or for more information, please look here.
Mosaic Art Retreats 