Creativity as a Life Enriching Practice
with Samantha Clark
‘Creative’ is not something we either are or are not. Creativity is something we do. It is a practice. And, like any other practice, it can be cultivated and deepened through our quiet, regular, humble commitment. Then, it can grow and flourish until it becomes something that sustains us. A creative practice can provide us with a place of solace, steadiness, and self-understanding that can help us to navigate these turbulent times.
This retreat is designed to offer you the space to reflect on what creativity means to you, understand the challenges to sustaining a regular creative practice, and to refresh and refocus your commitment to showing up for it.
Whether you are returning to creativity after a break or seeking to refocus an existing practice of writing, art or making, this retreat offers you time, guidance, focus, and a supportive community to help you deepen your commitment to your creative work as a regular practice.
Space is limited to ensure a personal and intimate retreat experience.
April 25 - May 1, 2027 | Tuscany, Italy
MAKE A $1,500 DEPOSIT TO SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY.
Samantha Clark
Samantha Clark is an award-winning artist, author and mentor with a lifelong creative practice and a professional career spanning forty years. She brings this depth of experience and steady commitment to support others in finding their own unique creative path. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews, and has exhibited her artwork in the UK, Europe, Japan and Australia. Her memoir The Clearing, was published by Little, Brown in 2020 and she lives in the windswept Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland.
"Working with Sam has been one of the best investments I have made in my art practice. She is perceptive, knowledgeable, supportive and encouraging and I appreciate her gentle sense of humour and her care. I value the safe, non judgemental space that she creates for me to unravel and resolve issues about my art and over the time that we’ve been working together I’ve begun to develop a clearer understanding of my art practice and of myself as an artist.”
Andrea Butler, Visual Artist
About the Retreat
An Invitation to Reconnect
This retreat invites you to embrace slowness, stillness and attentiveness, to connect more deeply to your own quiet wisdom as the seed from which your creativity grows, and to notice the web of kinship and interdependency that supports your creative life.
Sam has blended many learnings from a creative practice spanning over 40 years, including drawing, painting, writing, philosophy, meditation, educational research, and teaching in universities and art schools, and brings all this to facilitating the creative lives of others. You will have her full attention, warm support, wide experience, and gentle encouragement. Her careful listening and quiet challenge will help you to deepen the questions you bring to your creative work, whatever form it may take.
This retreat will help you to:
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Reconnect with the joy and playfulness of expressing your deepest creative self.
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Understand what really motivates you.
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Recommit to a regular creative practice that feels generative and sustaining.
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Learn strategies to deal with obstacles and challenges.
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Establish a supportive community who share this creative journey with you.
A Day on Retreat
Discover Softness, Pleasure, and Ease in Tuscany's Embrace
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Through a blend of reflection, focused conversation, journaling, and gentle drawing or writing prompts, we will deepen our understanding of what creativity really means, and how it can bring growth, resilience, and connection to our lives.
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In guided morning sessions, we will expand our understanding of the creative impulse, appreciate all that it brings to our lives, reignite our enthusiasm and delight in the work, and reflect together on how we might deepen our commitment to living a creative life.
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Afternoons are free for you to work on your own projects, bring questions to discuss with Sam, or simply rest, walk in nature, and reflect on the morning's conversations and themes.
“It has been fantastic to have the full attention of someone who was able to pull together such a detailed, holistic overview and give such good advice. It's given me lots to think about and I've found it has functioned like a call to action. It’s been transformative, and I don’t say that lightly.”
Hilary Nicoll, Artist and Curator
Included in your Bella Vita retreat:
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Group transfer to and from the Rome airport
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6 nights lodging at Fattoria del Colle
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Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner
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Daily classes with your retreat leader
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Wine tasting, winery tour & and ancient chapel
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Pici pasta making class
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Excursion to Pienza - UNESCO heritage village
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State of the art classroom studio
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Daily concierge and office staff
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On-site laundry-available at your own cost
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Massage-available at your own cost
**Airfare not included
Retreat Location Details
Nestled in Tuscany’s Chianti region, Fattoria Del Colle sets the stage for our unforgettable retreats in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. Home to Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s trailblazing, all-female-owned winery, this estate—with a winemaking legacy dating back to the 16th century—combines history, passion, and tradition in every corner.
Our retreats invite you to connect with the land and yourself. Stroll through sun-drenched vineyards, savor award-winning wines paired with exquisite meals at the renowned Osteria di Donatella, and immerse yourself in the beauty of a 16th-century villa and charming chapel. Enjoy breathtaking views of rolling vineyards and the medieval village of Trequanda—an unforgettable backdrop for every moment of your retreat.
Pricing & Reservations
Come enjoy 6 nights in wild Tuscany!
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$4,900 - Private Accommodations
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(Completely Private Apartment w/ Private Bedroom and Bathroom)
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$4,400 - Shared Accommodations
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(Shared Lodging in an Apartment w/ Private Bedroom)
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Please note:
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There are a limited number of completely private Apartments available
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Airfare is not included.
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Since our retreats explore local food traditions, much of what we are discovering, learning and eating will be very challenging for vegans. Unfortunately we cannot provide substitutes.
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Please inquire with us directly at info@vitabellaretreats.com for plus-one special pricing
MAKE A $1,500 DEPOSIT TO SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY.
Space is limited to ensure a personal and intimate retreat experience.
