DRAWING TO BUILD
A CREATIVE PROCESS
A DRAWING WORKSHOP
LED BY
MADELINE DONAHUE
This 5 day drawing course encourages your daily creative practice through a combination of instruction and playful artmaking. Madeline Donahue will teach you how to improve your drawing skills and give you practical studio lessons that apply to any form of creative life from beginner to professional. Her expertise in working quickly with immediacy and pulling from personal narrative will help you find your creative voice. Join Madeline and travel around the Masseria's grounds, visit local sites, and practice drawing from observation and imagination.
All materials included.
The Place
The workshop will take place in southern Italy, at Masseria Schiuma — a restored farmhouse located in Capitolo, just outside Monopoli and a short walk from the Adriatic Sea. The name Schiuma, meaning “foam” in Italian, reflects its closeness to the water and the salty breeze that drifts through the olive groves.Perfectly situated between Polignano a Mare, Alberobello, and Locorotondo, the villa offers easy access to some of Puglia’s most picturesque towns. The closest airports are Bari (45 minutes) and Brindisi (1 hour).
The Villa
Set among olive groves and open sky, Masseria Schiuma combines the natural beauty of Puglia with elegant modern design. Spacious terraces, shaded gardens, and outdoor living areas invite slow mornings and long conversations. Inside, limestone walls, vaulted ceilings, and curated furnishings create an atmosphere that feels both refined and deeply comfortable.
The masseria has been thoughtfully reimagined in homage to local craftsmanship and Danish design. Mid-century pieces, antique tiles from Vetri, and textiles from around the world bring character and warmth to every room. Art by Matt Kleberg, lounge chairs by Yrjö Kukkapuro, and sculptural lighting including a vintage Murano lamp and a custom chandelier by Francesco Giampetruzzi complete the space with quiet sophistication.
Retreat Overview
Dates
June 12-June 18th
This drawing workshop is an invitation to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the act of making. Over five days, we’ll draw daily at the Masseria and continue sketching in villages, markets, and along the coast, using place as both subject and teacher. Through guided sessions with Madeline and plenty of open time to explore, sketch, and observe, the focus is on process rather than perfection.
Each day introduces focused techniques that strengthen observation and drawing skills, with time to practice and integrate them into your own approach. Mornings begin with drawing at the Masseria, followed by sketching on location in towns such as Alberobello, Grottaglie, Polignano a Mare, and Ostuni. Hands-on experiences, including clay work and time on the water, offer new ways to understand form, texture, and rhythm.
This workshop is for anyone who wants to draw more honestly, build confidence, and develop a deeper visual language, whether you are new to drawing or returning to it after time away. The week balances structure and freedom, shared meals and solo time, creativity and rest, all within the rhythm of southern Italy.
Schedule subject to change.
Meet Our Hosts
Madeline Donahue
Madeline Donahue is a Brooklyn based artist from Houston, TX.
She makes drawings, ceramics and paintings with a focus on intimacy and the body. Her work is currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and is in the collections of Girls Club Collection, Miami; Fidelity Investments Art Collection; The High Museum, Atlanta; and OZ Art, Bentonville.
She exhibits regularly in the United States and Europe with select exhibitions at Nina Johnson Gallery, Miami; Hesse Flatow, New York; Various Small Fires, Dallas; Haverkampf Leistenschneider, Berlin; and TJ Boulting, London. She has a BFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and an MFA from Brooklyn College. You can learn more about her life and work on podcasts like Sound + Vision, I Like Your Work, and Artist Mother. You can read her reviews and interviews in various print media like The Cut, Elephant Magazine, Hyperallergic, NYT, The Guardian and more.
Jessica Kassin
Jessica Kassin is a portrait and documentary photographer drawn to meaningful connection and storytelling. Born in Guatemala and educated in the U.S. and Italy, her passion for art, photography, and travel led her to create and host creative retreats exclusively in Italy, a place that drew her in through its people, culture, and the way she felt while traveling there.
Her connection to Italy began during a six-month study abroad in Florence. When the program ended, she called her mom to say she wasn’t coming home just yet. That spontaneous decision sparked a lasting bond with the country’s people, landscapes, and rhythm of daily life.
These retreats grew from a desire for continuing creative education with artists she deeply admires, and from wanting others to experience Italy in a way that feels personal, generous, and grounded.
Jessica is a mother of three and lives with her family in Miami Beach, Florida.
Discover Puglia
Accommodations & Pricing
This retreat is limited to a maximum of 14 participants.
Accommodations are offered in shared rooms at a luxury Masseria in Puglia. Rooms are available as shared doubles and a limited number of shared triples. All bedrooms are ensuite and thoughtfully designed for comfort, light, and rest after full days of drawing, travel, and time together.
What's Included
• 6 nights of accommodations in our private luxury villa (optional 7th night at no additional cost)
• 5 days of immersive education led by Madeline Donahue
• Transportation to and from Bari Airport at a set time on arrival and departure days
(If your travel plans don’t align with the group transfer, we’ll help arrange private transportation.)
• A thoughtfully designed daily itinerary exploring the beauty and culture of Puglia
• All workshop materials
• Daily breakfast, light lunches when we’re at the villa, and all dinners with wine served each evening (Guests will have free time to enjoy local cafés and restaurants for lunch during day trips.)
• A hands-on cooking class
• A visit to a local vineyard and wine tasting
• A day on a catamaran
• Bikes for exploring the surrounding area