For writers and artists 

The Create Escape has proudly curated this exciting and luxurious creative immersion with Jan Cornall, Sydney Australia and Luisa Donati of Italy.

Daily creativity workshops at our seaside hotel, offer inspiration and guidance for your creative work.  As we immerse ourselves in the island’s healing thermal waters, we do a deep dive into our work, employing creative journaling, paper art and collage to further our creative goals.  An ideal environment to bring the senses into your writing and art making.

We will also take inspiration from the historic and artistic atmosphere of our base, Il Monastero Castello, a former sixteenth century convent perched on a tiny rock island off the Port of Ischia. It is here in 1970 to 2005, the Italian artist Gabriel Mattera and his graphic designer wife Karin, established a home and studio as well as exhibition space for Italian and international artists. The artisan studios, gardens, architecture and spectacular island views will give more fuel to our artistic expression.

This event is suitable for writers, artists, beginner or professional, looking for support and inspiration. You have the option to start a new project, revitalise an old one or simply capture the experience in your chosen art form. Feel free to discuss this with us before we begin the journey.

We begin the journey in city of Naples. Staying 2 x nights in a central hotel and catch a ferry across to the island of Ischia. We will stay in a comfortable hotel for 5 nights, 6 days. You'll periodically be processing and collaborating your creative project while soaking in the healing thermal waters around the Mediterranean. An ideal environment to bring the senses into your writing and art making.

• Take part in daily sense based workshops and evening readings/sharing of your work with Jan.
• Explore this beautiful island
• 1 x tour to colourful island of Procida
• Soak in the thermal pools
• Swim in the ocean 
• Experience an outstanding banquet dinner by local cooks who are passionate about their local food, wine, music and good laughter.

More About The Location

Ischia is a lush volcanic island featuring hot springs, sweeping coastal views & a medieval castle. 

For centuries, Ischia has been a haven for artists of all kinds—painters, sculptors, musicians, poets, and writers—who have found inspiration in its stunning landscapes. Renowned authors such as Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Pablo Neruda, and W.H. Auden spent significant periods of their lives on this enchanting island, drawing from its natural beauty and charm for their works.

In recent years, Elena Ferrante has brought Ischia into the international spotlight with her acclaimed series, "Neapolitan Novels." The island features prominently in the first two books of the saga, "My Brilliant Friend" and "The Story of a New Name."

We include a tour that offers a unique opportunity to explore the very places in Ischia where the lives of characters Lila, Lenù, Nino, and Donato Sarratore intertwine and transform. 

The Retreat

• You have the option to start a new project, revitalise an old one or simply capture the experience in your chosen art form.
• There will be daily creativity workshops and readings with Jan.
• Time to work on your chosen project and time to explore the local surroundings and see creative work from local artists.

The Workshops 

• Immerse yourself in this extraordinary location and explore the senses to enrich and engage your writing and art making project.
• Morning workshops and cocktail hour readings/sharings will include meditative creativity exercises and supportive feedback sessions.
• Each day we will investigate a different sense — taste, scent, visual, auditory, texture with prompts also given for observing weather elements and times of day.
• Participants will be encouraged to keep a creative journal — a daily diary of the senses where they can record encounters with people, places, food and wine of the region. Every sensual moment will be up for grabs as we learn how to turn our delicious indulgence into fine art.

A snippet written about a previous Art and Writing Retreat led by Jan below –

Exploring the art of story in Morocco, by Jan Cornall

It is such a joy when artists join our creative journeys. While the workshops as we travel are mostly writing based, there’s always the option to respond to the guided meditations with brushes or coloured pens. I love the energy artists bring — always coming at the topic from a wonderfully left of centre place, offering a perspective that can only serve to liberate the literality of us boxed-in writers.

I also encourage all our participants to keep a scrap book or creative journal as we go. In it they can draw, paint, collage, write, plan, map, jot, doodle…

There are often talented artists among the writers too, who perhaps not ready to call themselves that yet, show us that indeed they are.

Read more 

About Jan Cornall

Jan Cornall of Writer’s Journey supports writers and creative artists of all genres through the long process of realising their artistic goals, through international writing and creativity workshops, journeys and mentoring services.

Based in Sydney, Jan has been awarded a number of grants and fellowships for her work and has written plays, musicals, screenplays, a novel, a collection of stories and poems and three CDs of songs.

Jan also loves to sketch and make artist books.

Browse Jan’s work portfolio here. ... More

With a Master of Arts in Cultural and Creative Practice Jan has taught creative writing for nearly two decades at writer’s centres, community colleges, universities (UTS, WSU) and writer’s festivals in Australia and Asia. Using a technique she has developed called Meditative Writing, Jan takes writers deep into their creative source.

Dedicated to nurturing the unique attributes of each writer, her writing workshops produce startling results. Each year a number of Jan’s first time writers go on to publish with major publishing houses.

Getting to us

ARRIVING & DEPARTING FROM NAPLES

More details and travel tips available soon. In the meantime please contact us with any questions.

Benvenuto - Luisa Donati

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