Visual Storytelling with Wild Pigments in Puglia, Italy
When I returned from my recent trip to Puglia, Italy, I was at a loss for words. I tried to describe my time there, but it only seemed to flatten the experience. Still, I want to share this place and the incredible connection we shared among a group of creatives from all over the world.
On my first visit, I attended an art retreat led by one of my favorite artists, Tijana Lukovic. The experience was transformative, as my heart cracked open in unexpected ways. I usually trust that in gatherings like this, the right people will show up. This experience deepened that trust. The presence among us was palpable, and I felt so seen by these women. Tijana was so generous in sharing all the intimate knowledge she’d cultivated through her own practice. Painting is not my craft, so I was nervous to enter this space, but Tijana brought out what wanted to be expressed in each of us with great care.
Coming back this year felt like coming home. The Masseria Specula is a beautifully restored 17th-century farmhouse in the countryside near the Ionian Sea. Nourishing meals are provided daily by local women, providing the most authentic Southern Italian food you can imagine and the entire staff is abundantly kind and welcoming.
During my first visit, I turned the corner towards the studio and the sea, and the scene took my breath away. I said to myself, “Is this my life?” and I began to dream of returning. So I came to Tijana with the idea of co-teaching a retreat that would incorporate wild pigments. To my delight, she said yes!
Our second group was just as enchanting as the first. Women from all over—Spain, Mexico, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia, the US, and Italy.
We started with a meditation to attune our senses to the land, then gathered wild marigolds from the fields and made a bright yellow pigment. With pigments I’d prepared ahead of time and Tijana’s color sense, we mixed pigments to make pastels, ink, and watercolor, delighting in the unique colors we discovered together.
Using these pigments and traditional art materials, Tijana led us through the creation of our own version of the fairytale, Vasilisa the Beautiful, and it was such a joy to see everyone’s individual expression and their own mythology emerge.
The entire trip was rich with symbolism and synchronicities—from the yellow pigment we created, which was a throughline in the Vasilisa story, to the mortar and pestles we used to make pigment, to the dolls decorating the city of Grottaglie, to the “Baba Yaga” sculpture we found on the beach—all important figures in the story. It was truly a flow state, and I came home yearning to cultivate that feeling more in my everyday life.
I’m happy to report that Tijana and I were invited to teach again next year! We will be offering a very similar retreat for anyone who feels drawn to this experience. If you’re interested, you can read all about it here.