Retreat with Rehann Vazid
PUGLIA, ITALY
13th to 20th March 2028
Bold & Glow in Watercolour
Watercolor Workshop with Rehann Vazid
This workshop is designed to help artists break through hesitation and discover the power of bold painting. Through gestural brushwork, strong composition and unapologetic color, participants will learn to trust their instincts and find their visual voice in watercolor. Open to artists at all levels who want to level-up their technique and confidence. Beginners will discover essential watercolor basics; advanced painters will push into greater boldness and paint more like yourself.
What you'll learn
Bold Brushwork. Let go of fear and embrace confident strokes that carry energy and clarity.
Glow of Watercolor. Explore how to harness clean pigments, transparency and timing to capture luminosity in skies and water.
Color with Courage. Experiment with limited palettes, explore warm vs. cool contrasts and push pigments to reveal vibrancy without muddiness.
Techniques for Light. Dropping clean colour into wet washes, colour harmony & avoiding overwork.
Workshop Structure
Instead of treating watercolor as “one skill,” we break it into distinct, learnable parts. These micro-skills are taught through:
Live demonstrations
Plein Air Painting
Guided paint-along sessions
Personalised one-on-one feedback.
ABOUT Rehann
Rehann Vazid is Melbourne-based (AUS) watercolour artist & educator known for his bold, light-filled landscape paintings. He draws inspiration from his time in nature - hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, his love of literature, poetry and finds a way to channel that into his art. He uses his art and his teaching to send a message - to get out of the chair, the studio and to go outside into nature. It works wonders for the art, but also for the artist.
Rehann's artistic practice explores the dynamic and expressive potential of watercolour. After a 15-year career in product design, he transitioned to become a full-time artist and instructor. He is known for his innovative use of colour and his ability to capture natural light and atmosphere in his work. He regularly conducts workshops for art institutions across Australia and internationally. His teaching often focuses on developing intuitive painting skills, painting fearlessly and understanding how to create luminosity in watercolor.
PUGLIA, THE RETREAT LOCATION
Puglia is the southernmost eastern region of Italy. Its coastline, the Adriatic in the east, the Ionian south and west, is one of the most beautiful in all of Italy, with silvery olive orchards stretching all the way to the long sandy beaches touched by the one of the clearest and cleanest seas in the Mediterranean. It is an ancient land, and one which was invaded many times in its history. One can still see towers built to ward off invaders centuries ago.
MASSERIA SPECULA - THE VENUE
Masseria Specula was built in 1611 and was the powerhouse of the local town Specchiarica for more than four centuries. Originally a working dairy farm, its stables once housed goats and cows, whose milk and cheese was bought by the local community. Then, from the 1950s onwards, the Masseria fell into disuse and was abandoned for seven decades.
For Carlo, its current owner, the place has always held a special significance. He knew the Masseria from childhood, when he would play in the abandoned building with his friends. Years later, he bought it from from a childhood friend whose family had owned it for generations. In 2023, Carlo began an ambitious restoration project, transforming the once-loved farm into the retreat centre it is today. A year later, Masseria Specula opened its doors, welcoming its first guests in 2024.
THE ROOMS
Private bathrooms | Wi-Fi | AC & Heating | Double beds or single beds
THE FOOD
We have a kitchen team like no other, which is made of grandmas in their 60s. They have not gone to hotel school, nor had previous jobs, but they learned to cook over a lifetime of being in their home kitchens, from the recipes their mothers taught them. Their recipes bring the authentic flavours of Puglia to life. We are proud to share their stories and their meals, with every retreat group that joins us around the table.
THE PROGRAM
-
![A white building with multiple stories and small windows, illuminated by sunlight, located near a stone wall and arched in the foreground, under a clear blue sky.]()
DAY 1 (13th March)
Arrivals
Welcome drink and introduction to the history of the venue
Dinner
-
![A calm body of water with a few birds floating on it, bordered by green bushes and trees, with a distant hilly shoreline under a cloudy sky.]()
DAY 2 (14th March)
Breakfast
Workshop with Rehann
Lunch
Workshop with Rehann
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![A corner of a room with a black wooden table, a small wooden chair, a basket, and a framed picture on the table. There's a bottled water and an upside-down glass on a tray on the table. The wall is white with textured stone details, and sunlight creates shadows on the floor and table.]()
DAY 3 (15th March)
Breakfast
Hike to the beach and to a natural salt lake where flamingoes live
Lunch
Workshop with Rehann
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![Historical stone church with round clock and dome, surrounded by colorful flowers and a courtyard.]()
DAY 4 (16th March)
Breakfast
Workshop with Rehann
Lunch
Free time
Pasta making workshop
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![Watercolor painting of a forest scene with trees, birds, a fox, and a sitting figure, created on a sketchbook page, surrounded by art supplies on a wooden table.]()
DAY 5 (17th March)
Breakfast
Excursion to Lecce
Lunch out in Lecce
Free time
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![Scenic view of white cliffs with caves along a turquoise harbor, ocean with boats, and clear water revealing rocks beneath.]()
DAY 6 (18th March)
Breakfast
Workshop with Rehann
Lunch
Workshop with Rehann
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![]()
DAY 7 (19th March)
Breakfast
Workshop with Rehann
Lunch
Olive oil tasting at the venue
Dinner
Bonfire
-
![]()
DAY 8 (20th March)
Breakfast
Goodbyes and departures
BOOK YOUR SPOT
Single room: € 3570 per person
Shared room at the main venue (shared with 1 other person): € 2670 per person
Reserve your spot with a €1000 deposit.
The remaining balance is due by the 31st December 2027
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS UNTIL WE CONFIRM THAT THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF GUESTS FOR THIS RETREAT HAS BEEN REACHED, AND THEREFORE THE RETREAT IS CONFIRMED TO TAKE PLACE. IF THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IS NOT REACHED, THE RETREAT WILL BE CANCELLED AND A FULL REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.
What’s included:
Art classes.
Exclusive use of the entire property including all common areas, workshop spaces and exterior spaces.
Accommodation at Masseria Specula.
All meals at the venue.
Complimentary fruit, water, coffee, tea.
Self guided hikes to the beach or to a natural salt lake where flamingoes live.
Day trip to Lecce
Pasta making workshop at the venue.
Olive oil tasting at the venue.
Roundtrip airport transfer from/to Brindisi Airport (BDS).
All tourist taxes and fees.
What’s not included:
Airplane tickets.
Travel insurance.
Airport pick-up / drop-off from airports other than Brindisi Airport.
Meals outside of the venue, including in Ostuni.
Anything not listed in the “What’s Included“ section above.