Conversations with Place: A Creative Residency at Masseria Specula, led by Tara Axford
PUGLIA, ITALY
7th to 14th February 2027
Slow down. Look closely. Respond to what you find.
This is the creative retreat you've been imagining. A week in southern Italy with a small group of like-minded artists, making work in a place you've never been, guided by someone who knows how to help you see it.
Join Australian mixed media artist Tara Axford for a week-long creative residency at Masseria Specula in February 2027. This is not an art class or a step-by-step workshop. It is a week of looking, gathering, making and conversation, guided by one of the most recognisable voices in contemporary mixed media practice.
Working from a beautifully restored 17th-century farmhouse on the Puglian coast, you'll spend your days walking the landscape, collecting impressions, and responding to the textures, colours and rhythms of southern Italy. Through daily prompts, studio time, group discussion and visits to local makers and historic towns, you'll leave with a mind buzzing with new ideas, possibilities and inspiration to take back to your own practice.
You don't need to be an experienced artist. You don't need to travel with a friend. You just need curiosity, a willingness to look closely, and the desire to spend a week doing something that's entirely for you.
Places are limited to 8 to 10 artists. All meals, accommodation, excursions and on-site experiences are included. You just need to get yourself to Puglia. We'll take care of the rest.
ABOUT TARA
A mixed media artist working with print, collage, fibre and photography, Tara draws inspiration from her surroundings and is deeply inspired by what it means to live creatively. The forgotten, the weathered, the discarded appeal to her. Exploring her surroundings she likes to ‘zoom in’ on an environment, observe it, and abstract the essence to create something new, asking the viewer to experience something they may have previously overlooked, with fresh eyes.
Her current practice looks at combining 2D with 3D and creating something that mixes the evidence of human life with that of nature, looking at opposites: the juxtaposition of busy and calm, messy with order, disruption and serenity.
Considering the importance of the handmade, the reuse of materials and the time that can be spent creating something unique is also vital to her art practice.Her appreciation of the handmade, nature and the environment and what nature provides, drives her passion for creating work. Believe that by showcasing the simple beauty of both, she can inspire others to consider it too.
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara Axford
What to expect: There's a rhythm to the week: looking, gathering, making, talking. Some time is structured, some is yours. Studio sessions sit alongside walks, excursions, shared meals, and quieter moments to sit with what you've noticed. Before you arrive, Tara will set you a preparation task so you come ready to work, not wondering where to start. From there, she sets the creative framework and guides each day. She'll give you specific ways to look at an unfamiliar place and respond to it, drawing on the tools she uses in her own practice. As we move between exploring and doing, direction, feedback and advice will be on hand. This is what makes it different from going alone. You won't be following step-by-step instructions. Instead, you'll learn a way of arriving somewhere new, really seeing it, and making something from what you found.
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
Carved into a gentle hill, our Masseria is surrounded by 20 hectares of exclusive private land, offering a tranquil retreat just 1km away from the enchanting shores of the Ionian Sea.
Masseria Specula is an exclusive retreat venue in Puglia, Italy, set within a beautifully restored 17th-century farmhouse dating back to 1611.
Website: masseriaspecula.com
Instagram: @masseriaspecula
THE ROOMS
Private bathrooms | Wi-Fi | AC & Heating | Double beds or single beds
THE FOOD
Our kitchen staff is made of grandmas from Puglia who cook authentic local recipes that their mothers taught them. We use seasonal ingredients grown in the neighbouring fields.
THE PROGRAM
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![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
Welcome drinks
Relax time
Dinner
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![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
Breakfast
Guided coastal hike from Masseria Specula to a natural salt lake, home to wild flamingos.
Lunch
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Relax time
Dinner
Bonfire
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![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
Breakfast
Excursion to Lecce. Lecce, known as the “Florence of the South” is a stunning Baroque city in Puglia famed for its ornate architecture, vibrant culture, and rich history.
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Dinner
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![Historical stone church with round clock and dome, surrounded by colorful flowers and a courtyard.]()
day 4
Breakfast
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Lunch
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Relax time
Dinner
Bonfire
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![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
Breakfast
Excursion to Grittaglie. Grottaglie is a historic hill town famed for its ancient ceramic tradition, with a picturesque old center shaped by small streets and local pottery workshops.
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Dinner
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![Scenic view of white cliffs with caves along a turquoise harbor, ocean with boats, and clear water revealing rocks beneath.]()
day 6
Breakfast
Forage wild herbs connecting with the land and savoring a simple farm-to-table meal prepared from your harvest.
Lunch
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Relax time
Dinner
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Day 7
Breakfast
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Lunch
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara
Dinner
Puglian “Pizzica“ dance workshop with live music
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Day 8
Breakfast
Departures
BOOK YOUR SPOT
Single room at the main venue: € 3000 per person (6 spots remaining)
Shared room at the main venue (shared with 1 other person): € 2400 per person (2 spots remaining)
Reserve your spot with a €1000 deposit.
The remaining balance is due by the 31st December 2026
What’s included:
Creative programme and facilitation by Tara Axford. What to expect: There's a rhythm to the week: looking, gathering, making, talking. Some time is structured, some is yours. Studio sessions sit alongside walks, excursions, shared meals, and quieter moments to sit with what you've noticed. Before you arrive, Tara will set you a preparation task so you come ready to work, not wondering where to start. From there, she sets the creative framework and guides each day. She'll give you specific ways to look at an unfamiliar place and respond to it, drawing on the tools she uses in her own practice. As we move between exploring and doing, direction, feedback and advice will be on hand. This is what makes it different from going alone. You won't be following step-by-step instructions. Instead, you'll learn a way of arriving somewhere new, really seeing it, and making something from what you found.
Exclusive use of the entire property including all common areas, workshop spaces and gardens.
Accommodation at Masseria Specula.
Freshly prepared breakfasts, home cooked lunches & dinners.
Complimentary water, coffee, tea and fruits.
Excursions to Lecce & Grottaglie
Guided hike along the coast to a natural salt lake where flamingoes live.
Puglian “Pizzica“ folk dance workshop with live music.
Roundtrip airport transfer from/to Brindisi Airport (BDS).
All tourist taxes and fees.
What’s not included:
Art materials (we will provide a list of art materials to bring with you).
Airplane tickets.
Travel insurance.
Airport pick-up / drop-off from airports other than Brindisi Airport.
Anything not listed in the “What’s Included“ section above.
Send us a message to reserve your place: