Kirsten Stingle Studio
Retreats and Workshops
2026 and 2027
Deepening the Story: Ceramics and Mixed Media Assemblage
August 30th - September 4th, 2026
Double Island Studio
Green Mountain, NC
Full - Waitlist Only
Stories and myths invite us to explore meaning and build a sense of belonging. During this special 5-day retreat Kirsten will the explore different mediums in order to enhance the narrative. The foundation of almost all of her sculptures is the ceramic figure. Kirsten will guide the class to build a small torso that will hang on the wall. Kirsten has a step-by-step approach that is easily accessible, even for the beginner. She emphasizes the importance of gesture and expression to storytelling. Her class demonstrations are followed-up with individual tutorials, enabling her to help each student achieve their narrative vision.
In addition, Kirsten will guide the class to expand and strengthen the narrative potential by making an assemblage fiber scroll book that will hang from the torso. Participants will walk away with a knowledge of techniques such as eco printing, photo transfer, collage, stitch, and mark making.
In this 4 day class we will explore the potential of narrative sculpture to build connection with our world.
You won't want to miss this opportunity to explore ceramic and mixed media in one class.
Beginners welcome. This is an all-levels class.
Staging the Narrative: Creating a Bust that Acts as a Narrative Platform. Ceramic Handbuilding and Finishes
September 20th - October 4th, 2026
ICArts
Monte Castello di Vibio
Umbria, Italy
Full - Waitlist Only
Inspired by Monte Castello di Vibio's Teatro della Concordia (the smallest Italian style theater in the world) and grand theatrical vision of La Scarzuola, let's explore the drama of the human narrative! During this retreat Kirsten will guide the class to build a 3/4 life size head that can hang on the wall. Kirsten has a step-by-step approach to figurative ceramics that is easily accessible, even for the beginner. Her class demonstrations and hand-outs are followed up with individual tutorials, enabling her to help each student achieve their narrative vision.
After the build, Kirsten will explore the potential of adding layers of texture before firing. Post-firing, Kirsten will guide the class in using cold finishes to mimic, complement, or enhance ceramic finishes. She will share her techniques as well as encourage experimentation and play with different mediums. Participants will walk away with a stronger knowledge of human anatomy and the narrative value of expression, as well as an approach for finishing their works that is layered and complex. Finished sculptures will be able to be packed in a carry-on suitcase for travel and transportation convenience.
This class is for ALL LEVELS:
whether you have never touched clay but yearn to stretch your creative potential, or if you are a seasoned ceramicists that want to add a few new techniques to your toolbox.
In addition, participants will enjoy several excursions to nearby Umbrian towns such as Perugia, Spoleto or Todi to explore the history and art that shines in the green heart of Italy. Participants will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio where you can wander its quiet streets and enjoy the vistas of the valley and other hill towns. Explore the history of this medieval village and experience the jewel-box of a theater that is one of the smallest theaters in the world. Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO), lodging, meals and class excursions.
Your weekend is free to catch up on studio work, relax, or take advantage of the other sites or activities in Umbria. These additions can be arranged through ICArts for an additional fee. Lodging is single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available). Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.
Unearthing Ireland:
Explore myth, magic, and the heroine's journey
Waitlist Only
Art Spirit Journey by Essence of Mulranny
Kirsten Stingle and Lora Murphy
July 28th - August 8th
Essence of Mulranny
Assemblage book based on the history, land, and myth of Ireland.
Ireland’s history and mythology are as rich and dense as Irish bogland. Whether it is the High Kings of Tara, Queen Maeve and the Tain, the Salmon of Knowledge, or the Tuatha de Danann, these tales remain a vital part of Irish identity. Traces of the past are alive and intertwine with the language and landscape of Ireland. Goddesses of long ago can still be found in the names of most of Ireland’s rivers; Saint Brigid’s holy wells continue to bless those seeking help; and Neolithic through Iron Age monuments and cairns continue to reveal the secrets of a vibrant civilization that tracked the movement of time and seasons of celebration in the stars.
During this creative retreat, we will learn about the tales associated with place and let the whispers of these stories inspire us as we imagine a world more attuned to the cycles of nature and the land. We will will experience the well-known monuments of Bru na Boinne and the Hills of Tara and then move to Mulranny where we can explore the more intimate, off-the-beaten-track but no less imporatant Neolithic sites around County Mayo. This retreat provides an exploration of place and a connection to the landscape that is deeply rooted within the Irish people.
Join us as we dive headfirst down the rabbit hole that is Irish mythology, legend, and lore to create a sculptural assemblage travel book that documents are understanding of Ireland and its rich past. In addition to learning different book building and binding methods, Kirsten will guide participants in mixed media techniques such as image transfer, collage, cyanotype, mark making with stitch, and the process of eco-printing and eco-dyeing with local botanicals with folkloric and mythic connections. By building up layers, we will create a book that is as layered as Ireland.
Archeological Places
We Will Visit:
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The Hills of Tara: Home of the High Kings of Ireland
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Bru na Boinne: Neolithic passage tombs that predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
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Knocknashee (Hill of the Fairies): A megalithic hill fort with two Neolithic passage graves and thirty hut foundations.
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Carrowkeel Passage Tombs: A cluster of passage tombs built in the 4th millinneum B.C.
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Ceide Fields: The oldest known Neolithic field system
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Grace O’Malley (The Pirate Queen) Castle
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Rathcroghan: The legendary dwelling of Queen Medb and the focal point of the epic Tain.
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Oweyngat: The legendary dwelling place of the Battle Goddess Morrigan.
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Holy wells, ogham stones, and souterrains.
Retreats and Workshops 2027
Following the Goddess:
A Journey through Temples, Mountains, and Inner Landscapes
Guided by Michelle Fletcher and Kirsten Stingle
Assemblage and Mixed Media Journal Objet
September 28th - October 12th
Join our 15-day immersive art and travel experience curated by Michelle Fletcher Atelier and taught by Kirsten Stingle.
Nepal arrives like a knowing. A land where prayer flags carry whispers across mountain air, where hands shape paper, carve wood, spin thread. Where creation is not separate from life, but woven into it. This is not a retreat in the traditional sense. It is a passage. Through Kathmandu's textured chaos, to the stillness of Pokhara's lakeside light, into the quiet rhythm of village life and sacred ground.
We begin in Kathmandu, where the rhythm of the city unfolds between sacred sites and everyday life. We walk among pilgrims at Swayambhunath and Boudhanath Stupa, wander the artisan streets of Patan, and step into the living heritage of Bhaktapur, where time feels beautifully suspended.
Timed with Nepal's sacred calendar, we are invited into the vibrant energy of Dashain, the celebration of the Goddess Durga, the embodiment of cosmic energy. Amongst the famous temples of Kathmandu we will focus on the goddess temples of Durga, Kali (the destroyer of evil), as well as the living goddess.
From the valley, we journey to Pokhara, a place of stillness and reflection at the edge of the Himalayas. Here, the Annapurna Range rises beyond the glass surface of Phewa lake, and the pace softens into something more spacious.
We continue into the lush lowlands of Chitwan National Park, where jungle rhythms replace the hum of the city. Time spent at an ethical elephant sanctuary and along the river offers a deeper connection to the natural world- quiet, grounding, and profoundly moving.
In these quiet places are interwoven four intimate workshop sessions led by Kirsten Stingle. A gentle unfolding of marking place, material exploration, and assemblage journaling. In addition to Kirsten's workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn Nepalese craft by local artisans.
Grab a friend and say "YES!"
Spend 15 days seeing with new eyes and connecting to what matters. This inclusive and immersive experience will rekindle your imagination and revitalize your creative soul.
This is a small group experience, so spaces are limited.
Our tranquil days will be interwoven with four intimate workshop days led by Kirsten Stingle. The assemblage project is more than a journal, it is a construction of experiences. Small rituals and unspoken moments, both subtly implied and concretely transformed, that leave a lasting impression on the traveler's soul. Kirsten will guide the class in the gentle unfolding of marking place, material exploration, binding, stitching and building to create an art journal full of mixed media techniques and avenues for finding your creative voice. The work evolves alongside the journey, shaped by what we see, feel, and collect along the way. Each unique assemblage journal/art objet uniquely reflects the wanderer's footsteps.
This Retreat is for YOU if:
You are craving depth over speed;
You are drawn to art, culture, and story;
You want to creativity to enhance your exploration;
You feel called to something you can't quite name.
For more information about the retreat and how to register for this small group experience:
