Becoming, Together

Il Baciarino (and my school of art) is not only a place to visit. It is a place to work. We welcome women whose projects need room to grow, whether that is an apprenticeship in the studio, a writing retreat, technical support for a body of work, or another kind of exchange we have not yet imagined together. If this sounds like what you need, write to us with your project and what kind of time or support you are looking for.

Get to know a few of the women who have already done this. See what became possible when they said yes.

Stephanie Bolton
Agriturismo Apprenticeship - September 2 - 25, 2026

Being a “tourist” sounds horrid to me - perhaps because I grew up on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where tourists drove painstakingly slowly or perhaps because I am simply used to working while abroad as a nanny, a wine teacher, an international speaker, and a sustainable viticulture consultant. When I travel, I prefer to stay long enough to become part of the community. As I was contemplating the year ahead on 31.12.2025, I found the courage to imagine a best-case scenario: visiting a hilltop Etruscan town on the coast of Tuscany and learning about agriturismo through an apprenticeship. 

I spent hours researching agriturismo options and very intentionally landed on the Maremma, which has many parallels to Lodi, California, where I live and work with 750 winegrowing families. Once I discovered Il Baciarino with its outdoor rustic aesthetic, sea views, seafood fisherman turned agricucina chef Andrea, and Chandra with her divine life-changing art retreats, I knew where I needed to be. Luckily, Chandra said yes to the buona idea and so did my wonderful boss.

This experience is the culmination of years of international agricultural research I have been conducting as a Nuffield Scholar and will help me complete a report exploring ways to protect the longevity of the farming families whom I adore back home. I also believe it will open the door for continued cultural exchange experiences centered around agritourism, which is still a very new concept in the USA. Without a doubt, it will inspire Esteftica, my emerging functional art brand centered around natural materials, agriculture, food, and gathering. Most importantly, I hope to be useful to Il Baciarino as well!

Some personal stats:

  • I was born in 1982 in Oneida, New York and have also lived in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Washington, and California (USA), Cortona, Tuscany (Italy) and Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

  • I grew up playing outdoors enjoying lots of imaginative games and a very active lifestyle with bike riding, swimming, soccer, gymnastics, board sports, and cross-country skiing

  • I have always loved learning and have an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Education with a minor in International Studies (BA, Wake Forest University), a master's degree in Food Science (MS, University of Georgia), and a doctoral degree in Plant Pathology focused on wine (PhD, University of Georgia)

  • Al fresco dining is one of my favorite ways to experience a place and its culture, especially when it connects me directly with the people who grow, prepare, and share it

  • A lifelong goal is to visit and experience all islands with viticulture, and I have really enjoyed consulting with countries such as Cyprus and Uruguay on their sustainable agriculture potential

  • I love creating intergenerational learning experiences centered around agriculture that bring children and farmers together

  • Here are some of my videos: Kids Explain Sustainability,  Mealybug biocontrol, Sheep in vineyards. 

  • And some other education resources:  Modern Farmer Series, Canine detection of vineyard pests and diseases research project - Grapevine virus crisis initiative

  • I am an International Nuffield Scholar, I’ve won a Wine Enthusiast Future 40 Award and a Wine Industry Leader Award, and I was a Keynote Speaker at the New Zealand International Grapevine Conference

Roymi Specht
Studio Tech in Ceramics, August 29 - October 12, 2029

Roymi’s Bio: I have always been a maker at heart. Working with my hands has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether through macramé, felting, basket weaving, cooking or other forms of craft. Today, my creative practice is centred around ceramics, particularly functional pieces: objects that are made to be used, lived with and shared.

Born in Venezuela, I grew up surrounded by a culture in which craft is deeply rooted in everyday life, and by a tropical landscape rich in colour, scent and texture. These influences continue to find their way into my work.

I have been working with ceramics for around twenty years and now run my own studio in Melle, Germany. My practice is primarily wheel-based, alongside handbuilding, and teaching workshops has become an important part of my studio life.

One of the things I find most fascinating about ceramics is its connection to the four elements: earth, water, air and fire. These are essentially the same elements people have used to transform clay for thousands of years. Ceramic objects tell us so much about the cultures that made and used them, while remaining an intimate part of our everyday lives.

That connection between making, usefulness and daily life is at the heart of my work. I work primarily with high-quality stoneware clay from the Westerwald region of Germany, creating pieces that are made to be used and enjoyed, not simply looked at.

For me, this balance between function, craftsmanship and beauty is what makes ceramics so endlessly fascinating.

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You can find Roymi’s work on her website and on instagram

 

Lori Davis Hill, Adrianne Lickers Xavier and Kitty R. Lynn Lickers
Writing Retreat - Jun 14 - 21, 2026

Lori, Adrianne, and Kitty joined us on the heels of presenting Ǫgyǫhsraniyǫ́hsdǫh: Relational Ecologies of Haudenosaunee Food through Photovoice and Community Food at the The Umbra Institute's 7th Biennial Food Conference Ecologies of Food in Perugia, Italy.

While at Il Baciarino, they spend a week thinking and planning together, dreaming and writing about the next steps in their work on Food Security among First Nations.

The team is continuing their with Six Nations of the Grand River and McMaster University's Indigenous Health Learning Lodge, centering on:

  • Reclaiming Indigenous Food Sovereignty: Rebuilding localized, sustainable food networks rooted in Haudenosaunee values and traditional ecological teachings.

  • Community-Based Wellness: Evaluating the cultural impacts of food security, community health services, and the connection between ancestral food systems and overall well-being.

It was wonderful to hear the laughter as these three worked together. I hope big things come from the writing they did together at Il Baciarino.

 
 

Liv Adams
Studio Tech in Ceramics - April 10 - 19, 2026

My name is Liv Adams, I am a studio tech for Pine Row Studio in Mount Vernon, Ohio! I predominantly wheel-throw, but have recently begun venturing into hand built ceramics. My current focus is building my portfolio and branching out as an artist!!

You can find Liv and her ceramics on Instagram

Liv was our studio tech for The Art Of Fire with Pamela Woodworth. She was supported by a grant from her university (Otterbein University) and a bursary from us, along with an anonymous donation. Her bright presence put our retreat participants at ease!

 
 

Cassandre Lieng
Apprentice, Apr 6 - 18, 2026

I’m Cassandre, a French ceramic artist based in Toulouse, where I explore themes of transformation, memory, and transition through clay.

During my apprenticeship in Biarritz, I was looking for an internship to discover wood firing and ceramic retreats, and Chandra warmly welcomed me to Il Baciarino. I assisted during her wood-firing workshop in Tuscany, helping prepare glazes, make test pieces, fire the kiln, and support participants throughout the experience.

You can find Cassandre’s ceramics and travels on Instagram

Cassandre joined us for a couple of weeks as part of completing her training as a ceramicist.

 
 

Suemi Chibas
Studio Tech in Ceramics, February 12 - March 26, 2026

It's getting harder and harder to define who I am 😂. I am an adventurer, travel lover, ceramic artist, sport enthusiast, nature lover, and counsellor in constant motion. I love building community, creating and physical work. As a studio technician, in collaboration with Chandra, I helped make and test glazes, organise materials, assist with kiln operations and contribute to the running of the studio and residency.

Suemi can be found on Instagram and her website.

Suemi joined us as the Studio Tech for The Six Residency 2026. She was supported by a €3000 bursary that helped pay for her participation in exchange for her time, energy, and considerable knowledge. In particular she helped us with firing Nanabozho, our soda kiln, and mixing glazes.