
Creative retreats, painting vacations & art getaways
Diane Kappa
October 11 - 16, 2026
Carve & Collage: Storytelling Through Block-Printing & Collage
Medium: Mixed Media
Level: All Levels
Location: Studio
Status: Open for Registration








Rates & Enrollment
Deposit is $450, balance due 60 days before arrival
Day Student Tuition: $1144 + Materials fee
Inn-Stay Package*: $2,380 - $3,220 + Materials fee
*Your Inn-Stay Retreat Package includes:
Workshop Tuition, lodging, dinner 2 nights (welcome and farewell), breakfast and lunch each day, daily snack breaks, unlimited coffee, tea & seltzer.
For your independent dinners, there are many restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines and price points, within comfortable walking distance of the Inn, plus Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s.
Click here for Sample Daily Agenda.
You can choose a room to yourself (single occupancy) or double your fun, bring a friend and split a room (double occupancy).
To learn more about your options or to register, click the Register Now button.
About This Workshop
Discover the art of block printing and collage in this immersive five-day workshop! We’ll focus on carving techniques, pattern design, and layering to create bold, expressive prints and patterns. As the week progresses, we’ll explore how block printing can be combined with hand stitching and collage, to add texture and storytelling to your work. Whether you're new to block printing or looking to expand your skills, this class offers a creative and supportive space to experiment and play as you create a series of memorable art pieces.
Day 1 - Introduction to Block Printing
Let’s dive into the art of block printing! No experience is necessary—I’ll guide you through each step of the process. We’ll explore various carving techniques to create a series of unique stamps, experiment with pattern design, and learn how to layer prints to build rich, textured backgrounds.
Day 2 - Developing Your Story
With a strong foundation in lino cut printing, we’ll shift our focus to storytelling through art. Bring out the ephemera you’ve collected and begin shaping the narrative of your piece. We’ll carve new blocks that will become the focal points of our designs. Additionally, we’ll have a paper stitching demo, introducing basic embroidery stitches that add texture and dimension to our collages.
Day 3 - Layering & Adding Color
Today, we’ll begin assembling our collage, bringing together all the elements we’ve created. A simple watercolor demo will show you how to incorporate color and transparency, adding depth and nuance to your work.
Day 4 - Bringing It All Together
This is our dedicated workday—time to refine compositions, experiment with layers, and fully bring our pieces to life.
Day 5 - Final Touches & Group Critique
On our last day, we’ll put the finishing touches on our artwork and share our completed pieces with the group. Through a supportive critique, we’ll reflect on our creative journey and celebrate everyone’s unique artistic voice.
About Diane Kappa
As the daughter of an artist, I have been creating for as long as I can remember. Nearly 20 years ago I founded my art licensing business. As a commercial artist, I push myself to design to a creative brief….and I love it! Designing with limitations is challenging and rewarding. Lately I have been pushing myself to go beyond a brief and explore more personal artistry. Ironically, my personal art is becoming more and more important to who I am as a designer—positively influencing my licensing work.
Much of my inspiration comes from travel outside the United States. Shortly after founding my licensing business, I moved to Budapest where I lived and worked for four years. I have more recently attended retreats in Estonia, India, France, Mexico, in addition to workshops and retreats in the U.S. Stepping away from my daily life and culture quiets the noise and helps me focus my creative voice. Living and working outside of my comfort zone reminds me what I value the most.
Likewise, I draw significant inspiration when collaborating with clients and retreating with fellow creatives. It is such an amazing gift. The act of critiquing each other’s work, problem solving though creative blocks and brainstorming feeds my creative soul.
Materials
Sample Agenda
Will I receive a confirmation in the email?
You will receive an email confirmation and, as time gets closer, more email full of info and goodies.
Here is the payment schedule:
$450 deposit is due at the time of registration.
Remaining balance is due 60 days before your retreat start date
Pay in Full at time of registration and save $100 (does not apply to Day Student package)
Please read our full cancellation policy HERE
2026 Workshops Now Open for Registration
Hey There!
Please send an email to Hello@CRVInn.com (preferred)
or call us at 860-781-4389 if you have any questions.
We’ll get back to you ASAP!