Artist residency with Phoebe Grace Design – an artist from Bristol in the heart of Palermo –
@Phoebegracedesign

If you’d like to take part in an artist residency, check out our experiences HERE.

We fell in love with her right away, from the very first time she came here in winter, just for a holiday. She chose to return to us for a 3-day short residency, which led to the creation of a magnificent artwork that blends many of her memories of Palermo.

L'artista Phoebe Grace Design

  •   Who is Phoebe Grace?

Phoebe Grace is an illustrator and artist based in Bristol, England.
She studied Level 3 Illustration at Stroud College, earned a degree with honors in Psychology, and is pursuing a career in alternative art therapies.

Phoebe Grace’s work often embodies sexuality and body positivity within a feminist context, presented through a whimsical lens.
She has led numerous Art for Wellbeing workshops.

Phoebe is a highly eclectic illustrator, as she experiments with a wide range of materials in her work.
Painting, sculpture, bricolage, two-tone illustrations, weaving, and much more! If you’re already curious, you can find all her works on her WEBSITE.

Vista panoramica dopo la nostra escursione organizzata con Phoebe

  • What she likes most about Sicily

“Thank you, Sicily, for teaching me to slow down, to notice, to be content with simplicity, and to understand that the rush of life only takes you so far. I had never seen myself as a traveler before now, and I had no idea how much I had to learn from another place. Thank you for the landscapes, the mountains, the warmth, and the best food I’ve ever eaten.”

Opera realazziata da Phoebe nella residenza d'artista
  • What inspired her to create this painting?

“Sicily inspires calm in me and is my happy place. A place where I feel relaxed. That’s why I chose to use blue, a color of serenity and relaxation. I was inspired by the natural landscape of the countryside—first and foremost by the mountains and the water. As soon as I arrived in Sicily, I saw a large moon towering above everything, and I wanted to include it in this painting. The mountain of Monte Pellegrino, in Palermo, whose sacred symbol is Saint Rosalia.

I see Sicily as a beautiful woman…
to be explored and whose company can be enjoyed.”

Artist residency with Phoebe Grace Design

  • Phoebe Grace ideals

Phoebe has always promoted awareness around a sex-positive approach, aimed at everyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation (LGBTQ+). The goal is to recognize the diversity of bodies and personal pleasure.

Her miniatures and paintings often depict people naturally exposing their bodies, embracing both their sensuality and their form.

body positivit art by Phobe Grace

She has been personally very committed to spreading messages of body positivity. In the case of our painting, the mountain represents the body inhabited by each of us, with its “hills” and “valleys”—small imperfections that make us unique.

Phoebe Grace is also a promoter of Drive Change, a movement that advocates for the rights of victims of sexual violence and abuse of trust in the transport sector (for example during driving lessons or hitchhiking).

LGBTQ+ art

  • Our experience with Phoebe

We were very happy to host the 2026 Artist Residency with Phoebe and to give space not only to her as a person, but also to all the positive messages she conveys through her art.

Our hostel has received the Booking Travel Proud label, and we are truly proud to welcome everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender. We certainly do not discriminate based on appearance, because we have learned that every body and every person is beautiful—precisely because they are unique.

At the hostel, we build healthy, inclusive relationships through music and art. We are interested in getting to know every traveler as they are, and in sharing a message of self-esteem, trust, and openness towards Palermo, travel, and art.

We know this won’t be the last time we see her, so… come back soon! 🙂