venice, italy printmaking residency

My bff's favorite place is Venice, Italy. She and her family vacationed there several years ago, while her husband was working overseas. She and the children took advantage of his time there to visit never-met family in Germany, the treasures of The Louvre, and Harry Potter in England.
But her favorite place was Venice.
I have a fondness for Italy, too. I've been to the Tuscany region, with its rolling hills and lush greenery; Napoli and the isle of Capri, home of lemons as large as grapefruits and Limoncello; Roma, with its rich history and the building in the Forum which bears my name.
But I have never been to Venice.
Rachel Singel wants to travel from my neck of the woods to Italy to learn printmaking in Italy. Well, not exactly my neck of the woods - she's in Virginia. And, not exactly to learn printmaking - she already does that - but to participate in an international residency at the Venice Printmaking Studio.
To which she was invited.
That's a high honor.
She came to kickstarter to garner funds for the trip. All she is wanting is 50% of the daily residency fees for her four-week residency. She has already made that goal. I'm joining her current backers to help her cover more of her residency fees.
I can think of no better way for my meager $50 donation to travel to Italy. In return, I receive her thanks - and a book that she will make in Venice.
Motto bene!