Want more expressive art? Want more confidence in yourself and your art? Want to have a transformative experience with like-minded people? This class will take you beyond predictable painting methods. We will experiment with innovative techniques and a mindset of relaxed awareness, which have been designed to cultivate curiosity and self-confidence. Inspiring demos, lots of time to paint, and group critiques will reinforce design and mindset objectives. Critiques will model how to discuss paintings with non-judgmental language that educates you to “see” more and to appreciate whatever might show up so that you and your art will flourish. Discussions will address confidence, procrastination, vulnerability, curiosity, courage, inspiration, and more! All levels of experience are encouraged to attend.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Joan Fullerton
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Ages 16+. Deadline to register: April 3, 2025. Learn to explore the Natural World based on your specific interests. I provide samples and offer demos in graphite drawing, pen & ink, watercolor pencils, collage, simple calligraphy and watercolor. I will provide a folded watercolor booklet for each student. Bring your curiosity and we will have a great time exploring together. Kit fee includes: Instructor will loan out dipping pens and inks, watercolor pencils, collage papers, matte medium for gluing, and make watercolor booklets for each student. Students should also bring: graphite pencil, eraser, watercolors or watercolor pencils, india ink, markers.
 
Location: Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
Instructor: Cynthia Quinn
Cost: $250
Sponsor: River Arts on Water Gallery
Website, email, 608-643-5215

This class will introduce students to acrylics, watercolor, inks, pastels, crayons and collage materials. Learn to play with these mediums and express yourself in your own unique way. Students will explore texture, shape, line and color with a focus on composition and design. Come unleash your creative spirit!
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Lauren Daddona
Cost: $280
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

In this multi-week class, students will learn various approaches to illustration, both traditional and utilizing new techniques and technologies. Materials explored included pencil, archival inks, watercolor, gouache, alcohol markers, paint pens, and colored pencils. Students will learn various approaches to pattern-making, cross-hatching, and other forms of mark making as well as combining created imagery into collage.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Emily Pellini
Cost: $220
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

This dynamic course invites artists of all skill levels to explore the limitless possibilities of mixed media. Students will learn to create richly layered artworks that express their unique artistic vision by combining various materials and techniques. Class sessions will cover a range of media, including acrylics, collage, ink, cut and torn paper, found objects, and more; while emphasizing principles of composition, texture, and color theory. Students will engage in hands-on experimentation, guided exercises, and individual projects, discovering how to merge different art forms into cohesive pieces. Whether you’re a beginner eager to try something new or an experienced artist seeking fresh inspiration, this course fosters creativity, self-expression, and an appreciation for the unexpected beauty of mixed media art.
 
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Heidi Techner
Cost: $335
Sponsor: Wayne Art Center
Website, email, 610-688-3553

On canvas, you'll create a wonderful sunflower or flower of your choice! We will be achieving textures with many layers of paint and media. We will experiment with torn papers, string, napkins, stenciling, glue, paint, glitter and a variety of other interesting materials. Come let your creativity loose and have fun making this 3-Dimensional piece of art! Students should bring $20 cash to pay instructor for materials, which will all be provided for you.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Julie Schroeder
Cost: $60
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Join us for this exciting class with Minnesota based instructor, Julie Schroeder. Discover and energize your inner artist and loosen up with exciting new watercolor techniques. Using color, texture, layering, expressive mark making & splattering, we'll be experimenting with different professional papers, handmade organic papers & masa papers. Our main project will be a lovely landscape. We'll be layering on beautiful rich color in a wet into wet beginning with a special technique combining Masa Paper onto the watercolor paper to create a beautiful textured batik look! We will also be doing some smaller pieces exploring a variety of brush techniques and using handmade papers for 3-D effects. This class is perfect for all levels of experience.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Julie Schroeder
Cost: $150 + $20 cash for supply fee
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

A mixed media workshop discovering your language though materials, process and observation. This workshop is based on demonstrations of a variety of materials, prompts and exercises to get to the core of personal meaning. The focus is on exploration, intuition, and pushing out of your comfort zone. Directives include formal elements such as line, shape, space, color, and composition with fast-paced timing based on discovery rather than finished products. Techniques will focus on markmaking, layering, collaging, excavating, combining materials, and more. Materials include: dirt, coffee, natural materials, inks, acrylic mediums and paint plus cold wax and R&F Pigment Sticks. Participants will create many small works to let go of the "precious" mentality. Freedom of expression is emphasized!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Lisa Pressman
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

During this exciting retreat, you will learn to paint florals, looking at colour, composition and techniques and how to approach flower painting creatively with a focus on the process rather than the outcome. Victoria will demonstrate a wide variety of materials and show you how to be explorative and experimental, letting go of the fear of making mistakes. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced level artist, you’ll develop the confidence and skills to creatively loosen up, be more spontaneous, and let go of self-doubt. You’ll be provided with a huge array of gorgeous flowers as inspiration. Quick and easy exercises will introduce you to collage and mixed media techniques. Victoria will be on hand, offering support and advice.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Victoria Johnson
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

In this exciting and inspiring art adventure for budding artists, teens will tap into their creativity as they learn to express themselves through art. Receive one-on-one customized art instruction with professional artists. Explore a variety of painting, drawing and mixed-media art projects, materials and technique. Explore acrylic paint on canvas, oil pastels, charcoal, mixed-media expression, ink, portraiture and more! Learn artistic techniques such as line quality, composition, shading, texture, personal expression, color, art history, realism, abstraction and more! Celebrate with a group art exhibition of artwork created. Classes are offered on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Cost: $35 per class or $95/month
Sponsor: Degallery
Website, email, +1(979)704-3090

Why flowers? I have always been drawn to painting flowers in my work. To me, flowers represent the healing power of beauty. I believe that the world could use a little more beauty (and art). I am delighted to share my love of flowers and my process of painting with all of you! Come arrange, sketch and paint flowers with me. During this five-day intensive workshop, we will explore shape, line, and color through a variety of expressions, including sketching, collage, and painting. We will use mixed media techniques to layer and create beautiful expressive florals. I will be walking artists through exercises to loosen up their process, create from a place of joy, play with color, and explore composition.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Wendy Brightbill
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

I am constantly in awe and inspired by nature and I believe she’s our best teacher! I cannot wait to lead you in this exploratory workshop where we will use and study elements from nature to create a wide variety of beautiful art. From watercolor and stamped flowers, pressed elements and mark making in sketchbooks and journals, to mixed media, collage work and pattern play… it will be a wonderful, creative time together!! Whether you haven’t picked up a paintbrush since elementary school or you create art daily, I love teaching new techniques, sharing my process and favorite materials and I promise you will learn a lot, love what you create, and have fun and be inspired by nature!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Caroline Simas
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Washi Tape is a not-very-sticky masking tape made from rice paper. It comes in rolls of solid colors, as well as patterns, and provides adherence to a variety of surfaces. This course is taught by local artist Joan Moreau McKeever, who is here to teach you how to create your very own sea turtle painting using washi tape! In addition to the registration fee, students should bring $10 cash to pay the instructor for materials, which will all be provided for you.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Joan Moreau McKeever
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Join us for this transformative retreat filled with creativity, connection, and inspiration! Embrace the joy of creativity and explore the beauty of nature with Cathy as she guides you through her unique process of creating engaging mixed media art. Together, we’ll create two colorful projects. In our floral paintings, you’ll learn my signature techniques for layering, color mixing, and finding beauty in imperfection as we celebrate the magic of flowers. For the animal portraits, we’ll dive into a playful process of improvisation, tapping into your inner child to create charming, personality-filled creatures. Both projects are designed to nurture your creativity, help you embrace imperfection, and deepen your connection to your art.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Cathy Nichols
Cost: $1144
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Join me and immerse yourself in the creative process. The experience begins the moment you register as you source, find, and gather your own personal collection of papers, fibers, ephemera, and other bits & pieces that will become the basis of your creation. As the workshop begins and unfolds, we will gather together, both within the workshop space at The Connecticut River Valley Inn and at some special, local locations. You will spend your time transforming your treasures into a series of what might loosely be called artist books. Instruction will cover the range of techniques used in mixed media: surface designing, using paints and inks, hand stitching, book binding, rusting, dyeing, embossing, mark making, gel printing, collaging, creative layering, and more.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Seth Apter
Cost: $975 + Materials fee & CT Sales Tax
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Open to students of all artistic levels, Paper and Book Artistry is for those who are ready to ditch perfection, get messy, and play with no rules. Roben-Marie’s teaching style is friendly and easy going with a focus on having fun and playing with supplies in non-traditional ways. Join Roben-Marie in a lovely historic inn located in The Connecticut River Valley for an inspiring and joyful workshop designed to help you with creative play, building up a stash of amazing art papers, and exploring the mixing of different mediums and journal making. Paper and Book Artistry is more than creative time…it’s time brimming with togetherness and friendship.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Roben Marie Smith
Cost: $975 + Materials fee & CT Sales Tax
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Jodi Ohl, the artist and author of “Abstracts in Acrylic and Ink,” will guide you through a variety of inspiring chats, comprehensive demonstrations, and provide personal guidance daily as you immerse yourself in the creative process of abstract painting with elements of collage and mixed media. Students who have a desire to find their own personal voice and style, will find many opportunities to flourish in this robust workshop. Students can expect to work on multiple pieces on both paper and canvas (or hardboard) as they learn to build stronger compositions and incorporate design principles.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Jodi Ohl
Cost: $1144 + Materials fee
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389