This is a feel-good, soul-nourishing creative retreat designed to remind you how fun making art can be. It’s about experimenting, getting a little messy, trying new things, and letting joy lead the way. Whether you’re a lifelong artist or someone who just needs a creative reset, you’ll be welcomed exactly as you are — no pressure, no perfection, just encouragement and good vibes. You’ll make your own sketchbooks and fill them with drawings using pencils, pens, markers, and Posca paint pens. We’ll paint with watercolor and acrylics, layering color, and texture, and learning how to let pieces evolve naturally instead of overthinking them. We’ll also get hands-on with sculptural projects —to create tactile, one-of-a-kind pieces that feel earthy, expressive, and totally you.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Allison Luci
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Join artist Kim Smith for a joyful week of creativity, where participants will explore the beauty of floral painting. Using photos as inspiration, Kim will guide the group in creating expressive oil paintings that capture the freshness and spontaneity of flowers. Throughout the retreat, Kim will demonstrate essential skills such as underpainting, working with transparent vs. opaque colors, building a strong palette, and color mixing techniques. Her teaching style encourages freedom, confidence, and play — reminding students that painting should always be fun. No prior experience is needed, and participants will be supported every step of the way in a relaxed, encouraging environment. Open to ages 18+.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Kim Myers Smith
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Step into a world of layered color, texture, and playful discovery as we explore florals through watercolor and mixed media. In this series of sessions, we’ll combine soft watercolor techniques with vintage papers, collage elements, fibers, stitching, and a touch of sparkle to create expressive floral art with a story of its own. You’ll learn how to paint loose, lovely florals and then transform them into meaningful pieces. Each day builds gently on the last, offering new techniques, tools, and unexpected “found” materials to inspire your artistic voice. Whether you’re an experienced artist or brand new to mixed media, you’ll leave with a beautiful collection of floral creations and a toolbox of techniques you can carry into your own art practice.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Pam Coxwell
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

An immersive experience creating a collection of abstract paintings! Take a deep dive into 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 while learning the fundamentals of painting with acrylics (and mixed media) in an abstract manner, will find many opportunities to flourish in this robust workshop. Jodi Ohl will guide students through a variety of inspiring chats, comprehensive demonstrations, and provide personal guidance daily. Students can expect to work on multiple pieces on both paper and canvas (or hardboard) to develop their own personal style and build on their body of existing work.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Jodi Ohl
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Come make art you wear! This retreat is an invitation to turn everyday clothing into living, breathing art. We’ll experiment boldly and play freely…stamping patterns, painting with bleach, drawing directly onto fabric with markers, and layering in meaning with patches. We’ll sculpt small clay pins, transform shoes into statement pieces, and explore how texture, mark-making, and creativity can express your personality. You’ll create a collection of wearable works. No single piece stands alone…each becomes part of a story you’re telling through what you wear. We’ll close the retreat with a joyful runway show, where your creations and you get to shine! No fashion experience required…just curiosity, courage, and a willingness to let your inner artist come out and play!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Lori Siebert
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

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. I’ll guide you through each step of the process. On our last day, we’ll put the finishing touches on our artwork and share our completed pieces with the group.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Diane Kappa
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Unleash your creativity in this Mixed Media Printing class, where you'll explore the vibrant world of gel plate printing! This class promises a joyful journey of discovery for artists of all levels. Join us as we dive into the fascinating process of printing without a press, utilizing a variety of plates and materials. Experience the thrill of layering with stencils, tissue paper, and embellishments. Throughout the course, you'll compile your creations into a beautiful book, serving as both a personal showcase and a valuable reference of techniques. Let your imagination soar in an inspiring and supportive environment, where there are no limits. Come and experience the joy of mixed media printing—your artistic adventure awaits!
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Sharon Collins
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Set on several peaceful acres at the historic Connecticut River Valley Inn in the charming town of Glastonbury, this intimate five-day retreat invites you into a slower, more intentional creative experience—one that reconnects you with play, creative wellness, and the leadership that emerges when you feel truly aligned. Hosted exclusively by Dionne Woods, this refined gathering is designed for women who already create, already lead in some way, and feel a quiet inner shift calling them toward deeper alignment—artistically, personally, and professionally. This is not a retreat about pushing harder or producing more. It is about leading with intention—by reconnecting to joy, curiosity, and the inner creative child who knows how to play.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Dionne Woods
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Who is this workshop for? If you are a beginner, you’ll be given the opportunity to learn composition, color mixing, mark making and more, all in a welcoming environment. If you are an advanced artist, Jodie will help you create your most honest work through understanding the personal energy you bring to your art, embracing your personal mark making and how you choose color combinations in a more intuitive way. Either way, this workshop will help you and your art advance to a new level in a judgement-free, joy-filled zone.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Jodie King
Cost: $3,300
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Michael is often called a “sunny watercolorist” – his airy, transparent artworks look as though they emit the sunlight. One of the most difficult and interesting tasks in watercolour is transferring moving figures onto paper. Using a combination of different techniques, we will learn to convey not only the movement, but also the emotional component of the dance. Even when working in several layers, we will keep the freshness and transparency of the watercolour.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Michael Solovyev
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389

Learn to paint looser and more confidently during this four-day workshop with artist Sarah Sedwick. Take a step-by-step approach to alla prima oil painting, from black-and-white studies to brilliant color. Build a beautiful composition with life and movement, and get a new perspective on the still life. Instead of struggling with overworking your paintings, practice stopping sooner to keep the freshness you crave in your work! Explore how limitations can set you free, creating a painting in 20 brushstrokes, and another in 20 minutes. Learn the fundamentals of good design, and walk step-by-step through Sarah’s process, creating a dynamic still life from start to finish! Oils and acrylics are welcome - particularly Open acrylics, that stay wet longer.
 
Location: Glastonbury, Connecticut
Instructor: Sarah Sedwick
Cost: $1,596
Sponsor: Artists Rising Creativity Retreats
Website, email, 860-781-4389