Cañon del Rio Drawing Retreat - May 22 - 28, 2025
This is an immersive drawing retreat for artists keen to experiment with mark and image, create with natural materials, and connect to the experience of drawing within the stunning landscape around Jemez Springs, NM. The retreat creates the mental space to sit, sense, and create with river, stones, and sky, find good ground, and come away with a body of original artwork directly inspired by place.
The residential retreat takes up drawing in an expanded, embodied sense - some may be compelled by the shape and color of the cliffs, while others draw the sound of wind, flow of the river, or simply feel what it's like to collect and grind clay into powder pigment to draw the red line of the mesa.
Lodging is at the warm and wonderful Cañon del Rio Inn and Spa outside the village of Jemez Springs. All rooms are single-occupancy. The retreat is designed for six participants, and we have the entire property to ourselves. Walking trails go right out the back door and along the Jemez River.
We go together into the field in the mornings for inspiration, walking the red rock canyons, ancient volcanic caldera, the nearby ruins. In the afternoons, I do natural material demos and tutorials and we have one-on-one talks about any aspect of drawing you want to explore. It's a time to work independently, wander the trails, read, and restore. There is an open buffet of art supplies and many ways to put them in action, plus a library of books on everything from geology to color theory to regional history. Group conversations come as way to pause and reflect at the end of the day, as we enjoy a healthy, delicious chef-prepared dinner under the stars.
Application is required; an application does not guarantee acceptance.
Workshop Cost
The cost is $3450 for six nights, inclusive of tuition, private lodging at Cañon del Rio Inn and Spa, chef-prepared meals, art supplies, and guided field excursions. Taxes are included in the price.
Participants are responsible for getting to and from Jemez Springs (an hour north of Albuquerque) and purchasing trip insurance.
Please see the Policies Page for additional important information.
How to Apply
Here is the link to the application form. There is no cost to apply. Application does not guarantee acceptance.
Please contact me directly if you are interested in talking more about the retreat - I'm happy to have a phone call or Zoom to discuss if it may be a good fit for your practice and interests.