Art & Adventure Retreats
2027
Cornwall, Scotland, maine, New Mexico
In addition to the beauty of walking the Cornwall Coastal Path, and the joy of painting cliffs and sheep, I especially appreciate Alyssa's attention to detail and scouting out special places of wonder and beauty. Her advance work allows me to step into the experience freely--all senses engaged. Now to register for her next adventure!
— Penny Thomas, Concord, NH
2027 Trips
ART & ADVENTURE RETREAT
CORNWALL, UK
April 24 - May 1, 2027
Join me for an amazing week exploring the magical and unabashedly stunning world of the North Coast of Cornwall, UK! I will be your personal guide to not only my favorite place in the world, but the place that brings me such peace and serenity through the unparalleled natural beauty and joyful people. Based outside the historical village of Tingatel steeped in Arthurian legend and its famed castle, our coastal house is perfectly situated to capture views of the Celtic sea, the Southwest Coastal Path, stonewalls and pastures spotted with Cornish cattle, walking distance to Trebarwith Strand Beach, and a local pub (of course!) Along the way, I will share this special culture and scenery of Cornwall which became my second home during the three years I lived in England. as your personal guide, friend, and teaching artist! We will explore the dramatic cliffscapes, craggy coves, dramafilled skies, smashing white-tipped surf as this sand, sea, and shore inspires us to create art and immerse ourselves in the Cornish way of life!
This trip is all about relaxing, recharging, and refilling your cup from the stresses of everyday life. We will explore new places and untap your creative side through easy sketchbook drawing, painting, & journaling to be present and capture the moment! At the end of a day of exploring the coast we will enjoy collaborative art making our coast side home, work with Chris in the kitchen, recap our adventures, or go for a sunset walk overlooking the sea. I hope this trip will be the perfect balance of sightseeing, immersing in the local culture, and connecting to find new life-long friends, all sprinkled with some creative art making that is accessible to even the most beginner of our group to seasoned artists looking for new ideas, methods, and inspiration– this trip is for everyone!
Highlights of Our 7 Days:
Stay in our beautiful 6 bedroom/5 bathroom Cornish coastal house with sweeping views of the Celtic Sea, cliffs, and walking distance to the Southwest Coastal Path, Trebarwith Strand Beach, and grazing cows!
See and experience the beautiful and dramatic landscape of the north coast of Cornwall, its rich history, and welcoming people! –
Explore the stunning Cornish coast on foot and by car as we see the highlights of this very special part of the British Isles:
Visit Crackenhaven, Tingatel and Castle, Bostcastle Village and Harbor, Trebarwith Strand, Lanhydrock National Trust Manor House and Gardens, Port Isaac Village (famous for the show Doc Martin), Cornish Stone Circles, St. Agnes and Chapel Porth Beach and Mines (famous from the filming of Poldark), St Ives, and more!
Dine on local specialties, visit local pubs, and be wined and dined by our own chef Chris at our coastal cliffside house after a long day or exploring the countryside and villages!
Learn how to use your sketchbook to “capture the moment” through drawing, paint, and words. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned artist, this workshop is meant for you to learn, grow and be inspired!
Most of all, we will enjoy, savor, and relax in this beautiful place with a new group of friends and artists!
ART & ADVENTURE RETREAT
SCOTLAND
THE HIGHLANDS & ISLE OF SKYE
This trip is fully booked - contact Alyssa to join the waitlist
JUNE 19-26 & 26-30, 2027
From selkies to sea monsters, across moors and mountains, the Scottish Highlands is a magical land steeped in history and ruggedly majestic. Join me for a trip like no other as we explore, capture, and surround ourselves with the people and place that still feels of another time. Epic vistas as far as the eye can see, rugged shore lines, and castle ruins await us as we see them through an artist’s eye of color, composition, movement and mood. We will weave together exploration of one of the most beautiful stretches of land on the earth with learning to capture the essence of the landscape through sketchbooks, paintings, cameras, and words!
Based in a grand and sprawling 18th century Scottish manor house in Muir of Ord, 30 minutes outside of Inverness. with plenty of space to spread out, relax, and create! From here we have easy access to the best of the highlands with excursions to lochs, castles, villages, waterfalls, scenic views and more. My beloved brother and restauranteur, Chris is back to feed us well both at home, as a picnic lunch, or by choosing just the right local pub or café for us to try! From the moment you step off the plane, you are in our capable hands so you can focus on the experience and not stress about the details! As we spin together the stories of the past, the cultural pride, and the breathtaking landscape, your creative juices will be flowing with ways to capture this place via drawing, painting, photography, and more! Add to that the amazing friendships to be made as we arrive as strangers and depart as a family with shared experiences of a lifetime!
This retreat is open to all artistic ability levels from adventurous beginner to seasoned artists! Throughout the week you will have instruction in drawing, the importance of the artist sketchbook, watercolor, acrylic and/or oil painting, and pastel. All materials and equipment is provided!
Highlights of Our 7 Days:
Stay in our beautiful 8 bedroom/8 bathroom 18th century Scottish manor house on a wooded estate just 30 minutes from Inverness and with easy access to the best of the Scottish Highlands
See and experience the beautiful and colorful scenery of this dramatic landscape – skies, mountains, lochs, castles, cliffs, sea, and Highland cattle of course! Throughout our week of exploring by foot and day trip throughout the highlands from mountains and rivers to charming villages from which we will be inspired and capture the beauty of this place through photos, in sketchbooks, plein air painting in watercolor, acrylic/oil, and pastel. We will also immerse ourselves in the welcoming culture of Scottish life: music, pubs, food, and people!
Visit Inverness, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Glencoe, Eilean Donan Castle, Glenfinnan and more as each road leads to epic views, secluded waterfalls, rambling villages, and catlle and sheep for us to discover along the way.
As we wander we will dine on local specialties from amazing local seafood, charming pubs, perhaps a whiskey tasting, and haggis if you are brave enough! After a long day of walks, art, and exploring, a good glass of wine, pint or a cocktail awaits as we watch sunset or gather around the fireplace to warm up after a rain shower. At home, we will be treated with the wonderful culinary creations of our own chef and renowned restauranteur, Chris Goss, as he treats us to his interpretations of cuisine with local fresh ingredients including breakfast, picnic lunches, and cozy dinners!
Learn how to use your sketchbook to “capture the moment” through drawing, paint, and words. Create a precious memory book to which no series of photographs can capture alone embedding your memories, experiences, and all the sights, sounds, and scents of the hills, cliffs, and sea! Join in to group artmaking events where we wine, dine, and create together and enjoying the relaxing process of making art together!
Most of all, we will enjoy, savor, and relax in this beautiful place with a new group of friends and artists!
4-Night/5-Day Extension: ISLE OF SKYE
Extend your trip for more intensive artmaking experience!
Sometimes seven days just is not enough, especially when you have just found your artistic groove… This 5-day extension is for a small group of participants to stay on for a more intensive painting experience! As we bid farewell to the rest of our group, we will head to the western outreaches of the Highlands to Isle of Skye! This raw and rugged Island is home to mesmerizing views and formations at every turn. From our island cottage with water views right outside our door and perhaps catch a visit by local seals and puffins, we will embark on daily painting sessions both outdoors as we explore (weather permitting) and from our cottage studio space. We will slow down to the rhythms of life on the isle as we are inspired by our images, sketches and memories of this special place and of course, raise a pint in the local pub!
Highlights of the Isle of Skye Trip Extension:
Explore the island’s rugged coast, dramatic cliffs, amazing and unique land formations including Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools, the Fairy Glen, Neist Point Lighthouse, Kit Rock and Wealt Falls, Dunvegan Castle, colorful Portree town, and more!
Have the opportunity to dig deeper into larger scale works, working both independently and with guidance from Alyssa. Evening critique sessions with the group over wine as we watch the sun set on the water from our deck overlooking the bay.