I have been getting a lot of questions about my painting retreat in France, so I thought it would be helpful to share a bit about my first art retreat experience.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I’m hosting a retreat with travel company UpTrek in the Loire Valley, France in May 2025. It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. There are only three spots left.
Together, we’ll spend eight luxurious days, letting go of perfectionism, building friendships, and developing style in a gorgeous landscape.
When I went on my first art retreat in 2011, I didn’t realize how important it was to meet creative friends in person. I had been connecting with many amazing women online, but as soon as I saw their faces, it felt like family! I couldn’t wait to hug them all.
It wasn’t just the amazing conversations we had (though we did, of course), but the in-person connection that filled a gap in my heart.
I had met two women online who both lived in the UK. They were going to a retreat in California, and one had a space in her room ❤️
I was so nervous about sharing a room, a bathroom, and traveling with people I’d never met. But we hardly spent any time in our rooms. We built the best friendships in the studio, painting and talking together, taking walks, and connecting. That was the most amazing part for me! It was so sweet to finally sit and enjoy a glass of wine with everyone.
Now, I’m incredibly thankful I allowed myself to step out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in something new. It’s phenomenal to let that part of yourself shine.
I thought you might enjoy hearing more of my story… watch this video below.
At the time, I was just beginning to share my paintings with the world. I had opened my Etsy shop, with only four sales (just one from someone I didn’t know). I was also making cards from a few of my paintings and feeling stressed about whether anyone would notice my art.
My motivation to attend that first retreat was to meet a like-minded group of creatives and to learn new painting techniques.
I didn’t expect to form friendships that continued long after the retreat, leading to even more amazing opportunities and experiences.
I want you to feel all of that magic too… in FRANCE! ❤️
1-1 Painting Time With Me
Whether you’re new to painting or an experienced artist, I will nurture your creativity with gentle guidance, supportive community, and plenty of one-on-one feedback.
I will show you how I overcome my inner critic and paint with freedom. This way, you can fully immerse yourself in this colorful landscape and nourish your creative spirit.
Paint + Play
We will focus on color and techniques for loosening up and developing your style, particularly in painting women and animals.
Over the week-long art retreat, I’ll guide you through my painting process from start to finish: beginning with covering the white space, layering color, and fingerpainting. Then we’ll add faces and figures, loosen up in our sketchbooks, and draw inspiration from our beautiful surroundings, memories, and imaginations.
New Connections + New Friendships
We’ll have so much fun painting together in this gorgeous landscape, creating paintings full of color and joy.
I find that sketching during downtime or while hanging out with friends leads to amazing connections and conversations, which deeply inspires my mixed media paintings.
Our Gorgeous Chateau + Color Inspirations
We’ll be staying at our very own private chateau in the Loire Valley, France, painting in blooming gardens under shaded pergolas, and in our gorgeous light-filled art studio (and around the heated pool).
Let the colors, garden blooms, and expansive skies move you while we paint. We will let go of the outcome, soak everything in, and have an amazing time.
Our Private Chef + Wine Tasting
We’ll enjoy chef-prepared cuisine every day and have our own wine-tasting event with a local sommelier.
Together, we’ll create lasting friendships, have fun, and find inspiration in this beautiful part of the world.
Day Trips
As you saw in my sketchbook tour last week, I love layering water-soluble pencil with watercolors in my sketchbook. It helps me relax and play. So we’ll take our supplies with us on two art trips.
We’ll visit local French villages, castles, gardens, and experience all the beautiful charm of France to spark our creativity.
ALL skill levels are welcome!
If you’d like to soak up this inspiration, culture and beauty, come spend the week with me.
I hope to see you in France next year for a magical experience ❤️ Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far; I can’t wait to paint together! Reach out to me with any questions 😊
xo Juliette
Ps If this sounds fun but you can’t make it to France, I’m also teaching my process at an upcoming in person retreat in Wisconsin.