creative retreats
for artists, writers, & crafters
to recover and reconnect
with their personal practice
1-on-1 support
FOR YOUR ART OR CRAFT
provided 100% online
Our meetings and contact hours will take place via Zoom and Signal.
That allows you to access this work from anywhere in the world.
“Mel's Persistent Bloom retreat reminded me why I make the art that I make!
Mel created well thought-out activities that pushed me to dive deeper into questions and thoughts I was having. I was able to document what I did during the day and I now have a visual reminder of my retreat that I can always look back on and that can inform my art practice going forward!”
- Tauby M. (they/them) 2024 Retreat Client
start making art again
or finally get started
Feeling like you’re stagnating creatively as a human is awful. I’ve been there! Blocked and frustrated, but I know the paths out.
By being both your adventure planner and retreat designer I will:
build you helpful assignments based on your creative struggles and skill gaps
scout locations like campsites, cabins, or cozy stays for time away or hiking and art making spots close to home for a weekend stay-cation.
design packing lists for your trip to make planning simple
guide you towards immersion in nature to awaken your creative intuition.
ai-free guarantee
at no point during your sessions with me will I be utilizing any form of generative AI. Human creativity is too precious to offload to a chat bot. Everything I create for you will be crafted through my 14 years of teaching expertise with your human experience in mind.
in this era of ai, your
Human creativity
matters now more than ever.
I can’t wait to meet you. I’d love to chat and answer all your questions on a Zoom Call.
No pressure to book, no weird sales tactics. I just want to see if a retreat is right for you or your group.
ok but, what are the
vibes of our first call?
In this short vid, you’ll hear me explain what you expect in your first meeting with me. It’s a great way to get a sense of my personality as a retreat guide!
the custom retreat process
goes like this:
STEP 1: we meet virtually & chat about your creative goals, budget, travel, and time preferences.
STEP 2: i’ll scout retreat locations for you and build your lesson plan based on your unique needs, goals and abilities.
STEP 3: we meet once more to review your plan, locale, and schedule live 1-on-1 support sessions.
STEP 4: you go on your art adventure!
STEP 5: a final zoom room to help you integrate what you uncovered back into your everyday life so that you can persistently bloom.
"Mel is a fantastic guide to help handle the ups and downs of creativity. The retreat plan Mel came up with for me was well thought out and had good hiking suggestions and activities, and they made adjustments based on my stamina.
As someone getting into tarot and astrology, I appreciate that they incorporated these concepts into the prompts as well. I started to do other creative things around the same time as my hiking retreat, and I believe the emotional safety I received from them really helped me release the heaviness I felt around my identity as an artist. Thank you, Mel!"
Kellie L. (she/her)- single day/weekend retreat participant
ALL of the retreat offers include:
a custom-to-you lesson plan with 4 or more hours of structured activities
location scouting and camp packing assistance
craft tutoring session or private co-working session
wrap up consult to integrate your retreat lessons back into daily life
Interested in splitting the cost of a creative retreat with a friend or group?email me! let’s make it happen.
Click on each retreat type to see more details on each experience, what it includes, and which one is the best for your practice!
retreat options
FAQs
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Currently, Yes. All of the aspects of the retreat that involve contact time with me will happen through a scheduled call via Zoom and chatting via the secure texting app Signal.
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This is up to you! It will take me about 1 week from our initial session to plan your schedule. You can schedule out sessions over the course of several weeks and schedule each follow up to work with your goals.
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No, you don’t have to.
I want to recommend some form of adventure and nature time in your retreat, but know that everyone has different levels of access to open space and financial flexibility to travel.
Together, we will find a system that works for you and your life that connects you to nature as much as possible.
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No. I am providing you with guidance and clarity, and can make suggestions for pretty much any budget.
I am quite a dirtbag adventurer myself, camping in my car, for free on forest service roads so I know how to help you find low-cost nature-focused options when we create your retreat.
-
Because these retreats are custom, they can happen from home, a campsite or a stay away.
If you do your retreat at home, it can be incredibly low-cost and most participants only spend on supplies and small adventures (around $75-$100 USD)
If you want to explore campsites, I will help you scout and prepare! This is my favorite way to travel affordably. Campsites cost between $10-$60 USD and food costs depend on your stay but range from $50-90 per person for a long weekend.
Renting a cabin or hotel is the most expensive, but most comfortable option. Expect to pay between $200-$400 for a weekend.
If cost is an issue for you, please reach out via email! I’d love to build something custom for you and a friend or two to split costs and keep things affordable.
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NO! I am not, in any way a mental health professional. Simply an art educator with a unique process and a quilt of neurodivergence.
The goal of these retreats is to carve out time for your creativity and unique art.
Working with a licensed clinical therapist is so valuable and incredibly important if you are struggling with any mental health condition.
-
Nah dude, the first session to meet with me is totally free. If we don’t click I won’t advise you to book.
I work super hard to make these customized retreats an enjoyable and enriching experience but know my teaching style is unique and might not work for everyone.
your retreat will feel a lot like
these two videos
in the past, I have
helped retreat clients:
Turn car camping trips into intensive studio time to draw from nature as a muse and develop their voice
Create systems for organizing their studio to meet their work and life obligations
Deepen understanding of the roots of their inspiration and research to drive their desire to persist in creating.
Overcome stagnation in their art caused by bad advice and pressure from art school
Understand how to apply skills like color theory to fiber-based practices like embroidery & quilting
Develop analog paper methods for their creativity to track progress andget them away from clutter and into creation
group
retreat
experiences
The first ever in-person group retreat is in planning phases currently for late 2026 or early 2027.
Want to be the first to know and go? Join the waitlist.
look, i’ve quit
making art
multiple times
Even though I’ve been teaching art since 2012, I have abandoned my own art practice for more “practical pursuits” or conformed what I was making to fit the mould of my mentors.
My adventure back to making art started in 2021 on the trail, out in nature and those experiences have helped me combat the goblins in my head keeping me from my authentic artistic voice.
I believe that creativity helps us connect to our intution and our own sense of self. That is why it is so essential to keep connecting to these practices in uncertain times.
I will be guiding you back to your most creative self, not based on theories, but real lived experience. I can’t wait to see you bloom.
imagine yourself
in the woods
You’ve checked into your campsite or cabin with your retreat plan in hand. You finally have time and space blocked out, ready to create with your favorite materials at hand.
The exercises and prompts on your schedule are tailored exactly to you and your unique brain and body. This is your retreat.
You finally have the time and the space where you can let nature become your muse, where you can disconnect from scrolling, tech tools, and usual responsibilities to finally hear yourself think.
The birdsong is the loudest thing you hear, followed by the creek and rustling leaves of trees. It’s time to brew yourself some tea.
