Cultivating Creativity: Paris
When: Paris 2026, April 21-27th
Where: Our hotel is located in the beautiful Latin Quarter
Who: 12 Attendees, 2 hosts
Highlights: Champagne toast atop the Eiffel Tower, 3 Artist-Led Workshops such as Oil Pastel and Watercolor, Private Tour of Monet’s Gardens, Visits through the Louvre and L'Orangerie, Art History Walking Tours of Norte Dame, Saint-Chapelle, and other Parisian Highlights, Croissant Making Class at a world-famous Bakery, and more!
Why: To embrace our inner child’s curiosity and explore this cultural center with moments of intense awe, joy, and communal excitement!
Investment: 3,600??? with a deposit of 500 USD, the rest paid in monthly installments until the trip commences
Scroll on for trip details-
Exploring a Cultural Center:
Our 2026 Cultivating Creativity retreat takes place in the location of every artists’ dream: Paris. Paris has always been a magnet for dreamers, rule-breakers, and creative revolutionaries. For centuries, it’s been the ultimate playground for artists, writers, and free spirits who dared to push boundaries. From the Impressionist brushstrokes of Monet to the bold experiments of Picasso and Dalí, the city has birthed some of the world’s most groundbreaking artistic movements. Montmartre and Montparnasse were once buzzing with poets, painters, and philosophers, swapping radical ideas over endless café conversations at Le Chat Noir and Les Deux Magots. And let’s not forget the legendary museums—The Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Centre Pompidou—housing masterpieces that have shaped art history. Beyond the canvas, Paris has also been a literary and philosophical powerhouse, inspiring greats like Hemingway, Sartre, and Gertrude Stein. With its intoxicating blend of history, culture, and creative energy, Paris isn’t just a city—it’s a living, breathing muse. We will be packing up our inner childlike curiosities and exploring this ever-inspiring city together as a community!
Everyone Is Creative:
The entire point of our Cultivating Creativity retreats is to break the barriers when it comes to artistic gatekeeping. Often, people perceive creativity as solely confined to artistic pursuits like painting, writing, or music. However, creativity extends far beyond these traditional forms; it manifests in problem-solving, innovation, decision-making, and everyday tasks. Engaging in artistic endeavors isn't just for the naturally gifted; it's a means for everyone to tap into their innate creativity. Exploring artistic activities, whether it's painting, sculpting, dancing, or even cooking, can significantly benefit mental health and foster neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections.
Creativity Is Vital For Our Health:
Time for creative play offers a powerful outlet for self-expression. It provides a safe space to channel emotions, thoughts, and experiences into something tangible. This act of creation serves as a form of therapy, allowing individuals to process complex feelings, reduce stress, and manage anxiety or depression. Artistic expression empowers individuals to communicate and understand themselves on a deeper level, promoting self-awareness and emotional well-being.
Engaging in creative activities encourages a state of mindfulness and flow—a sense of being fully immersed and absorbed in the present moment. It pulls us away from the hustle and stress of everyday life. This absorption helps in calming the mind, reducing the constant chatter of worries, and promoting relaxation. The meditative nature of artistic endeavors contributes to stress reduction and an overall improvement in mental clarity and focus.
From a neurological perspective, trying new artistic activities stimulates various regions of the brain, fostering neuroplasticity. When individuals step out of their comfort zones and try novel artistic pursuits, they challenge their brain to form new connections and pathways. Over time, this can enhance cognitive abilities, memory, and problem-solving skills, contributing to overall brain health and resilience.
Community In Creativity:
Community is vital for the arts: whether you consider yourself an artist or is someone picking up a paintbrush for the first time. It drives a sense of safety in exploration: something that is not fostered to us as adults in society. The thrill of trying something unfamiliar in the company of others creates a dynamic atmosphere full with excitement and camaraderie. When delving into new artistic activities as a group, there's an air of shared discovery and adventure. The collective enthusiasm fuels the creative energy, inspiring everyone to step outside their comfort zones and embrace the unknown… without fear of perceived judgment. Each individual's unique perspective and style contribute to the collective pool of creativity, generating a diverse range of ideas and interpretations, and is ultimately what makes the group so special. The combination of shared enthusiasm, collaborative spirit, and supportive environment makes the experience not just fun but also deeply rewarding and inspiring for all involved.
Paris as a container for curiosity:
Paris is the ideal place for artistic immersion and beauty. During our stay, we will be experiencing some of the world’s most inspiring museums, streets and architecture— while also utilizing our brain-body connection through hands-on workshops. This retreat will be the perfect balance of exploration, observation, and hands-on learning! We will be wandering the streets filled with floral markets, museums and color… while also stopping to observe, sketch, and take it all in.
To kick off the retreat on a high note, we'll begin with a glass of champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower, witnessing the panoramic views of Paris while getting to know one another. One of the highlighted features of our artistic exploration is a private tour of Monet’s Gardens at Giverny. Here we get to experience the same serene paths that inspired some of the world’s most beloved works of art… which we will later see first-hand when visiting L'Orangerie to visit with the most iconic version of Monet’s water lily series. During this tour, we’ll be leading you through an introductory workshop to oil pastels, where you can play and sketch in this historic and picturesque location.
Wandering through the streets of Paris, there is and endless creative romance between the cafes, flower markets, and bookstores— we’ll have no problem enjoying guided art history and architecture walks as we move from location to location each day!
The Notre Dame Cathedral is a living testament to the power of art and architecture, with its stunning stained-glass windows depicting stories in rich hues of blue, red, and gold. While much of the cathedral was damaged by fire, much of the Cathedral has been transformed. We cannot wait to witness the work of Claire Tabouret— a French artist residing in Los Angeles— who was selected to design new stained-glass windows for the Cathedral. Not far from there, the delicate arches of Saint-Chapelle reveal a breathtaking display of stained glass, pulling you in to the world of classical Gothic architecture.
A visit to the Louvre Museum is a must for anyone exploring Paris’s art scene, and it’s on the top of our list! A cultural icon in itself, the glass pyramid at the entrance leads you into one of the world’s most renowned museums. Spending the day, we’ll explore iconic works like Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the inspiring Winged Victory of Samothrace— each piece offering its own story for us to identify and relate to.
Our Stay in the Latin Quarter:
Our home-away-from-home for the week is in the Latin Quarter of the city, an ideal place to stay for art, culture, and accessibility. Our stay here offers a rich artistic and literary history alongside a vibrant contemporary scene. Home to legendary thinkers like Hemingway and Picasso, its charming streets are lined with independent bookshops, art galleries, and historic cafés bustling with creative energy. The neighborhood provides easy access to world-renowned museums like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, as well as cultural landmarks such as the Pantheon and Notre-Dame. With its lively café culture, jazz clubs, and the picturesque Jardin du Luxembourg, inspiration is everywhere. Centrally located, the Latin Quarter is also well-connected via metro and within walking distance of the Seine, making it effortless to explore the city while staying immersed in an atmosphere of artistic history and bohemian charm.
Drawing and Painting Workshops:
with Professionals Artists Sam Rueter and Bri Wenke
to learn more about your hosts, click here: “Charleston-based visual artists Bri Wenke and Sam Rueter have collaborated many times over the last five years of their friendship – from putting on large-scale, immersive art installations to live-painting nude models at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Wenke’s works use thick layers of paint in bold reds, blacks and blues, as her expressive figures gaze brazenly back at the viewer, or, in some cases, unravel from a human form into thick globs of paint. Meanwhile Rueter, who also has a popular substack account where she writes on the themes of her work, delves into figurative storytelling with multiple-figural scenes in drippy washes of neon color. In her artist statement, Rueter writes, “ [making] figurative work as a woman is about taking back the power of the female form.”
Bri has been leading art workshops for 10+ years in Charleston, South Carolina as a self-taught artist who focuses on portraiture and impasto-based paintings. Sam received a degree in art education and has also been leading workshops, classes and curriculum for over a decade. Both artists share a studio space, where they work as full-time, gallery represented artists in Charleston.
Introduction to Oil Pastels at Monet’s Garden Private Tour: After exploring Claude Monet’s legendary gardens, we will work as a group to play within the expressive nature of oil pastels and sketching. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the vibrant landscapes that inspired the Impressionist master, using oil pastels to capture the rich textures and luminous hues of Giverny. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this session will guide you through blending techniques, layering, and mark-making to create dynamic, light-filled compositions. Surrounded by blooming water lilies, wisteria-covered bridges, and golden fields, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of color and movement—and your own Impressionist-inspired artwork.
Introduction to Watercolor Sketching and Mixed Medium: We’ll wander through Paris together and learn how to quickly capture its essence— from the cafe on the corner to a famous sculpture or a beautiful cathedral. This workshop invites you to observe and capture the ever-changing light, reflections, and lush landscapes with quick, expressive brushstrokes. You’ll explore fundamental watercolor techniques such as washes, layering, and wet-on-wet blending, all while sketching directly from life. Whether you're new to watercolors or looking to refine your skills, this immersive experience will help you develop a fluid, spontaneous approach to painting—leaving you with a travel-friendly practice and your own impressionistic sketches throughout the trip!
Croissant-Making Workshop
Did you know that the croissant, France’s most beloved pastry, actually traces its origins to Eastern Europe? Originally from Vienna, this crescent-shaped delight symbolized Austria’s victory over the Ottomans before evolving into the buttery, flaky masterpiece we adore today.
We’ll be stepping fully into the heart of Paris in the time-honored craft of French viennoiserie during this exclusive 2.5-hour croissant-making workshop at one of the city's most renowned bakeries. Under the guidance of expert bakers, you’ll learn the secrets behind perfectly laminated dough, master the delicate layering of butter, and shape classic croissants, pain au chocolat, and pain aux raisins like a true artisan. From rolling and folding to proofing and baking, experience the magic of traditional French pastry-making in an authentic setting. And the best part? You’ll leave not only with your own freshly baked creations but also with a detailed recipe to recreate these amazing pastries back home in your own kitchen! We cannot wait for such an exciting hands-on experience steeped in tradition, craftsmanship, and the irresistible deliciousness of baking. This exploration is truly what these retreats are all about!
Monet’s Garden and Art History Tours
This private tour offers an immersive journey into the world of Claude Monet, the father of Impressionism, by leading us to his home and gardens in Giverny, just a short 50-minute drive from Paris. The experience begins near the Arc de Triomphe, where guests board a luxury van and travel through the scenic French countryside, passing the Seine River and picturesque villages along the way. Upon arrival, we’ll explore Monet’s beautifully preserved home, where he lived and painted for over 40 years. The house is a vibrant reflection of his artistic vision, featuring a bright yellow dining room, a blue-and-white tiled kitchen, and walls adorned with artwork, including pieces gifted to him by famous artist friends such as Renoir.
Beyond the house, we’ll stroll through Monet’s two breathtaking gardens. The Clos Normand flower garden bursts with color year-round, featuring over 100 varieties of flowers carefully arranged like a living painting. The water garden, home to the iconic lily pond, weeping willows, and bamboo grove, transports visitors into the very scenes Monet captured in over 250 of his paintings. A highlight of the tour is seeing the famous green Japanese bridge, one of the most recognizable motifs in Impressionist art. During our free time to wander through the gardens, sit by the pond, and admire the ever-changing play of light on the water lilies— we’ll dive into our oil pastel’s workshop— allowing us to capture the light in real time, just as Monet did.
The tour concludes with a visit to Monet’s final resting place in a quaint churchyard, offering a moment to reflect on his legacy and the beauty he left behind.
What’s Included:
Immersion in the endless beauty of Paris and its offerings will provide endless artistic inspiration and work to fill our creative well. During this time, we will be diving into the exploration of various artistic mediums inspired by Monet and various Impressionist techniques, alongside collaboration and creative expression through individual and group artworks that reflect the historical Parisian essence. This retreat integrates hands-on painting, sketching and even baking— allowing participants to delve directly into their own intrinsic need to make, while connecting with nature, architecture, and even one another.
6 Days, 5 nights at the luxury
Daily Breakfast
Attendee Swag Bag and Workbook
Hotel amenities such as pool, rooftop bar, workout center
2 Workshops led by Professional Working Artists
Introduction to Oil Pastel Workshop at Monet’s infamous Gardens
Introduction to Watercolor and Pen Mixed Media Workshop
Entrance to the Louvre Museum
Entrance to L'Orangerie to witness Monet’s Water Lily Room
Guided private group tour of Monet’s Garden’s outside of Paris, with shuttle included
Croissant Making class at the infamous
All materials needed for art workshops: oil pastels, paper, pens, paint, sketchpads, etc.
Transportation of Metro Tickets
Eiffel Tower Tour Welcome with Champagne Toast!
Guided Walking Tours to All Locations
Guided Art History Tours by your Hosts!
Ready to invest in yourself? Apply now:
Spaces expected to go quickly! Total Cost: USD
a 500 dollar deposit is required to secure your space! after that, a payment plan will be issued until the month before the trip! x
