A Creativity Retreat for Women-Identified and Gender Non-Conforming Folks

🎨 Come connect with your "essensual" nature (essence, essential, sensual) through intuitive painting, and playful explorations of movement, breath, and sound. Enjoy delicious plant-based and gluten-free meals, gentle walks on the sacred land of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and view the magnificent stars from a hot tub under the dark night 🌿 🌌

🧑🏽‍🎨What is intuitive painting? In our painting, there is a lot of permission to explore and create. This is not a typical ‘art’ class in which you will learn techniques and methods of painting; instead you will be expertly guided to tap in and listen to your intuition and paint from your heart. We learn to pay attention to our own intuitive voice that is free from beliefs and concepts. In this way paintings happen spontaneously, unplanned and unexpected!

✨Absolute beginners and continuing painters welcome, no previous experience needed.

• June 12 - 15, 2025

Arrive Thursday 1pm, depart Sunday 3pm

• October 2 - 5, 2025

Arrive Thursday 1pm, depart Sunday 3pm

Wild Sage Studio

1405 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA

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$975 (all art materials and food provided)

$300 deposit to save your spot!

Early registration discount: $875 (if paid by May 30th, 2025 for June retreat, or September 25th for October retreat)

Sliding scale available on request.

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Onsite:

Camping: $15/night (bring your own gear)

Glamping: $45/night (tents supplied, sleeping gear needed)

Offsite:

Shared house for rent-inquire for more information

Sonoma County hosts- inquire for more information

Or stay at hotel lodging nearby (paid for separately) at "Fairfield Inn" by Marriott in Sebastopol. Call 1-888-236-2427 to make a reservation.

For locals: Join by day, sleep at home at night.

✨Retreat led by Claudia Erzinger, Alyssa Cox, and Maria Freebairn-Smith

Claudia Erzinger is a teacher and the Executive Director at the Center for Creative Exploration. She started painting there in 2000, with Barbara Kaufman, one of CCE’s founders (watch her video here), and began teaching the intuitive painting practice in 2006. Claudia has also studied with Michele Cassou (the originator of the Point Zero Method of painting). Claudia brings experience from many traditions and practices to her work with painters at CCE. In her 20s, she began formal training as a nurse and soon decided to specialize in hospice care, which she continues to this day. She has studied meditation, Buddhism, and Yoga. Claudia also engages in Soulwork—a form of inquiry rooted in deep listening and stillness, and the way of love—with Michael Regan.

Maria Freebairn-Smith is a teacher and Family Program Coordinator at the Center for Creative Exploration. She has been painting and teaching the intuitive painting process for over 30 years. She participated in the first teacher training for The Painting Experience, facilitated by Michele Cassou and Stewart Cubley. Along with Barbara Kaufman and others, Maria was one of CCE’s original founders. She also helped to establish the nonprofit Drawbridge: An Arts Program for Homeless Children, and The Open Circle Cooperative Preschool, both in San Francisco.

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Along with her process painting training, Maria holds a degree in Psychology from Barnard College, Columbia University, and has a graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice Practices. Other advanced trainings include Waldorf Early Childhood Education, Middendorf Breath experience, and Motion Improvisational Theater.

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When Maria began raising a family, she moved to Sonoma County. Focusing on education for children in her new community, she founded The Creative Parenting Center and helped establish Sunridge, a Waldorf-methods charter school. Returning to the CCE painting community, Maria brings a lifetime commitment to body, breath, and inquiry practices that ground her teaching in a broad transpersonal perspective.

Alyssa Cox is a certified natural foods chef who has been working professionally since 2003. She's super passionate about whole foods cooking and sharing her love of food with others. She's enjoyed working as a personal chef for families, teaching public and private cooking classes, and even working as the vegan chef for one of America's largest rock and roll tours! Passionate about singing as well, she often sings as she cooks, and creates songs about food and nature.

About us

Established in 1999, the painting studio is a lively place filled with light, color, and the warmth of a community sharing a space in which to explore the creative process. The Center for Creative Exploration is a nonprofit organization and values freedom of expression with brush in hand and beyond. We are committed to creating a sense of community in our painting studio where people feel comfortable to be themselves in whatever way they choose. We are committed to providing an affirming, welcoming, and accessible studio for all people through co-creation and open communication.

We offer weekly adult classes, community classes, workshops, retreats and kids/family classes. Check out our upcoming events here!

🖌️ For additional information on intuitive painting and our studio, please visit our website or email [email protected].

Host or Publisher The Center for Creative Exploration