Win a Puerto Rico Art Retreat
The Wild Canvas Retreat is a 7-day plein air painting retreat in Puerto Rico, led by instructor Craig Richards.
Enter our free Sketch Challenge for a chance to win a retreat scholarship - no experience required.
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Leave behind the noise and come where light becomes language.
In the shifting light of Puerto Rico, color and shadow reveal what cannot be spoken with words.
Welcome to Your Creative Sanctuary
Welcome to Your Creative Sanctuary
Where the canvas meets the horizon. Beyond the noise of ordinary life, between the mountains and the sea, light moves across the land and reveals itself in a thousand changing forms.
Here, the days begin with birdsong and end beneath Caribbean skies. We gather each morning with brushes in hand and return each evening carrying more than paintings.
For a few precious days, let the world fall away.
Come where color is deeper, shadows are alive, and beauty refuses to be ignored.
Retreat Details
Retreat Details
Location: Ceiba, Puerto Rico
January 4-10, 2027
Intentionally limited to twelve participants
Already know you want to join us in Puerto Rico? Apply for the retreat HERE
Meet Your Instructor
Meet Your Instructor
Craig Richards
Craig Richards
Award-Winning Plein Air Artist • Mentor • Instructor
Award-winning plein air painter Craig Richards is known for his sensitivity to light, atmosphere, and structure. For more than fifteen years, he has helped shape a thriving community of artists throughout North Carolina while refining a teaching approach rooted in observation, clarity, and confidence.
Painting directly from life, Craig believes that great paintings are born not from formulas, but from learning to truly see.
Throughout the retreat, he will offer demonstrations, personal guidance, and thoughtful feedback, helping each artist strengthen both technical skill and artistic vision.
His greatest gift, however, is teaching others how to slow down, observe deeply, and discover the beauty already waiting before them.
Where Light and Shadow Become Language
Where Light and Shadow Become Language
This retreat is more than a workshop - it's a place for artists to gather, create, and share meaningful experiences that deepen both art and friendship. Surrounded by the beauty of Puerto Rico, you'll paint alongside fellow artists, explore together, and discover how much joy can be found in seeing the world through one another's eyes.
Meet Your Host
Meet Your Host
The Wild Canvas Retreat was created by Julian Hope, a lifelong artist, storyteller, and traveler whose love of painting has been shaped by years of study, observation, and a deep appreciation for beauty.
Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree through the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Julian continues to deepen her understanding of painting, drawing, and art history while developing her own voice as an artist. Inspired by painters such as Jeremy Mann and John Singer Sargent, she is drawn to atmosphere, emotion, and the stories found in everyday moments. Her artistic journey has taken her beyond the studio and across the world. From studying in Spain and wandering the streets of Rome to painting the coastlines of Puerto Rico, Julian believes that art is not simply about technique, but about learning to truly see. Every place, culture, and experience has added another layer to the way she understands beauty and creativity.
The Wild Canvas Retreat grew from a desire to bring artists together in extraordinary places where creativity, friendship, and meaningful experiences can naturally unfold. Julian personally hosts each retreat, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere where guests can relax, paint, explore, and return home with renewed inspiration, lasting friendships, and memories that remain long after the journey ends.
Begin Your Creative Journey
Begin Your Creative Journey
Spaces are limited to maintain an intimate and focused experience.
Already know you want to join us in Puerto Rico? Apply for the retreat HERE
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