Grunewald Guild Art Retreat

There are a handful of places that always leave me feeling more curious, more grounded, and more inspired than when I arrived. The Grunewald Guild in Plain, Washington is one of them.

Nestled among towering ponderosa pines and the Wenatchee River, the Guild seems to hum with quiet creative energy. Every time I visit, I come home with new ideas, a full sketchbook, and a renewed excitement for making art.

My most recent visit in May was for an encaustic tile-making class. Learning a new medium challenged me in all the best ways, but some of my favorite moments happened outside the classroom. I spent peaceful hours with my sketchbook by the river, listening to the water rush past and breathing in the warm scent of the pines. Those quiet moments reminded me that creativity isn’t only found while making something—it also grows in the spaces where we slow down enough to really notice the world around us.

One of the things I treasure most about the Guild is the people it draws. Every visit brings conversations with thoughtful, generous creatives who are eager to share ideas and encourage one another. Between classes, we gathered for impromptu jam sessions on the cabin porch, hiked nearby trails, and cooled off with swims in a mountain lake. It was the kind of week that fills your cup in every possible way.

Whether you’re an artist, a maker, or simply someone longing for a little more creativity in your life, places like the Grunewald Guild are a wonderful reminder of what can happen when art, nature, and community come together. I left inspired not just by what I learned, but by the feeling that creativity flourishes when we give ourselves the time and space to pay attention.