Artist Retreat at St. Christopher
I spent the end of January as an artist-in-residence at St. Christopher on Seabrook Island, SC.
I applied back in November, and was overjoyed to find out that Charleston-based artist Pamela Wingard and I were selected as their 2026 artists. We spent two weeks exploring and creating, and we both taught a painting workshop while we were there.
My home for the retreat was on the water, below a picnic pavilion. So when I walked outside each morning to start my day, I was greeted by the beach and my new neighbors… the deer! One night I even saw an adorable armadillo right outside my little abode.
I took the first few days to get my bearing, following my curiosities as I explored along the trails and the beach. I walked a lot, through trails of palm trees and live oaks, along the marsh and through the maritime forest. Amongst the quiet, I watched deer at sunrise and dolphins at sunset.
“The campus includes nearly one mile of beach, 100 acres of salt marsh, 200 acres of undisturbed maritime forest, freshwater ponds, and a freshwater swamp.” — St. Christopher
I brought several different art supplies with me, so I started by sketching and taking photos on my walks. Then I worked on watercolor and pastel studies, moving into oils for plein air painting, and finishing up with acrylic on larger canvases and wood panels!
One evening, I bundled up and drove down a long and narrow dirt road to the crab dock to capture the last rays of light at my easel. It was breathtaking. I was pure giddy watching the scene before me unfold. After that I was off to the races, allowing that stunning sunset and its glorious colors inspire my next work!
As I continue working on the paintings I started in SC, I am planning two new collection drops!
Watercolor Marsh Studies: Thursday, Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m. EST, for email subscribers.
Large Marshscapes will drop in March, stay tuned for an exact date.
