eARTh Muse

Wilderness Retreat

May 10 - 14, 2023

Art facilitated by Tobias Swimmer

Leave No Trace curriculum facilitated by Julie Ann Holder

For Curious Creatives

and Artists seeking adventure

Slow down and meander

among the majestic, Old Growth Forest,

where glacial streams and moss-covered trees glisten and pulse.

Absorb this lush environment into your being

like rich pigment on a blank page.

Arrive in this pristine wilderness setting in a state of wonder

and delve into an exploration of “Wild Art.”

  • Dates: May 10 - 14, 2023

  • Location: Quinault River Valley, Olympic Peninsula, WA

  • Cost:

    • $500 - $1000 sliding scale until May 1

    • 1 Full-Tuition Scholarship available for this course. SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION LIVE NOW - DUE April 10

    • *Art supplies included. Travel Art Journal provided upon request for an additional fee.

    • Register before April 8th for a **FREE Travel Art Journal!**

  • Guides: TObias Swimmer (Artist & WFR) & Julie Ann Holder (Wilderness GUIDE & WEMT)

  • Mode of Travel: Backpacking with Intention and Presence, with ample opportunities to indulge creative curiosities

APPLICATIONS NO LONGER ACCEPTED.

  • Indian Creek, UT

  • Mt. Tom, CA

  • Oregon Coast

  • Redwoods, CA

  • Joshua Tree, CA

  • Joshua Tree, CA

  • Taku Inlet, AK

  • Cochise Stronghold, AZ

Toby and I invite you to join us for five days,

where the only objective is to “be present” and perhaps indulge the creative forces within.

Our aim is to create a space for community and connection with wild places.

If you know us, you know that this trip will be far beyond just a backpacking adventure with an art infusion.

We want to invite you fully into the present moment, see you as the visionary artist you are, create a culture of radical acceptance & authentic expression,

and teach you all we know about sketching, watercolor technique, camp craft, map reading, interpreting the changing skies, and so much more.

Immerse yourself in the

Olympic Peninsula’s mystic, “Enchanted Valley”

and bring your art to life.

Daily instruction will be balanced with ample opportunity to wander.

Hone your individual style and refine techniques

to explore elements of form,

light, texture and essence.

Toby’s notebook sketches inspired by Ladakh India

We will allow the environment to inform our artwork

and be there to offer prompts, give feedback and enjoy the present moment together.

Like the sages of old,

we will meander through the mountains without hurry,

taking in our surroundings

and leaving nothing but soft footprints on the earth.

We might surprise ourselves

with the resulting artwork, if we focus on the

experience

rather than the outcomes.

Meet Your Guides

Tobias Swimmer

Toby brings his full-hearted presence as an artist, and mountain traveler.

Equipt with climbing gear and sketchpad, his fascination with the wild places of the world have drawn him to distant corners of the Americas, Europe and Asia on a journey of the heart and a quest to cultivate the creative fire within. His love for mountains is matched by a curiosity to understand the interrelation of people and place, as expressed in his journal sketches, while also informing his life and artwork.

To be intimate with the architecture of wild places and to study their form, he sees, is an exploration of human potential in relation to setting and a practice of attuning to the subtle.

Adventure anchors his creative process. Mountain travel enriches his perspective, fueling inspiration. Slowing down to syncopate with the mountain’s rhythm, sitting still and letting it permeate, informs his practice. Making art is as much an exploration as an offering.

Julie Ann Holder

LOGISTICS:

Getting here:

The nearest airport is SeaTac International Airport. We will rendezvous somewhere in south Seattle before driving west out to the Peninsula.

Prior to the retreat, we will be sending out communication with all participants and if you are traveling from out of state, you may be able to find a ride to the trailhead, or share the cost of renting a car with someone else on the program. As a program, the guides cannot drive you to the trailhead. However, carpooling is strongly encouraged.

Travel Plans:

Please do not book a flight for the last day of the course. We do our best to get you out of the field and back to the trailhead with plenty of daylight to arrive at your next accomodation, but things happen, and having an evening of buffer time will make you much happier out on the trail. In addition, sometimes everyone decides to go out and share a meal as a course closing, and it’s nice to have some flexibility for this sort of thing.

For other FAQ’s, like equipment, expectations, rental gear, and culture of the course, please view the FAQ page linked below.

Proposed Itinerary:

18.4 miles, and approx. 1,800’ Elevation Gain over 5 days

  • Day 1: Backpack 2.4 miles, Campground: Pony Bridge Camp

  • Day 2: Backpack 6.6 miles, Campground: Pyrites Creek Camp

  • Day 3: Day hike mileage of your choice 0 - 7+ miles, Campground: Pyrites Creek Camp

    • The Enchanted Valley is at mile 12.2 (approx. 3.2 miles from Pyrites Creek camp)

  • Day 4: Backpack 2.8 miles, Campground: O’Neil Creek Camp

  • Day 5: Backpack 6.2 miles to Trailhead. Course close.

Sample Equipment List: (list is not all inclusive)

- Backpack (45-70 liters)

- Comfortable hiking shoes

- Stove

- Fuel

- Food appropriate for 5 days

- Water filtration

- Gloves

- Adequate layers

- Tent shelter and sleep system adequate for summer alpine camping (30F bag or warmer)

Cost includes:

  • A memorable experience, art supplies (pens, pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, etc. Travel art journals available for an additional fee on request.) guiding (from a trained WEMT and professional mountain guide), art instruction/prompts, and access to a library of resources (LNT, Ecology, Historical Accounts of Washington). Group safety gear (tarps).

  • A Leave No Trace Awareness Course Certificate

    • * A Leave No Trace Trainer Certification may become a part of this course. Standby for updates.

Cost does not include:

  • Transportation, gear, food, airfare, lodging, additional permitting fees, or parking fees.