Creative Sanctuary
“More than a retreat — it’s a transformative experience that shifts how you see your life and your art.” — A.
Step into a weekend designed to nourish your spirit and ignite your creative fire. Surrounded by forest and stillness, you'll get the freedom to play with paint, write poetry, sculpt with clay, and move freely. Guided not by rules, but by your voice within. Gentle prompts open doorways to the unconscious, while forest immersion and conversations kindle deep connection with like minded souls. Each moment is curated to help you soften, listen, and return to yourself. Everything you need is provided, materials, home cooked meals, and the kind of soulful company that makes you feel truly seen. You’ll leave not only with art, buth with heart. With clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of who you are and of belonging.
Available Retreats
Annual Soul Retreat
Mini Retreat
Custom Retreats
There are many options to choose from.
Abstract painting or intuitive, coaching, or a combination.
It will always be a relaxing experience.
Contact me to explore possibilities.
Themes for the weekend include:
Understanding the Power of Creativity
Creativity is a boundless force residing within each of us, waiting to be unleashed. Many people find themselves stuck in the rigidity of routine and self-doubt, unable to tap into this wellspring of inspiration. At our retreat, we firmly believe that everyone is an artist, and we are dedicated to guiding you in discovering your unique creative voice..
Exploring the Unconscious Mind through Art
The unconscious mind is a reservoir of untapped potential and hidden emotions. Working with various art forms such as painting, drawing, clay sculpting, and creative writing, will provide a safe space for you to express yourself freely. These artistic mediums act as a gateway to accessing the deeper recesses of your mind, allowing you to process emotions, memories, and thoughts that may have been buried.
Breaking Free from Creative Limitations
Throughout life, we encounter barriers that hinder our creative expression. Whether it be fear of judgment, self-criticism, or past failures, these limitations restrict our artistic growth. This retreat employs guided exercises, group discussions, and one-on-one mentoring sessions to help you confront and overcome these obstacles, fostering a sense of creative liberation.
Cultivating Mindfulness and Self-Awareness
Artistic exploration is not only about creating visually appealing pieces; it is a journey of self-discovery. Through mindfulness practices, meditation, and reflection, this retreat encourages a deeper understanding of your emotions, desires, and beliefs. This heightened self-awareness will empower you to channel your emotions into your art, creating authentic and meaningful pieces.
Nourish your Soul Retreat
Martina paints quietly beneath the open sky, surrounded by the stillness of nature where she feels most at home. These intuitive works emerged after a movement-based exercise—two distinct poses, one reflecting her current state, the other a desired way of being.
With brush in hand, she translated feeling into form, guided by the rhythms of breath, body, and honest self-inquiry. Here, art becomes a language for the soul—shaped not by rules, but by presence and deep listening.
Hear What This Is Really About
This interview explains the heart behind what I do, how painting became a path to seeing, feeling, and becoming more fully yourself.
Mini Soul Retreat:
New date coming soon
Annual Nourish Your Soul Retreat:
Weekend 9/19-21, 2025 – $675 (Early Bird $625)
🏡 A Hidden Gem in the Forest
Nestled in a peaceful golf community in Hedgesville, WV (just 90 minutes from Washington, DC), my home studio sits at the edge of 22,000 acres of pristine forest. With trails, fresh air, and quiet beauty, nature becomes your co-facilitator.
Optional lodging is available in local Airbnbs.
I attended the Nourish your Soul retreat this weekend lead by Artist and Coach Elisabeth Vismans. Check out some of the Intuitive Painting projects we did – some group, some solo, and some interactive. We had so much fun and learned A LOT about ourselves, art, our intuition and what we want to do to move forward to live our best lives. 
If you are looking for a retreat that will nourish your body and soul – this is it! Thank you so much Elisabeth – this weekend was just what I needed.
Kimberly McClure
Reviews June 2023 VIP Nourish Your Soul Retreat
The Art of Being in the Moment
Retreat with Elisabeth Vismans, June 9 – 11, 2023
The greatest gift of this weekend retreat is the sense of welcome into a creative space to stir the senses: light, flavor, texture, music, and movement. In Elisabeth’s airy refuge in the woods, something delights the eye everywhere you look with lush plants and her vibrant art on the walls.
Our opening session set the tone of trust, freedom, support, and openness — and the dinner feast that Elisabeth prepared nourished us body and soul. The group shared the joys of warm soothing stew, fresh bread, pie to celebrate, candlelight, and great company. There is a sure sense that exactly the right people are meant to be here for exactly the right reasons.
The first morning’s exercise was a revelation as Elisabeth invited us to inhabit different gender roles using color, movement, and imagination to get centered and use the body to help us be in the moment.
The next work we did on the inner saboteur unearthed deeper truths — challenging me to paint from my intuition and give voice to the old beliefs that hold me back. Working in clay and with paint for the afternoon session exploring poses reflecting how I feel in my life now — and how I want to feel — generated some powerful insights and meaningful work. This exercise got to the very root of the bodily sensation of deep emotions — beyond words — and helped focus my conscious mind on the longing that my unconscious body-mind holds, for my life, for my future, and for my legacy.
On Sunday morning, Elisabeth challenged us to observe a square foot of the forest floor in the woods near her home. This full sensory immersion brought unexpected insights and subtle joys as I grounded myself laying on a carpet of soft leaves and tender plants to pay close attention to a small verdant kingdom within the confines of four twigs. A poem emerged spontaneously from my spiritual “field notes” from this time in nature.
As I leave, I am taking with me a profound sense of creative refreshment, nourishment, and inspiration thanks to Elisabeth’s generosity, vision, and example of creativity and grace.
Anne-Louise Bateman Oliphant
Hedgesville, WV
Questions Answered
Do I need to be good at art?
What’s included in the weekend retreat?
All art materials and supplies (no need to bring anything).
A welcome dinner Friday evening with cocktails and gifts.
Light, fresh lunches on Saturday and Sunday (home cooked European cuisine throughout).
Snacks and refreshments throughout the retreat.
Personalized attention in a small group (max 6 women). Please note: Saturday dinner is not included, but we’ll plan a group outing to a local restaurant.