If you enjoy watercolor painting and backpacking, this is the trip for you! Join one of our naturalist guides and our guest instructor Lindsey Fox for an exciting adventure to May Lake. You will learn to bring your art supplies into the wilderness and paint on location, recording your experience in the mountains with watercolor and ink. With Lindsey’s help, you’ll deepen your understanding of color and pattern and learn about the important role these two elements play in representing Yosemite’s wild landscape! She’ll provide playful watercolor exercises that focus on the idea of abstraction to capture the energy and movement of Yosemite’s high country. You will learn how to minimize your impact on your surroundings and apply a Leave No Trace backpacker’s mindset to create a wilderness-friendly, portable art supply kit. By the time you hop off the trail, you’ll have the skills to plan your next wilderness adventure and the inspiration to add to your art journal!
Students will be led to challenge their perceptions of what something “should” look like and enjoy a playful perspective on landscape painting. Workshop participants will collaborate and share, with ample opportunity to exchange ideas, practice techniques, and learn from each other.
This class is for anyone who wants to explore sketching and painting outdoors. Participants must be familiar with using watercolor and physically fit to hike at elevation with a backpack and camp in the wilderness for two nights. If you’re not sure if this workshop is the right fit for you, email us at [email protected], we’re happy to help!
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
- Program dates: September 4–September 7
- Program location: May Lake
- What’s included:
- Pre-trip evening meeting and three days of progressive learning/outdoor painting with artist Lindsey Fox.
- Four nights of tent camping — shared amongst participants — at Crane Flat Campground (September 4 and 7) and May Lake (September 5 and 6)
- There is no discount if you choose not to stay at the group campsite.
- Camping details:
- Three campsites at Crane Flat Campground along Highway 120.
- Participants arrive on September 4 after 12 pm and must depart on September 5. Participants have the option to stay again on the night of September 7 and must depart by 11 am the following day (September 8). There will be no access to these campsites during the backpacking portion of the program.
- Campsites are shared among all retreat participants. A picnic table, bear locker, and firepit are provided at each site. Please be prepared to tent camp.
- Camping is for retreat participants only. We are unable to accommodate friends and family of participants in our group campsite; lodging arrangements for friends and family are the responsibility of participants.
- Due to the shared nature of our group sites, we are unable to accommodate RVs or campers. If you desire a private campsite, have an RV/camper, or want to sleep in your car, you must arrange for your own reservation.
- Backpacking details:
- Participants will drive to the May Lake trailhead from Crane Flat Campground. The group will hike to May Lake with all their backpacking gear and camp in the wilderness for the nights of September 5–September 6.
- We can’t allow unregistered friends or family of participants on this trip. Backcountry permits and lodging arrangements for unregistered friends and family are the responsibility of participants.
- Experience level: Participants must be familiar with using watercolor (no need to be advanced in skill) and must be physically fit to walk at high elevation with backpacking gear and art supplies. Please be prepared to hike 1–3 miles/day. If you’re not sure if this workshop is the right fit for you, get in touch with us at [email protected], we’re happy to help!
What’s not included:
- Art supplies, camping/backpacking gear, snacks, or meals.
- Transportation.
Helpful trip planning resources:
