Build Your Rainbow: An Intuitive Color Retreat with Jill Labieniec
DATES: September 20-24, 2027
FEE: $1,995.00
Please confirm by June 20 to help ensure this retreat moves forward.
Also, if you're in need of financial assistance, please contact us.
If you find yourself scouring Pinterest for color combinations, paralyzed over which color to paint your walls, or just generally stuck in a color rut, this retreat is for you! During your week with Jill, you'll work through a series of exercises that build on one another to boost your color confidence and help you discover your personal color voice.
Color theory is at the foundation of art education, but it can feel overwhelming and formulaic. Jill will share her intuitive approach to color and how it has shaped both her career and creative experiments. To her, color is all about noticing, building stories, and having fun along the way.
All experience levels are welcome, especially the color-curious. Jill is an open book when it comes to art and creativity, and she's happy to answer questions, share tips and tricks for each medium, and help you reach your color goals.
BUILD YOUR RAINBOW RETREAT SCHEDULE
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Settle in for a cozy dinner and conversation about the week ahead.
4:30 pm | Welcome Gathering
6:00 pm | Dinner
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Today is all about noticing and trusting what your eyes are drawn to!
9:30 am | Light in-studio breakfast
10:00 am | Forage for Color
We’ll gather in the barn for a quick chat and then spend the morning foraging the grounds for any and all colors that spark our interest. No rules, just gather and have fun.
– break for lunch –
2:00 pm | Intuitive Color Collage
We’ll sort through our items and create collages purely based on feeling—stopping when our eyeballs are delighted. When we are all feeling satisfied we’ll gather as a group for a guided discussion around color and composition.
6:00 pm | Simple in-studio dinner
– post-dinner studio time is available –
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Today we will dive deeper into the colors that light YOU up!
8:30 am | Early studio access
9:30 am | Light in-studio breakfast
10:00 am | Your Colorwheel
The colorwheel is a powerful tool but it's even more helpful when it's made up of the colors you love. We’ll go over some colorwheel basics and then work on creating “wheels” that tell our person color story.
– break for lunch –
2:00 pm | Noticing & Exploring Relationships
We’ll work through a series of exercises in the barn to explore relationships between colors and how the smallest of shifts can change our perception of them.
6:00 pm | Dinner at local restaurant*
– post-dinner studio time is available –
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Today is all about creating workable palettes and using color as a tool for storytelling.
8:30 am | Early studio access
9:30 am | Light in-studio breakfast
10:00 am | The Perfect Palette
We’ll spend some time in the barn talking about color palettes, what makes a cohesive color story and the common pitfalls we find ourselves in. Then, we’ll work through a series of exercises to loosen up and get more comfortable in our choices. Remember, there are no ugly colors. It's the way you combine them that makes them shine.
– break for lunch –
2:00 pm | Setting the Mood
We’ll be working with prompts, acrylic gauche & collage to transform found black & white images & objects into moody little masterpieces.
6:00 pm | Dinner at The Smiley
– post-dinner studio time is available –
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8:30 am | Early studio access
9:30 am | Light in-studio breakfast
10:00 am | Sharing & Farewell
We’ll gather in the barn and collectively work on assembling language we can use when describing our unique color styles, answer any last burning questions and discuss exercises we can do to continue on our colorful path at home.
1:00 pm | Light lunch & goodbyes
– optional studio time until 5pm –
*Not included in retreat fee. Date of dinner out also subject to restaurant availability.
About Jill Labieniec
Jill lives on a tiny island in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not busy illustrating with watercolor, you’ll find Jill indulging her love of all things handmade... sewing dresses, creating whimsical ceramics, and getting inky fingers at the letterpress.
Jill's path to color started at the Ringling School of Art and Design, where she trained as an illustrator. When a professor told her "color wasn't her thing," it set her off on a journey to find a way to relate to color that felt natural and organic. That instinct followed her through years of working in-house for other brands and eventually leading a team of illustrators and designers in a colorforward industry.
Currently, Jill offers custom illustration services and designs for licensing. She’s grateful to have seen her whimsical prints and patterns used on all kinds of products—in all kinds of ways—from home decor and fabrics to books, stationery, and editorial imagery. But, above all, Jill is happy knowing her work helps other people create spaces they enjoy. Spaces where they can rest, daydream, and grow.
“I felt relaxed and welcomed. Beautiful spaces, excellent food, and thoughtful details everywhere.”
— Ann
2024 Smiley retreat participant
Where You’ll Be Creating
Springfield, Vermont
The Smiley Manse Barn
Nestled up behind the main property is the barn. This turn of the last century post-and-beam construction with a slate roof that rises to a massive walled cupola, the barn is noted as one of the finest carriage barns in the region. Learn more about the history of The Smiley here.
Inside, you’ll find large flat work tables, each a place to explore and express your individual creativity, yet the atmosphere encourages connection and dialogue. Whether it’s the sound of a paintbrush sweeping across the page or folks discussing technique over coffee, the barn serves as a meeting ground for artists of all levels to create and build lasting relationships, exchange ideas, and learn from one another.
We strive to create a space where the act of making art is as much about building community as it is about self-expression.
Join us for a chance to unwind and create in an idyllic setting.
Your Retreat Includes:
Custom designed art curriculum by Jill
4 days of creative instruction
Extra studio access before/after each full day
All meals (except 1 dinner out)
Tea, coffee, and snacks always available in the barn
Usage of our art supply stash during the retreat
What’s Not Included:
Accommodations – there are several great options nearby!
Transportation to/from The Smiley
1 dinner out at a local restaurant