Heartwood Retreats & Events
Neo & Autumn Skye are honoured to steward their beautiful land, Heartwood, in the Tla’amin territory of the coastal temperate rainforests of British Columbia in qathet, BC.
Since 2020 they have been building and cultivating spaces on the land for creativity, healing, play, learning, and sanctuary.
They and their three doggos, two cats, and 30,000 honeybees are excited to welcome you to their home!
Art Retreats and Workshops 2025
RETREATS and WORKSHOPS at Heartwood with Autumn Skye are about much more than painting! Each visit is an invitation to treat yourself to a deeply immersive experience, in the profoundly beautiful area of the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia (BC). The forests, gardens, and indoor spaces of Heartwood are perfectly set up to hold you for many days, so that you can leave the outside world behind and drop into the relaxing and creative sanctuary. From the standing stone circle ceremony space in the ancient cedar forest, to the glamping spots and luxurious little cabins in the woods, the bright and inviting art studio, the beautiful and welcoming dining room and library, to the thoughtfully designed and well-equipped forest kitchen, and the heated open-air shower, everything is perfectly curated to support you during your stay.
All you have to do is arrive and give yourself permission to sink in, moment by moment, to the sweet and nourishing experience. Every little detail is taken care of - so you can focus on painting, learning, connecting, and relaxing.
All meals are created onsite, using locally sourced (where possible) and wholesome ingredients. Each bite is intentionally curated to nourish your body, mind, and soul. There may be a few delightful sugary or sourdough treats from Neo to top it all off - for those with a sweet tooth!
The Skyelight Studio is a safe and encouraging space to learn, laugh, and create. It is a beautiful, spacious venue that comfortably accommodates 20 students, and is adorned with inspirational art, books, and trinkets from around the world. Autumn Skye welcomes all experience levels - so if you have never touched a brush or canvas before, or have painted for years, a beginner to a professional, Autumn Skye will meet you at your level and support and encourage your skills and vision to soar beyond what you thought you were capable of.
Heartwood Retreat Centre is such a joy to experience - With the newly designed back dining room with seating for 22 with lovely views of old-growth cedar trees. Depending on the season, you get to enjoy swimming in the beautiful pool or relaxing on the sundeck on the warm summer days during studio breaks. In cooler months, you can luxuriate in the wood-fired hot tub and cold plunge beside a gorgeous seasonal waterfall! For any excursions off the 5-acre property, you can drive only 5 minutes and stand on the shore of the Salish Sea and enjoy crystal clear swimming and jaw-dropping West Coast scenery!
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**Autumn Skye also teaches an annual international retreat workshop, with upcoming offerings in Costa Rica, Spain, and Scotland, UK. She has also taught in Italy, Australia, and the USA.
Upcoming 2025 Art Retreats!
The Heart of Art with Autumn Skye - A 7-Day Painting Workshop Retreat
September 17th - 23rd, 2025
Over seven days of studio time, students will bring a blank canvas through a journey of the painting process, while exploring inspiration, intuition, technique & process.
Through multiple daily demonstrations and attentive one-on-one support, Autumn Skye will guide students as they work on their paintings, covering the journey of materials, application, concept, composition, “blocking & bridging”, colour theory, refining, glazing, and finishing.
Archetypes with Autumn Skye - A 9-Day Painting Workshop / Art Retreat - May 13th to May 21st, 2025
Students are invited to explore the subject of their own personal Archetype through figurative or other forms of representational imagery, while gaining the tools to create dynamic, graceful, and cohesive magic-realism paintings.
Over nine days, students will bring a blank canvas through a journey of the painting process, while exploring the theme of archetypes as subject matter and intuitive inspiration. Through multiple daily demonstrations and attentive one-on-one support, Autumn Skye will guide students as they work on their own paintings.
Instruction will cover materials, technique, application, concept, composition, “blocking & bridging”, colour theory, refining, glazing, and finishing. Along with a diverse selection of live-painted demonstrations of the elements, extra emphasis will be given to figurative work, including human-based anatomy, skin, hair, eyes, etc.
All painting experience levels are welcome!
All painting supplies and tools are included!
Hosted at Skyelight Studio at Heartwood, a forested sanctuary retreat space north of Powell River in the qathet regional district. During free time, students are welcome to explore the beautiful forest and gardens, soak in the wood-fired hot tub, relax in the library and common spaces, or keep painting!
Prices include all painting supplies and tools (canvas, brushes, and palette are yours to keep!)
Lunch & Dinner options available: Meals will be prepared fresh on-site, and will feature in-season, local, and organic ingredients where possible. Vegetarian and allergy-specific options are available by request.
Accommodation options available: 4 bedrooms in the main house, 4 cabins, as well as car or tent camping in the forest. Campers and cabin renters will have access to the “Forest Kitchen”, which is a fully set up and enclosed kitchen, which also contains an open-air private hot shower, double vanity sinks, and composting toilets.
*Payment plans are available. Please email us to discuss options.
