Testimonials

I attended the Jasper Watercolour Retreat for the first time in fall.  I am not an experienced painter but felt completely welcomed and part of the group.  Everyone was so kind, friendly and supportive of my efforts.  The instruction was relaxed and very helpful.  The accommodations were perfect – I loved my little “cabin in the woods”.  Obviously, the scenery was stunning and the studio was more than adequate. I came home completely refreshed and motivated to continue painting.  I highly recommend this retreat even if you are not skilled (yet…:))     Brenda – Edmonton, AB

As a watercolour painter from Halifax, I feel very fortunate to have spent one week in May at the Jasper Art Retreat at Tekarra Lodge in 2015. The setting is awesomely inspirational and the group of Jasper artists could not have been any more welcoming to two East Coast visiting artists. They happily shared difficult-to-transport supplies such as lamps and easels, and more importantly, shared ideas and helpful hints about painting mountain scenery, which we were quite unaccustomed to. Daily plein air excursions were planned, but rather than feeling intimidated by the vastness of the scenes in front of us, we were gently urged on and encouraged by the group. The rustic Tekarra Lodge accommodations worked perfectly for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed the option of cooking for ourselves or going into Jasper for dinners. The experience of painting with a new group of artists in an entirely different setting definitely stretched our boundaries and I loved every minute of it. I hope to be able to return some day to paint again with this wonderful group of western artists.    Fran – Halifax, N.S.

Painting outdoors in the midst of Jasper’s natural beauty is a dream come true. I would not have done this without the support and kindness of the members of the Jasper Watercolour Retreat Society. Even though I am new to plein air watercolour, I have been given a warm welcome and many helpful suggestions to improve my painting.      Jane – Vancouver, B.C.

I love coming to the Jasper Watercolour Artist’s Retreat. I hope more watercolour artists will join in this adventure, to soak up the beauty of Jasper National Park and gather lots of plein air painting experience in a relaxing and supportive atmosphere. I have been warmly welcomed by this group all three times that I have participated. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness that the local organizing volunteers put into running the retreat. They have invited facilitators to expand on the value of the retreat and they are very knowledgeable about planning great locations to paint. They welcome suggestions as the week goes on and they think about those locations being accessible to all participants. This group of artists is open to sharing their own work with everyone of all levels of painting experience. Every time I return, I learn more about the plein air painting process. A lot of that is due to being able to watch and share in how other artists tackle the challenges of painting this landscape. If weather limits our outdoor painting time, we have a great studio setting where all week long, we can take our own explorations further, and socialize a bit as well. I always look forward to returning for this Retreat.     Cheryl – St Albert AB

Being able to sit in a beautiful spot for several hours each day while focusing on the details of a gorgeous environment. Being provided with assistance and encouragement by a wonderful group of fellow watercolourists.     Frank – Edmonton, AB

I truly enjoyed my experience at the art retreat in Jasper, September, 2015. Everyone was instrumental in helping me feel welcome with lots of extras like chairs and tables for plein air painting. Hats and mitts too. It was cold the first couple of days. I learned about QOR paints and am loving the vibrancy of these watercolours. Thank you for an inspiring, memorable week.     Ilze – Nova Scotia