Would you love to spend a weekend finding inspiration as you expand your skills and creativity in painting with oils or acrylics? In supportive and comfortable surroundings in one of Canada’s most amazing landscapes? As you learn, or learn more, about entirely new painting materials or about those you already love to use?
Welcome to a weekend workshop retreat in the peace of the Canadian Grasslands.
Friday suppertime to Sunday afternoon, April 24 – 26, 2026
Val Marie, SK
REGISTRATION CLOSES FRIDAY APRIL 3
All levels of painting experience are welcome.
Retreat, paint and learn with experienced Saskatchewan artist/instructor Laureen Marchand (see more below) in the Village of Val Marie, Saskatchewan, gateway to the beautiful Grasslands hills.
Paint during both structured and free workshop sessions, meet and talk with other artists, eat good food, walk in Grasslands National Park or through the safe and quiet Village streets if you choose.
Welcome to creativity and peace and acres of sky.
Learn to create more interesting compositions, mix the colours you see, use light and shade effectively, and work successfully with your chosen materials in oils or acrylics. This workshop is designed to adapt to each individual’s needs and Laureen will help participants to communicate their own vision and work with their own particular challenges.
Rest at night in the tranquil atmosphere of the Convent Country Inn (see below), a restored historic building with atmosphere to spare. Have fun!
Welcome to inspiration, connection, spark.
When: Friday suppertime to Monday afternoon, April 24 – 26, 2026
Where: Val Marie, Saskatchewan, Gateway to Grasslands National Park. This is an extraordinary landscape of rolling hills, dry coulees, flat-topped buttes, a river valley, starry skies, and dramatic weather. Though we will paint indoors, the beautiful hills are available for hiking, photography, and inspiring views. Val Marie is 120 km south of Swift Current, 400 km west and south of Saskatoon, and 365 km west and south of Regina. You will receive more detailed directions when you register.
Please feel free to bring subjects to work from, such as photographs or objects. Laureen will also supply a still life set-up for participants to try and will have resource photos available as needed.
A suggested materials list will be supplied when you register. NOTE: If you plan to work with oils, please pay special attention to the materials list in consideration of everyone’s health and safety.
The schedule:
* 6:30 pm, Friday April 24 : Meet at dinner at the Val Marie Hotel to get to know each other and talk about what we want this weekend to be like.
* 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Saturday April 25: In both structured and free workshop sessions, relax in a creative indoor environment as you are guided to learn new skills and enhance those you already have. Break for lunch around 12:00 noon.
* 6:30 pm, Saturday April 25: Gather for a family-style two course dinner in Laureen’s home/studio to honour your accomplishment so far.
* 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, Sunday April 26: Enjoy accompanied travel into Grasslands National Park to engage with and absorb this one-of-a-kind scenic environment. (Weather permitting.)
* 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm, Sunday April 26: Gather back in our studio space for lunch. Then enjoy a last workshop session to review your learning and successes of the weekend before your departure for home.
Depending on weather and participant interest, we may also schedule a visit to Mary’s Labyrinth. Located on Treaty 4 Territory at the Crossing at Grasslands, Mary’s Labyrinth is Canada’s first legacy Labyrinth. It honours all who walk this land, past, present and future.
Included:
* All workshop content, instruction, assistance, encouragement, gentle and supportive critique, and suggestions for your future directions.
* A selection of tools and materials from Laureen’s own studio to enhance and complement those you bring with you.
* A $15 voucher for dinner in the Val Marie Hotel dining room, Friday evening.
* Picnic-style lunch on Saturday and Sunday, brought to our location.
* Two course family-style dinner on Saturday evening (BYOB).
(If you have special dietary needs, please advise when registering. Please also note that Val Marie is small and remote and while we will do our best to accommodate these needs, this may not be possible if they are very specific. Small amounts of food may be stored in a fridge supplied in our creative room.)
Not included:
* Your basic materials. You will receive a list when you register.
* Two nights accommodation (see below).
* Travel (you will need a car, shared or your own, for our morning in the park).
Class Size: Registration is limited. Please book early.
Fee: $425. Registration closes April 8, 2026. Your fee will be fully refunded if we cancel the workshop for any reason.
To book: Email laureenartist@gmail.com (not a live link – please copy and paste to reduce spam). You’ll be sent an invoice, payable by e-transfer.
Accommodation (breakfast included) is available at the Convent Inn, where we will be the only guests. Rooms and bathrooms are sparkling clean and you will enjoy a delicious home-cooked breakfast. Each room is different, and rooms will be assigned on a first-registered, first-served basis. Some rooms have two beds – if you’re attending with someone else, you may book these at a reduced per-person rate. You will be given the option to state room preferences when you register. Each room has a sink and bathrooms are shared, with sufficient bathrooms to make this easy. Please make your own booking by emailing conventinn@sasktel.net (not a live link – please copy and paste to reduce spam.) Please say you are with this workshop.
About Laureen Marchand: “In addition to living my life as an working artist, I have taught studio classes at the university level, led a variety of artist retreat workshops both in Canada and Ireland, offered art class teaching on contract in many settings, and taught in my home studio. I have also acted as a mentor to other artists in the development of their careers, operated Saskatchewan’s only fully online professional commercial art gallery, and led artist career workshops, for over 35 years. More than anything, I believe that each of us sees from our own personality and our own experience. My role as a workshop leader is to help develop what is unique about you.”
Reviews of past workshops:
“What a fabulous weekend of art, friendship, delicious meals, and perfect accommodations in the restored Convent in Val Marie, Saskatchewan. (I feel blessed!) Thank you, Laureen Marchand, for leading us astray in the stunning vistas of Grasslands National Park and for keeping us on track in our daily drawing activities. This was the perfect art retreat/holiday.” – Miranda Jones
Spent my weekend with a group of wonderful artists! Thank you @laureenartist for not only leading us through valuable art activities but also feeding us and providing us with a wonderful networking weekend with art colleagues from all over the province. – Blanche Johnston
“Laureen, thank you for offering the Drawing as Seeing Workshop. You’re an excellent teacher & I really enjoyed myself. It was wonderful to learn in such a unique location surrounded by amazing people. Everything was taken care of so well, even the weather worked its magic.” – Brenda Vine
Questions? Email laureenartist@gmail.com
I look forward to working with you!