FREE YOURSELF!
5-Day Intuition Painting® & Yoga Retreat
Joshua Tree, California
Come remember what it feels like to be fully alive, wildly creative, and completely yourself surround by desert magic.
Nestled on a peaceful, private five-acre ranch beside Joshua Tree National Park, this intimate retreat invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself through yoga, Intuition Painting®, nourishing food, breathtaking desert landscapes, and meaningful community.
Whether you’ve never picked up a paintbrush or have been creating for years, you’ll discover a joyful, freeing way to create that has nothing to do with talent—and everything to do with curiosity.
More than an art retreat, this is five vibrant days of painting, laughter, movement, emotional release, desert wonder, heartfelt connection, and the unexpected magic that appears when you truly let go.
A One-of-a-Kind Creative Experience
At the heart of this retreat is Intuition Painting®—a proprietary, six-phase creative methodology brought to life by Montine Blank and refined over more than 25 years of facilitating.
Unlike traditional painting classes that focus on technique or creating a finished masterpiece, Intuition Painting® invites you to paint from intuition rather than instruction.
There are no techniques to master, no artistic ability required, and no pressure to get it "right."
Instead, you'll learn to quiet the inner critic and follow color, curiosity, sensation, and spontaneous imagery wherever they lead.
Many participants describe the experience as "dreaming onto the canvas." Unexpected images naturally emerge, becoming a visual reflection of your inner world and often revealing fresh perspectives, surprising insights, and new possibilities.
The process offers just enough structure to help you feel supported, while leaving plenty of room for intuition, curiosity, and authentic expression. Whether you've never picked up a paintbrush or have been creating for years, you'll be welcomed exactly as you are.
Giving Back:
For every person who joins a Life is an Art retreat, we offer a scholarship for a free online Intuition Painting® course from our pool of applicants. Learn More.
“I absolutely loved every minute of this Retreat. The location was perfect, meals were delicious, and the Yoga was a beautiful addition. I got so much more out of this retreat than I could have ever expected. The process of painting Intuitively is so rewarding and every time I experience it, it blows me away. It is truly such a gift to get to know what lives inside my soul, to express what needs expression and to see a part of who I am on that paper.
Montine is a wonderful facilitator who helped guide us thru our process with ease, kindness, patience and wisdom. Such a beautiful experience!”
What’s Included
5 Days / 4 Nights of immersive retreat in Joshua Tree, California
Daily Intuition Painting® sessions to unlock your authentic creative expression
Gentle movement and yoga practices to connect you to your body and inner rhythm
Nourishing, homemade breakfasts, lunches, and snacks daily
Two scrumptious evening dinners served on premises
Hike through Coyote Hole Spring, where ancient petroglyphs abound
Excursions to vintage markets, farmers market, boutiques, and galleries
Nature mandalas with desert findings and intention
All art materials provided — just bring your open heart
This intimate retreat accommodates 10 people. Earlybird pricing ends 60 days before retreat start.
Upcoming 5-Day Intuitive Art & Yoga Retreats in Joshua Tree, California:
A Week Filled with Creativity, Joy & Discovery
Each morning begins with gentle yoga to awaken your body, quiet your mind, and prepare you for a day of creativity and adventure.
From there, each day unfolds into a vibrant rhythm of Intuition Painting®, delicious shared meals, laughter, meaningful conversation, movement, exploration, and the breathtaking beauty of Joshua Tree.
You'll paint wildly and authentically. You'll be brave enough to truly let go. You'll laugh until your cheeks hurt—and you might cry just as much. Dance when the music moves you. Wander among towering boulders. Watch spectacular sunsets. Share nourishing meals and unforgettable conversations. Discover quiet moments when you need them—and joyful moments you never saw coming.
Along the way, you'll begin to notice something else: moments of awe, unexpected beauty, and the quiet magic that reveals itself when you slow down, pay attention, and trust the journey.
Some experiences are playful. Others are deeply moving. Together, they create a week that feels expansive, restorative, inspiring, and wonderfully alive.
By the end of the retreat, it's not unusual for strangers to become lifelong friends—and for participants to leave feeling more connected to themselves, each other, and the beauty of life itself.
“I can’t tell you how much your retreat made a difference in my life. What a release and relief! A good clearing and reset. Thank you so very much my Dear Montine! You are an incredible, beautiful soul and your work is so valuable and much needed in our society. Flowing you Love and Light always! ”
“This 5-day Intuitive Art & Yoga retreat with Montine as a whole is a haven. The pacing, the tenor, the process, the openness, the flexibliity we felt in being able to do what we needed is priceless. Montine strikes the right intuitive balance between guiding / prompting to allow us to find our voice. It is rich in the experience of transformation and a lifelong gift that enables us to grow and glow in our lives.”
Why It Works
Intuition Painting® brings together two powerful worlds: the wisdom of the expressive arts and the growing science of how people learn, transform, and change.
The painting process itself is deeply rooted in the pioneering work of Aviva Gold, along with the contributions of Shaun McNiff, Natalie Rogers, Michelle Cassou, Stewart Cubley, and others who helped establish intuitive, non-directive art-making as a pathway to creativity, self-discovery, and authentic expression.
The methodology is also informed by research from thinkers such as George Land, Brené Brown, Dr. V. S. Ramachandran, and many others whose work has expanded our understanding of creativity, vulnerability, neuroplasticity, imagination, and the brain's remarkable capacity for change.
Over the past 26 years, Montine Blank has woven these influences into Intuition Painting®—a proprietary methodology that combines intuitive painting, mindfulness, movement, creativity coaching, and embodiment into a one-of-a-kind experience that is both deeply freeing and thoughtfully designed.
Day 1 – Arrival & Opening
Welcome to the desert. You’ll arrive, settle into your space, and meet our retreat circle. We’ll gather for our Opening Circle, get to know the studio, and share our first dinner together at the ranch. Dinner provided.
Day 2 – Drop In & Open Up
Start your day with optional yoga to ground into your body. After breakfast, we’ll gather for check-in, meditation, and our first full dive into Intuition Painting®.
After lunch, you can rest, relax by the pool, or add to our nature mandala with found desert beauty. The afternoon brings more painting, followed by authentic movement to help integrate the day. Dinner out (at your own pace, solo or in community).
Day 3 – Deeper Into the Flow
Optional yoga opens the body. After breakfast, we reconnect with painting through meditation and intention.
The afternoon invites spacious rest — journal, nap, wander — before we return to the studio for a second painting session. We’ll gather for group sharing and gentle movement to close the day. Dinner out (self-paced).
Day 4 – Desert Adventure & Celebration
Begin with an optional local hike or slow morning. After breakfast, we’ll head into town to explore Joshua Tree’s farmers market, vintage treasures, local art, and more.
In the afternoon, we return to the studio for final painting time and closing creative rituals.
We’ll wrap the day with a special Celebration Dinner together on the property. Sunset walks, stargazing, and lots of spirited joy. Dinner provided.
Day 5 – Closing & Departure
For the early birds, we’ll offer a final desert hike to greet the day. Then we’ll gather for our final breakfast, closing circle, and heartfelt goodbyes.
Departure follows lunch — with a full heart and colorful soul.
Quail Tree Ranch
Our event takes place at a private, mid-century ranch surrounded by the striking landscape of the Joshua Tree National Park. Nights are blanketed by shining stars and mornings greet us with foraging families of quail and cotton-tailed rabbits. The views are breathtaking and the tranquil surroundings invite immersion into a world of natural wonder.
Why We Love Joshua Tree
There’s a raw, magnetic beauty to this land — a vastness that invites truth.
The open skies. The sacred silence. The sunrises that call you back to what matters.
The desert is a mirror — it strips away the noise and leaves space for your inner voice to speak clearly. This retreat is designed to match that spaciousness: grounding, soulful, and creatively wide open. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of the desert, you’ll find the space you need to reconnect with your authentic self and discover new ways of being and seeing.
YOUR INVESTMENT
Does this feel like a full YES? If so, we’d love to have you join us Free Yourself! in Joshua Tree
Cost: $1420-2500 US depending on accommodation. All-inclusive except for 2 dinners. Does not include airfare or airport transfer. The ranch is located 45 minutes from the Palm Springs Airport (PSP) and approximately 2 1/2 hours from Los Angeles (LAX).
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email and details from us with more information.
Cancellation Policy: After booking, if you need to cancel for any reason, you’ll receive a full credit toward a future Life is an Art retreat if you cancel at least two months prior to the retreat start date. If you cancel within two months of the retreat, the deposit is forfeited but you’ll receive credit for additional fees paid.
Reserve Your Dates
If you are ready for a meaningful pause, a creative awakening, and time with beautiful, kindred souls, join us and take this time for yourself.
“I am so glad I decided to take this. I found it to be a very effective route to the expression I was needing. I have never painted before. What was surprising was the connection I felt to the work I was doing, and how much it felt like deep healing while I was engaged. I give all the credit to Montine and the safe space she creates for this to happen.”