Description
4 Days of Creativity, Connection & Inspiration in the Catskills
Botanical Art & Nature Sketching Retreat
With Wendy Hollender, Lara Call Gastinger, Giacomina Ferrillo, Jean Mackay, & Vern Fannin
When: Friday, October 31 – Monday, November 3, 2025
Where: The Ashokan Center, Olivebridge NY
Who: Nature enthusiasts of ALL artistic skill levels, aspiring to advanced!
Escape to New York’s breathtaking mountains for an unforgettable four-day Botanical Art & Nature Sketching Retreat at the historic Ashokan Center. This immersive experience is designed for artists of all skill levels who want to deepen their connection with nature, refine their botanical art and sketching techniques, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow creatives.
What Awaits You
🌿 Learn from Renowned Instructors
Join Wendy Hollender, Lara Call Gastinger, Giacomina Ferrillo, Jean Mackay, and Vern Fannin, all incredible botanical artists, for a mix of large-screen presentations and drawing demonstrations and intimate small-group sessions.
🎨 Hands-On Botanical Art & Nature Sketching Workshops
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, explore new skills in observational drawing, watercolor techniques, nature journaling, and color theory.
🍂 Explore & Sketch in Nature
Stroll scenic trails, sketch bird nests and winter branches, gather leaves, seeds, and flowers to compose an autumn study page, and more.
🖌 Personalized Learning & Creative Freedom
Select a schedule that inspires you most! You choose your sessions, so you can focus on what excites you—from crafting your own sketchbook to capturing delicate lichen and curling leaves.
🏕 Relax, Recharge & Connect
Surrounded by fellow passionate artists, this retreat offers a welcoming, friendly atmosphere where you can create, share, and find inspiration in both nature and community.
What You’ll Take Home
✨ A new journal (that you’ll create yourself!)
✨ A deeper understanding of botanical art techniques
✨ Confidence in nature journaling & observational drawing
✨ A renewed love for art, nature, and creative exploration
✨ Lasting friendships and newfound artistic inspiration
Whether you’re looking to refine your craft, explore the beauty of the natural world, or simply step away from everyday life to draw, relax, and reconnect, this retreat is for you and your loved ones.
📅 Reserve Your Spot & EnJOY Botanical Art & Nature Sketching!
Session topics may include:
-Making sketchbooks
-Intro to observational drawing
-Enriching study pages with your creativity
-Advanced techniques combining watercolor and colored pencil
-Lara Call Gastinger’s Perpetual Journal
-Sketching bird nests
-Forest floor (colorful and dried leaves, seed pods, etc.)
-Color theory
-Compose an autumn page with leaves, seeds, flowers, and branches
-Twigs of winter
-Facing Birds Head On
-Outdoor Exploration (walk and sketch)
Fun for the whole family!
Enjoy delicious meals together and sleep soundly in beautiful wooden lodges. Children younger than 13 years old must have adult supervision at all times and can enjoy various family activities around the Ashokan Center. (Click here for a map of the main campus.)
Family activities may include:
–Hiking: Explore forest and streamside trails to Historic 1885 Covered Bridge, Winchell’s Falls, Cathedral Gorge, Homestead, and Sugar Shack. (Click here for trail map.)
–Art: Colored pencils and watercolor supplies will be available for families to draw and paint all of the interesting botanical parts you find on your hikes. You can also take inspiration from artist Andy Goldsworthy and create a temporary art installation using natural materials.
–Music: Play ukuleles, guitars, and other available instruments, or bring your own portable instrument to practice.
–Games: Whether you like running around playing sports or prefer more mental exercise, you’ll enjoy the variety of fun games we’ll have available.
–Local Attractions: Adventure around the Hudson Valley to various local attractions. (Click here for list of local sites.)
Note: Children (and their accompanying adult) may join you at no extra charge from us, but you will be responsible for arranging their lodging and dining with the Ashokan Center.
Details for Sleeping & Eating
Full daily schedule to come. Next steps for lodging and dining arrangements will be sent to your inbox once your purchase is complete.
Lodging & Dining are NOT included in this workshop fee and will require a separate payment to the Ashokan Center.
Once you complete your purchase of this workshop, you will receive a registration email with a link to make arrangements with the Ashokan Center.
LODGING
Lodging is NOT included in this workshop fee. Once you complete your purchase of this workshop, you will receive a registration email with a link to make arrangements with the Ashokan Center (or see offsite lodging options here).
(*pillows & blankets provided-BYO sheets + towels or rent from Ashokan)
Longhouse bed in the bunk wing: $50/person/night (shared bathroom)
Comfortable on-site bunk in Men’s, Women’s, or All Gender wing. Pillows & blankets provided, BYO sheets & towel, or rent for additional $25
Longhouse private (4 rooms/sleep 3 ea) $150/room/night (shared bathroom)
Red Maple private (8 rooms/sleep 4 ea) $180-200/room /night (private bathroom)
Sycamore private (4 rooms/sleep 5 ea) $220-230/room /night (private bathroom)
4 cabins: 2 with queen beds, 2 with 2 twins each $150/ cabin/night (shared bathroom)
Camping $16/person/night
Any size tent or RV is welcome on Ashokan grounds. Use bathrooms and showers in Longhouse Lodge.
Commuter $10/person/day
If your preferred lodging at the Ashokan Center is sold out, here is a list of other local places to spend the night.
WENDY’S RECOMMENDATION: I have stayed in these bunks in the Longhouse many times and personally recommend the authentic “sleepaway camp” experience. Don’t let shared bathrooms scare you; the Longhouse is LOVELY and a great chance to meet new friends.
DINING
Regardless of where you sleep, dining at Ashokan is the easiest option (plus it’s delicious!).
Dining is NOT included in this workshop fee. Once you complete your purchase of this workshop, you will receive a registration email with a link to make arrangements with the Ashokan Center.
Meals are served buffet and/or family style in the Dining Hall at designated times.
Coffee, tea, and fruit are available throughout the day. (Paper cups will be provided for your convenience, but using your own travel mugs is encouraged.)
For each person attending (you + each family member accompanying you) select 1 option for a meal plan:
Adult Meal Plan – $195
Child Meal Plan (Ages 4-12) – $97.50
Baby Meal Plan (Ages under 4) – $0
Art Supplies
Below is a list of supplies recommended for this workshop. Some brands are suggested, but you can use any supplies you prefer.
WE SUPPLY:
–Paper – sheets of each artist’s favorite paper for you to try
BRING YOUR OWN:
–Graphite Pencil (H or HB) – can be mechanical (003 or 005) and/or regular pencil with a good Sharpener
–Eraser (Tombow Mono Zero)
–Water Brush (Pentel, Niji, Faber Castell, Molotow, small size tips)
–Watercolor (portable watercolor travel set (Arttoolkit, Beam Paints, GreenleafBlue, Case for Making, Winsor Newton, Schmincke) or watercolor pencils (Faber Castell Albrecht Durer)
–Colored Pencils (Faber Castell Polychromos)
-Sepia Micron Pen, size 005
–Magnifying Glass
-Small Ruler (see-through if possible)
-Hat, scarf, gloves, and winter boots (NY can get chilly in November!)
-Water bottle and/or travel mug
–Sketchbook / Journal / Paper (optional)
Meet the Instructors
Wendy Hollender
Wendy is a botanical illustrator, author, and instructor, as well as the founder of Draw Botanical. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and the National Tropical Botanical Garden Florilegium Project.
– BFA in Textile Design from the Rhode Island School of Design
– Certified by the New York Botanical Garden in Botanical Art and Illustration
– Featured in the 13th International Exhibition at Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
– Exhibited by Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, the Smithsonian National Museum for Natural History and the US Botanic Garden
– Author of The Joy of Botanical Drawing, Nature Journaling in a Nutshell, The Practice of Botanical Drawing, Botanical Drawing in Color and the self-published Botanical Drawing, A Beginner’s Guide
– Illustrator of Foraging and Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook by Dina Falconi.
– Member of the National Tropical Botanical Garden Florilegium of Artists
– Wendy’s newest large format art book, All in the Family: Painting Plant Families, is due to be released by Abbeville Press in April 2026
Get to know Wendy
Q: What are your favorite art supplies to use?
A: Colored pencils and watercolor pencils
Q: If you were a plant, which plant would you be and why?
A: In a way I think in the east coast I would be a daffodil popping up early and bright in the spring, letting people know warmer, sunnier weather is on the way. Plus the daffodil is tough fighting off the deer who are repelled by its odor. They last and spread out nicely but don’t take over the landscape which is considerate of their neighbors.
Q: What do you love most about botanical art and nature sketching?
A: I love the immediate feeling when I study nature close up of feeling I am plugging in to nature and eliminating the rest of the world that is man made things such as phones and computers. Nature is beautiful, quiet, gentle and incredibly smart with how it creates such amazing things for us to use in our life in all aspects and I always feel this connection the minute I start to observe and draw.
Instagram: @wendyhollender
Learn more about Wendy Hollender here.
Lara Call Gastinger
Lara Call Gastinger is a botanical artist and illustrator in Central Virginia. She was the chief illustrator for the Flora of Virginia Project and a two-time gold medalist at the Royal Horticultural Society Botanical Art Shows in London (2007, 2018). Her work is in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation and she is renowned for teaching how to create and maintain a Perpetual Journal.
The subjects of her art come from the natural world and her art reveals detailed evidence of change, decay, and processes that occur in nature. She finds great inspiration in a carrot that has gone to flower, a broken seed pod, twisted roots or insect damage to a leaf. She strives to make a plant portrait in such a way that it reveals its character and uniqueness. Her focus is on the small details in nature, down to the small venations in leaves which hopefully inspires others to look a bit deeper and pause a bit longer.
Get to know Lara
Q: What are your favorite art supplies to use?
A: My favorite art supplies include: Fabriano artistic hot press paper, Sakura micron pen (sepia, size 005), Japanese interlon brushes (size 3/0), Arttoolkit palettes filled with my choice of Schmincke brand watercolors.
Q: If you were a plant, which plant would you be and why?
A: If I was a plant, I would be something small and delicate like a moss or lichen that is not too loud. These elegant plants require quiet attention to see and fit my introvert leanings.
Q: What do you love most about botanical art and nature sketching?
A: I love that botanical art is the perfect conduit to connect with and learn about nature in a deeper way. So much is learned and gained by spending time drawing a leaf.
Instagram: @laragastinger
Learn more about Lara Call Gastinger here.
Giacomina Ferrillo
Giacomina Ferrillo is an Italian artist, illustrator and author of ten children’s books.
Graduated in scenography, she has worked for theatre, fashion, graphic and interior design.
She is a member of ASBA (American Society of Botanical Artists) and has exhibited her works in London four times for SBA, the English Botanical Artists Society. She was awarded the RHS Silver-Gilt Medal 2024 and her design was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London.
Great promoter of sketching, which she has practiced over time in every professional field, she believes that botanical sketching can bring us closer to the perfection and magnificence that is in everything that surrounds us. She tries to share the idea that to examine nature so closely is useful not only for artistic but also for personal growth and educates on safeguarding the planet bringing inspiration and joy into one’s life. Her botanical sketchbook pages have been published by some international specialized magazines.
Get to know Mina
Q: What are your favorite art supplies to use?
A: I love drawing with the pen (Micron, Unipin or Copic 003-005 size) on Fabriano Artistico cold pressed paper, but my great love is watercolour. My favorite palette is by Winsor & Newton.
Q: If you were a plant, which plant would you be and why?
A: I think I would be a tree, an oak. They are very strong trees, symbolic of integrity and I have been through many storms… Love the Quercus robur, those curly leaves, I can’t resist drawing them!
Q: What do you love most about botanical art and nature sketching?
A: Nature sketching brings you closer to the wonder of the world around you, helps you to be amazed again, making you a more attentive, respectful and kind person.
Instagram: @giacominaferrillo
Learn more about Giacomina Ferrillo here.
Jean Mackay
Jean Mackay is an artist, educator, and naturalist. She has been keeping an artist journal for more than nearly 20 years as a way to study and share the beauty and diversity of nature. Working in all kinds of settings, from tide pools to farm fields to her own backyard in upstate New York, Jean’s watercolors reflect a keen eye for detail and profound sense of wonder.
She is the author/illustrator of The Nature Explorer’s Sketchbook (2020), which introduces young people to nature journaling. Jean teaches online and in-person classes and offers immersive workshops nationally and internationally. She has been an instructor with Winslow Art Center since 2020.
Get to know Jean
Q: What are your favorite art supplies to use?
A: I love ink and watercolor. My go-to supplies include a Micron pen size 005 black or sepia, small set of pan watercolors, and Escoda Versitil travel watercolor brushes, size 2,8, and 12 round.
Q: If you were a plant, which plant would you be and why?
A: I’ve never thought about being a plant! But one of my favorite plants is the Skunk Cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus. I love its hardy nature– poking up even through snow in its eagerness to welcome spring. Its hooded spathe and hidden spadix are gorgeous, if perhaps overlooked or underappreciated. And its unfurling green leaves, bright in sunlit wet woodlands, are a pleasure to paint. Its roots are also absolutely incredible: strong, deep, and grounded.
Q: What do you love most about botanical art and nature sketching?
A: I love connecting to and learning about the vast nature of the world around us through sketching. Nature sketching keeps me grounded, while also providing a constant source of inspiration, wonder and awe.
Instagram: @jeanmackayart
Discover more at www.jeanmackayart.com
Vern Fannin
Veronica (Vern) Fannin is a designer, illustrator, and creative arts specialist from Tallahassee, Florida. She lives in the rural Catskill Mountains of New York and loves to hike, paddle, and play in the wild forest. View Vern’s Illustration Portfolio
Thanks to the generosity and approachable lessons of Wendy Hollender, Vern fell in love with botanical drawing and the investigation of the plant world. She worked closely with Wendy to expand Draw Botanical’s educational endeavors and has been a Draw Botanical instructor for many years.
– BA Humanities/Studio Art – New College of Florida
– MFA Interior Design – Florida State University
– Member, National Tropical Botanical Garden Florilegium of Artists
– Author and illustrator, A is for Asparagoose: A Plant + Animal ABC
– Signage and Art, Hoot Music Festival
Get to know Vern
Q: What are your favorite art supplies to use?
A: Colored pencil and watercolor
Q: If you were a plant, which plant would you be and why?
A: I would be an apple tree; offering bounty and nourishment to animals and humans, even as I grow ancient and gnarled.
Q: What do you love most about botanical art and nature sketching?
A: I love matching and mixing colors that appear in nature, and I enjoy drawing as a tool to ask and answer questions about the forms I observe in the natural world.
Learn more at earthartmagic.love and vernfannin.com.
SUPPLIES
Below is a list of supplies recommended for this workshop. Some brands are suggested, but you can use any supplies you prefer.
BRING YOUR OWN:
-Your Favorite Paper / Sketchbook / Journal
–Graphite Pencil (H or HB) – can be mechanical (003 or 005) and/or regular pencil with a good Sharpener
–Eraser (Tombow Mono Zero)
–Water Brush (Niji, Faber Castell, Molotow, small size tips)
–Watercolor (portable watercolor travel set or watercolor pencils (Faber Castell Albrecht Durer)
–Colored Pencils (Faber Castell Polychromos)
-Sepia Micron Pen, size 005
–Magnifying Glass
-Small Ruler (see-through if possible)
–Lamp (battery-powered) (highly encouraged!)
–Basket / Bag (for collecting subjects on walks)
–Winter Weather Gear (NY can get chilly in November!) (Hat, scarf, gloves, coat, and winter boots)
–Water bottle and/or travel mug
-Your Favorite Sketchbook to share with other participants (optional, but highly encouraged!)
*If interested in Trompe L’oeil: Fool-the-Eye, bring flat (less than 1 inch thick) subjects, ex. keys, cards, photos, letters, stamps, buttons, music sheets, ribbons, tape, receipts, jewels, stones, etc.
WE SUPPLY:
–Paper Samples – sheets of each artist’s favorite paper for you to try
Cancellation Policy: In the event you cancel over 6 weeks before, a partial refund of 70% will be given if we are able to fill your spot. If we are unable to fill your spot or if you cancel less than 6 weeks before, we cannot issue a refund. We reserve the right to cancel a workshop at any time. If we cancel a workshop, you will receive a full refund.
