Join Colorado Mountain Expeditions for a restorative and inspiring week of landscape painting in the high country of Fraser and Winter Park, Colorado. Guided by landscape painter Michelle Wooderson, this immersive workshop blends outdoor exploration, artistic growth, and the professionally guided adventures Colorado Mountain Expeditions is known for.
Each day brings opportunities to observe nature, practice new techniques, and develop a body of work while surrounded by sweeping valleys, evergreen forests, and the shifting alpine light of Grand County.
Participants will stay together in a comfortable home in Fraser, each with a private bedroom, creating a relaxed and communal home base for the week. Daily hot breakfast and dinner are included, offering time to gather, share meals, and unwind after full days in the field.
This retreat is designed for artists of all experience levels, from beginners exploring the foundations of landscape painting to seasoned painters looking to refine their style or reinvigorate their creative practice.
Participants should be prepared for light outdoor activity. We’ll hike up to two miles per day at elevations around 9,000 feet, carrying lightweight painting or sketching materials. No backcountry experience is required—just a willingness to explore and enjoy the outdoors.
If you’re seeking a supportive, immersive environment to grow your painting skills, connect with nature, and learn from a dedicated instructor, this retreat offers a welcoming and inspiring experience.
Most of our time will be spent outdoors at scenic locations around Fraser and Winter Park, from wide-open valleys and reflective ponds to forest edges and mountain viewpoints. Each morning, after breakfast, we’ll head out as a group to one or more chosen sites. Michelle will guide you through observing the landscape, gathering visual information, creating small studies, and applying new techniques throughout the week. We’ll enjoy packed lunches in the field, allowing us to remain immersed in nature and focused on developing your work.
In the evenings, back at the house, Michelle will lead relaxed group critiques, discussions, and demonstrations. These sessions offer time to reflect on the day’s work, ask questions, and gain deeper insight into your artistic growth, helping connect field studies to stronger studio practice.
The rhythm of the week balances full days of exploration and learning outdoors with thoughtful guidance and reflection indoors, all within a supportive and creative group environment.
From the Artist
ABOUT ME
Michelle Wooderson is a landscape painter and resides in rural Kansas. She believes that always being a student and studying from nature are key to successful painting. Michelle paints in a mix of Tonalist and Impressionist styles, preferring moody, soft scenes. Early morning and late evening scenes, rainy and foggy days and water reflections are some favorite themes. Creating atmosphere and distance in a painting by blending, scumbling and glazing are some painting methods that Michelle employs. Michelle loves to lead the viewer into a scene and then makes them want to stay, possibly conjuring up images from a childhood memory or a place to sit and rest for a while. It’s Michelle’s goal to start a painting that begins a story that the viewer gets to finish.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Michelle will guide students through her proven techniques that have helped her grow as a landscape painter. Her personable coaching approach will ease you into quickly saying, “I can do this!” It all begins with learning how to study the landscape and to realize that you don’t want to paint like Michelle, you want to paint LIKE YOU! Michelle will share her methods of observing nature, gathering information, selecting a scene and creating a pleasing composition before paint ever hits the canvas. You will learn about drawing, composition, values, the planes of the landscape and how to study nature. Building on these techniques, Michelle will demonstrate how to create small, information filled color studies in various forms. By the end of the workshop, you will have a body of small works that will inform you for taking it to the next level of painting studio paintings. Michelle will give you her best tips for becoming the forever student and how to continue learning and growing with your painting journey. If you’re looking for a friendly, low-pressure way to learn landscape painting with like-minded folks, this is the workshop for you!
Trip at a Glance
This four-day workshop with artist Michelle Wooderson is based in Winter Park, Colorado, with lodging located just up the road in Fraser. Each day focuses on plein air painting in the surrounding Fraser Valley and Winter Park landscapes. You’ll visit a variety of local field locations—mountain meadows, river corridors, forested overlooks, and nearby ranchlands—hiking up to 2 miles per day at roughly 9,000 feet. Packed lunches will be eaten in the field to maximize painting time. Evenings are spent back at the lodge for critiques, demonstrations, and group discussion. This is a straightforward, field-focused painting retreat designed for artists who want structured time outdoors, clear instruction, and a simple, well-supported schedule.
Dates: July 19–22, 2026
Basecamp: Fraser, Colorado (5 mins from Downtown Winter Park, CO)
Lodging: Private lodge accommodation in Fraser (each participant has their own room)
Meals: Hot breakfast and dinner served daily; packed lunches in the field
Painting Locations: Winter Park & Fraser Valley meadows, river corridors, forest overlooks, ranchlands
Difficulty: Easy — each day consists of about 1 mile of walking ~9,000 ft
Experience Level: All levels welcome; some plein air experience recommended
Group Size: Limited to 10 participants
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Please note: Painting locations are intentionally not specified in advance. Final locations will be selected during the retreat to ensure the best possible conditions each day.
Day 1 – July 19, 2026
3:00 PM — Check in at the lodge in Fraser
4:00 PM — Welcome gathering, introductions, and retreat overview
6:30 PM — Dinner at the lodge
7:30 PM — Evening discussion with Michelle: materials, mindset, and goals for the retreat
Day 2 – July 20, 2026
7:00 AM — Breakfast at the lodge
8:00 AM — Depart for a morning painting session at a nearby outdoor location
12:00 PM — Packed lunch in the field
1:00 PM — Afternoon painting session at an alternate outdoor location
4:00 PM — Return to the lodge
6:00 PM — Dinner
7:15 PM — Evening critique and instruction with Michelle
Day 3 – July 21, 2026
7:00 AM — Breakfast
8:00 AM — Morning painting session in a natural outdoor setting
12:00 PM — Packed lunch in the field
1:00 PM — Afternoon painting focused on atmosphere, light, and composition
4:00 PM — Return to the lodge
6:00 PM — Dinner
7:15 PM — Evening critique, demonstration, and Q&A with Michelle
Day 4 – July 22, 2026
7:00 AM — Breakfast and pack up belongings
8:00 AM — Final morning painting session at a local outdoor location
11:30 AM — Return to the lodge
12:00 PM — Farewell lunch, reflections, and group wrap-up
1:00 PM — Departures from Fraser
Weather & Conditions
July in the Winter Park/Fraser Valley typically brings daytime highs in the 70s °F with cool mornings and evenings in the 40s–50s °F. Expect clear skies, strong sun, and occasional afternoon clouds. Bring layered clothing, sun protection, and a hat. Mountain conditions can change quickly; CME will adjust locations as needed to maintain safety and comfort.
Meeting & Transportation Logistics
CME Shuttle Transportation (Denver Area ⇄ Winter Park)
Colorado Mountain Expeditions will provide a complimentary group shuttle to transport participants from Denver International Airport (DEN) and select Denver-area locations to Fraser at the start of the retreat, and back to the Denver area at the conclusion of the trip.
Arrival Shuttle — Sunday, July 19, 2026
CME will operate a shuttle to Fraser with pickups beginning around 12:00 PM. Participants may either fly into Denver International Airport (DEN) on Sunday morning or arrive in the Denver area the night before and stay at a nearby hotel.
A few weeks prior to the retreat, CME will send a logistics email to confirm travel plans and allow participants to opt into the CME shuttle and select a preferred pickup location.
Departure Shuttle — Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Following the conclusion of the retreat at 12:00 PM, CME will provide a return shuttle to Denver International Airport and the Denver area. We expect to drop off at DIA around 3pm.
Arrival Shuttle Pickup Locations
CME shuttle pickup locations are limited to the following:
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hotels located on Tower Road near DEN
Origin Hotel Red Rocks — 18485 West Colfax Avenue, Golden, CO 80401
Wooly Mammoth Park-n-Ride lots
Pickup location selection will be handled through the pre-trip logistics email.
Meeting Location
Fraser, Colorado (Private CME Lodge / Airbnb address provided to registered participants)
This home will serve as our basecamp for the full retreat. Each participant will have a private bedroom, and daily hot breakfast and dinner are included.
Meeting Time & Check-In
Please plan to arrive at the lodge in Fraser by 4:00 PM on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM. The afternoon will include settling into rooms, introductions, and a welcome dinner. Participants arriving earlier in the day are welcome to explore Fraser, enjoy lunch in town, or walk the Fraser River Trail. Luggage can be securely stored if needed.
Parking
Free parking is available at the lodge for participants who choose to drive their own vehicle. Parking space is limited. If needed, additional vehicles may be parked at the free public parking garage in downtown Winter Park, located across from the Winter Park Police Station.
Transportation During the Retreat
Colorado Mountain Expeditions will provide all transportation during the workshop, including travel to and from daily painting locations. Participants will not need their own vehicle during the retreat.
Independent Travel Options
Participants are responsible for arranging travel to Colorado. If the CME shuttle timing does not fit individual schedules, independent options include Home James Transportation, renting a car, booking a private shuttle, or using rideshare services from Denver International Airport. Driving time from Denver to Fraser is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes via I-70 and US-40.
Extending Your Stay
Participants wishing to extend their time in the mountains may consider lodging in Grand Lake for convenient access to Rocky Mountain National Park. Additional nights in Fraser, Winter Park, or Grand Lake are optional and at personal expense. OR make it a real adventure and take the train from Fraser to Glenwood Springs, CO to soak in some hot springs, the perfect way to end your trip to Colorado.
Welcome to Your Winter Park Painting Retreat
We’re so glad you’ll be joining us for this creative mountain getaway in the heart of Colorado’s high country!
Colorado Mountain Expeditions (CME) was founded with a simple mission: to help people connect more deeply with Colorado’s wild landscapes through guided outdoor experiences. Based in Winter Park, CME is a licensed Colorado outfitter specializing in small-group adventures that combine exploration, learning, and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Our team is dedicated to creating meaningful travel experiences that highlight Colorado’s alpine beauty while supporting responsible and sustainable recreation.
For this special retreat, we are thrilled to partner with Michelle Wooderson, a nationally respected artist known for her warm, expressive approach to plein air painting, sketching, and creative journaling. Michelle’s teaching style encourages artists to slow down, observe closely, and translate the colors and textures of the Rockies into their work. Her focus on color harmony, loose brushwork, and thoughtful page design creates an engaging and welcoming atmosphere for artists of all levels.
While our private lodging is just up the road in Fraser, the retreat itself is centered around the landscapes, atmosphere, and creative energy of Winter Park. From daily field sessions to evening critiques and shared meals, the experience is designed to help you connect with the region’s alpine environment in a relaxed, supportive, and memorable way.
We can’t wait to welcome you to Winter Park for this inspiring artistic retreat!
