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 outdoor adventures CME is known for.
Each day brings opportunities to observe nature, practice new techniques, and develop a body of work—all while surrounded by the sweeping valleys, evergreen forests, and moody alpine light of Grand County.
Participants will stay together in a comfortable Airbnb home in Fraser, Colorado, each with their own private bedroom. Daily hot breakfast and dinner are included, offering a relaxing and communal home base for the week.
This retreat is designed for artists of all experience levels—from beginners ready to explore the foundations of landscape painting to more seasoned painters wanting to refine their style or reinvigorate their creative practice.
Participants should be prepared for light outdoor activity. We’ll hike up to 2 miles per day at an elevation 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 and experienced instructor, this trip is for you.
Lodging & Meals
We’ll stay together in a spacious Airbnb home in Fraser, offering both comfort and camaraderie.
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Each participant has their own room
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Hot breakfast and dinner served daily
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Packed lunches enjoyed in the field each day
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Shared common spaces for relaxing, prepping gear, or continuing your art practice into the evening
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Close proximity to trailheads, scenic viewpoints, and the charming small-town amenities of Winter Park and Fraser
This workshop is built around full, immersive days in the field, exploring the rich variety of landscapes around Fraser and Winter Park. From wide-open valleys and reflective ponds to moody forest edges and shifting alpine light, most of your painting and study time will take place outdoors at different scenic locations.
Each morning, after a hot 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 the techniques she teaches throughout the week. We’ll enjoy packed lunches in the field, allowing us to spend the entire day immersed in nature and focused on developing your work.
In the evenings, back at the house, Michelle will lead group critiques, discussions, and demonstrations—a chance to reflect on the day, review your studies, ask questions, and gain deeper insight into your artistic growth. These evening sessions are relaxed, supportive, and designed to help you connect the dots between field study and developing stronger studio paintings.
This structure creates a balanced rhythm: full exploration and learning outdoors, followed by thoughtful guidance and refinement indoors, all within a welcoming 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 19–23, 2026
Basecamp: Winter Park, Colorado
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: Moderate — up to 2 miles of walking per day at ~9,000 ft
Experience Level: All levels welcome; some plein air experience recommended
Group Size: Limited to 10 participants
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival & Welcome (July 19, 2026)
3:00 PM — Check in at the lodge in Fraser
4:00 PM — Welcome gathering, introductions, and retreat overview
5:00 PM — Short warm-up sketching session around the property
6:30 PM — Dinner at the lodge
7:30 PM — Evening discussion with Michelle: materials, mindset, and goals for the retreat
Day 2 – High Meadows & Mountain Light (July 20, 2026)
7:00 AM — Breakfast at the lodge
8:00 AM — Depart for morning painting session in the Fraser Valley high meadows
12:00 PM — Packed lunch in the field
1:00 PM — Afternoon painting at forested overlooks or creekside locations
4:00 PM — Return to the lodge
6:00 PM — Dinner
7:15 PM — Evening critique and instruction with Michelle
Day 3 – River Corridors & Alpine Atmosphere (July 21, 2026)
7:00 AM — Breakfast
8:00 AM — Painting session along the Fraser River or St. Louis Creek
12:00 PM — Packed lunch in the field
1:00 PM — Afternoon painting focused on water, reflections, and atmosphere
4:00 PM — Return to the lodge
6:00 PM — Dinner
7:15 PM — Evening critique, demonstration, and Q&A with Michelle
Day 4 – Ranchlands, Color Studies & Farewell (July 22, 2026)
7:00 AM — Breakfast and pack up belongings
8:00 AM — Final painting session at a local historic ranchland 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 Logistics
If you are flying into Denver International Airport (DEN) on Sunday morning—or arriving the night before and staying at a nearby hotel—Colorado Mountain Expeditions will coordinate group transportation to Fraser. We will run a CME shuttle to Fraser on Sunday, July 19, 2026, with shuttle pickups beginning around Noon. A few weeks before the trip, we will send out an email to confirm arrival plans and ask if you’d like to join the shuttle.
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 their own private bedroom, and hot breakfast and dinner will be prepared daily.
Meeting Time
Please plan to arrive at the lodge in Fraser by 4:00 PM on Sunday, July 19, 2026. We will gather for introductions, settle into rooms, and enjoy a welcome dinner before reviewing the week’s plan.
Check-In
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM. If you arrive earlier in the day, you are welcome to relax in town, get lunch, or explore the Fraser River Trail area until the lodge is ready. Luggage can be safely stored if needed.
Parking
Free parking is available at the lodge for the duration of the retreat if you choose to drive your own vehicle.
However, space is limited. If all participants choose to drive, we may need to park additional vehicles at the free public parking garage in downtown Winter Park. This garage is located directly across the street from the Winter Park Police Station and offers safe, long-term parking at no cost.
Departure
The retreat will conclude at 12:00 PM on Thursday, July 23, 2026. A CME shuttle will return participants to the Denver area immediately following checkout.
For those wishing to extend their time in the mountains, we recommend booking lodging in nearby Grand Lake for convenient access to Rocky Mountain National Park—an excellent opportunity to explore additional trails, wildlife viewing, and alpine scenery.
Additional nights in Fraser, Winter Park, or Grand Lake are optional and at personal expense.
Transportation During the Retreat
Colorado Mountain Expeditions will provide all transportation throughout the workshop, including travel to and from painting locations in the Fraser Valley, Winter Park, and surrounding field sites.
You will not need your own vehicle during the retreat.
Arrival Transportation Options
Participants are responsible for arranging their travel to and from Colorado, but CME will provide a group shuttle from the Denver area to Fraser on Sunday, July 19, 2026, with shuttle pickups beginning around Noon. Pickup locations are limited to:
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Denver International Airport (DEN)
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Any hotel on Tower Road near DIA
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Origin Hotel Red Rocks — 18485 West Colfax Avenue, Golden, CO 80401
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Wooly Mammoth Park-n-Ride Lots (ideal for anyone who prefers to avoid mountain driving)
A pre-trip logistics email will allow you to select your preferred pickup location.
If you plan to arrive in the Winter Park area a day early, or if the CME shuttle timing does not fit your travel schedule, we recommend Home James Transportation, a reliable shuttle service offering direct rides between Denver International Airport and Winter Park/Fraser.
Other independent travel options include renting a car, booking a private shuttle, or using available rideshare services from Denver International Airport. Driving time to Fraser is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes via I-70 and US-40.
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!
