5-day | January 14-18th, 2027 |

Thursday even 5-9pm | Introduction, Dinner and Fire

Friday-Monday | 10:30am–5pm

Tuition: $1,250 — includes most materials and beautiful meals. Begin each day with morning coffee/tea and nibbles, one community dinner as we burn the ritual fire, four homemade gourmet lunches, and one dinner… and social-hour drinks and bites each day. You won’t leave hungry.

A truly intimate mini retreat with only 4 students.

$300 Registration to secure your spot.

Kelly Williams Art Studio | Portland, OR

Gather. Ignite. Release

In this immersion, each work becomes an artifact — shaped by gathered inspiration from your life, transformed in fire, and released into the work.

This Winter Creative Immersion is a five-day intimate retreat for artists ready to slow down, reconnect with their work, and deepen their practice — with new inspiration, strong technique, and genuine self-care woven into every day.

During the dark and quite of winter, when light is at its lowest and the season sleeps, it is time to listen to what your soul is aching to make. We'll build the fire together and make vine charcoal and bone black — dark pigments for mark-making. Write what you're releasing on bay leaves and burn them to make room for what's next. Bring something personal to char or offer to the fire, and bring water that carries meaning for you — rain, river, sea, or well and we will make simple handmade inks. We'll share dinner while the fire burns, setting intentions, discussing prompts, and gathering what we need to begin.

Then we work. The next 4 full days we cover a lot of ground. Remnants from the solstice fire become pigments and inks. Plants and natural materials become mark-making tools and nature prints. As a group, we create shared ink and ash, and collage papers while individual work evolves along distinct paths. Sun, wind, and rain become creative collaborators when conditions allow, and St. Brigid's Holy Well water from Ireland is on hand to add a little Irish magic.

Weekend Workshop | November 14th & 15th, 2026 | 10:30am-4:30pm | $425

Discover the foundations of encaustic painting in this hands-on workshop designed for curious beginners and non-artists alike — though those ready for more advanced direction are equally welcome. I teach to the student, so wherever you are in your practice, there's something here for you. I keep classes intimate so you get the attention you deserve.

Through multiple demos and plenty of time for personal exploration, we'll cover everything you need to build a confident foundation: studio setup and safety, layering and application techniques, fusing options, color mixing, surface texture, and mixed media and collage integration.

Throughout the session you'll receive personalized feedback tailored to your individual approach and the materials you choose to work with.

No supply runs, no scrambling — just show up. Everything you need is provided. Bring your curiosity and leave the rest to me.

R&F Paints and products are generously supplied in support of this workshop and they are FABULOUS.

Photo-Encaustic and Mixed Media

February 6-7, 2027 | Saturday & Sunday |12-5pm | $350 (materials included)

We could all use a bit of fun and sexy right now. Sexy Art, Champagne and Chocolate. ❤️🥂🍫

Make a unique piece of art as a gift for your special someone or for yourself because you are FANTASTIC.

Use some of my super sexy vintage ladies (or a fun image of yourself) and embellish it into a unique and original piece of art or series of erotic Valentine’s Day cards! I even have some super spicy imagery if you are feeling extra daring. 😎

We will cover photo-encaustic techniques and how to incorporate a variety of mixed media both on wood and paper to create one of a kind pieces with a sexy twist. Great workshop for all levels and I will meet you wherever you are in the process.

In Person and Online/Phone

These sessions are a dedicated space—online or in person—to focus on your creative work and your growth as an artist. Depending on your needs, we might explore painting as a tool for personal reflection and emotional processing, or dive into strengthening your technical skills, composition, and artistic voice.

We might review works in progress, explore encaustic and mixed media techniques, plan a project from concept to completion, or develop strategies for sourcing materials and setting up your studio

1-Hour Online or Phone Session
A focused conversation to review works-in-progress, untangle creative blocks, or plan your next steps. This time can be reflective and process-oriented, or direct and skill-focused—tailored to what will serve you most.

3-Hour In-Studio Session
An immersive experience in my Portland studio, blending hands-on painting with meaningful discussion. We’ll work side-by-side—experimenting with techniques, refining your work, or using art-making as a way to process and grow.

EMBODIMENT: Symbolic Self-Portrait 

A Mixed Media, Collage & Encaustic Immersion

2027 Waiting list open

How do we translate our unspoken stories, internal sensations, and personal narratives into tangible form? In this intensive mixed-media and encaustic workshop, we dive deep into the intersection of narrative psychology, somatic awareness, and the creative process. Rather than working on traditional wood panels, we will utilize paper as a flexible, sculptural substrate to create an "embodied self portrait totem-scroll” that functions as a luminous multi-layered psychological self-portrait.

Using a symbolic narrative approach, you will explore how to make your internal landscape visible. Together, we will engage in mindfulness exercises, topographical emotional mapping, and writing prompts to uncover personal metaphors and translate verbal wordplay (such as "the weight of the world on my shoulders" or "a shiver down the spine") into a unique visual vocabulary.

Over the course of the workshop, you will learn to layer meaning and materials, building a physical artifact that holds your truth, honors your experiences, and captures your authentic voice.

Painting With Fire: Season 4 & 5

Register Anytime | Lifetime Access

In Season 5 of Painting With Fire, I’m offering two all-new workshops focused on deepening both concept and technique. Materiality & Meaning explores how to build more intentional content—infusing your work with story, symbolism, and resonance. Encaustic on Paper introduces sculptural, flexible, and unconventional approaches for working without panels.

New to Painting With Fire? Season 4 is still available and pairs beautifully with this year’s lineup. My long-format workshop, The Erotic Saint, is a playful and powerful dive into icon-making, personal storytelling, and visual commentary on body, identity, and belief.

Classes are pre-recorded, with lifetime access so you can work entirely at your own pace. You’ll also receive beginner technique videos, exclusive student discounts, and bonus recordings from in-person retreats at Essence of Mulranny, Ireland.

Sign up anytime and start whenever you’re ready. Wax on, fire up.