Santa Fe

September 5-12, 2025

with SUSAN MELRATH & TERRI FROELICH

THIS RETREAT IS SOLD OUT!

Please click HERE to be added to our waitlist. If a spot opens up, we will contact people on the waitlist first, before our mailing list and social media. So don’t delay, get on the waitlist!

Join Susan and Terri for an 8 day / 7 night, intimate retreat experience in an environment dedicated to self-healing and self-empowerment
among 150 acres of breathtaking views
of New Mexico’s landscape.

You’ll be surrounded by the graceful lines of enchanting adobe-style structures which have their roots in dwellings built by the Anasazi – the predecessors of the modern Pueblo people – two millennia ago.

Our studio for the week is a 50-foot round post and beam kiva. If you’re seeking a space that’s both grounding and uplifting, you’re sure to love this. With 21 artists and two instructors, there will be plenty of one-on-one feedback so that your personal questions will be answered. Our retreats are kept small and intimate for a reason.

You won’t go hungry! A full continental breakfast buffet is served every morning, followed by mid-day and evening feasts among friends.

Your home for the week….

Susan Melrath, Terri Froelich & Caroline Millar

WE FEEL YOU…

Color is in your soul. 

Cool, muted colors bring a sense of calm. Warm, saturated colors give us energy. Color, like music, reaches us on an emotional level. It can convey moods and hidden meanings, and even influence people. Simply put, color is life. It surrounds us. It stirs us. It communicates to all of our senses instantly.

MORE THAN A FEELING

For artists, color can make our viewers “feel” something. It can capture the feeling of a warm summer night or a fleeting moment in time. Given that composition is built on contrasts, color provides many ways to evoke those feelings including contrasts of hue, value, saturation, opacity and temperature. Just imagining all these components might feel overwhelming, let alone mastering them.

WE KNOW THE FEELING

The Color Cure retreat is dedicated to helping you do just that, along with the guidance of two artists who have immersed themselves in this field. Practical exercises, hands-on experience, and personal feedback will ensure that your art-making becomes a richer process and you have a deeper connection between what you want to say and how you say it.

What You Will Learn

Color offers so many forms of contrast: hue, value, saturation, complementary, opacity, and temperature contrasts. That’s a lot to unpack, and that’s just what we’ll be doing. 

We’ll cover: 

  • Composing with color.

  • Mixing any color you want.

  • Limiting your palette for greater emotional impact.

  • Finding new palettes for expression.

  • Understanding how the principles of art apply to color.

  • Mastering color contrasts.

  • Recognizing the limits of the color wheel.

Mastering a skill isn’t about memorizing facts or learning formulas. It's about understanding why things work and then applying them. During our week together we’ll be your guides. Our morning exercises are guaranteed to strengthen your mastery of color contrasts, allowing you to have total control of your composition. Our afternoon painting prompts and one-on-one guidance will provide the experiential learning that sticks and applies to YOUR art. 

What’s Included

  • Morning and afternoon teaching sessions with Susan, Terri and Caroline

  • 7 nights accommodation

  • Qigong session with Master Migntong Gu

  • All meals - made fresh daily (wines available for purchase)

  • Indoor painting studio

How it Works

  • At the time of booking, you pay a US$500 non-refundable deposit.

  • The remaining balance is split into half.

  • The first half is due 30 days from the date of booking

  • The remaining balance is due 30 days after that (60 days from the date of booking)

  • Note that images shown of rooms are for reference only and may not be the exact room you reserve

Accommodations & Costs

  • Single Occupancy

    King or Queen Bed / Private Bath

  • Single Occupancy

    Double Bed for one person / private room / Shared Bath (2 people)

  • Single Occupancy

    Twin Bed for one person / private room / Shared Bath (2 people) / Shared Bath (2 people)

  • Double Occupancy

    Twin Beds / Premium / Shared Bath

FAQ

  • The retreat is located approximately 30 minutes from Santa Fe, New Mexico, near the town of Galisteo. We recommend flying into Santa Fe (SAF) or Albuquerque (ABQ), New Mexico, USA . A few months before the retreat, we will send you additional information regarding transportation to and from the airport/retreat center. All attendees are responsible for the transportation arrangements and costs to/from the retreat.

  • This retreat accommodates 20 artists with three instructors Terri Froelich, Susan Melrath and Kerry Schroeder. There are 15 single rooms and 3 double rooms (total 6 people). The premium single and double rooms have private ensuite bathrooms (meaning the bathroom is inside the room). All other single accommodation have a shared bathroom (for 2 people) and are located just outside the room.

    Accommodations are on a first come, first basis and all reservations must be completed through this website.

  • Accommodations for 7 nights, painting instruction with Susan, Terri and Caroline (morning and afternoon sessions each day), meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) - and some fun and laughs!

  • Airfare, travel insurance (required), transportation to and from the venue, supplies, alcoholic beverages, tips for staff, art supplies, travel before or after the workshop and/or any personal purchases made.

  • We accept all major credit cards. If you prefer an alternative payment method, please reach out to us at info@artfuelstudio.com. All payments are billed in US Dollar

  • Yes, to reserve your spot for the retreat, we required a US$ 500 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit.  The remaining balance will be split in half. The first half is due 30 days from the date of booking and the remaining balance is due 60 days after booking. All retreat fees must be paid in full 90 days before the start of the retreat.

  • Your US$ 500 deposit is non-refundable, non-transferable. If you need to cancel after additional payments have been made, we are happy to refund the amount paid (less your deposit), once the retreat is full and a replacement person takes your spot and has paid in full - (we’ll be keeping a waitlist).

  • For this retreat, we can only accommodate vegetarian, gluten free and minor food sensitivities. This venue is not equipped to accommodate severe food allergies or special / limited diets. If you have any special dietary need(s), and would like confirmation that the request can be accommodated prior to booking the retreat, please reach out to us so we can confirm that your request is possible.

  • Yes, travel insurance and proof of purchase is required for all workshops.  Please do your research to determine if you should purchase standard travel insurance or if CFAR travel insurance (cancel for any reason) is better for you.  

  • We will send a complete list of supplies you will need to bring 60 days prior to the retreat start date.  Here are the basics…

    Acrylic Paint (this workshop is taught in acrylics only)

    Arches oil paper pad

    Nylon brushes assorted sizes of flats and rounds

    Cafeteria trays

    Tracing Paper

  • The most important thing to pack is your painting clothes!  Comfortable walking or hiking shoes would be helpful as you will be surrounded by nature. The average high/low temperature in September is between 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit (10-26 Celsius). Most of the time will be spent painting, eating, connecting and relaxing at the venue. You might want to bring a change of clothes for dinner but it's completely optional - and casual.  Some will return after dinner to continue painting! 

  • To view the ARTfuel Studio Retreats Terms & Conditions, please click HERE.