Sea, Stone & Olive – My First Painting Retreat in Greece! 🇬🇷

Zakynthos, Greece · June 24 – July 1, 2027

I'm so excited to finally share this with you: next summer, I'm hosting my very first painting retreat in Greece – and I've been dreaming about this one for years.

After many wonderful retreats in Spain and the launch of our château adventure in France, it felt like time for something completely new. Something with turquoise water, whitewashed stone, silver-green olive groves… and days filled with abstract painting under the Greek sun.

Sea, Stone & Olive – An Abstract Painting Retreat takes place on the island of Zakynthos, June 24 – July 1, 2027, hosted in partnership with the lovely team at UpTrek.

👉 Read everything and save your spot here:
https://uptrek.com/retreat/sea-stone-olive-abstract-painting-retreat-artist-hege-k-sandtorv-greece

Our home for the week – a Greek villa perched on a cliff above the Ionian Sea

A week of painting, sea and golden light

Together we'll spend eight days painting intuitively and abstractly – moving from chaos to calm, layer by layer. You'll build a large canvas and smaller studies throughout the week, with me guiding you closely every step of the way.

We'll mix our own "Greek palette" straight from the landscape around us: the Ionian blues and turquoise of the sea, the whitewashed limestone, the olive and sage greens, the sun-baked ochre and terracotta – and a splash of bougainvillea pink 🎨

Throughout the week we'll focus on:

• Starting a painting without knowing where it will end – and learning to trust the process
• Building a painting in layers, from the very first marks to a finished piece
• Working through the magical middle layer – that messy stage where most of us want to give up
• Color harmony, depth, contrast and composition
• Mixed media: charcoal, soft pastels, texture paste and collage
• Silencing the inner critic and finding real joy in the process

No experience needed. Whether this is your very first painting or you've painted for years, you'll travel home with finished canvases you're proud of – and a braver, freer way to paint.

The spacious, sea-facing art studio

More than painting

This is a retreat in the truest sense – slowing down, filling up, and immersing yourself in creativity with a wonderful group of like-minded people. Between painting sessions you can expect:

• ⛵ A boat trip to the iconic Shipwreck Beach (Navagio) – sketchbooks in hand
• 🫒 A visit to an award-winning olive oil farm from 1890, with tasting and painting on location
• 🏛️ A half-day trip to charming Zante Town
• 🍷 Three-course dinners by our private chef, paired with local wine
• 🏊‍♀️ Infinity pool, jacuzzi and terraced gardens overlooking the coastline
• 💃 A farewell celebration with Greek dance show and live music
• 🖼️ Our own mini exhibition of everything we've created

Everything is taken care of – meals, trips, transfers and a fully staffed venue – so all you have to do is show up, breathe, and paint.

The details

📅 June 24 – July 1, 2027 (8 days)
📍 Planos, Zakynthos, Greece
👥 Max 16 painters – small group, lots of individual guidance
🎨 All levels welcome – complete beginners included!
🛏️ A range of room options, from shared ensuite to single rooms with private pool access

Spots are very limited, and each room category has only a few places – so if this speaks to you, I wouldn't wait too long 💛

👉 Explore the venue, program and rooms – and book your spot here:
https://uptrek.com/retreat/sea-stone-olive-abstract-painting-retreat-artist-hege-k-sandtorv-greece

Questions about booking, rooms or payment? The wonderful UpTrek team has all the answers at [email protected] – they'll take great care of you.

I can't wait to stand at the easel with you under the Greek sun – mixing turquoise and terracotta, taking brave brushstrokes, and watching your own expression come to life.

Will you join me? ☀️🎨