Sketchbook Evolution: A Drawing & Watercolor Retreat on Madeline Island

You asked for it - and we made it happen! After two years of rave reviews, our renowned sketching trio of Eduardo Bajzek, Rita Sabler, and Oliver Hoeller return to Madeline Island for the 2026 season with an all-new curriculum designed to expand, refine, and energize your sketchbook practice.

This immersive 5-day retreat weaves together three complementary foundations of great sketching:

• Capturing lively people with Oliver
• Playing with whites and negative space with Eduardo
• Simplifying complex scenes with Rita

Each instructor brings a distinct artistic lens, and together they offer a rich blend of demonstrations, guided exercises, and on-location sketching adventures around the island. Whether you’re strengthening core skills or exploring a new way of seeing, you’ll be supported, challenged, and inspired every step of the way.

Throughout the week, you’ll rotate among instructors at different island locations, with additional opportunities to learn together in group settings. Expect a dynamic mix of campus sessions, field sketching, camaraderie, and creative play.

A special highlight: mid-week you’ll enjoy an Open Studio Day, a flexible, self-directed session with instructors available for feedback, demos, and personal guidance. It’s the perfect moment to deepen your work, revisit earlier concepts, or explore new ideas sparked during the retreat.

By Friday, you’ll head out on a celebratory sketchcrawl and conclude with a warm, constructive group sharing session where each participant highlights a favorite piece from the week.

Whether you're a seasoned sketcher or a watercolor enthusiast looking to broaden your artistic voice, this retreat offers an unforgettable blend of learning, exploration, and community - set against the one-of-a-kind backdrop of Madeline Island.

Instructor: Oliver Hoeller - People FULL of Life! 
Foundational Concept: How to sketch people in a limited time for maximum impact Application: Identify and sketch characteristic shapes and forms; garnish with detail
Techniques: Pencil, fineliner, watercolor

People and their interactions tell the stories of the places we sketch. Unfortunately, because of its challenges, many artists avoid capturing people altogether.

In this workshop segment, we will tackle sketching people and unlock ways to infuse our captures with life and character - often THE missing ingredient.

You will learn how to quickly analyze your model and make the most of the observation time you have. Learn why a focus on shapes, boxes, beans, and wrap-arounds beats getting sucked into eyelashes and nostrils. Last but not least, join in the fun of exaggerating to communicate your opinion!

Instructor: Eduardo Bajzek - Playing with and around the Whites
Foundational Concept: Exploring creative approaches to working with the white of the paper in drawing and painting
Application: Playing with the edges of the drawing, experimenting with negative space, and embracing the absence of color
Techniques: Pencil drawing and watercolor painting

The instructor will introduce the 3 core concepts of the workshop, through visual references, detailed explanations and useful exercises:

• Framing games: a playful way to bring interest and variety to the edges or boundaries of the image
• Negative spaces: learning to see and use negative space is crucial for every visual artist. Participants will explore ways to use it creatively
• Presence and absence of color: color can be used to express focus and create visual dynamics within a scene. Its absence can also communicate in powerful ways!

The instructor will provide reference images to inspire students and help them explore different approaches to these concepts. They will be invited to draw and paint small scenes, experimenting with framing, negative space, and the presence / absence of color.

Instructor: Rita Sabler - Selecting and Simplifying: Drawing for Impact
Foundational Concept: Simplify complex scenes by selecting key visual elements
Application: What to choose and what to leave out. How to simplify complex shapes
Techniques: Use of thumbnails, simplified linear perspective, depth   

Urban sketching can be fun and rewarding—but also a bit daunting. Faced with overload of visual information, complicated perspective, and endless details, it’s easy to feel unsure about where to begin. This workshop is designed to help you approach the scene with confidence by learning how to select what matters most and simplify everything else.

We’ll focus on capturing urban scenes on the go, using quick, playful sketches that highlight sense of depth and bring in elements of visual storytelling. Through step-by-step demos and hands-on practice, you’ll learn how to create a sketch that truly captures the spirit of a place.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Simplify complex scenes by selecting key visual elements
• Use linear perspective to anchor your sketches
• Create quick thumbnails to build confidence
• Capture the energy and atmosphere of a location
• Make fast, satisfying visual decisions—doing more with less

By the end, you’ll have a toolkit of techniques for sketching anytime and anywhere–from a cafe, market, a busy street corner, or on a daily walk. Join us as we will be looking closely, discovering beauty in a scene, and finding joy in every moment.

NOTE: This workshop includes 

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner = Monday - Thursday 
• Breakfast and Lunch = Friday

Workshop Schedule:
Sunday Night: Welcome Reception at 6pm
Monday – Friday: 9am – 4pm
*Subject to change*