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Gayle Kabaker is a painter, writer, teacher and visual storyteller

Last Spots for Our Magical Portugal Retreat + New Art & Scarves!

Spend a week making art, connecting deeply, and pressing pause on the chaos

Gayle Kabaker

Jun 25

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Hi everyone,

The world feels so intense and heavy right now. It feels tone-deaf to “promote” things when terrible things are happening—but sadly, these days, that seems to be all the time. I am very aware and mindful of what’s going on in the world. I know (because happily, people tell me!) that my art can bring a smile or a bit of light to someone’s day.

Having a sketchbook practice can be so helpful in hard times. I recently did a one-on-one session (yes! I do these—click HERE). Guiding this person in how to start a sketchbook practice, encouraging her to let go of the stress of trying to create “good” paintings, and helping her figure out how to find joy in her painting practice was so gratifying.

After teaching ten weeklong workshops over the past three years, Jennifer Orkin Lewis and I have become such better teachers and we LOVE teaching!

We have a very special Portugal retreat in May 2026 that includes the incredible yogi/healer Chloe Ward. This could actually be a wonderful thing for some of you to look forward to during what’s shaping up to be a pretty crazy year. To know that next May you’ll spend a week away from the news, with like-minded women, nurturing your creative self?

There are a few spots left, and we’d love for you to join us!

We made this video to give you a sense of what it’s like to be on retreat with us. Click HERE to check it out!

Portugal retreat

Views from the Finca, delicious food, horses to hug, comfortable rooms, and calm spaces to spend a week.

We know the testimonials go too quickly to read in the video, but it would have made the video too long. Here’s JUST the testimonials.

Painting Epiphany

I had such artistic breakthroughs while painting my view in Essaouira! At first, I thought I’d love capturing the scene from my riad—but when I tried, it was so hard for me and I wasn’t having fun at all. So I set it aside for a few days and focused on painting portraits and other subjects that, while not necessarily easier, felt more FUN to me.

Then, after spending time simply absorbing the view—just looking at it for a few days—something shifted. When the women came out to hang their laundry, I knew that was what I’d been waiting for. I took lots of photos and video, but decided to wait to paint the women until I got home and could print out their sections in B&W.

And—I also figured out how to paint bigger while traveling. I bought a 9x12 pad of mixed media paper and used two sheets taped together! (Frog tape! I’ll never travel without it.) I mean, this does seem like a big “duh!” but honestly, I hadn’t thought of it before.

I painted some portraits of people I met, or asked to photograph (or secretly snapped photos of 🙂). More breaking out of my usual choices of what to paint—I rarely paint men!