Imagine the most magical art retreat you could possibly imagine.  Then join us.

I want you to take a moment to imagine the most perfect art retreat you could ever dream up. Maybe for you that means arting from sunrise to sunfall. A personalized pencil case filled with brand new art supplies waiting for you on your pillow... and a dram of whisk  in a luxurious room, with a four-post, centuries old bed.

Fully catered, chef prepared breakfast, lunch and dinners so you don't have to stop your creative flow to worry about where your next meal is coming from.
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​Maybe it's the thrill of an intimate setting with like-minded, creative others...few enough so that you can take your time and get to know everyone but not so many that the atmosphere becomes overwhelming. 

Maybe it's being surrounded by nature so beautiful that simply opening a window fills you with a breath of fresh air as well as creative inspiration. And maybe it's something as simple as sketching in your art journal by the quiet of a fire while sipping a glass of wine.

Now what if I told you I dared to imagine the very same dream and have spent the last few months ensuring that this dream becomes a reality for myself and for you. I am absolutely thrilled that I, along with my artist colleagues Jenny Manno and Lucy Brydon plan to deliver everything I just mentioned and so much much more.
So open your eyes and soak in what I am about to show you and be prepared to be blown away.
Our journey will begin in the pristine Scottish countryside of Aberdeen. No strip malls, no gas stations, just pure natural bliss.

Make no mistake, it is peaceful here. The air is fresh and the ruins are spectacular and plentiful.
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With inspiration in every acre. I know what you're thinking. I'm sitting here in sunny North Carolina, pulling images off of the Internet to include here. The thing is, these photos are not pulled from Google. These photos were all taken by myself and local artist and our retreat teacher, Lucy Brydon, who is lucky enough to call Aberdeen her home, and who will be touring us around and teaching us magical art techniques to boot! And lucky for us, she will be amongst us the entire week to answer questions, fill our heads with true fairy stories (I kid you not!! Watch and listen to the video below!) and share with us a full days worth of gorgeous lessons.

But I digress. Back to the retreat. I thought originally, for fun, let's book an ancient Castle. Not for a night as is common for tourists, but for a whole glorious week. And while we are at it, let's make it a newly refurbished, 5 star one. This is where I have the distinct pleasure to introduce you to our lodgings for the week: Wardhill Castle.

Wardhill Castle is set amidst 400 acres of ancient woodland and farmland and has been owned and occupied by the Leslie family for over 800 years. For those of you familiar with Game of Thrones, you may be familiar with the Leslie family more than you realize!
Here's a hint...it has something (okay everything) to do with Jon Snow from Game of Thrones.

Ygritte (Jon Snow's Wildling lover) is played by Rose Leslie, who grew up at Wardhill Castle. So yeah, this is kinda a big deal. It is Rose's brother, Will and wife Sarah, who currently live in and run the estate today. They are a lovely young family who are the most gracious couple and hosts. If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, you may also be interested and tickled to know that this is also where Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie were married in the summer of 2018 and where the cast spent the night. I'm still pinching myself at this!!!

Back to the retreat...where we? Oh yes, let me walk you through the experience. Guests arrive at 4 pm and after touring the castle, are welcomed to a Wine and Cheese hour where everyone can gather, meet one another, and enjoy refreshment.

We will then relax, unwind, and enjoy a brief but fun game of get-to-know you in the spacious drawing room (aptly named I might add!).

Promptly at 7 pm, we shall gather in the Dining Room to enjoy a sumptuous Scottish meal. 

Our goal for this retreat was to spend as much time devoted to art and friendship building as possible. To make this possible, we have hired a Chef to prepare all of our breakfast, lunch and dinners during our stay and each meal with be fully catered and all dietary requests accommodated. (fun fact: by the same company that catered to Kit and Rose's wedding!). It is also our privilege to include alcohol in your reservation price as well. Up to 2 glasses per person, per day. We want to make sure all of our artist guests are fully pampered and well taken care of. This is a once in a lifetime retreat for everyone. We are going to every length to ensure that you have the most incredible experience of your adult life.
Now onto the bedrooms.

Eight bedrooms accommodate up to 10 guests in different variations of singles (1 queen bed in a single), doubles (2 queen beds in a shared room) and a triple (3 twin beds in a shared room). Each bedroom and bathroom are completely renovated and/or restored to provide the utmost in elegance and are completely unique!

The castle is so much fun to explore and to experience!!  For 7 full, luxurious nights!

Our hope is that during your stay over the course of the week, every day you wake up feeling pampered, refreshed, well rested and inspired!
Now let me introduce you to my partner-in-crime in this magical adventure and share with you a little bit of the magic that we have planned out for you thus far.

I know I've already introduced you to our wee lass REAL Scottish friend Lucy, but I'd like to share more about her and what she will be offering us, because, it is so very special. She is extraordinary with watercolors, Gelli plates as well as mixed media and digital art and I can't wait for you to have an in-depth lesson with her.

If you are not familiar with her work you really need to be.  Her whimsical animals and girls really conjure the magic that abounds in Scotland. She is our guide and plays host on our retreat. We are so so lucky to have her with us!!!!

Art is the heart of our retreat and we spend 4 full days learning, laughing, and creating both in and out of the castle.  And outside of the castle if the weather permits!

We will also be spending 2 days exploring the local villages, natural sites and more castles!!

We will fill our art journals and favorite travel sketchbooks with subtle beauty of what surrounds us, no matter how big or small it may be.
As I have yet to formally introduce myself, I am Karen Campbell (of whose site you are on!), artist, teacher, author (Fun Fab Faces series and Mixed Media Magic) and I am so honored to be able to bring this experience to you with the help of Lucy.

20 years ago I fell in love with Scotland and my love and obsession seem to grow (worse) with each passing year. I am intrigued by it's endless beauty, rich and scandalous and LONG history, and it's generous, gregarious, wonderful people (oh and the food and drink and complete lack of strip malls). I am also taken by the mythical stories and creatures and stories from this area. My full day's project will feature one of these but I'm going to save it as a surprise. I've already given away so much of what we are going to be doing...isn't it lovely to have some of it a treasure yet to be uncovered?
The last evening will comprise of a final dinner and creative farewell activity.
To experience the retreat in person, visit AwesomeArtSchool.com to join the interest list and for more information. 

To learn more and to get a tour of the castle, watch below!