Creative retreats, painting vacations & art getaways

David Daniels

May 31 - June 5, 2026

Finding Your Voice in Watercolor

Medium: Watercolor
Level: All Levels
Location: Studio
Status:
Open for Enrollment

Rates & Enrollment

Deposit is $450, balance due 30 days before arrival
Day Student Tuition: $1144 + Materials fee
Inn-Stay Package*: $2,380 - $3,220 + Materials fee

*Your Inn-Stay Retreat Package includes:
Workshop Tuition, lodging, dinner 2 nights (welcome and farewell), breakfast and lunch each day, daily snack breaks, unlimited coffee, tea & seltzer. 

For your independent dinners, there are many restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines and price points, within comfortable walking distance of the Inn, plus Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s.

Click here for Sample Daily Agenda.

You can choose a room to yourself (single occupancy) or double your fun, bring a friend and split a room (double occupancy). 

To learn more about your options or to register, click the Register Now button.

About This Workshop

Watercolor paintings can be so much more than a checklist of watercolor techniques. David goes beyond paint application basics and shows how to construct strong, vibrant, personality-filled paintings. David firmly believes that planning does not destroy creativity, but creates opportunity. Daily one-on-one critiques and demos will be vital to helping you find your watercolor voice.

Students will learn:

  • how to find the essence of your subject matter

  • how to construct compelling compositions

  • to see shapes, not objects

  • how to create a color strategy

  • how to use frisket to achieve batik-like effects

  • the importance of value patterns in your work

  • how to paint loosely while staying true to your subject matter

About David Daniels

David earned a Masters of Arts Degree from Central Michigan University. After 15 years of teaching in the Michigan public school system he moved to Washington, DC to pursue an art career. In the past several years, David’s talent has earned him the distinction of Best of Show in such prestigious organizations as the Capitol Hill Art League of Washington, DC, the Cultural Society of Coral Springs, Florida and the Washington Watercolor Association of Washington, DC.

In addition to being a working artist, David is a dynamic and engaging watercolor instructor. He is the watercolor instructor for the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, DC, is a former instructor at Montgomery College in Maryland, and he teaches workshops throughout the world. David is on the faculty of the Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Festival in Italy.

He has been involved with such art-related activities as the Boat House Art School of Washington, DC, where he was the director for two years; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Docent Program; and he has affiliations with numerous art organizations and associations. Recently David was featured in American Artist Magazine, and his works can be found in two new publications by Rockport Publishers: The Best of Watercolor Composition and Floral Inspirations. David is included in Who’s Who in American Art.

His work can be found in corporate collections of such organizations as the Quadrangle Corporation, Michigan Education Association, Home National Bank of Arkansas City Kansas, and the private collection of the National Institutes of Health.

Statement
Capturing the spirit of nature and interpreting its beauty through my vision is what I love most about making art. The medium of watercolor is surprisingly versatile, which feeds into my drive to experiment with materials and methods. Borrowing from batik, I use a masking agent and multiple washes to achieve a range of effects, from delicate to bold. At times I add pastels to strengthen the depth of color, and almost always paint in a large format, which allows me to exaggerate my subject matter. It is an ever present challenge for me to elevate the medium of watercolor by using innovative techniques, all the while preserving the natural beauty of its transparency.

Materials

Sample Agenda

Will I receive a confirmation in the email?

You will receive an email confirmation and, as time gets closer, more email full of info and goodies.

Here is the payment schedule:
$450 deposit is due at the time of registration.
Remaining balance is due 30 days before your retreat start date
Pay in Full at time of registration and save $100 (does not apply to Day Student package)
Holiday Discount! Register by January 2nd and receive $100 off any Inn-Stay package (does not apply to Day Student package). Code HOLIDAY.
Please read our full cancellation policy 
HERE

 2026 Workshops Now Open for Registration!

Hey There!

Please send an email to Hello@CRVInn.com 

or call us at 860-916-0514 If you have any questions.

We’ll get back to you ASAP!