The Amazing Paint-Out & Community Mural with Erin Gafill

Week of July 25, 2026

Get ready to think BIG.

Award-winning painter and author Erin Gafill brings her vibrant Big Sur spirit to Family Week with an outdoor Paint-Out — and a collaborative mural project that may take center stage at Rancho La Puerta’s Got Talent.

Throughout the week, children, teens, and families will explore color, light, and atmosphere through hands-on painting sessions. Together, participants will help design and create a large-scale mural — layering imagination, bold brushstrokes, and shared ideas into one dynamic work of art. The finished piece will become the backdrop for the Talent Show performance, making it part of the week’s grand finale.

Teens | Paint Big. Make It Matter.
Teens are invited to take creative ownership — contributing design ideas, experimenting with expressive brushwork, and helping shape a mural that will be seen by the entire community. It’s collaborative, high-energy, and a chance to leave your mark on Family Week.

Children | Color in Motion
Young artists will dive into joyful, hands-on painting — mixing colors, making big gestures, and watching their creativity grow across a shared canvas. It’s playful, expressive, and wonderfully messy in the best way.

 

Erin Gafill is an award-winning painter, author, and founder of the Big Sur Arts Initiative. Known for her vibrant use of color and community-centered teaching, she inspires artists of all ages to paint boldly and joyfully. She is the author of a coffee-table art book, Color Duets, with Kaffe Fassett, and a memoir about life/work balance, Drinking from a Cold Spring, a Little Book of Hope.