Intuitive Ink Painting is a fun and free process in which we let go and allow ourselves to make art through intuition, play, and imagination. Each day I will introduce the materials with a brief demonstration of simple technique, including color blending and brushwork, and invite students to begin (or add to works made in previous days). We will make greeting cards, mini travel journals or small paintings using brush markers filled with vibrantly colored inks. I will offer additional mixed media tools (water-based paint, pens, papers, adhesive) for those who want to explore further. All supplies will be provided for participants. Guests are welcome to come for one session, or all five. We’ll be using high-quality art supplies in luscious colors, and there will be no pressure or critique. Come to be inspired, express yourself, try new ways of recording your feelings and the events of your life; create a gift or something to help you “take the Ranch home.”
Karen Boren Gerstenberger is an artist who lives and creates by the shores of Puget Sound, Washington, using acrylic paint and mixed media. Her work is held in collections around North America, in Europe and South Africa, and is shown in her gallery in Kingston, Washington. She has a deep reverence for nature and its healing potential in our lives. A dedicated walker, she knows personally the solace, inspiration, freedom, and joy that strolling in nature provides because it helped to release her from 30 years of “artist’s block.” She co-facilitates the Stroll for Well-Being Program at the beautiful Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, Washington, which continually inspires her. In her memoir, Because of Katie, Karen tells the true story of her journey with her daughter and family through the world of pediatric cancer. She created and taught WORD SOUP© (a writer’s workshop). Karen founded & is President of Katie’s Comforters Guild and The Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer
David Wellis, Ph.D., is a renowned cell biologist, innovator, and entrepreneur with over 30 years in the life science industry. He currently serves as CEO of FreMon Scientific, advancing precision thawing technologies for improved clinical outcomes. Previously, he was co-founder and CEO of Excellos and led the San Diego Blood Bank, connecting donors with research and clinical opportunities. Dr. Wellis has held leadership roles in antibody and biomedical research, trained at UC Irvine, Emory, Tufts, and UC Berkeley, and contributes to national health and biotech organizations. Recognized as one of San Diego’s Most Influential People, he’s also a frequent speaker at major scientific and leadership forums, including the Young Presidents Organization and the White House.
Kerena Gordhamer Saltzman, LCSW is a therapist, leadership coach, and facilitator with over 25 years of experience. She has been on faculty at Esalen Institute for 15 years, taught at Omega Institute, and curated women’s leadership programs through Emerging Women. Kerena also co-leads a year-long Enneagram and Relational Leadership program with her husband, Ben Saltzman.
Ben Saltzman is an internationally known leadership coach, Enneagram expert, spiritual maverick, and world class facilitator.
Linda Weill’s beautiful ceramic mosaics can be found throughout the Rancho La Puerta property and Professor’s Park. A public school art teacher for 25 years, Linda pivoted from teacher to student when, at age 60 she enrolled in a mosaics course at the renowned Orsoni Furnice in Venice. Since then, she has worked with schools and community groups to create narrative ceramic mosaics. These detailed public art installations feature handmade clay pieces and depict cultural and ecological themes of the land they inhabit. Linda loves to teach at Rancho La Puerta and guests always enjoy her multi-media art classes.
Some of the best discoveries are made by accident and that’s what happened in the fusion of the musical talents of Judi Jaeger and Bob Reid. They unwittingly found that perfect harmony while standing next to each other at a music camp jam in the summer of 2015. Their musical spark quickly caught fire and was noticed by those around them – and the successful collaboration between Jaeger and Reid was born. Judi grew up near Montreal, Canada, where her world was filled with music; her mother and brother sang and played guitar and she listened to Leonard Cohen, Peter, Paul & Mary, Pete Seeger and many others. She began her career as a performing songwriter as an expression of her loss after the death of her mother and has written songs for her local domestic violence prevention organization. Bob is a fourth generation Californian, and like Judi, Bob also grew up surrounded by music. Bob’s mom performed in coffeehouses in the 1960’s, while his father was a gospel concert promoter. Bob has been a California Arts Council Artists in Schools, performed at the United Nations in New York, in concert, at festivals and in schools across the United States. His original songs have been sung by Pete Seeger, Bill Harley, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer and many others. Bob was chosen by the Seeger family to perform at memorial concerts for both Pete and Toshi Seeger in New York. Bob has a keen eye for musicality, empowerment, appreciation of nature and social causes in his writing. Jaeger & Reid have been performing around the United States, in Canada and France in a variety of venues, indoors and out, including house concerts.
Jill Nussinow, MS, RDN
An artist of refined depth and international presence, Fernando Saint Martin has performed across the Americas and Europe, shaping a career that bridges tradition and contemporary expression. A top prize recipient at McGill University and supported by Mexico’s leading cultural institutions, he has collaborated with over 20 orchestras and appeared at major festivals including Cervantino and Cultura UNAM. His work as performer and cultural leader—former Director General of Music at UNAM—reflects a singular commitment to artistic excellence, now continued through his work at the UNAM Faculty of Music and his recorded legacy.
Pei-Chun Tsai from Tainan, Taiwan, winner of the Taiwan National Violin Competition, made her debut at the Weill Recital Hall in Manhattan, and has enjoyed summers at the Alfred, Encore, Yellow Barn, and Taos festivals as well as the International Holland Music Sessions. Joseph Fuchs, Daniel Phillips, and Harvey Shapiro have been her teachers and mentors in the United States. She is the founding director of the Campanile Music Festival at San Diego State University and has been a member of the San Diego Symphony since 2005 in addition to being violin lecturer at SDSU. She released an album of solo violin works entitled “Chaconne” in 2021 highlighting Baroque and contemporary masterpieces of this form. Pei-Chun holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts degree from City University of New York, with Bachelor and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School. She performs on a violin by Boston luthier Charline Dequincy, and a bow made by Abe Liebhaber in San Diego.
Known for her “emotional intensity” (Los Angeles Times), Icelandic cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir moves fluidly between centuries-old repertoire and spontaneous creation. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Iceland Symphony, and appeared at Carnegie Hall, Elbphilharmonie, and Disney Hall. Her recordings include Marrow, a critically acclaimed interpretation of Bach’s six cello suites (“a front runner among recent recordings” — The Arts Desk); Vernacular, a collection of Icelandic works for solo cello; and Quake, a Grammy-nominated concerto by Páll Ragnar Pálsson. A passionate advocate for new music, she has premiered and recorded works by composers including Daníel Bjarnason and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir. Sæunn is the founder of The Music Portal, a virtual concert space for her improvisations, and the creator of Soul Resonance, a 1:1 musical experience inspired by each client’s emotional landscape. She has held faculty positions at the University of Washington and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Artistic Advisor of the Við Djúpið Music Festival as well as the newly appointed Artistic Director of Tertulia, NYC. When not performing, you can find her in her homeland or traveling the world searching for the perfect pain au chocolat. 
Gloria Simoneaux is the founding director of Harambee Arts, an expressive arts organization and training program based in sub-Saharan Africa and Nepal. More than 45 years as a dedicated expressive arts therapist has led her to focus on supporting women and children who have been traumatized by crises including illness, autistic spectrum disorder, poverty, violence, natural disaster, incarceration and trafficking. She has a degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from The California Institute of Integral Studies, in addition to a BFA from The Cooper Union.
Ilene Brenner Schaffer fell in love with The Ranch in the 70s as a young girl when her dad was a regular speaker on holistic health. She is thrilled to return to share her expertise in life transitions and positive psychology (the science of wellbeing). Ilene’s greatest joy is helping clients flourish through life’s constant changes. She loves witnessing someone’s confidence grow as they embrace their strengths, deepen relationships, and step into their power zone. In addition to her life coaching practice, she leads a global executive coaching firm dedicated to leadership and well-being. She is also the host of the weekly podcast “What’s Possible.” Ilene is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation, has a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters in Counseling Psychology with a focus in Life Transitions from the University of San Francisco. She is a mom to two young adult daughters and lives in San Diego with her husband where she regularly enjoys a great beach walk with friends, family, and clients.