Awaken the Artist Within (Presentation with slide show) – Saturday 8:00pm Olmeca Gym
Awaken the Artist Within – Sunday through Thursday 9 am ART Studio
Jumpstart your creativity and break through creative barriers.
During this multi-day art immersion, you’ll explore a variety of mediums and techniques to find entry into creative expression. Together we will play with color, line, proportion, texture, value, and contrast, while practicing time-honored ways into connection with energy sources that will empower your own personal voice. Bold color block painting, torn paper collage, timed writing exercises, the Magic Dot, and other surprising methods will engage your curiosity and workaround your creativity “killers”: self-doubt and excessive self-judgment. Whether you are a seasoned professional in the arts, or you’ve never picked up a paintbrush, these playful sessions will awaken your inner artist and help you to make peace with your inner critic. For those who already have a creative practice, use this as a jumpstart of inspiration. If you’ve never found a way into the creative arts, but you’ve always wanted to try, this is a great place to start.
An award-winning painter and author, Erin Gafill has inspired people around the world with her inspirational art, heartfelt stories, and uniquely engaging teaching methods. Her work bridges art, craft, and community, weaving observation, intuition, and imagination into her painting, writing, teaching, and public speaking. A fifth-generation California artist, she was born in Big Sur, California in 1963, the daughter of a beatnik and a flower child. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Carmel’s first artist-in-residence. Growing up at her grandparents’ legendary restaurant, Nepenthe, a mecca for poets, bohemians and dreamers, she drew inspiration from its ever-changing cast of characters as well as the stunning and mystical beauty of the coast. Erin is the founder of the nonprofit Big Sur Arts Initiative, and a founding member of the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association (MBPAPA). In 2001 Erin was honored to serve as the first American Artist-in-Residence at the Hamada International Children’s Museum, Hamada, Japan. In 2009, she and her husband Tom Birmingham were named Champions of the Arts by the Arts Council of Monterey County and were honored by the United States Congress for their service to the community through the arts. Her exhibit Color Duets was the featured 2021 Spring/Summer show for the Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, California, followed the next summer by a solo exhibit, California Atmosphere at the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, California. 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.
Christi Williford is the Creative Director and owner of Elemental Studio Design, with 25 years of branding and communication design experience. She has launched over a dozen brands, built 20+ websites, and guided companies of all sizes—from global giants to nonprofits. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Christi blends artistic intuition with strategic thinking, shaped by an upbringing rooted in both science and art. She’s worked with brands like Microsoft, Julep Beauty, and DHL, and is passionate about teaching design principles through fine art. Christi brings clarity, creativity, and heart to every project she leads.
Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally. Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.
Dana Dean, OD, is a behavioral optometrist who specializes in holistic optometry and vision intelligence. Dr. Dean has had a private optometric practice in San Diego for the past 25 years. Originally from South Africa, she completed her studies in San Diego as well as attending the New England College of Optometry in Boston. She treats her patients holistically performing vision therapy on both children and adults. Her patients also include brain injuries, stroke victims and adults who want to achieve maximum success in life and reach their true potential. Not only does she see patients performing eye-brain-body connection and building visual efficiency, she also lectures on the topics of vision and brain integration, vision and the aging eyes, vision and spirituality, vision with balance and coordination, as well as vision intelligence. Dr. Dana Dean is also a passionate advocate for educating teachers on the importance of vision and learning in a school setting.
Peggie Dickens is a licensed counselor and life coach with a master’s degree in psychology and mental health counseling. Drawing on advanced training in somatic-based therapy, attachment-focused approaches, and EMDR, she specializes in helping individuals and couples navigate life transitions, heal from trauma, and move through anxiety and depression with greater ease and resilience.
Kathe Wallace, PT – Internationally recognized pelvic health clinician, educator, and author. She wrote Reviving Your Sex Life after Childbirth and numerous pelvic health resources. Since 1988, she has specialized in pelvic health and currently teaches at the University of Washington. Awards include the Washington State PT Association Clinical Excellence Award and the APTA Academy of Pelvic Health Elizabeth Noble Award.
Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD – Specialist in pelvic muscle dysfunction and orthopedic manual therapy. She has trained clinicians worldwide since 1992 and practices at Physical Therapy Specialists in Colorado. Board-certified in biofeedback for pelvic muscle dysfunction. Recipient of the APTA Section on Women’s Health Elizabeth Noble Award (2018).
Dr. Lani Simpson DC, CCD, is a Certified Clinical Densitometrist (analyzes bone density exams), chiropractor and author of the best-selling book, Dr. Lani’s No Nonsense Bone Health Guide. In 2016, her PBS show: Stronger Bones, Longer Life was aired nationally. She herself was diagnosed with osteoporosis in her mid-40’s and as an avid biker, runner, and tennis player she had never fractured a bone. Her own diagnosis set her on a course to learn about the complexities of bone health. She went on to develop a well-rounded diagnostic approach that includes bone density testing, lab tests, nutritional analysis, and exercise. She learned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and she supports the wise use of bone medications. It is her life’s mission to educate the public regarding osteoporosis prevention, and an osteoporosis diagnosis so that they are better able to advocate for themselves with their healthcare providers. Now at the age of 75, Dr. Simpson continues to teach bone-related courses and she is still fracture free.
Roberto Colangeli
Irma Sofía Poeter was born in Arcadia, California, in 1963 to an American father and a Mexican mother. She has lived on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border and currently resides in Tecate, Mexico, and San Diego, California. A multidisciplinary and self-taught artist, she works with textiles, painting, photography, architecture, and performance. Her artistic development, spanning over 30 years, has been through practice and participation in workshops, seminars, diploma programs, and artist residencies in Mexico and abroad. She won the San Diego Art Prize and the Baja California State Fund for Culture and the Arts Scholarship and was a founding member of Grupo Martes (Women in the Arts) in Tijuana. With over 30 years of experience, she has had more than 20 solo exhibitions and a 25-year retrospective of her artistic career in 2019-2020. This retrospective was presented simultaneously at the Tijuana Cultural Center and The Front Art and Culture in San Ysidro, California. In 2009, she presented a solo exhibition at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, Mexico. During her stay in Oaxaca, she was known as Eduardo Poeter, a stage name she used as a performance piece during her time there. She has participated in national and international group presentations in the United States, Cuba, England, Poland, and Italy.
Lynda Reeves McIntyre, Ph.D., trained as a painter and a dancer at the University of Massachusetts, Hunter College and Yale University. Her doctorate is in Aesthetics. She weaves her training in painting, dance, Buddhist study and aesthetics into her teaching. Dr. McIntyre had her first major show in New York at 21. She has since received numerous awards, including those from the NEA, the MacDowell Foundation, the JFK Center, the ICCE, the VCCA and the Getty Foundation. She has been awarded art fellowships abroad to Australia, the former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Bhutan, Cuba, France and Italy where she often teaches painting in the summers and, most recently in Bonaire and New Mexico. Her work is shown throughout the U.S, Europe and the Pacific Rim and is in corporate and private collections in the U.S., Europe and Australia. Dr. McIntyre is Professor Emeritus in Studio Art and the former Chairman of the University of Vermont’s Department of Art and Art History. 
Clayton Merrell grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Art and received a Fulbright Grant for research and creative work in Oaxaca, Mexico in 1996-97. His work is exhibited widely, with recent exhibitions at: the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum; Penn State University; Concept Gallery, Pittsburgh PA; the A+D Gallery, Chicago; the Westmoreland Museum of Art, and the Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua NY. His work is in the collections of the American Embassy in Belmopan, Belize, the Smithsonian, the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and numerous private and corporate collections. He was the 2005 Artist of the Year at The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and in 2016 was named Creator-of-the-Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. He has received awards and grants from the Heinz Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Skowhegan, The Millay Colony, Mass MOCA, Vermont Studio Center, and the Roswell Artist-In-Residence Foundation. The Pittsburgh International Airport features a 69,000 sq. ft. terrazzo floor based on his design. He is currently the Dorothy L. Stubnitz Professor of Art at Carnegie Mellon University, where he teaches Color, Painting, Drawing and Concept Studios.
Susan McCandless, RDN, IFNCP, a Functional Dietitian Nutritionist, is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in delivering engaging educational workshops. She is an effective health coach with a distinct ability to translate the science right to the plate and inspire powerful diet and lifestyle habits. Board Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Susan understands how body systems work together. She focuses on improving client function and performance by treating the root cause of nutrition imbalances. In her private practice with MINT Nutrition, Susan is delivers clients proven results through in-depth assessment, food-first solutions and a personalized nutrition toolbox. Susan holds advanced certifications in integrative and functional nutrition, digestive health, immunology, genetics, food sensitivities and intuitive eating.
Carrie Geraci, BA, is a plein air painter and public art curator based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She has been an active part of the Jackson art scene since 1995, showcasing work that blends intuition, expressive mark-making, and unexpected color juxtapositions. Specializing in soft Sennelier pastels for her plein air pieces, her studio practice also includes oils and acrylics. Geraci earned a BA in Visual Arts from Brown University, where she also studied printmaking and photography at the Rhode Island School of Design. She further expanded her artistic perspective during a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, immersing herself in sculpture, photography, and drawing while exploring the region’s rich art history. A dedicated arts educator, she has taught at Portsmouth Abbey Summer School, Snake River Institute, and the Jackson Hole Community School. Beyond her personal practice, Geraci is the founder and executive director of JH Public Art, a nonprofit she established in 2010. Under her leadership, the organization has commissioned dynamic, free, and accessible public art, enriching the cultural landscape of Jackson Hole.
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.