Make a beautiful, deeply personal mixed-media book that helps you see, reclaim, and own your story.
Make a beautiful, deeply personal mixed-media book that helps you see, reclaim, and own your story.
Move through a soulful creative process using collage, journaling, story cards, poetry, guided visualization, and simple art materials.
Reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been hidden, silenced, postponed, or waiting for room.
Leave with more clarity, self-trust, creative courage, and embodied permission to take up space in your own life.


Reconnect with the part of you that wants to make, express, imagine, and play without needing permission.

Reclaim the story that is truly yours through guided visualization, journaling, storytelling, and expressive arts.

See your life as a story you are still writing, not a role you have already completed.

Spend meaningful time with women who also crave depth, beauty, conversation, and creative exploration.
Years ago, when I first saw a class from Minette, it was spirit animals and I could not attend. Fast forward to 2025, and she reinvented the spirit guides in a way that was purely magical. I have always wanted to try my hand painting animals and I knew that I needed a bit of a push to actually do it. Minette made the entire creation of the painted animal accessible, and full of deep personal meaning. I got 3 beautiful works of art, a heart full of joy and insight and some wonderful friends from this retreat. If you ever want to try, even if it scares you, a retreat by Minette is where you need to be. She will stretch what you can do even if you are an experienced artist. I cannot recommend her retreats enough!
I had never been to a retreat before this one, and to be honest, I'm not usually a fan of group activities. But I absolutely loved this experience.
Every moment spent with Minette and the other attendees was meaningful and uplifting. Minette [has] a wonderful way of fostering both connection and personal space—there was always room for reflection, creativity, and quiet when needed.
I came away feeling deeply connected and creatively recharged. I’m already looking forward to the next retreat—I’ll be the first to sign up. :)
The Wild and Sacred retreat was an absolute joy from start to finish! It was clear that every detail was so thoughtfully and lovingly planned. Minette and Emma made an incredible duo—their styles balanced each other perfectly, and their combined energy created something truly special. They were warm, inspiring, and deeply generous with their knowledge, making the creative energy in the room contagious. This experience was truly restorative for my soul and creativity. I left feeling deeply connected to an amazing group of women. And the location—unbeatable!
Many art retreats offer beautiful projects and brief moments of insight. But once you return home, it can be easy to slip back into the same roles, responsibilities, and old patterns — still longing for a deeper sense of ownership, self-trust, and connection to yourself.
This retreat is designed to be different.
Here, creativity becomes a way of listening. Through collage, journaling, story, symbol, guided visualization, and expressive arts, you’ll begin to hear your own voice again beneath the noise, expectations, and old scripts you’ve carried for years.
You won’t just leave with inspiration. You’ll leave with a handmade mixed-media book filled with personal meaning, a clearer sense of what you are ready to release and reclaim, and a creative process you can return to whenever you need to remember what is true, what is yours, and what story you are choosing to live.
So many women reach this season of life and realize they have spent decades holding everything together.
The family.
The work.
The responsibilities.
The expectations.
The emotional labor.
The old agreements.
The version of themselves everyone else could count on.
But underneath the capable woman, the responsible woman, the good woman, the woman who keeps going, there is often another self waiting to be heard.
The artist.
The truth-teller.
The wise woman.
The playful one.
The rested one.
The bold one.
The woman who wants to take up more space in her own life.
This retreat is an invitation to meet her through art, story, symbol, circle, and creative play.
Over three days, you’ll create a handmade mixed-media book using collage, art journaling, writing, storytelling cards, symbols, simple watercolor, markers, colored pencils, pockets, maps, and intuitive mark-making.
Your book does not need a prescribed name.
It may become a journal, a map, a field guide, a record of reclamation, a creative altar, a storybook, or something only you can define.
What matters is what it helps you see.
What matters is what it helps you reclaim.
What matters is how it helps you remember:
This story is mine.
You do not need to be an artist. You do not need to know how to draw. You do not need to have your life figured out. You only need curiosity, openness, and a willingness to let your own creative wisdom speak.
You’ll experience what it feels like to be lovingly guided through Minette’s Creative Discovery Cycle — Prompt, Reflect, Create, Integrate — and discover how to use that same rhythm to guide yourself after you return home.
You won’t just leave with finished pieces of art. You’ll leave with a simple, repeatable creative practice for staying in conversation with your inner wisdom, your story, and the parts of yourself that are ready to be reclaimed.
You’ll leave with a tangible creative book filled with images, words, symbols, reflections, and personal meaning.
More than that, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of what you are no longer willing to carry, what parts of yourself you are ready to reclaim, and what it feels like to belong more fully to yourself.
You’ll leave with more self-trust.
More creative courage.
More connection to your own wisdom.
More permission to take up space in your own life.
And a process you can return to whenever you need clarity, grounding, or a way back to yourself.
Notice what you’ve been carrying — and what you’re ready to set down.
Step out of everyday life and into sacred creative space, where you can slow down, settle in, and begin listening beneath the noise. Through reflection, story cards, journaling, and expressive arts, you’ll begin to see the roles, expectations, and old stories you may be ready to release while creating the foundation of your handmade mixed-media book.
Gather the hidden, silenced, and sacred parts of yourself.
Through collage, journaling, guided visualization, archetypal imagery, and creative play, you’ll reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been hidden, silenced, postponed, or waiting for room. You’ll add pages, pockets, symbols, words, and images that help you remember what is true, wise, and alive within you.
Choose how you want to live, create, and take up space now.
You’ll gather the wisdom of the retreat, add finishing layers to your book, and explore what it means to carry this story into your everyday life with more self-trust, courage, and presence. You’ll leave with a beautiful, personal handmade book — and a deeper sense of belonging to yourself.

Minette has a remarkable ability to create a safe and warm environment. I felt at ease enough to share my thoughts comfortably within the small group. And I got real results. The entire journey felt wholesome, leaving me with a renewed sense of appreciation for my personal growth. I highly recommend Minette’s classes to anyone seeking guidance in their personal development, and a genuinely enriching experience. Thank you, Minette, for taking my on this journey!
The retreat exceeded my expectations. I came not knowing anyone and I immediately felt welcome and seen. I loved starting the day with a sharing circle, it was a great way to get to know all the other participants better. Not having the pressure to get our projects done was much appreciated. Having all the supplies provided was the icing on the cake. I have attended other classes and been bogged down with getting all the right supplies and packing them up.
A sincere thank you!
This retreat is for you if:
You are in the second half of life and feel something stirring beneath the surface.
You are tired of being the responsible one, the capable one, the good one, the quiet one, or the one who keeps going.
You are ready for more than another conversation about purpose.
You want a creative, embodied way to hear yourself more clearly.
You are drawn to collage, journaling, symbols, story, archetypes, poetry, and meaningful conversation.
You want to reclaim your power and presence without pressure, performance, or perfectionism.
You are ready to take up more space in your own life.
We will provide a list of lodging and restaurant options.
Because it is easy to keep postponing yourself.
It is easy to say:
“Maybe later, when things calm down.”
“Maybe later, when I know what I want.”
“Maybe later, when I feel more creative.”
“Maybe later, when I have more time.”
But the deeper part of you may already know: Later is not where your life is waiting.
When you say yes now, you give yourself something powerful to look forward to — and something meaningful to begin living toward.

REVIEW BEFORE COMPLETING YOUR REGISTRATION
Thank you for choosing to participate in our event. We’re excited to host you and provide an unforgettable experience. Please review our refund policy carefully before completing your registration:
No Refunds: Once payment is made for event registration, it is non-refundable under any circumstances.
Event Date and Time: The date and time of the event are fixed and will proceed as scheduled. No refunds will be issued for inability to attend on the specified date and time.
Transferability: Registrations are transferable. If you are unable to attend, you can transfer your registration to another individual.
By completing your registration for the event, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to abide by this zero refund policy.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact clientcare@minetteriordan.com before completing your registration.
Super Early Bird Pricing (Ends November 30)
Standard Price $997
Standard Price $997
Artist. Writer. Guide for Women in the Second Half of Life.
Minette Riordan is an expressive arts facilitator, creative mentor, and the creator of the Creative Discovery Cycle™—a simple, powerful process for connecting to your inner wisdom through art and reflection.
For over 30 years, she has guided women through meaningful, transformative experiences that blend storytelling, symbolic imagery, and creative expression.
Her work is rooted in a deep belief that you already hold the answers you’re seeking—and that creativity is one of the most powerful ways to access them.
Through her retreats, programs, and the Sisterhood of Wisdom and Wonder, Minette creates spaces where women can slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with a sense of meaning, purpose, and possibility in the second half of life.
Note: For those who feel called to share this work with others, Minette also offers advanced trainings in creative facilitation. Ask for details.
Q. Do I need art experience or training?
A. No, you don't need any previous experience or need to know how to draw. This is about creative process, not fine art. You will practice a variety of expressive arts techniques using collage, watercolor and journaling that are simple, playful and transformative.
Q. Is this therapy?
A. No. It is an expressive arts experience. Deeply reflective — but not clinical therapy or art therapy.
Q. What is included with my registration?
A. All of your art supplies, snacks, coffee, tea and water each day. Lodging and meals are not included..
Q. Where is the retreat located?
A. At Casa Sagrada in downtown Loveland, CO about one hour north of Denver. The nearest airport is Denver, Colorado. We will share recommendations for lodging and for transportation to and from Denver International Airport.
Q. What is the weather like in Loveland in June?
A. June in Loveland, Colorado, features pleasant, warm days and cool evenings, with average highs in the mid-80s°F and lows in the low 50s°F.
Q. What do I do with my partner/spouse while I'm at the retreat?
A. The main attraction - and it is amazing - is Rocky Mountain National Park: plan ahead for timed entry tickets which is about 45 minutes from Loveland. There is lots of fly fishing, hiking, bird watching and more outdoor activities in and around Loveland and Estes Park. Downtown Loveland is fun for walks and coffee shops. A little further drive yields visits to two university towns: Boulder or Fort Collins.
Q. What is your cancellation policy?
A. Please make sure the dates of this event work for you. We are not able to offer any refunds once you have registered.
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