Mastering Color in Soft Pastels
With Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs
July 12 - 17, 2026
Come join us for a week-long workshop on the scenic grounds of Enders Island, a beautiful 11-acre island off the shores of Mystic, CT. The Island’s seascapes, blooming gardens, and works of sacred art create an atmosphere that invites creative focus and quiet reflection.
Throughout the week, we’ll explore the basics of color theory, study historic techniques, and experiment with soft pastels. Pastels are an ideal medium for developing skills that translate beautifully into oil painting. If you want to see color more accurately, better appreciate its use by master painters, or apply color more effectively in your own work, this is the course for you!
Mastering Color in Soft Pastels is an immersive workshop designed to help artists of all levels sharpen their perception, deepen their understanding of color, and use it with greater clarity and intention.
Under the guidance of Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs, you’ll be encouraged not only to grow in skill but also to take meaningful artistic risks. Students describe her teaching as patient, encouraging, and challenging them in ways that inspire confidence.
This is a wonderful opportunity to study with an artist fully engaged in her craft, in a beautiful setting that nourishes both creativity and contemplation. Your registration includes private accommodations on the Island and daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner so you can fully dedicate yourself to the creative process.
This week-long workshop begins with check-in at 4:30 PM on Sunday night. Dinner is served at 5:30 PM for students and instructors. Dinner is followed by a workshop introduction and conference which ends at 9:00 PM. Students are welcome to attend daily Mass at 9 AM. Hands-on instruction begins Monday morning after Mass. The entire workshop ends Friday at 1 PM
Private Room & Workshop – $1485
These rates include daily breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Commuter & Workshop – $1010
This includes daily lunch and dinner.
Workshop Materials:
A $100 materials fee is included in the cost of this workshop.
All materials used in this workshop will be pre-ordered and made available to students in the classroom by the instructor.
All other equipment and art supplies are the property of the Enders Island Sacred Art Institute.
Sorolla y Bastida, Maria Dressed as a Valencian Peasant Girl, 1906 (detail)
Velázquez, The Lady with the Fan, 1638
Sorolla y Bastida, Maria, the Pretty One, 1914
If you would like to inquire about a Shared Room option, please call the main office.
Please call the office for more information: (860) 536-0565
About the Leader
Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs
Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs is a contemporary sacred artist in the perennial Western tradition. She is dedicated in particular to reviving techniques from the Renaissance and Baroque eras to reveal the glory of God in the midst of today’s crises. Her art decorates churches, schools, and private homes throughout the Americas and Europe. During high school, Gwyneth […]
Learn more about Gwyneth Thompson-BriggsCategories : All Programs, Painting & Drawing, Sacred Art Workshops, Summer, Week-Long Retreat