Spend three days exploring the German countryside with visual artist and writer Marloes De Vries and let your stories flow. During this creative retreat in the Eifel region, you’ll have ample opportunity to explore your own project—whether it’s a personal story, a diary-like narrative, a comic strip, a poem, or a visual story—focused on adult readers. With Marloes at your side, you’ll discover how to translate your thoughts, feelings, and stories into words and images, so that text and drawing reinforce each other.

Next edition: May 18-21, 2026

The days are designed so that each day includes a workshop, and you’ll have time to work on your own project with guidance from Marloes. She’ll show you how to create more coherence in your sketches and writing, how to shape a story, and how to draw inspiration from your surroundings and from yourself.

Besides the creative program, there’s also plenty of time to relax: take a walk in the beautiful nature, warm up by the campfire, or dive into the sauna or hot tub. Three meals will be prepared for you each day: from a typical German breakfast to a communal sunset dinner.

This retreat is ideal if you love drawing and writing and want to further develop your visual language. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a professional. Everyone is welcome, from hobbyists to professionals.

For three days, you’ll work on your own story in a small group of like-minded people, in an inspiring environment that exudes peace, creativity, and focus. Feel free to bring your favorite materials. If you enjoy drawing on an iPad, or if you prefer to draw with certain pens, paints, and markers, bring them along. Marloes will also bring materials for you to use.

Image artist and writer Marloes De Vries has achieved success with her illustrations both in the Netherlands and abroad. She has won several awards, illustrated over 40 books, creates a weekly comic strip for Tina, and has written a non-fiction book.