THE ART LIFE:

Examining, cultivating, and sustaining a meaningful practice

Retreat with Curran Hatleberg and Sasha Wolf

Overview

This retreat is designed for mid level to advanced photographers looking to deepen, expand and enrich their artistic practice and network.

  • Our Fall Retreat is hosted at TOURISTS, a hotel and riverside retreat in North Adams inspired by the classic American roadside motor lodge. North Adams is home to MASS MoCA, the largest contemporary art museum in the United States.

  • Schedule: Meets in North Adams at 4pm Thursday October 9 - 2pm Sunday Oct 12th.

  • Early Bird $3400
    Previous Attendees: $3300

    Accommodations and family dinners included in the tuition fees.

    Flights, local transportation, and other meals are not included in the tuition fees.

    DEPOSITS

    Selected applicants must confirm their participation by sending either a 50% tuition deposit. Early Bird pricing only applies to full tuition payments.

Limited to 11 participants.

This retreat takes place at the TOURISTS HOMES, two re-enliven 19th-century houses in Blackinton Historic District in North Adams, Mass.

“How does anyone make a living as an artist? Should I sell prints? What price should I sell prints for? What about editions? Should I apply for grants? How do I meet publishers? How do I get a book deal? Is my work ready for a book? How do I get an exhibition or gallery show? How do I approach private collections and institutions? Do I need a rep? Should I look for gallery representation? Should I get an MFA? Is teaching the answer? Should I move to a bigger city? Do color photos sell better than black and white? Etcetera etcetera etcetera.”

We all have had these questions, and they all boil down to the same one, “How do I cultivate and sustain a meaningful artistic life?” 

This question never goes away, no matter how “successful” you become. In this annual retreat, we will examine both the practical and conceptual concerns, obstacles and bottlenecks of the art life from the perspectives of the artist, the curator/gallerist and the publisher. Through this intense and intimate experience, attendees will be exposed to the real-life journeys of our instructors and have the time and support to ask unfiltered questions about the lives they have cultivated. We will gather together each for talks and Q&A sessions and in the afternoon we will have focused critique and mentorship both individual and in a group setting. 

No one can tell you how to create a meaningful life and practice, but through this retreat you will be exposed to different approaches that will give you the tools necessary to maintain the path you are on or blaze a new one.

ABOUT Curran Hatleberg

Curran Hatleberg is a photographer based in Baltimore, MD. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including recent exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the High Museum, MASS MoCA, the International Center of Photography and Higher Pictures. In 2019, Hatleberg was featured in the Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art. His works are held in numerous public collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, SF MoMA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the High Museum of Art. Hatleberg is the recipient of a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship, a 2020 Maryland State Arts Council Grant, a 2015 Magnum Emergency Fund grant, and an 2014 Aaron Siskind Foundation Individual Photographer’s Fellowship grant. Lost Coast, his first monograph, was released by TBW Books in fall 2016, and his second monograph, River’s Dream, was published by TBW Books in 2022. Hatleberg has taught photography at numerous institutions, including Cooper Union and Yale University where he is currently a visiting critic in photography. He holds a BA in painting from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an MFA in photography from Yale University.

ABOUT Sasha Wolf

After running the New York photography gallery, Sasha Wolf Gallery, for 10 years, Sasha transitioned to a private/pop-up model in 2017. Sasha Wolf Projects represents 14 photographic artists, working to place their prints in museum and university collections, private and corporate collections and in individual homes.

Sasha reviews and judges work for leading art institutions, universities and fairs numerous times a year and lectures and conducts artist’s workshops around the country on professional practices and project development. Sasha’s book, “PhotoWork: Forty Photographers on Process and Practice”, now in its 3rd printing, was published by Aperture in the Fall of 2019.

Sasha is the Founder and Executive Director of the Photowork Foundation, which supports the development and education of post-documentary photographic artists and cultivates an audience for their work.

TOURISTS HOMES

is where we will gather together, cook meals, take in the mountains, gaze at the fire, and geek out about photography! 1388 Mass Ave features 5 bedrooms (4 king rooms and 1 bunk room with 3 twins), 3.5 baths, a custom-built kitchen, oversized dining table, and a bright, sunken living room. 1392 Mass Ave includes 1 primary bedroom, 1 suite with 1 king and 2 twins, 2.5 baths, an eat-in kitchen with custom cabinetry, and an entertaining area. Both homes are side-by-side and will be used as our gathering place for all activities during this retreat. Rooms assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

the HOMES are just a short walk or drive from the hotel’s incredible LODGE and AIRPORT ROOMS. The LODGE is open to all for breakfast, all-day snacks, coffee/tea, cocktails, wine, beer, and boozeless bevs. The Airport Rooms are a neighborhood cocktail lounge and restaurant open Thursday through Sunday nights.

THE LODGE AND AIRPORT ROOMS

Details

  • Each day will begin with morning lectures followed by Q&A. Break for Lunch, then intensive critiques in a group setting. We will have a family style dinner prepared for us by our chef and spend the evening chatting with a drink (or two) in hand in the back yard, infront of a fire, or at the airport rooms.

  • There is no fee to apply, and applications are open to photographers of all educational backgrounds and career stages. Enrollment is limited to 11 participants. To be considered, applicants must submit a portfolio of 20–30 images focused on past and/or ongoing work, limited to no more than two distinct series or projects.

    If you are a previous attendee or a Chico alumni, there is no need to reapply—please simply email us at info@charcoalworkshops.com.


    Please note: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with regular email updates provided throughout the process. The full review and acceptance timeline typically takes 8–12 days from the date of submission. We encourage early applications to increase the likelihood of selection.

  • EARLY BIRD: $3400 USD
    [Deadline: Sunday June 22, 2025]

    PAST ATTENDEE: $3300 USD
    [Deadline: Sunday June 22, 2025]

    REGULAR: $3500 USD

    Fees include accommodations and family style dinner.

    Please Note: Flight expenses, local transportation, accommodations, and meals are not included in the tuition or registration fees.

  • A 50% deposit (or full tuition payment) is required upon acceptance to confirm your participation. The remaining balance will be due in full by September 1, 2025. Early Bird pricing is available only to those who pay in full before the specified deadline.

    Payment plans are available upon request. Please contact us at info@charcoalworkshops.com.

    Please note: payments made through the payment plan are non-refundable.

  • Accommodations and family style dinners are included in your tuition. Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Please note: flight expenses, local transportation, and additional meals are not included in the tuition or registration fees.

  • The deadline to withdraw from the workshop and request a refund is 90 days prior to the start date. A cancellation fee of $600 USD will apply. Refund requests submitted after this 90-day period will not be considered.

    In the event that the program does not meet minimum enrollment or is canceled for any reason, paid tuition will be credited toward a future workshop or one scheduled at the same time as the original program.

  • For all questions, please contact us at info@charcoalworkshops.com

Application