The Open Studio
Art Retreat Programs
Three one-week programs for those who prefer experiencing a place from the inside rather than observing it from the sidelines.
Each retreat balances focused studio time with carefully chosen cultural experiences, shared meals, and hands-on time with local makers.
Neither a sightseeing itinerary nor an intensive art course. Thoughtfully paced for travellers who value depth, attention, and the experience of making art in an unhurried environment.
Life in Watercolor
This retreat combines beginner watercolor and urban sketching workshops with the streets, villages, and everyday life of Hoi An as your subject. You'll move between the studio and the town throughout the week – learning to observe, sketch, and paint from life. By the end, you'll have a sketchbook full of scenes you captured yourself, and a real foundation in watercolor and drawing.
This retreat is for you if:
You're a beginner curious about watercolor or urban sketching – no experience needed
You enjoy experiencing a place through its everyday life rather than typical sightseeing
You want a creative, unhurried week with time to explore at your own pace
Next retreat: 21 June - 27 June 2026
Finding Your Abstract Voice
This beginner retreat uses oil pastels, acrylics, and lino printmaking to get you working with color, texture, and layering – without any pressure to get it right. Guided workshops are balanced with open studio time and time to explore Hoi An, so everyday impressions can find their way back into your work. You'll leave with a finished piece and more confidence in your own creative instincts.
This retreat is for you if:
You're new to abstract art and want a low-pressure week to experiment and explore – no experience needed
You're looking for meaningful cultural immersion alongside time in the studio
You want space to slow down and develop your own way of working with different materials
Next retreat: 17 May - 23 May 2026
Evolving Your Abstract Voice
This retreat is designed for those who already have experience with abstract art and want dedicated time to deepen their practice. The first half of the week takes you out – into Hoi An and into local studios, working with organic and locally sourced materials such as lacquer, coconut paper, earth, and ash. The second half opens into longer stretches of independent studio time, where those new impressions can find their way into your own work.
This retreat is for you if:
You have some experience with abstract or mixed media and want more self-directed studio time
You're drawn to organic materials, surface, and process-based approaches
You're looking for meaningful cultural immersion alongside focused time to develop your own visual language
Next retreat: 31 May - 6 June 2026
Who You'll Be Working With
Vinh comes to retreat facilitation with an unusual mix – a background in interior design, a deep understanding of materials and process, and the kind of hands-on curiosity that once led him, as a teenager, to drill holes in collected wooden sticks to make pencils he could sell.
In the studio, he leads by showing rather than instructing, and steps back early. His approach is patient and unhurried – and when he does offer a suggestion, it tends to arrive at exactly the right moment, phrased in a way that helps you see something for yourself rather than feeling corrected.
The retreats he has designed reflect the same sensibility: structured enough to give the week shape, open enough to let your own work find its direction.