An Artist Discovery Lab in Tortola hosted by

A discovery lab in a immersive environment—a place where artists generate new ways of seeing, thinking and communicating.

A passport gets you to Tortola.
What happens after that is harder to define—and that’s the point.

Only 6 spots available for this retreat.

Join us for: disruption + recalibration + trajectory shift

An inaugural retreat for Juniper Rag artists in Tortola, BVI. Our retreat is about disrupting our status quo, recalibrating our minds and creating growth as an artist already in the ecosystem of Juniper Rag.

Juniper Rag’s Tortola retreat is a private, curated creative lab where artists recalibrate, develop their processes and generate cultural narratives, while considering cognitive health within a setting that elevates the senses. We are inviting a small number of artists to participate—and be meaningfully aligned with—this experience.

We invite all female artists that have been curated into Juniper Rag exhibitions, virtual or in-person. This retreat is about recalibration—in a tropical location, near the water. Your voice, professionalism and your messy edges—all, for an intimate group of open-minded artists who may very well become part of your long-term creative ecosystem.

We are seeking an intimate group of 6 artists for this experience. We highly encourage pairs apply together to work well with the accommodation set up. This Juniper Rag retreat is about attaining personal insight, intellectual, emotional, environmental and relational awareness to empower your creativity.

Tortola offers something most retreat destinations can’t manufacture: a full sensory reset. As part of the British Virgin Islands, it sits in a rare intersection of raw natural beauty and relative quiet. The water here isn’t just visually striking—it carries the qualities often associated with Blue Mind, where proximity to the ocean shifts the nervous system toward calm, clarity, and openness. For artists who spend much of their lives in cognitive overdrive, Tortola provides an immediate, physiological downshift that invites new ways of seeing, thinking, and making.

Why Tortola?

The landscape itself becomes an active collaborator. The island offers a dynamic range of textures, light, and spatial experiences that reawaken perception. This is not passive inspiration—it’s immersive. The scale of the environment, the rhythm of tides, and the density of tropical growth create a grounding effect that pulls artists out of abstraction and into full awareness, where intuition sharpens and creative risk feels accessible.

Intentional isolation, unlike more saturated destinations, the pace here is very slow, allowing for deep focus without the constant friction of distraction. The absence of urgency becomes a tool. In this environment, Juniper Rag artists are reassessing their internal frameworks: what matters, what resonates and what’s next. Realignment in action.

An undeniable psychological shift that occurs when artists step outside their habitual geography. Traveling to a place—a departure from routine into something more intentional and rare. Tortola becomes a catalyst, a place where artists can reconnect with their instincts through guided field study, challenge their assumptions and return with a renewed sense of direction.

“Over the past 10 years, Tortola has been a muse. It’s not just a destination—it’s an essential ingredient in the work of my creative transformation. I have a need to share this magic.”

Michelle May, Co-Founder, Juniper Rag

Our offer is for a 7 day adventure that shifts how artists think and operate, set goals, embrace surroundings, and begin to elevate your practice to reframe their trajectory. We have uncovered a magical energy in Tortola and want to share it with other artists.

Dates, pick the best date for travel: June 6-13 or June 24- July 1, 2026

The estimated cost will be between $3500-4000 with our 1st choice villa. The number of people available with this short notice will determine the best villa available for the group. Walkability is a preference and there are few.

Please fill out the application

at the link below, for us to help understand your goals, manage expectations.

These answers will assist us in serving you to the best of our ability and shape the DNA of the experience.

Cheers, Michelle May, Co-Founder Juniper Rag

Apply Here

Discover New Pathways & Recalibrate

Set in the elemental intensity of Tortola, our inaugural Juniper Rag retreat operates less as a residency and more as a recalibration summit. The sensory conditions—salt air, shifting light, constant horizon are not incidental, but the very reason for this remote island location. The island conditions actively disrupt habitual thinking. Just getting there reminds once is a logistical challenge, but once there this magical place has Co-Founder Michelle May convinced of it’s perpetual magic. Through our guided immersion rooted loosely by the principles of Blue Mind, artists move into a flow state where distractions dissolve, attention deepens, internal noise quiets, and intuition becomes legible again. This is not passive restoration—it’s cognitive reorientation and community building, where new ideas surface. We have experienced great personal and creative shifts because of Tortola and it’s time we share these discoveries with artists that are open to embracing the wilds of the island.

Within that clarity, Juniper Rag introduces a structured recalibration with a direct, rethinking of how we artists define success, progress and output. Delving into process and why we choose to make the art we do. Participants are asked to dismantle inherited goal structures like exhibition chasing, external validation loops, production pressure and rebuild them around more precise, self-determined milestones. Tortola has an energy that transforms our minds and spirits. We want to share that energy with artists that are invested in Juniper Rag. Our time will be spent working on seeing, exploring physical reactions to place, grounding practices, field-based critique, and intentional constraint creating conditions where artists can identify what is essential versus performative in their work. The result is not just insight, but building personal traction, making decisions become sharper, less gray area and making creative risk more strategic.

What emerges is momentum that extends well beyond your island time. Artists leave not with a vague sense of inspiration, but with a re-engineered approach to their practice—one that allows them to surpass milestones that previously felt out of reach. The combination of place, method, and cohort transforms the retreat into a catalytic threshold and a point where artistic identity, discipline and direction realign. In that sense, Tortola becomes less a destination and more a turning point—one that continues to shape the trajectory of each artist long after they’ve returned.

There is an enchantment that humans feel in the island, but for artists, the ability to see and feel the intensity of Tortola is a game changer for recalibration and a sweet dopamine ride that lasts until the next time. We use the physical and chemical responses of the place and apply it to daily workshops, all balanced with the magic of the island. We have been to other islands, but none compare to the rugged beauty and laidback, barefoot vibes that keep us going back.

Who should join us for transformation in Tortola?

1. Adventurous artists who have been curated into Juniper Rag (mentally and physically adventurous)
Are you willing to step outside routine—whether that means ocean immersion, unfamiliar processes or abandoning a fixed plan? Are you ready to embrace new ways of thinking, cool in natural environments and interested in being recalibrated physiologically? It happens there!

2. Open-minded, but not passive, each artist should contribute
Are you receptive to new ideas, critique and environment—while still holding a clear, self-aware artistic voice.

3. A natural contributor with spirit
Do you bring insight, energy and generosity to the group with positivity?

4. Low-ego, high-standards, our people
Do you cares deeply about your work, but you are open to learning about new pathways?

5. Comfortable with ambiguity, it is an island
Ok without rigid structure or constant validation and can manage within uncertainty, weather shifts and fluid schedules? You have to be here!

6. Grounded and self-regulating, group players
Are you emotionally steady, able to manage your own energy, expectations and presence in a shared environment?

7. Curious across disciplines, no agendas
Are you interested in how other artists think and work—not just focused on your own practice?

8. Physically and environmentally adaptable. There are hills and stairs, sand and boats to climb into.
Can handle heat, humidity, uneven terrain, shared living and the sensory intensity and uncertainty of a remote island setting.

9. Playful, with a sense of humor, bring some fun
Do you embrace levity and experimentation that often unlock deeper breakthroughs?

10. Ready for recalibration—and rethinking the impact of place on creativity
Are you open to questioning your goals, methods and definitions of success and embracing energy that can be turned into inspiration and self-growth?

Chemistry, Caveats & Costs

Our selection is for 6 spots and for the right chemistry—people who can hold their own while actively shaping a shared, high-trust / inquisitive environment.

Caveat: Pairs of friends should apply, as we encourage sharing spaces and guest rooms to keep our costs as low as possible. Other accommodations are close by if folks need space and want to cover that cost, but we hope to have a smallish group in one villa. If we only get a couple people, we can move to a smaller villa.

Once selected, participation in this retreat represents a commitment not only of resources, but of space within a carefully constructed creative environment. Our policies ensure we can responsibly support artists, our villa hosts and infrastructure partners in a remote island context where commitments must be made well in advance.

Not a residency, but a personal R&D lab—

This is a transformational retreat and is not structured like a traditional European atelier-style residency. This is not an art-making retreat, although artists should bring sketchbooks, travel sets and supplies for their own time.

We will be working on identity shifts, recognizing emotional calibration and intuitive inspiration and network building. This experience is designed by Michelle May, Co-Founder of Juniper Rag has uncovered herself about her practice and process after years of visiting Tortola with consistent results.

(Information is subject to change based on more information from our applications.)

Included:

Full board (villa rental, collaboratively prepared meals in villa, stocked fridge)
Experienced host with decades of event planning and over 12 trips to Tortola and 6 trips to other islands.
Ferry Transfers coordination by host, taxi transportation to and from ferry. Additional taxis will be the artist’s responsibility.
2 celebratory dinners at Long Bay Resort and The Sugar Mill to experience local cuisine
25+ hours/week of structured discussions, workshops and field study
Learning to “see” time, rooted in place + observation along the coastal shores and gardens
Structure, immersion and exploration in simplicity and beauty of an island that provides a plethora of visual inspiration.
A power boat or sailing charter day for island hopping and snorkeling around the BVI to take in the sights. Alcohol on the boat is included (a 2K value)
Daily pool or beach time that may or may not overlap with sessions.
Sunset celebrations at the villa. We will purchase some alcohol for the house.
Yoga and wellness sessions

Not included:

Flights ($350-500)
Resort amenities next door at Long Bay, pool, gym, etc. ($100/day with $75 food voucher for Long Bay)
Lunch or alcoholic beverages on islands we visit on the boat.
Optional dinners out, we encourage group to stay together for meals, but each person is free to do what they want.
Art instruction. This retreat is not directly geared to art making, but feel free to bring materials.
Art materials. Reminder: it is a remote island, no great art supply or public transportation situation there.
Additional meals out and alcohol if artists want to purchase at beach bars, etc.

For Travel to BVI:

BVI Visa entry portal completion by traveler 3 days prior to trip.
Unforeseen costs incurred by weather or forces out of our control. We will have a waiver.

Who is this retreat for?

Adventurous female only artists this time.

Not beginners, not spectators—participants. Women willing to share, to experiment, to question and to expand in a deeply supportive but intellectually rigorous environment. Must be over 21.

Work With Us

What can I expect?

New bonds with fellow artists in your cohort
Intimate conversations, group and 1 on 1 chats
Open-minded discussions about process, intent and finding inspiration.
Professional Development sessions
Guided field study walks on the beach and salt pond
Learning about recalibration and grounding exercises
Developing your senses and being open to creative proven frequencies
Exploring Tortola by car and the BVI by boat
Delicious island cuisine at at least two leading restaurants
Plenty of creative rigor with some relaxation, beach and blue water

I Am Interested

Accommodations

We have chosen one of the most beautiful villas on the island for our stay. Conveniently located low on the hill with access to the beach and Long Bay Resort.

This 4 bedroom villa can sleep up to 8 people. If you would like to bunk with a friend, we may add an additional guest.

While it would be great to all stay in the same villa, if anyone wishes to have their own place, we can arrange that. Rooming arrangements in the villa will depend on preferences and pairs, availability and first applicant priority.

Work With Us

Accommodation example:

Main bedroom suite, with kitchen, private bathroom, indoor and outdoor shower and balcony. 2-3 friends could potentially stay here for example

Imagine arriving in Tortola—where the light feels different, the water recalibrates your nervous system, and time loosens its grip. This is not a conventional retreat. It’s an intentional convergence curated by Juniper Rag and led by its co-founders, including Michelle May—designed for artists ready to push beyond habit, deepen their practice, and build meaningful creative alliances.

Seven days of immersion. Five days of structured, sought-after sessions. Always balanced with space to breathe, explore and absorb.

The Rhythm of Your Week

Each day is anchored by a morning session when the mind is most open, followed by long, unhurried lunches and afternoons that invite both adventure and integration. This example is subject to tweaks. This is your week, and we are not rigid, but you will get as much out of this as you put in.

We will practice clean eating at the villa, with practical meals. When artists are selected we will explore this more. Sample schedule, not etched in stone and will shift after we read all the applications.

DAY 1 — ARRIVAL + ORIENTATION: ENTERING THE FIELD

Arrival Window
Guests arrive, settle into a private villa overlooking the Caribbean. Slow grounding, refreshments and meeting everyone.

Quick Evening Session following a reception cocktail toast

Introductions & Explanation of the retreat “The Artist as Instrument”
A Juniper Rag signature session on perception, intuition and expanding creative sensitivity. We will be tired, more on this later

Dinner + Leisure
Locally sourced welcome meal. Open swim, journaling, rest.

Evening
Sunset circle: intention-setting, introductions and quiet calibration to place.

Optional exploratory walk over to Johnny’s Long Bay Resort beach bar.

DAY 2 — DEEP SEEING + MATERIAL EXPLORATION

Morning Session
“Seeing Beyond the Surface”
Guided field observational practices—training the eye to move past aesthetics into meaning, memory, and tension. Collection of found objects for later session.

Lunch + Recreation
Beachside lunch. Optional snorkeling or solo walking excursions.

Afternoon Session
Material Dialogues
Experimentation with unconventional materials inspired by coastal textures and found elements.

Evening
Group reflection + informal critiques and discussions.

DAY 3 — VOICE, NARRATIVE + ARTIST IDENTITY

Morning Session
“Articulation Without Compromise”
How to speak about your work without diluting its complexity. Writing and verbal exercises rooted in authenticity.

Breakfast + Recreation
Villa-prepared breakfast. Optional boat excursion along the coastline.

Afternoon Sessions on the move
Narrative Disruption
Breaking personal and cultural narratives that limit artistic expansion. Use the experience of seeing different places, hearing different languages and respond to these environmental changes that create emotion, trigger memories and may impact your future travel.

Evening
Sunset cocktails / free creation time.

DAY 4 — EXPANSION + NETWORK BUILDING

Morning Session
“Alternative Ecosystems for Artists”
Inside frameworks like Juniper Rag—rethinking galleries, collectors, and exposure.

Lunch + Recreation
Lunch in a local setting. Exploration of hidden beaches or hillside vistas.

Afternoon Session
Strategic Visibility Lab
Positioning your work for the right audience without compromising integrity.

Evening
Collaborative project building—small group experiments.

DAY 5 — INTEGRATION + FUTURE MAPPING

Morning Session
“Sustaining Momentum”
Turning breakthroughs into long-term practice. Systems, rituals, and support structures.

Lunch + Recreation
Celebratory lunch. Final swim, stillness, or solo reflection time.

Afternoon Session
Final Critique + Vision Mapping
Each artist presents work and next steps—refined through the lens of the week.

Evening
Closing dinner + ritual. A marking of transition, not an ending.

DAY 6 — ONE DAY OF OPEN SCHEDULE

These final days remain intentionally open—because the most important shifts rarely happen on a schedule. Think: spontaneous swims, late-night conversations, quiet breakthroughs, and the kind of clarity that only arrives when nothing is being asked of you.

DAY 7 — TRAVEL DAY

WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT

A Juniper Rag artist R&D retreat in Tortola is not time away to produce work—it is a deliberate shift in how an artist thinks. Removed from your familiar environment and patterns and placed in an intentional, ocean-centered environment—

Artists experience a reset of their internal systems: instinct sharpens, perception deepens, and habitual decision-making loosens. This is not about making art, but about recalibration as a creative—returning to one’s practice with a renewed sensitivity and a more precise, self-directed way of working.

What gives this experience real consequence is the combination of time, structure, and proximity to the collaborative gain. Within a carefully curated group, ideas are not left in isolation—they are challenged, reflected and expanded through meaningful dialogue. This compresses years of insight into days, allowing artists to see their work more clearly and push beyond their existing limits.

The setting itself plays a critical role: the ocean environment fosters a state of calm focus and associative thinking, creating conditions where new ideas emerge naturally rather than through force.

The lasting value lies in what changes after the retreat ends. Artists return with a different orientation—greater clarity, stronger instincts and a redefined sense of ambition. The experience creates a clear before-and-after, where previous constraints feel less acceptable and new possibilities feel more accessible.

It is, ultimately, an investment in long-term artistic direction: a shift that continues to influence decisions, work and trajectory well beyond the time spent with this group.

We are so excited to share the energy of this place with Juniper Rag artists.

FAQ coming soon.

Our Juniper Rag Team

X2

Michelle May

Co-Founder, Juniper Rag host in Tortola

With a vision for building a meaningful community, our founder brings a blend of vision, strategic thinking and practical hands-on experience. Michelle is an ideator, and strategist and half of the creative force behind Juniper Rag.

Co-Founder

Payal Thiffault

Focused, approachable, and organized, all about building strong relationships. Payal is collaborative and receptive and always willing to listen to our collaborative partners to reach goals.

TORTOLA SESSIONS

Intimate, collaborative & inspirational

Every event we host is designed with intention, and this retreat is no different—from the atmosphere we create to the way each exhibition flows. Our goal here is to create an intimate and collaborative retreat that uses the offerings we have identified from many past trips to this Caribbean paradise.

If you are an artist curated by Juniper Rag and like barefoot escapes, island vibes with rugged landscapes, consider joining us. This group (of women only this time) that will gel and benefit from each other’s company.

At this time, we are only filling max 6 spots. This will be our Pilot Retreat, shaping the DNA of the experience for future ones.

This experience is offered to a small circle of artists who have already been curated by Juniper Rag—a continuation of an ongoing dialogue rather than a first introduction.

—————

We are intentionally seeking artists whose practices, perspectives and presence have already contributed to the Juniper Rag ecosystem. Your inclusion reflects not only the strength of your work, but also the distinct way you think, question and engage.

This is a collaborative environment shaped as much by its participants as its facilitators. Each artist is invited to bring their lived experience, creative process, and intellectual curiosity into the space—informing conversations, influencing direction, and deepening the collective experience.

A spirit of generosity, openness, and shared discovery is essential. What you bring—your insight, your voice, your way of seeing—is not just welcomed, but foundational to what this retreat becomes.

01
FIELD STUDY

creating inquiry, observation and depth

04
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

assessing and coaching

02
IMMERSION

grounded in experience and transformation

05
NETWORK DEVELOPMENT