July 10-15, 2023

Arrive on Monday, July 10 You can arrive as early as 1pm to relax and begin connecting to the land and people. Take care of your own lunch before you arrive. The dining room will be a creative space for making name tags and decorating your drawing folder during the afternoon. Try to arrive by 4:30pm.

We gather for dinner at 6:00pm. The opening session begins at 7:00pm

We close the final session at 3:00pm on Saturday, July 15, but do your best to stay for our picnic dinner and sunset at the beach that evening. If you must depart on Saturday, please do not plan to leave before 3:00pm. If you stay for dinner at the beach, we can drive you to the 7:15pm shuttle from Clinton to make a red-eye flight. The shuttle can drop you at any airport motel to catch an early flight on Sunday.

Add an optional Saturday night stay so you can relax on the beach through the late sunset. On Sunday morning July 16, you are invited to come for a simple breakfast on Deborah’s front porch in Langley. This is always a joyous time! After that you can walk around the seaside village and explore the shops, cafes and beach. The local taxi can take you to the shuttle.


Tuition 

Tuition includes a generous supply of art materials, high quality morning through evening programming, an exceptionally available facilitator, and our group’s private use of the retreat facility. This year, we introduce a new approach to pricing with three tiered-tuition. You can chose the tier that best matches your ability to pay.

Supported Tuition $475 
Standard Tuition $675 
Supporting Tuition $875


Lodging 

We are blessed to have full use of the Chinook Retreat Center, with 106 acres of forest, hiking trails, a labyrinth and Sanctuary. Most rooms are small but have their own magic. When you register, there will be a text box to communicate special needs. If you wish, you can request a cabin or building. If you want to be in a cabin but must have an interior bathroom, note this. We will do our best to fulfill your needs. See photos of buildings and rooms here.

These prices listed below are for 5 nights lodging. Please take note of this option to add a Saturday night stay when you register.

Private room $550 plus tax for 5 nights in farmhouse, grannies or cabin. Add optional Saturday night stay for $110. We have one handicap accessible private room.

Shared room $425 plus tax for 5 nights in farmhouse, grannies or cabin. Add optional Saturday night stay for $85.

Camper $200 plus tax for campsite & day use – Bring tent, sleeping bag & pad.  

Commuter $200 plus tax for day use of facility when sleeping offsite

Meals

Meals $368 plus tax includes Monday July 10 dinner through Saturday July 15 dinner. If you chose to add the optional Saturday night stay, you are invited to Deborah’s home in Langley for a simple oatmeal breakfast with coffee & tea on Sunday July 16 for no extra cost.

Delicious, home cooked, healthy meals prepared by our Whidbey Institute chefs are a memorable part of the experience. They offer the freshest ingredients, highlighting organic produce from regional and on-site gardens. Most meals are gluten and dairy free. They graciously honor unique dietary needs. Be sure to include these on your registration form. The team radiates love in all they do. More about our chef and food.

Extra fees

$25 registration fee and $20 covid antigen self test to be taken upon arrival. By the time this retreat takes place, if we discern that covid testing is no longer necessary, we will remove the $20 test fee.

TOTAL Lodging, Meals & Fees Not including tuition or optional Saturday night stay 

Private room with meals $963 plus tax

Shared room with meals $838 plus tax

Camping with meals $613 plus tax

Commuter with meals $613 plus tax


Whidbey Institute Registration Form 

Whidbey Institute is handling the registration process for the first time this year. The link is at the bottom of this page. The registration form has a separate section to select tuition from three options. The form also includes a donation button. Please note that donations made on their registration form go into a diversity fund for future Whidbey Institute programs. If you wish to donate towards scholarships for this year’s Touch Drawing Gathering, choose Supporting Tuition when you register, or give any amount to the Scholarship Fund on the bottom of this page.

Whidbey Institute’s policy is to fully refund cancellations up to 14 days before your reservation. No refunds are given for cancellations less than 14 days before the reservation start date. Read Whidbey Institute’s current Covid policies here. If you have to cancel due to Covid, the Center for Touch Drawing will refund your tuition. 


Travel – Read Before Reserving a Flight

Whidbey Island is 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington, with a twenty-minute ferry ride from Mukilteo to Clinton. Whidbey Institute is 10 minutes from the ferry dock. Read about travel options and arrival.

The major airport is SEATAC. Without traffic, it is about a 50 minutes drive to the ferry, but there might be ferry lines and  traffic. Avoid all that with the Whidbey Seatac Shuttle. The optimal shuttles depart SEATAC at 12:30 and 2:30. Flights should arrive an hour before the shuttle departs. Make shuttle reservations when you buy your airline ticket. There is a new airport called Everett PAE. It is about 10 minutes from the Mukilteo Ferry. Catch the shuttle or take an Uber from PAE to the ferry, walk on and call the local taxi to get from the ferry dock to Whidbey Institute. More information comes with confirmation of your registration.


Main Gathering  •  Testimonials   •   What We Do   •   FAQ’s

Questions about the program 
 The Center for Touch Drawing (360)221-5745 or
center@touchdrawing.com

Questions about the facility, travel, food, registration 
Whidbey Institute (360)341-1884 or 
registration@whidbeyinstitute.org 

REGISTER FOR THE GATHERING

  To Our Scholarship Fund 

Please consider contributing to our scholarship fund to help someone attend this year’s Gathering. We are particularly interested in younger people who are developing careers in creative facilitation. This is how Touch Drawing will live in the future! Any amount is so appreciated. If you would like a tax deduction, we can arrange a charitable donation through Whidbey Institute. Contact us about this. Please note that Whidbey Institute has a donation form on the registration page. Donations made there will be used for future Whidbey Institute programs, not this year’s Touch Drawing Gathering.