The Art of Noticing
2 - 9 June 2027 - South Africa - $3600 EARLY BIRD
The Art of Noticing
Mixed Media Meditations with Sarah Gardner · Juicy.s.art
7 nights · 8 days · All-inclusive Manyoni Private Game Reserve · KwaZulu-Natal
Maximum 12 guests
The Experience
What if you stopped judging and just made?
The Art of Noticing is not about making perfect art. It is about learning to pay attention, to colour, to texture, to the particular quality of light on a game drive at dawn — and trusting what you notice to guide your next choice. Over eight days at Manyoni Private Game Reserve, mixed media artist Sarah Gardner (aka Juicy.S) will guide you through a joyful, layered creative practice rooted in mindfulness and play. Morning game drives fill your eyes with Africa. Afternoons are spent at the table, making art papers, building collage, working in sketchbooks, one small choice at a time.
Sarah's core belief is that everyone is creative. The only thing standing between you and a joyful art practice is an inner critic that tells you you can't. This retreat is where that critic finally loses.
"We don't travel to just move around or check places off a bucket list. We travel to be moved. Bringing travel and creativity together in a space that offers awe and wonder is a very powerful way to transform ourselves."
— Sarah Gardner
Sarah is a practicing attorney — she works from the left side of her brain all week, then makes gloriously colourful layered art to balance it out. Her story is living proof that creativity is available to anyone willing to try.
YOUR DAYS
Eight days of colour, noticing & joy
Big Five Game Drives
Twice-daily drives through Manyoni with an expert ranger. Africa's most extraordinary wildlife — at close range, in golden light — filling your eyes with colour and texture before you've touched a brush.
Art Paper Sessions
Sarah's signature starting point: making your own collage papers using paint, stencils, marks, and layers. Freedom-filled, joyful, and completely without pressure. These papers become the raw material for everything you'll make.
Sketchbook & Thumbnail Work
Using Sarah's unique viewfinder method, you'll learn to approach drawing as a series of small, manageable choices. Perfect for those whose inner critic is loudest around a blank page.
Shareable Art Projects
Postcards and greeting cards made from your art papers — created during this week in South Africa and sent to someone you love. Your joy, shared. Your experience of Pathway Partners, passed on.
Luxury Lodge Life
Seven nights at Zebra Hills Lodge — private en-suite rooms, exceptional meals, sundowners, elephant interactions, Zulu dancing, wine tastings, and braai nights around the fire. All-inclusive, completely taken care of.
Small Group Magic
Maximum 12 guests. The joy of creating together is richer, Sarah says, than creating alone. You will make things, share things, laugh, and leave with people who understand exactly what this week meant.
Sarah Gardner has been creating mixed media art since 2007. Through years of playing, experimenting, and embracing the unknown, she arrived at the same lesson she now teaches: it is the process of creating, not the perfect end result, that brings us joy.
Known online as Juicy.S, a DJ name that stuck. Sarah is a self-taught artist, published author, and internationally recognised educator whose work spans stencil design collaborations, online courses, in-person workshops, and her own Teachable school. Her book, Share Your Joy: Mixed Media Shareable Art, is a hands-on guide to making colourful, layered work you can send to people you love.
Away from her studio, Sarah is a practicing attorney specialising in estate planning and business contracts. She will tell you that art saved the right side of her brain, and that the two halves are now, finally, in balance.
Her teaching is warm, clear, deeply encouraging, and built around one non-negotiable: there are no mistakes here. Only choices, and what you notice next.
YOUR WEEK INCLUDES
- 7 nights at Zebra Hills Lodge, Manyoni Private Game Reserve
All guided mixed media workshops with Sarah Gardner
- All art supplies — paints, stencils, papers, collage materials, sketchbooks
Morning and evening game drives with experienced rangers
- All meals — breakfast, lunch, dinner — plus daily sundowners
Wine tastings featuring South African wines
Elephant Connection Experience.
Meet Rachel & Rambo.
Airport transfers to and from Durban (King Shaka International)
Cultural experiences including traditional Zulu dancing
THE SETTING
Manyoni Private Game Reserve spans 23,000 hectares of KwaZulu-Natal wilderness and is home to the Big Five, over 400 species of bird, and some of the most paintable landscapes in South Africa. It's remote enough to feel like another world. It's comfortable enough that you won't want to leave.
This is where Pathway Partners hosts all its artist retreats, chosen deliberately for its scale, its wildlife density, and the quality of light that artists keep coming back for.
WHAT TO BRING
- A willingness to play and make one small choice at a time
- Your inner critic — Sarah will help you quiet it
- Comfortable, neutral-toned clothing for game drives
- Camera or phone for reference photographs
- Any favourite personal art supplies you'd like alongside the provided kit
- Personal items and medications
NOT INCLUDED
- International and domestic flights to Durban
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Personal purchases and gratuities
THE DETAILS
Dates: 2 - 9 June 2027
Location: Manyoni Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Group size: 11 guests maximum — intentionally small
Investment: $3600 per person
What's included: Everything listed above
What's not included: Flights and travel to/from South Africa, VISA (if applicable) & travel insurance
SECURE YOUR PLACE
Spaces are strictly limited to keep this experience intimate. To reserve your spot or ask a question before booking:
📧 info@pathwaypartners.co.za 📞 076 123 3493
Frequently asked questions
While some basic art experience is helpful, our retreats welcome artists of all levels. Our artists tailor instruction to meet you where you are, whether you're a beginner eager to learn or an experienced artist looking to refine your techinque.
Absolutely! Many of our guests travel solo and find the intimate group size perfect for forming meaningful connections.
Yes, we do. We offer flexible payment plans tailored to your needs, making it easier for you to experience the retreat without added financial stress. If you'd like to discuss a payment option, please get in touch and we will find a solution that works for you.
"Your voice and message soothed my soul leaving me feeling as though I were in a meditation. Becoming so entranced by your mix of information and your art process I lost myself for a moment watching you create."
— Joanna, Wanderlust 2024
"I don't even know where to start. I had minimal interest in making ATCs until I began watching your videos. You give clear, concise, detailed instructions and I simply caught the ATC bug! Superb!"
— Jo, Fodder School
"I am in 'awe' just watching and listening to your inspiring words. I feel as though I'm elevated into another place. Thank you for this wonderful awe inspiring lesson."
— Masha, Wanderlust 2024
"Drawing didn't only make me more confident creatively, but also in life in general. I feel happier, more spontaneous. I am very grateful to Sarah and the supportive community she has built."
— Myriam, Willa Workshops
"Oh Sarah, what a wonderful class. I was completely mesmerized by all of the wonderful layers, techniques and doodles. Your calmness and relaxed teaching methods had me engrossed in the process."
— Sue, Wanderlust 2024
"Oh my goodness. Thank you for every word, Sarah! How nourishing and beautiful your lesson was. This was my favourite lesson of all. Thank you so much!"
— Sally, Wanderlust 2024