2026 Visionary Painting Intensive with Alex Grey & Allyson Grey
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
Applications are OPEN NOW for serious and experienced painters.
Deadline to apply: Friday, January 16th, 2026 | APPLY NOW
Visionary Painting Intensive: Class of 2025
The expressive language of painting has uniquely traced the human soul’s evolution of consciousness for over 30,000 years. Sacred art traditions throughout the ages have celebrated the visionary realms, exploring Heaven Hell and the multiverse inbetween. Each individual artist continues the evolving wave of visual culture. Today, the internet provides access to the entire history of the human imagination through the iconography of past civilizations. Geometric and organic pattern and ornament, spectral color, light and shadow, texture, focus, symbolism and naturalism offer abundant creative means for the interpreter and illuminator of mystical and transcendental domains. Skilled painters, intimate with expanded states of awareness, translate these subtle archetypal dimensions to facilitate the realization of divine spirit.
This workshop will explore the importance of intention, process, subject matter, and the historic context of visionary painting in an open studio environment that supports independent thinking and artistic maturity. Building on existing painting skills, the Greys will support participants in celebrating their uniqueness, developing personal themes. Both conceptual and technical skills will be addressed in pursuit of defining and communicating the artist's intention.
Objectives Include:
- Honing a unique artistic voice.
- Refining critical-thinking and verbalization skills through class discussion and interaction.
- Expanded recognition & understanding of Visionary Art history as inspiration informing future artworks.
- Examining professional artist practices
APPLY NOW: VISIONARY PAINTING INTENSIVE
Tuition including meals is $1500.00, accommodations are additional and recommended to stay onsite at CoSM.
The messages of our souls can be shared more effectively by evolving our consciousness and our craft. Through practice, the ability to express ourselves can always improve. Painters develop when they draw from their authentic self, sharing their truth and insights in their creation. When expressive uniqueness is witnessed by supportive peers, a sacred energy field is generated that empowers artistic evolution. Learning from each other, we collectively support the creative progress of every member. Interacting during class time, at meals and in lecture periods in the Library, participants connect to explore Visionary Art.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
PORTFOLIO REVIEW: The 2026 CoSM 8-Day Visionary Painting Intensive with Alex Grey & Allyson Grey offers an immersive forum for serious and experienced painters.
An application with samples of your work will be required for the selection process of participants in the Visionary Painting Intensive.
APPLY NOW: VISIONARY PAINTING INTENSIVE
This application requests candidates to include three examples of their best paintings.
This application for the Visionary Painting Intensive requests access to the artist's social media and contact information, as well as a brief artist statement of no more than 250 words.
Because an artist statement and presentation is essential to artists ready to share their work, your statement will be part of this workshop. Guides on writing an artist statement are abundant on the internet.
Here is one that we recommend: Article Posted by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Painters as well as artists dedicated to other mediums are encouraged to also apply to the Visionary Art Intensive, an idea generating sketch workshop for serious and experienced artists who work in any medium. July 12th - 18th, 2026.
Look for applications to the Visionary Art Intensive (VAI), launching in early November, 2025.
PAINTING INTENSIVE
During this eight-day Master Class, participants will work on two paintings, with the intention to make substantial progress on both works.
One painting will be a self-portrait (the widest definition) and the second work will be an original painting revealing your personal aesthetic style and conceptual evolution.
Class members should join the workshop prepared with concept sketches.
Techniques, elements of design and composition, color study and the development of expressive content will be discussed daily. One-on-one conversations about the work of each participant, as well as group discussion about individual works will both be scheduled and part of the class flow.
Offered also will be talks on The History of Visionary Art, daily silent painting meditations accompanied by inspiring music, presentations and open discussions of the work of every participant in the class, conversations and Q&A's concerning the life of an artist, providing valuable insights for all present.
Class time will include guided vision practices intended to catalyze and crystalize an image to be realized as a painting. Oils, acrylics and watercolors on a 2-dimensional surface are welcome mediums for this class.
If eight days of painting sounds too delicious to be true, as it does for us, consider applying for the Visionary Painting Intensive at CoSM.
APPLY NOW: VISIONARY PAINTING INTENSIVE
SCHEDULE:
All times are listed in EDT
Saturday, June 6th
- 12pm: CoSM opens to the public
- 3pm-5pm: Workshop Check In: Guests arrive by 5pm and check-in to their rooms.
- 6pm: Dinner & Orientation are an essential part of the workshop for all participants.
- 7:30pm: Introductions & Presentations in the Library
Sunday, June 7th through Friday, June 12th
- 8am - 10am: Self-serve breakfast in the Dining Hall
- 10am: Work Session in the Library
- 1pm: Lunch in the Dining Hall
- 3pm: Work Session in the Art Lab.
- 6pm: Dinner in the Dining Hall
- 7:30pm: Open Studio Session in the Art Lab
Saturday, June 13th
- 8am - 10am: Self-serve Breakfast in the Dining Hall
- 10am: Work Session in the Art Lab
- 1pm: Lunch in the Dining Hall
- 2pm: End of Workshop
- 6pm: CoSM closes
CoSM and Entheon are open weekly on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 12pm - 6pm when CoSM Grounds close. Participation includes day passes during open hours to CoSM facilities and grounds for the duration of the workshop.
A private tour of Entheon will be scheduled for workshop participants so class time is not missed.
ITINERARY NOTE: You are welcome to extend your stay and arrive as early as Thursday, June 4th, 2026. This may be a good time to unwind from travel, plan your work ahead, preview Entheon (noting that a class tour is scheduled during the workshop), tour Grey House Galleries and CoSM grounds before the workshop begins, as the workshop schedule is quite immersive once in session.
APPLY NOW: VISIONARY PAINTING INTENSIVE
YOUR INSTRUCTORS:
Alex Grey & Allyson Grey
Alex Grey, world-renowned artist, poet, and author, is best loved for his paintings which portray multiple dimensions of reality, interweaving biological anatomy with psychic and spiritual energies. His books, Sacred Mirrors, The Mission of Art, Transfigurations, and Art Psalms, trace the development of his work and mystical experiences that shaped his spiritual artistic life. Alex’s most recent monograph, Net of Being, addresses how his art is evolving the cultural body through icons of interconnectedness. alexgrey.com
Net of Being by Alex Grey
Allyson Grey is an artist whose paintings have been exhibited and sold internationally. Co-founder of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Grey is a community leader with a Master of Fine Arts degree from Tufts University. She has edited and co-authored over a dozen books and journals, lectured widely, and has been an educator and muse to artists for over 30 years. The symbol system in her paintings represent an essentialized world-view comprised of Chaos, Order and Secret Writing. allysongrey.com
Chaos Order Secret Writing by Allyson Grey
Together, the Grey’s co-founded the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, CoSM, a spiritual creative retreat center in the Hudson Valley of New York. On the forefront of a movement in which painters join musicians on stage, the Grey’s painted together live before tens of thousands of folks at New York Broadway theaters, at sold-out festivals and arenas in dozens of international cities across five continents. As long-time advocates of “cognitive liberty,” a growing international “sacramental culture” has embraced the Grey’s as important mapmakers and spokespersons for the visionary realm. The Grey’s, with a dedicated and evolving team, have created CoSM, an interspiritual Art Church and Entheon, a Visionary Art sanctuary at CoSM. cosm.org
Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in Entheon, sanctuary of Visionary Art at CoSM
CoSM WORKSHOP SETTING:
Class sessions will take place in the MAGI Art Lab (Mystic Artists Guild International).
The Grey House, CoSM's Visionary Victorian guest house, provides accommodations for all participants.
Residing onsite together is encouraged as part of this immersively creative week, providing maximum benefit & enrichment. Accommodations in Grey House are offered in a variety of economies, in addition to the workshop fee.
For participants choosing to stay off-site, a $250 commuter’s fee covers use of CoSM facilities and amenities.
Participants are welcome to extend their overnight stay at CoSM from Thursday before the workshop begins until Monday at noon, following the workshop. (Thursday, June 5th - Monday, June 15th, 2026).
WORKSHOP AMENITIES
Available for the duration of the 8 day workshop:
- Three healthy meals daily is provided by CoSM chefs
- Coffee, tea and snacks are available in the Art Lab between meals
- Access welcome in Grey House common spaces on all three floors including the Library, Parlor, Dining Hall & Gallery Spaces
- The Mushroom Cafe is open noon-6pm, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
- Yoga mats are available for self guided practice.
- Accommodations include private rooms and shared dorm rooms with femme only or co-ed dorm options.
- The Wisdom Trail offers a contemplative walk through the CoSM woods, including a labyrinth and outdoor sculptural installations by Visionary artists.
Day Admission to CoSM, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12pm - 6pm, is included.
- Access to Facilities, grounds and self-touring Entheon
- Students are welcome to experience Entheon and Grey House Galleries, including both CoSM Shop & Entheon Shop.
- The Mushroom Cafe offers beverages and light fare for purchase in an immersively muraled space with mushroom themed contributions from 24 accomplished visionary artists
MATERIALS:
SUGGESTED MATERIALS LIST (as needed)
- Pencils and pens for drawing
- Graphite pencils — 2B, 3B, 4B, HB (a few or all)
- Kneadable eraser and other preferred types
- Pencil sharpener
- Artist white tape
- Roll or large sheets of tracing paper
- Saral Transfer paper or Frisket (liquid or sheets)
- Sketch book and/or pad of larger sketch paper — 11″ x 14″
- Painting surface — (two or more) canvas, gesso board, painting panel, watercolor block
- Size Limitation: Painting supports may be no smaller than 11″ or larger than 40" in either dimension.
- Watercolor paint set (option) — tubes or travel set in pans
- Acrylics — (option) 20 colors or more (suggested)
- Oil paint — (option) 20 colors or more (suggested)
- Good quality paint brushes for each medium — a variety of sizes
The best quality of materials is recommended to all serious artists.
MATERIALS PROVIDED in the ART LAB at CoSM
- Easel
- Small work table for painting supplies and horizontal work
- Clip lamp, extension cord, trash can
- Basic supplies available: rulers, markers, pencils, erasers, bond paper, lap desks, scissors
- A projector for transferring drawings to painting surfaces.
TUITION:
APPLY NOW: VISIONARY PAINTING INTENSIVE
Deadline to Apply: Friday, January 16th, 2026. Response letters to all applications will be sent at the end of January, 2026.
- Tuition for the 8-day Visionary Painting Intensive includes meals - $1,500.00.
- Accommodations are additional in varying prices (see below).
- Payment plans available. All funds due one month before the start of the workshop.
- For further information, contact [email protected].
ACCOMMODATIONS:
The Grey House, CoSM’s Visionary Victorian guest house, offers accommodations for all participants. Works of art by Alex Grey, Allyson Grey and accomplished artists of the international Visionary Art community are featured throughout guest rooms and common spaces of Grey House.
Onsite accommodations are a part of the course experience and are available in a variety of economies. Here is the pricing for the seven-night stay, arriving Saturday, June 6th, departing Saturday, June 13th, 2026, reflective of the 10% workshop discount:
- Private king room with ensuite bathroom $1,732.50
- Private queen room with ensuite bathroom $1,575.00
- Private queen room with a shared bath $1,260.00
- Single bed in a dorm room $756.00 *femme only and co-ed options
A $250.00 commuters fee applies to participants staying off-site, covering the use of CoSM facilities and amenities.
Along with their acceptance letter, participants will receive more info on booking accommodations.
Workshop accommodations must be booked directly through the workshop department with confirmation of workshop acceptance and registration, rather than through the booking engine on the website.
Questions about tuition or accommodation fees, payment plans, travel, retreat amenities, materials, etc.?
Contact Genevieve Wood, Workshop Coordinator: [email protected].