About the Artist
Susana Li
Director & Art Instructor
Trained at the Barcelona Academy of Art, Susana is most inspired by classical realism and oil painting. In addition to being an artist, she has been a secondary school teacher for digital media and has worked in the technology industry as a designer, product manager, and technology leader for over 15 years.
She holds a Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she focused on instructional design. She applies this expertise to create an accessible, structured art curriculum that empowers students of all levels.
Susana believes in helping students adopt a "growth mindset" to art. It's not talent - it's a repeatable process that anyone can learn with practice.
She has lived in Spain for the last 5 years, and previously in the Netherlands and Germany. She speaks Spanish, German, and Chinese.
Mission & Vision
01. Craft: The Foundations of Creativity
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” — Pablo Picasso
I had been taking art classes my whole life, from studio art classes in high school to figure drawing workshops. At Duke University, where I double majored in Visual Art and Political Science, I discovered all sorts of techniques through my coursework including graphic design, photography, and illustration. However, while I learned to experiment with many different techniques, I never learned how I could make something look real.
Learning How to See
It wasn’t until I came to study art in Europe that I learned “how to see” with concepts that no program in the US had taught me, like:
- How to separate light and shadow to create immediate form
- How to identify shadow shapes to block in values
- How to compress values to maintain harmony
- How to use edge quality to create depth
Redesigning Art Education
After graduating, I wanted to share my love of creativity with others and became a secondary school teacher for digital arts. I got my Masters in Education from Harvard University, where I focused on designing creative learning experiences with technology.
All of a sudden it clicked - art wasn’t something you were born with or something that required natural talent. Art could be a curriculum that can be designed.
I realized that drawing and painting could be boiled down to a sequence of teachable skills. By combining the rigor of fine art training in Europe with the instructional design methods I picked up at Harvard, I developed European Art Retreats to empower anyone—even absolute beginners—to master the “rules” of how to paint realistically.
Our Method
European Art Retreats is the product of this journey. Our week-long immersive courses are structured in two phases:
The Foundation (Days 1–3)
Through guided exercises, you will develop fundamental understanding of Value, Form, Proportion, and Color.
The Application (Days 4–7)
Once grasping these rules, we move into individualized projects with 1-on-1 coaching to help you build a professional portfolio piece.
02. Culture: Live Like a Local
“When inspiration doesn’t come, I go halfway to meet it.” — Sigmund Freud
I believe that to paint in a place, you must first permit yourself to be shaped by it. My philosophy is rooted in slow travel: the art of staying long enough to speak the language, participate in the community, and embrace the beautiful mistakes that come with immersion.
European Art Retreats aren't just about changing the view outside your window; they are about adopting a new pace of life. We rotate our locations to offer deep dives into the cultural and artistic histories that have defined Western art.
Local Selection & Expertise
My local selection is informed by over a decade of living and breathing European culture:
- Germany (2 Years): Inspired by Berlin’s raw counterculture, I explored the intersection of history and modern expression through the city's iconic murals.
- The Netherlands (6 Years): Immersed in the home of the Dutch Masters, I spent years studying at the foot of the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.
- Spain (5+ Years): I can’t wait to share with you the cultural nuances of my current home, the place that inspired Gaudí, Dalí, and Picasso.
Because I speak Spanish, German, and Dutch, I don’t just take you to these destinations—I help you navigate them like a local. We move beyond the tourist experience to find the authentic inspiration that only happens when you slow down.
03. Connection: Disconnect to Connect
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." — Pablo Picasso
For many years, I tried to balance my passion for art alongside a career in technology, painting in my spare time. But at the end of the day, I was exhausted. Instead of finishing my projects, I found myself scrolling on the phone—hopping from one device to another.
Breaking the Creative Block
Finding time and the courage to paint is challenging. We face:
- Myth of the "Starving Artist": The fear that creativity is a luxury we can’t afford.
- Imposter Syndrome: That inner critic that demands perfection and makes us quit during the "ugly" middle stage of a painting.
- Lack of Creative Community: The environment to provide fresh perspectives and encouragement.
A Return to the Real
Now with the introduction of agentic AI, I think we are all starting to craving something more tactile, more rooted, and more human.
To truly unleash your creative potential, you need an environment that promotes it. European Art Retreats are designed to be the antidote to digital burnout, placing you in the most peaceful corners of Europe to find your inner artist again.
We foster the following:
- Creative CommunityShared dinners and informal spaces to grab a coffee with creatives like you.
- Mindful Presence Optional yoga and meditation sessions to connect with your inner artist
- Growth Mindset We aim for practice, not perfection in our artwork.
Take a different type of holiday this year. No pressure, just practice.
Meet the Artist
I'd love to learn more about your art and personal goals! Let's chat.