The Artist's Odyssey
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Online experience
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1–29 November
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The Artist's Odyssey 〰️ Online experience 〰️ 1–29 November 〰️
The Artist’s Odyssey
A journey.
A sketchbook.
A world of heroes, dragons and magic.
1 - 29 November
Joseph Campbell’s book is our inspiration. All the famous movies are based on it. Yep, even The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Lion King and Amélie.
“I found it difficult to spend money on my passion. I’m not an artist, am I? YES, I AM an artist. I was born an artist. It’s the reason I get out of bed in the morning.”
— Julie Wood, architect, Chicago, USA
We’re going to draw. Paint. Hand-letter. Dive into movies and romantic tales. We’ll meet mentors, cross thresholds, stare monsters straight in the face and get gloriously lost along the way.
(No one overboard. It’s all part of the adventure.)
And everything we discover along the way? We’re turning it into ART.
→ The ship sets sail on November 1
Early bird price:
€347 €147
THE ARTIST’S ODYSSEY WAS CREATED BY MARENTHE, WHO WAS NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD’S 100 MOST VISIONARY DESIGNERS BY PHAIDON USA.
AND THAT, MY DARLING, IS NO DRAGON DROPPINGS.
“The joy I feel when painting with Marenthe's guidance has taken my art to a whole new level. She has helped me find my direction. She’s my art hero.”
— Kathy Reed, Virginia, USA
You don’t need another course teaching you how to hold a pencil. And your inner artist? She’s no poor little helpless thing, either.
She can take care of herself perfectly well, thank you very much.
But do you know that euphoric feeling when you step into an entirely different universe?
Like your heart starts giggling. Your wings suddenly begin to grow. “Aaaaaargh!” you scream. “THIS is what I’ve been craving and WOWIEEEEE it actually EXISTS and OMG I want to LIVE HERE and MAKE ART FOR MONTHS!”
That… right… there…
…is The Artist’s Odyssey.
On November 1, we weigh anchor.
Coming aboard?
“Marenthe is an amazing mentor. What made me incredibly happy was discovering that I could be so productive while having so much fun. That feeling of: YES, I can do this!!!!”
— Susanlora Morris, artist, Maine, USA
Four weeks later, we set foot on dry land again.
You’re still you. But your sketchbook smells different. Looks fresher. Fuller. Richer.
Stories found each other. Symbols took on new meanings. You painted with wild abandon, drew with the tip of your tongue sticking out, snipped, glued, made zines and hand-lettered your heart out.
You’ve burned a few ships behind you. You’ve transformed your story. And you’ve made a WHOLE LOT OF ART.
Luckily, you weren’t stranded all alone on some deserted island. You were aboard a ship full of artists in the very same boat as you, sailing the same seas and, just like you, coming home with the coolest treasures.
Hang on a minute, you think. I signed up for an art course…
…and somehow I ended up on the most incredible voyage around the world?!
“I’ve made some of my best work in your courses. The assignments are so inspiring!”
— Jana Sanders, artist and illustrator, South Carolina, USA
Meet The Artist’s Odyssey
One journey.
Four travel companions.
You’re at the helm.
Every hero gets a little help along the way.
Dorothy had the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. Luke had Obi-Wan Kenobi (and two robots with serious anxiety issues). Zero had Monsieur Gustave.
And you? You've got me. Plus a secret society of artists sailing right alongside you.
Here are your four companions:
1. THE STORIES
You’ll get 10 podcasts. Myths and movie stories. All based on Joseph Campbell's Hero’s Journey.
Parsifal is coming along for the ride, too. The young boy who grows up in a dark forest and sets off in search of the Holy Grail.
You'll also choose your own cinematic travel companion: The Wizard of Oz, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Star Wars, Amélie or Kill Bill.
Five films in which we’ll explore the different stages of the Hero's Journey.
You’ll start looking at movies and stories (and possibly your own life) through entirely new eyes.
2. THE ART STUDIO
You’ll get 10 videos where you can peek over my shoulder while I create.
3. THE TREASURE MAP
I’m not going to toss you overboard halfway through the journey with a cheerful good luck with that!
You’ll get:
→ 10 big creative assignments
→ 10 small writing assignments
→ 10 bingo cards
→ 5 moodboards
4. THE CREW
You’re not making this journey alone. You’ll get access to The Art Cabin: our private international online hangout for artists from all corners of the world.
You’ll get 2 live Zoom sessions where we’ll draw, create and share together. Recordings included.
The community stays open until 31 December 2027.
And the academy? Yours forever.
We kick off on November 1.
Coming aboard?
This is what students made:
This is what students made:
Renee Pastolove
Hendriek Mulder
Steffi Tappertzhofen
Ashley Nadine
Evy Poli
Jody Buck
Susanlora Morris
Julie Marz Wood
Amanda Schoenemann
Cynthia Souder
Steffi Tappertzhofen
Susanne Van Der Lee
Christine Giarrusso
Sandra Nevels
Cynthia Souder
Sara Coulter
Amanda Schoenemann
Svenny Santos
Vera Umbrecht
Belinda de Snoo
Heather Chevreau
Lisbeth Neigaard
Marja Dirkse
Marja Dirkse
Fiona Guy
Susanlora Morris
Martine Hartkamp
Anata Éro
Steffi Tappertzhofen
Hendriek Mulder
Annick Binnendijk
Annick Binnendijk
Louise van der Merwe
Steffi Tappertzhofen
Daan Wokke
Amanda Schoenemann
Susy Siddens
Enid Johnstone
Gabriella Sainz
Susy Siddens
Marlie Meyer
Cynthia Rahardja Clancy
Sandra Bouwmans
Kristianne Engelen
Marion Gilet
“This journey was magical!!”
— Svenny Santos, graphic designer
How does it work?
1. You sign up.
Your spot is reserved. A welcome message lands in your inbox.
2. You gather your art supplies.
3. We start on November 1.
Your first lesson is waiting. After that, a new step begins every three days. Ten steps in total.
4. All hands on deck!
We’ll meet in the community AND twice live on Zoom.
5. You return with the elixir.
By now, your travel trunk is looking suspiciously like a treasure chest.
The voyage: our 10 stops
01 · THE CALL
There’s always something calling. An idea. A longing. You open your sketchbook and give that call a shape.
02 · THRESHOLD GUARDIANS
Anyone who wants to discover a new world has to get past the gatekeeper. Yours doesn’t have three heads. It lives inside your head and says things like, “Who do you think you are?”
We’re going to tame that monster. Properly.
03 · MEETING THE MENTOR
You’ll meet a wonderfully curious collection of movie heroes to learn from. Then you’ll chart your own course.
04 · THE NEW WORLD
We’re going to make, make, MAKE.
05 · THE INITIATION
You’ll be initiated into the secrets of the journey. With gold. Ornaments. Patterns. Symbols.
More is more and less is a bore. Iris Apfel said it best.
06 · THE CRISIS
And then everything went wrong.
This is where we make a glorious mess of things and discover why the most interesting stories often begin with a mistake. Or a stain.
07 · THE DAGGER
We’re heading into the dark. Because without darkness, there’s no light. Just ask David Lynch. Or Rembrandt.
08 · RETURN TO THE LIGHT
Something begins to glow on the horizon. After the darkness, we’ll play with light, white, softness and colour. Suddenly, we start seeing things that were hidden from us before.
09 · DEATH & RESURRECTION
Something has to disappear to make room for something new. You’ll look at everything you’ve created, break it open and give it a second life. No one overboard. Although a few old pages might have to go. And possibly a few old beliefs?
10 · THE ELIXIR
LAND AHOY!
You’ll bring everything you’ve collected along the way together in one final masterpiece: your stories, images, monsters, discoveries, failures, gold and glorious nonsense.
And then you’ll take home something every hero will recognise. Something you could never have created at the beginning of this journey.
They’ve sailed before you:
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“I found myself on a journey back to me. And meanwhile, I made lots of art, too. It helped me let go of my fear and insecurity.”
Christina, Germany
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“Finishing all the lessons and creating my own little Hero's Journey book made me incredibly happy. And those Zoom sessions! That was truly my moment.”
Vera, graphic designer
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“Reading your story was like watching a blockbuster! It made me think: what is my path? What is my style?”
Anata Uges, Germany
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“The course had everything I was looking for: creative inspiration, encouragement and fun. But it also made me look at myself. I realised I don't have to do what others expect of me. I can follow my own path.”
Saskia van Iperen, freelance book editor
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“Waking up and reading the new chapters, seeing how other artists look at things… I found so much peace in that daily hour of freedom to draw, paint and glue.”
Evy, Ireland
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“I met myself as a superhero, so the course far exceeded my expectations. As an art therapist, it reminded me how powerful creating can be. I loved watching my work grow.”
Sandra Bouwmans, art therapist
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“I learned new techniques. I'd never made a collage before. The result gave me such a thrill.”
Christine, Australia
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“I learned that life AND the creative process come with ups and downs. Everything felt so good! It was complete, inspiring and a gift.”
Karlijn, project coordinator
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“Spending every day with brushes, paint, scissors and glue. I absolutely LOVE it! I tried all sorts of new techniques, especially collage. And I think my work turned out beautifully.”
Tamar Uylenburg, theatre producer and swimming instructor
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“I learned to bring more of my own life into my art. That's something I definitely want to keep doing. And the Holy Grail at the end was so much fun!”
Heather, USA
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“The writing assignments were incredibly liberating. I decorated my pages, and during Return to the Light, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And that Zoom session helped, too!”
Sara Coulter, illustrator, USA
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“The joy came back. I'd lost a little of that along the way.”
Merel de Boer, Heemstede
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“I want to do the course again and make even more art. It's given me more confidence. It's lovely to connect with others and discover that you're not alone.”
Rachel, England
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“I'm drawn to your lightness and how easily you embrace imperfection. That playfulness creates space and invites me in, even when my inner critic is loudly complaining. I notice I'm less tense and find it easier to get started.”
Kiki Posthuma, clown and creative coach
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“I discovered how liberating it is to work in a smaller art journal. I worried less about perfection. That was a real eye-opener for me. The Art Beat Club courses bring so much life and joy into my days!”
Khara Burgess, Italy
This is for the curious ones.
The story devourers. The image makers. The symbol seekers. The deep-sea divers. The artists who don’t just want to know how the movie ends, but WHY that one scene is still haunting them years later. For the daydreamers who love poking around in their inner worlds, wondering what on earth lives in there.
A muse? A monster? A story? A mermaid?
WHO KNOWS. WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.
This journey is for artists who love layers. In their art AND in their lives. Artists who want to draw, paint, write, cut and paste, but also explore, make connections and wander off the beaten path. Artists who love meaning and authenticity.
This journey is NOT for scaredy-cats. Not for people who want me to hold their hand and tell them exactly which colour goes where. Not for know-it-alls who have absolutely no interest in learning anything new.
And if stories, movies and symbolism bore you to tears? Stay home, darling. More room on deck for the rest of us.
I can’t promise that in four weeks you’ll have ten masterpieces hanging at the Venice Biennale.
But I CAN promise you’ll broaden your horizons.
And boy, will you broaden them.
“Um, Marenthe… Hero’s Journey? Inner worlds? Self-discovery? Am I going to end up sitting there in tears, cutting up my childhood traumas?”
NO! NO! NO!
Okay, yes, we’re going deep-sea diving. We’ll poke around inside ourselves a little and see what’s floating about down there. You’ll get small writing assignments that might nudge you just outside your comfort zone. (No writing experience required, by the way.)
But this is NOT therapy. And I’m not a therapist.
I’m an artist. And we’re going on a TREASURE HUNT. And we’re going to MAKE THINGS. With our hands.
Depth without the heaviness. Self-discovery without the poor-me drama. Symbolism without the incense and spiritual mumbo jumbo.
You get the idea.
I’ve been on this journey myself. The whole freaking journey.
In my personal life. In my work. In my career as an artist.
I got lost. Stumbled. Started over. Changed direction. Met monsters and mentors and turned my shit into fertiliser.
I know the Hero’s Journey inside out.
And frankly, the whole adventure started pretty early. I grew up in the south of the Netherlands, in a sort of Pippi Longstocking villa with paintings on every wall. As a baby, I chewed on felt-tip pens instead of teething rings. My father (a photographer and teacher) gave me a camera when I was five. My mother (a speech therapist and writer) taught me everything about art and literature. And ever since, I’ve been drawing, painting, writing, collecting, imagining, observing, creating and building worlds.
I spent years working in design and advertising. Worked as a graphic designer and art director, both in the Netherlands and abroad. I won Lilla Rogers’ Global Talent Search. Phaidon USA named me one of the 100 most visionary designers in the world. I’ve created work for Flow, Trader Joe’s, Amber Lotus, Quarto Publishers, Roger La Borde, and Running Press, I write Soulnotes for Happinez magazine, and I’ve founded four successful businesses.
Okay. I’m starting to sound a bit like a show-off.
But secretly, there’s something I love SO much more:
I teach my artists to SEE differently.
I inspire, but I don’t dictate anyone’s style. I love perfect AND imperfect. I’m not here to teach you how to race from A to B as fast as humanly possible. I want you to change course along the way. And when you spot something sparkling, I want you to lean over the railing and shout: WAIT. WHAT’S GOING ON OVER THERE?
Because THAT’S where the magic happens.
I’ll show you every corner of the sea. Including the places where mermaids swim and monsters lurk.
I’m a storyteller, artist, motivator, professional wake-up caller, cheerleader and quite possibly the biggest dreamer of all time. (Okay. David Lynch can go first.)
And by now, I’ve taken thousands of artists into my wonderfully weird world and shown them that they, too, have their own unique artistic voice.
Early bird price:
👉 337 147 👈
Or pay in instalments
Okay Marenthe, a few more questions before I decide…
Is the course available in English?
Absolutely.
The stories and podcasts are recorded in both Dutch AND English. The videos are in English. In our international community, we speak English. And art, of course. The most universal language of them all.
I took The Art Hero’s Journey back in 2021. Is this the same course?
Yes.
And no ;)
The foundation is the same, but for this Odyssey I’ve chosen different movies and created brand-new moodboards AND new videos!
Do I need to know anything about Joseph Campbell or the Hero’s Journey?
Nope.
I’ll take you along and explain everything as we go.
We’ll skip the boring bits. Hahaha. As if there ARE any.
Do I have to watch all the movies?
Oh, goodness, no.
You choose ONE movie. That’s the one travelling with you. The movies themselves aren’t included in the course. You can watch them online, through a streaming service, at the cinema or download them illegally. (Marenthe! Behave!)
How much time will it take? And what if I fall behind?
Every three days, we begin a new step. So yes, it’s pretty intensive. Travel along with us if you can. Falling behind? No one overboard. The academy is yours forever. So whether you pick up your journey again in January or do the entire Odyssey all over again next year: it’s all fine.
Am I experienced enough to join?
This journey isn’t designed for complete beginners who can’t tell blue from green. If you’ve never held a pencil before, I’d recommend taking another course first.
Will I get feedback from you, Marenthe?
No. Unless you ask for it. I answer questions in the community, and during our live Zoom sessions you can ask me for feedback.
What art supplies will I need?
No outrageously expensive art supplies. You’ll receive a materials list beforehand. Paper, paints, pens and other lovely stuff. Chances are, you already have a surprising amount of it at home.
What you’ll need most: curiosity and a burning desire to MAKE things. (And Wi-Fi. Even magical ships can’t escape that these days.)
Will the live Zoom sessions be recorded?
YES. You can watch the replays. So if you can’t make it live, no problem whatsoever.
How long will I have access?
The academy: until I retire in a gazillion years.
The private community: until 31 December 2027.
Plenty of time, then.
Will I receive a certificate?
Nope. I don’t do certificates.
Can I pay in instalments?
Absolutely.
Can I cancel?
You can cancel within 14 days of purchase.
Are there any free spots?
No.
I’m still not sure / My question isn’t answered here.
Feel free to send me a message.
Darling. You have NO idea.
You’re going to enjoy the living daylights out of this. Your sketchbook will be practically bursting at the seams with joy. You’ll make things you previously would’ve looked at and thought, Yeah, right, Marenthe. And then you’ll be ridiculously proud of yourself.
You’ll collect stories. Discover new worlds. Enrich your inner world. You might even make some new friends!
And ALSO: you’ll get that CREATIVE ITCH back.
That delicious urge to draw and paint. To try things. To experiment. Oooo Myyyyyy Goooood.
You’ll head into winter with a suitcase full of stories, a sketchbook full of art and enough inspiration to keep you going throughout 2027. Okay, exaggeration is an art form, too.
I suspect everyone will be insanely jealous of all the things you're going to create.
We set sail on November 1.
I’m already raring to go, armed with a little space heater and a crate full of art supplies.
Coming aboard?
