All Inclusive* 2-night Program Starting At:
$403/person - Double Occupancy
$553/person - Single Occupancy
* Includes lodging, meals, program activities, and access to optional daily activities and recreational equipment. Learn More about the Great Camp Sagamore experience.
The Sagamore Seminars education series is offered by Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered by the Board of Regents of the Education Department of the State of New York and sole owner and operator of Great Camp Sagamore.
Program Overview
Step away from routine and into inspiration at Great Camp Sagamore for a transformative exploration of creative thinking. Join Professor Wes Sherman, artist and educator, and Cari Ray, award-winning songwriter and performing artist, for a dynamic program that blends art, reflection, and experiential learning in the heart of the Adirondacks.
Through an integrated approach that draws from the visual arts, music, storytelling, and nature, you will learn how to better access and apply your creative mind to enhance your work, art, and daily life. Sherman and Ray will guide you through interactive sessions designed to spark curiosity, challenge assumptions, and nurture new ways of seeing and thinking.
In the evenings, conversation and connection continue around the campfire and under star-filled skies—reminding us that creativity thrives in community and in nature.
Whether you’re a professional looking to reignite innovation, an artist seeking a fresh perspective, or simply curious about the creative process, this immersive retreat offers space to recharge, reflect, and rediscover your own imaginative potential.
Program Activities
Explore cross-disciplinary practices that integrate visual art, music, storytelling, and nature connection
Participate in hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity, expand perspective, and strengthen innovative thinking.
Practice techniques for accessing your creative mind to enhance problem-solving in work, art, and everyday life.
Identify and understand diverse natural patterns and how they can inspire creativity.
Build confidence in approaching creative challenges by drawing on insights from nature’s designs and patterns.
Program Instructors
Wes Sherman - Professor of Art
Wes Sherman has been an artist for over 30 years. In that time, he has had 50 solo exhibitions and has been in hundreds of group exhibitions. He was Curator and Chair of Exhibitions at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster, NJ for 12 years, where he had dedicated many volunteer hours to showcasing New Jersey art and artists. He has been a frequent visiting artist at universities and schools and is regularly asked to lead art programs for organizations and clubs. An adjunct professor, Sherman teaches at William Paterson University and Raritan Valley Community College. He received his MFA at Rutgers University, where he studied with his mentor Tom Nozkowski.
Cari Ray
Like many "Woods Women" before her, Cari was first initially drawn to the Adirondacks through the life and writings of Anne LaBastille more than 20 years ago. She first came to Great Camp Sagamore to facilitate Sagamore’s annual fly fishing retreat. Coming from the lush green hill country of Southern Indiana, she felt an immediate sense of "home" in the Adirondack Forest. A bit of a renaissance woman, Cari brings a wealth of experience to her role, including expertise as a creative marketing professional, successful entrepreneur, touring singer-songwriter, and professional fly fishing guide and internationally certified casting instructor. When she's not brainstorming, planning, or hosting one of our many program offerings, you might find her playing guitar, exploring the wilderness, paddling the lake, or fly fishing along one of the beautiful stretches of water that surround Sagamore.
All Program Sessions
Photo Gallery
