Ruchi Shah is an award winning book illustrator / wall artist. She is an alumnus of University of the Arts, London and IDC, IIT Bombay. She received the Charles Wallace Scholarship in 2012 through the British Council. After working in Yahoo as a senior designer, she quit in 2010 to work independently. She has illustrated more than 30 books, many which have been published multilingually.  Some of her works include Our Incredible Cow, A Book is a Bee, I am so much more and Travelling Patterns. She also facilitates art workshops across different regions of India and Uganda. She received the British Council’s Social Impact Award in 2018 for her work. Apart from book illustrations created for Tulika Books, Harper Collins, Pickle Yolk Books, Pratham Books and Tara Books, Ruchi is also a muralist who has designed spaces for many organizations like Amazon, Quint-Bloomberg, Condé Nast and Freshworks. Her art explores places, spaces, materials and stories of everyday life. In 2025 she was awarded ‘Illustrator for the Year’ at the Publishing Next conference. She creates images through printmaking, book-binding, murals, collage, assemblage and installation art. 

An article that covers her journey so far & one on her body of work. 

Day 1 (2nd Oct) – Arrival and Settling

Post Noon – The facilitator will introduce herself, share some of her work. Followed by some icebreakers where we explore different mediums together. A small brief for the next day and intent for the retreat will be shared at sunset over a cup of warm thyme tea.

Day 2 (3rd Oct) -Immersing yourself

We begin with a little sketching by observation, followed by some art demos. She will walk you through the idea of visual banks. Later on we spend time connecting through writing and working on collaborative illustrations. We wrap the day with conversations about art, passion projects, on choices, on expectations, art education…revolving around our own stories & journeys so far.

Day 3 (4th Oct) – Connecting

After a small nature walk into the woods with a local picnic enjoyed outdoors … we will experiment with materials and techniques that will open up our minds to different ways of seeing and working. We willl also be discovering different palettes in nature. In the evening a high tea with a gathering of local friends will spend some time with us and see our home studio filled with artworks. We end the day over a short conversation with a wildlife photographer who will speak about the changing nature of forests.

Day 4 (5th Oct) – Closing and Departure

We watch the sunrise and have a light breakfast together. Followed by a walkthrough and critique of each person’s work. Closing thoughts and reflections. Departure after or before noon. 

ABOUT THE STAY – Looking for a place to rediscover your connection with nature & re-invent yourself? Well, imagine waking up to the stunning views of the Greater Himalayan peaks like Nandadevi, Trishul and Panchchuli. Frozen Woods Retreat is located on the fringe of the beautiful and rustic town of Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand. The property itself is a wonder to behold, with a charming country house look and a cozy, homely feel. Stroll through the small fruit orchard and breathe in the fresh mountain air, or set off on a hike through the nearby jungle – whatever your fancy, this retreat is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and reconnect with the vintage world.  

HOW TO REACH – Depending upon where you are travelling in from, you can reach the us by …

BY ROAD –  

From Delhi – 340kms drive which takes nearly 8-9 hrs (with 40mnts break in between). We recommend you to leave early from Delhi so that you can enjoy the breakfast on your way up and also you would avoid the regular morning office going traffic as well. 

Overnight buses available from Anand Vihar till Haldwani. (uttarakhand Parivahan Nigam Buses being more reliable but you can also book the private bus operators through Redbus etc). Hire a taxi from Haldwani till the retreat which is nearly 75 kms drive (2hrs 30 mnts drive). No driver accommodation is available within the retreat premises but in the vicinity, some accommodations are available for the drivers at chargeable basis. 

BY TRAIN – 

Kathgodam is the nearest railhead. From Delhi, there are three trains available. Overnight train – Ranikhet Express, Early morning train – Shatabdi Express, Post noon train – Sampark Kranti. Taxis are available from Kathgodam as well. 

BY AIR – 

From Delhi – There are some direct Flights are available from Delhi to Pantnagar airport, the closest to our retreat. 

From Mumbai or Bangalore – There are 3-4 weekly flights. 

Nearly 4 hrs drive from Pantnagar to the Retreat. Taxis are available. 

To ensure you have a comfortable and hassle-free experience, here’s all you need to carry: 

Your Personal Belongings including: 

– Comfortable clothing for the retreat (light and breathable for the day, warm layers for the evening). 

– Toiletries and personal hygiene essentials. 

– Any medications or supplements you may need. 

WHAT ALL TO BRING ALONG

– Comfortable casual outfits

– A light jacket or shawl for cooler mornings/evenings 

– Flip-flops/slippers  

– One pair of walking shoes  

– Reusable water bottle  

– Any medications or supplements you take regularly  

– Small backpack or tote for day outings  

– Sunglasses and a hat or cap