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March 2009 
If you were to create a retreat or retreat center, what would it
Posted on Jan 23rd, 2008
by 
Peace Eagle
Peace Eagle
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for January 23, 2008:
be? IT would be an art colony! I have always wanted to have an art colony where artists could come to Idaho and stay in cabins in the woods with scenic views of mountains, wildlife and natural beauty from which to be inspired. It would include a very classy gallery of their work and classes and/or art camps for kids of all ages 3-103! Let's paint, sculpt, write, compose, build pots, weave, U name it, Lets do it! Let's express art as a communication tool to encourage world change, peace, beauty and appreciation for life! Lets do it! Lets share talents, creative gifts and wisdom as the core tools of art. Lets do it! Art!
Access: Public
Yes! I love that idea. My idea for a retreat is along similar lines:
I would like to have a retreat for chamber musicians. It would allow for the time and space for members of small ensembles to get together, rehearse, refine, regroup, and recharge. I would like it in a space that would have either a bike trail and/or a park nearby for walking, skating, bicycling, access to a yoga and dance studio for other fun movement options, an open kitchen policy that would allow the folks to cook and dine together, a small library of books that are helpful for fine-tuning the art of fitting music-making into one's life. I would be available for coachings, networking, putting together informal concerts, etc. My goal is to spread the positive effects of learning a lasting art like playing an instrument and playing with others, amateurs and professionals alike.
I love this idea. I'd sign up for a place like this if only to be able to draw horribly, do some more really bad pottery to add to the collection I made in 9th grade and pretend I know how to paint in an environment where no one could judge me! I think places like this need to be set up asap. One of the many reasons I don't draw, paint, sculpt, weave and do a lot of the more crafty things I'd like to do is, while I can do a love creatively, I'm no “artist” (in the traditional, look at my pretty picture sense). And I'd love to go to a place where I could draw stick figures for hours and not care!
Yogi! You ARE an artist! We all are! We may express our 'art' in different ways, but to draw, to pot, to create cinematic film or sculpt and craft are all just different tools to achieve the same experience. Music too. They are language. If you learned the language you speak now and can get your concious self out of the way to let spirit guide, you too can create the art you want. You can choose a traditional art form and study the practice(language) or you can be totally creative (my favorite) and let what happens happen. The really great artists are the ones who merge both learned skill (language) and spiritual release together. Cartoonists have made bundles from stick figures for generations. That IS why it would be great to have a place we can go to and share this experience with ourselves and others.
I teach an art class whereby I have the students sit on the floor in a circle. There is a pallet of acrylic paint and water, paper towels and brushes in front of them. I play Native American drum music and have them ..with paint on brush…Drum the paint onto the canvas. The trancendental act of getting out of the way of your mental self judgement dissolves and spirit automatically takes over to paint the picture. It may or may not look like a specific image. Some do, and some are truly abstract, but it is always art. Try it and see what happens. PE
I'm IN! I am a visual artist and love to dabble with writing fiction and poetry! I am also a therapist … so I strive to encourage others to express themselves visually and with their creative visions…
sharing shapes, colors, lines and images is magical and worthy.
:-) peridot
Let's do it!I am not attached to it being in Idaho, but I do see it in the mountains somewhere, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico would all work well. ;9)pe
Hey, careful what you ask for. Want to do a day in February? I am coming to Idaho. See your messages!
Oh and read about mine at my blog too.
DC