Artistic Retreats for the
Budding Bohemian Is a studio stacked with raw materials
your oxygen? Struggling to carve out time for your first draft? Just want to try something new in the company of other creative types? The “experiential� stay - whether tied to a culinary class, weaving, or carving sculptures from mushrooms - continues as a growing trend. These vacations-with-a-purpose range from isolated idylls with no phones, televisions, or internet to distract you from your endeavor to full-on communes with professional workshops, field trips to inspirational locations, and lively evenings with other artists. An incredible variety of activities and locations allows anyone to try on artsy bohemian living for a weekend, a week, or more! Image: Average Jane - Flickr CC
Artistic Retreats for Budding Bohemians
Anam Cara (Soul Friend)
Writer’s and Artist’s Retreat Image: Joan Gregory
Best of Ireland 2013 • Alternative Stays Winner
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Enhancing the retreat experience at Anam Cara is its inspiration landscape. The Kealincha River and its spectacular cascades form the northern border, splitting around an island made accessible by “The Bridge to Nowhere” (below). The island is a work and rest space for writers and artists. It includes a hammock, benches, a family of otters and, in the spring, ducks and ducklings. Photographs: Writer-in-Residence Vanessa Gebbie
nam Cara, on five acres of the beautiful Beara Peninsula in West Cork, Ireland, was purposefully created as a nurturing retreat for both writers and artists. In a sense, owner Sue BoothForbes grew up knowing what artists need. Her mother, Naomi, was the force that supported her father, Clint Larson, in his creative career, work that would include his becoming poet-in-residence for Provo’s Brigham Young University. Booth-Forbes would embrace a creative career herself, as writer and editor, skills that, according to her many successful guests, have translated very well indeed to her new role as host, facilitator, mentor, and “creative midwife.” Anam Cara operates on a simple principle: Artists need company; artists need solitude. Days at Anam Cara are “quiet time”
for the writers and artists to retreat to their cozy, well-fitted rooms, or to find one of the many corners filled with warmth and pillows in the book-lined public rooms, or, to venture out over those five acres and discover a space outside that inspires. Anam Cara’s acres offer the white noise of sparkling water falls, the friendly company of ducks in their pond, and the wide views of Irish hills and waters. Evenings, however, are convivial times to chat or share with other creative types whether with coffee in the sunken living room or a glass of wine in the hottub under the stars. For those seeking a reprieve from the demands and distractions of daily life, Anam Cara offers yearround accommodation and support for those happy enough to manage
Fresh air, hillwalking, and a view to inspire! The view from Mishkish overlooks Anam Cara in the foreground and the village of Eyeries beyond. Photograph by John Eagle.
Artistic Retreats for Budding Bohemians You could. At the end of your stay, you’d have made huge strides creatively, recovered from the goosebumpengendering frission of daily life, and be armoured to endure your departure. You would. But... IF you wanted to, you could also wander a little past the gate post and absorb the broader region’s many inspiring sights and sites: stone circles, a cursed stone wife, the church of the saint who did the cursing, just to suggest a few. You could sidle a stool closer to the fire in a local pub and let the sounds of Irish voices calm you, grin a little with the laughter, and file away images and accents and stories for future projects. You could take away a lunch and a bit of paper and set your feet toward the many hills surrounding you. With your blood surging, the cobwebs swept from your brain by hilltop breezes, and the weather The Sunset Room looks out over Coulagh Bay, Inisfernard, the Kilcatherine headland, and the southern side of the Ring of Kerry. It also houses the extensive novel collection of the Anam Cara library. changing moment to moment, you could certainly find something new to sketch or paint, or let words rise in the quiet their own creative process. Normally the ability to simply enjoy the regular contemplation. appearance of excellent food, without housing just five artists at a time, the Anam Cara’s combination any of the distractions of hunting it down retreat offers plenty of space for them of comfort food, conversation, and to sprawl. Periodically though, its sunlit or preparing it themselves, removes inspiration work for scores of artists conservatory and comfy public rooms one huge distraction. The meals, served every year. Their finished work - framed host general events or become home to around one big table, also encourage on the walls or bound between covers easy conversation. outside mentors and teachers - among It is absolutely possible to cocoon on the retreat’s many bookshelves - is them, Billy Collins, Poet Laureate of the quiet testament that you can make that United States. yourself within the boundaries of Aram creative leap. Meals at Anam Cara - hearty Cara, immerse yourself in the details If youre looking for that communal breakfasts, lunches, and dinners featuring of your current project, scarf down foods as local as the retreat’s own hens professionally-prepared food, and simply encouragement, detachment from distraction, and inspiration, Anam Cara are taken care of by Booth-Forbes. While drink in the views through the window guests are welcome to wander through over your desk - residents didn’t dub one may be the place for you. • Ngaire Genge room the Postcard Room for nothing. for coffee, tea, or a nibble at any time,
The conservatory provides bright and cheerful communal space for classes and events, including (left) a linocut workshop with Shawn Lockhart and (right) work with American Poet Laureate Billy Collins.
Artistic Retreats for Budding Bohemians
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xperience-based destinations are as individual as artists themselves, so take the time to ensure you know exactly what is on offer. Some things to consider: • If workshops or particular instructors are presented on a rotating schedule, make sure your dates coincide with the program or person with whom you want to work. • Some retreats are a full-stay package with accommodation, meals, activities, even field trips all included. Others may have base packages with a choice of accommodation, the option to eat in or go out, and activities in an ala carte style. • Instructors may be contracted for workshop time only, be on-site owner/managers available to you throughout your stay, or be offsite from your accommodation. It’s important to know what you’re paying for and how accessible the mentors will be. • Location, location, location is as important to experience destinations as to realty. A retreat may not only present artistic opportunities on site, but, be special for its surroundings, whether plonked in the middle of a creative art district or offering majestic natural beauty and serenity. • Services vary considerably. Check if you’ll need to bring your own laptop for your writing retreat, or if your destination provides a full office with printers and paper in your room. A photographic retreat might require you to bring your own camera, but have all the printing gear in a communal studio. • Some destinations are artist-only. If you’re travelling as a couple or family, you may need to make arrangements for off-site accommodations for the non-artists or to see if there is an accommodation-only option for your companions. • If you’re travelling outside your own country, it never hurts to ask if you’ll need adapters for your laptop or other electronics, or, if there might be limitations on internet or phone access.
Retreats for Everyone! Destinations for artists who are ready to explore new ideas and new mediums
Squam
Creativity Retreat at Squam Lake, NH Five days of workshops and art shows. Twice-yearly retreats in a setting of natural beauty with group classes. Next retreat: September 10-14, 2014 Classes in jewelry making, mixed media, metalworking, writing, painting, textile arts, photography, and collage. If you can’t make the retreat, try out their online classes and creative discussions! www.squamartworkshops.com
Henna
Henna Intensive & Retreat September 11-15, 2014 For henna artists of all experience levels, and artists who would like to add this ancient art form to their current repetoire. Stay in a cabin or a tipi, enjoy morning and evening yoga, and take home the experience with pro photoshoots. http://www.hennaintensiveandretreat. com/ Always confirm dates and classes by contacting organizers directly. Information can change on short notice, with new classes being added or existing ones rescheduled.