Reflections on a French Retreat...Creative Joy

 

I have just returned from a few days away teaching in  La Cascade with Jen Cushman of Soul Stirring Retreats. I have not been able to get away and work with fellow creatives away from 'home' for over 5 years. I cannot tell you how important and invaluable it has been to be both creatively and intellectually challenged by being with 'my tribe' for a week in the beautiful French countryside. So much so, I have set myself the challenge of being involved in a retreat somewhere at least once a year. Keep an eye on my website.

During the week we drew much of our inspiration from the small village of La Cascade where we were staying and other places we visited in the region collecting resources and ideas. Participants started their journey creating an art journal made of the drawings, watercolours, stitch, collage, and ephemera collected along the way as we visit beautiful and ancient places in the Midi-Pyrenees region in the South of France

The village is famous for its copper made products  evidence of various vessels hung throughout the narrow streets of lined  with blue shuttered houses.

I managed to demonstrate as my Irish friend stated on the course 'like a one-armed bandit' and participations began to evolve their own stories of 'place'

It was a time filled with tea and laughter, 'singing in the rain' and so many memories.

Thankyou to all the creators and  joy-makers on the course who shared their lives with me for a short while and for kind permission to share WIP.

 Ps I am wearing a nightdress in this pic by Springfield Textiles in Wales