7 Reasons Creative Retreats Are Good For You

tree in morning sun, Squam Lake, New Hampshire

"One of the underlying reasons for traveling to sublime landscapes... is to pay witness to a world far beyond our narrow concerns, to enter a cultural world that does not trigger our habitual responses, and at best, to find ourselves then borne along by some other invisible current; an invisible current, that until then we were too habituated to or preoccupied to find."

~ David Whyte, The Three Marriages

This month I travelled to the woods of New Hampshire for a creative retreat. No doubt Squam Art Workshops fits the bill (and more!) when it comes to Mr. Whyte's sublime landscapes with an invisible current, but really any retreat that gets you out of your habitual environment has the same potential - big or small.

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Gathering with like-minded people in a physical space dedicated to creative endeavours is good for you. Here's why:

~ It allows a temporary respite from the little things that sometimes weigh big. You know, the laundry piles, the dustbunnies, the unopened bills on the table... Sure it'll be there when you get back, but for now? You can leave that sh-- at home. Free your psyche for bigger things.

~ It shakes you out of visual complacency. Being in a new physical environment can stimulate new creative patterns. New smells, views, sounds, palettes, textures... who knows where they all could lead?

~ It gives you the confidence to sink even deeper into your creative identity. Being with a bunch of creative kindreds can do wonders to reinforce what you already know: that you are a painter/dancer/writer/[insert your creative title here]. For the duration of your retreat, you are free to live it. Unabashedly.

~ It entices forces you out of your creative - and sometimes social - comfort zone. You work through a new painting process, write poetry instead of business memos, take photos of people instead of stills. You share lodging and meals with people you've never met before, hop on a plane when you're afraid to fly, or leave the kids alone with their father for the first. time. ever. Grow little one, grow.

~ It facilitates new connections and creative community. Gathering with other creative folks expands your creative network, offering support that may not always be readily available on the home front. It may bring about friendships that last a lifetime, or deep connections that exist only for that momentary purpose they were meant to fulfill. Both are wonderful.

~ If you're lucky, it gives you a safe place to be yourself, understood, and accepted for who you are.

~ If you're even luckier, it infuses you with an intangible creative spirit and energy that will carry you through to the next retreat, that invisible current referred to by Mr. Whyte, above.

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Creative retreats are good for you.

Whether it's to a local studio, an oceanfront cottage across the country, or an empty boardroom at the office, where could you travel for yours?

Creative Inspiration

A few things inspiring me these days...

1.  Vivienne McMaster's 14 Days of Self-Love

I think this is a beautiful initiative. Leading up to Valentine's Day, Vivienne is hosting guest posts related the art of self-love. Who couldn't use a bit more of that?

2.  Bill Cunningham New York

Mr Cunningham is a well known octogenarian who documents fashion on the streets of New York. This documentary is a fascinating character study and inspires me to not only do what I love, but do it with integrity. It also inspires me to get stylin'!

3.  Slideology by Nancy Duarte

I've raved about Nancy Duarte's other book, Resonate, here before. While Resonate is more about the story and flow behind a good presentation, Slideology is more about the nuts & bolts. Colour, typography, design. It inspires me to create messages with intention and products with attention to design.

4.  Ken Robert's Mild Ride

I started reading Ken Robert's blog, Mildly Creative, a while back. This video chronicles his creative journey of the past three years in under four minutes. He inspires me to take creative risks and grow. Ken now has a new blog at kenrobert.com.

Savouring Winter - Online Happenings and Inspiration

Bundled Up, 8"x8" on canvas

Three days into December I'm already feeling a strong call to cocoon with tea and jigsaw puzzles, to fall into a restful state and savour the season. I thought I'd pass along a bit of online goodness that's been inspiring me...

Darlene's (a.k.a. Hippy Urban Girl) December Views. In its fifth year, December Views is a "space for spending time with the visual...to sink in and be with what is in front of you, the beauty you see, the lush imagery that seems to explode in the darkness of this time of the year."

If you're craving a break from words and a shift to images, this is a wonderful way to explore your world this month.

Tina Jett's ideas to celebrate the Solstice and enjoy winter on Scoutie Girl. From outdoor camping to hot winter drinks, this is a great list of activities to help celebrate the season starting in December and all the way through to March.

Leah Piken Kolidas' Winter theme for December over at Creative Every Day. Her Art Every Day Month challenge taught me more than I ever expected. She continues challenging us to be creative every day, this month playing with ideas of winter whether expressed through images, food, decor or any other medium of choice.

The concept of Connie Hozvicka's Soul Hiatus over at Dirty Footprints Studio. Taking a step back from the online world to focus inward and on life with loved ones, this isn't a formal challenge, but a personal one for Connie. I included it here because it inspires me to do the same.

Pixie Campbell's Mother of All Releasings Ceremony. On December 22nd, to honour this year's Winter Solstice, Pixie is inviting us to gather for a collective releasing ceremony to let go of what no longer serves us: "Envision a fire, and see yourself tossing your old worries and fears in there." What a beautifully cathartic way of preparing for the year to come.

If you're interested in joining in, Pixie's graciously offered detailed instructions for creating your own releasing bundle here. You can also create your own version of the ritual.

Re-filling the Creative Well

We feel sluggish, uninterested and uninspired in our art and don't know why. We push on, but nothing we do really speaks to us.

It's time to get out and be fed.

Julia Cameron calls it the Artist Date, I call it re-filling the creative well and you may call it something else, but it essentially means the same thing: seeking inspiration so we can continue doing what we do.

We know it's important, but how many of us do it?

"An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child."

~ Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

In The Artist's Way, Ms Cameron advocates two tools to foster creativity: daily Morning Pages (stay tuned for a future post on this one someday) and the weekly Artist Date. Through morning pages we communicate creative dreams out to the Universe, through Artist Dates we receive insights and inspiration.

I totally dig that.

After nine days of pretty intense art-making and what felt like endlessly tweaking a piece in progress I craved a change of scenery and remembered Ms Cameron's words, so I a) put the piece I was tweaking aside for a few days and b) decided that it was time to get out and take in some inspiration - see what insights the Universe had to offer.

results of an invigorating artist date (parking ticket not included in the picture)

After a few hours spent at the library, a favourite thrift shop and a frou-frou funky clothing boutique my creative well overfloweth. Armed with books on artists and creative spaces, borrowed movies and some new crafting supplies I am giddy and ready to roll!

Do not underestimate the power of an Artist Date whether it's an afternoon spent lingering on the town or fifteen minutes stolen during a lunch break. After today's few hours I'm a believer.

Re-filling the creative well helps keep art-making sustainable. Period.

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What five things could you do to re-fill the creative well?

Creative Inspiration

A new day, a new week and a new month - the perfect time for a bit of creative inspiration, non?

1. Jolie Guillebeau's 100 Abstracts project - She's done it before with her 100 Faces and 100 Paintings in 100 Days projects; now she's at it with abstracts. Jolie and her dedicated projects make me want to commit to painting or drawing something on a regular basis, for an extended period of time or in large quantities (like 100!). Consistent practice is the best way to learn a craft.

2. Leonie Dawson's World Biggest Summit - This woman is not afraid of dreaming and creating BIG. Her World's Biggest Summit inspires me to take risks and act on some of my ideas related to business, art, learning and community. The presentations I've listened to so far have been wonderful too, full of practical information on building and supporting a creative enterprise.

3. The Spirit of Silence - This book by John Lane is helping me counterbalance the flurry of creative activity that's become a constant in my brain, and a sense of urgency that's been creeping into my psyche at the thought of leaving work at the end of the month. The Spirit of Silence is reminding me to make space for my intuition to make itself heard and for things to unfold.

"... it is only when the restless mind has been stilled that we can truly encounter what is unfolding before us." ~ John Lane, The Spirit of Silence

4. Elaine de Kooning - Her work makes me want to explore abstract expressionism and figure painting, and study women artists.

5. Words from Ira Glass on creative work, practice and persistence - Looks like Jolie's got it right with her 100 Abstracts. Thanks to Barbara Winter (Joyfully Jobless) and Jamie Ridler (Jamie Ridler Studios) for passing on this inspirational bit of wisdom from Ira.

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.