Going to bed with the chickens.
A quiet retreat on a farm. Yes! I've been such a chocolate mess this summer. This opportunity couldn't have come at a better time. Not to say I didn't start out with some trepidation. What if I don't make anything? What if I just sit and stare at the chickens? What if I can't advance anything? That scenario was totally possible. This has not been my most passionate summer. Luckily I came across a book in the Everwood library, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. She writes about what to do when passion goes missing. And inspiration seems to be visiting everyone but you. Her advice when feeling Meh...just be curious. Right. I can be that. I tried to just be curious, instead of all judgy when my first attempt at a landscape, really large format, failed. I flipped the $20 piece of 300 lb Arches paper over and painted it again. And things happened. Things I feel better about.
I did spend some time staring at chickens. And I read 3 books. One really gory murder mystery. Which why would I do that when I'm staying by myself at a farmhouse in the middle of kind of nowhere?! Goes to show how nurturing this farm, this land feels. I feel a long history of love here.
I'm so glad I did this. Thank you Chris and Bill.
Artist Retreat at Everwood Farmstead
Everwood Farmstead Artist Retreat is designed for the professional artist who needs a nurturing, quiet space in a natural setting to advance a creative project in solitude.
2018, the first year of the retreat, is an opportunity to experiment and fine tune, so residencies will be by invitation only.
