Art Is...2010
The East Coast Retreat for all Artists
I just got back from Art Is...2010, held this past weekend in Danbury Ct. As always it was a huge success. Days spent teaching or taking classes in every art medium from painting to doll making to jewelry design. Nights spent with various events, the BabyFace Silent Auction, a fabulous banquet with inspiring guest speaker Jo Peckham, hanging out with old friends, making new friends, having Flamingo races at 2am, eating fabulous food and creating fabulous art.
One might think that this is the "norm" at an art retreat but they would be very, very wrong.
Something sets Art Is.. Retreats apart from all others and many agree with me on this. You can take the normal ingrediants needed for an art retreat, lots of artists, both students and teachers, a hotel for the event, good food, lots of classes and activities to choose from and this will all add up to a "Good retreat". BUT the HEART AND THE SOUL of ART IS Retreats comes from it's founders and chairwomen, Ellen Purtill-Legare & Sallianne McClelland.
Ellen & Sal met when Sal took a class from Ellen, they became fast friends that somehow led to creating this incredible weekend retreat. Ellen & Sal work tirelessly all year to create the most wonderful art retreat on any coast. They somehow manage to bring together a very talented group of teachers, artists, sprinkled with magic and love and turn a group of people into a family. A family that has bonded over the last 5 years of the retreat, always with open arms to new people joining every year. I am lucky enough to have stumbled upon this group when Sal and I exchanged correspondence over Prayer Flags on a yahoo group. She had looked at my website and asked if I would be interested in teaching at this retreat in Conneticut on Columbus Day weekend. What the heck, I love retreats and art and happily agreed. I am now in my third year of being lucky enough to be part of this Art Family and I look forward every year, like a kid at Christmas to see what classes to take, what to teach and more importantly seeing my friends.
We spend the year on yahoo groups and FB talking and keeping up with each other's lives. Getting encouragement when we are down and triumphing in each other's accomplishments. Some are lucky enough to live near each other and get together throughout the year, but I live about six hours away so I miss out :(
The retreat has grown by leaps and bounds, and it has gone from a extended weekend to a 6 day event. You can come for the day, two days, or the whole thing. I guarantee you that if you come to Art Is..., you will be inspired, nutured and will come back year after year.
Namaste
Di
