Arts & Spirituality Retreat
We look forward to seeing you with more great ways to connect your artistic side to your spiritual side with Arts and Spirituality Retreat – Journeys in Creativity
Local artists and talented church members lead group activities to help you explore your artistic side as it relates to your spiritual journey. You’ll get a chance to enjoy live performances, explore visual art installations, eat, drink, paint, cut, arrange, cook, sing, pray, refresh and renew!
Retreat Schedule
Friday, February 7
5:30 p.m. Registration and Refreshments
6:15 p.m. Welcome Performance
6:45 p.m. Dinner and Fellowship Catered by Linda Wayman Cooks! and the AHCC Arts & Spirituality Retreat Kitchen Team
7:30 p.m. Building Community through Creativity with David D.J. Rau
8:30 p.m. Closing
Saturday, February 8
8:30 a.m. Coffee and Fellowship
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Details
9:10 a.m. Building Community through Sacred Mindful Movement with Cynthia Wolcott
10:00 a.m. ARTS EXPERIENCE I (see descriptions below)
11:45 a.m. Lunch and Fellowship Catered by Linda Wayman Cooks! and the AHCC Arts & Spirituality Retreat Kitchen Team
12:30 p.m. Performance
1:15 p.m. ARTS EXPERIENCE II (see descriptions below)
2:45 p.m. ARTS EXPERIENCE III (see descriptions below)
4:15 p.m. Building Community through Worship and Celebration
Arts Experience Opportunities – Session I
Dances with Trees
Create an 8” x 10″ watercolor treescape. Abandon the worries and stress of the world for 90 minutes as you play with puddles of paint, brushes, paper, and masking tape! Inspiration from The Tao of Watercolor by Jeanne Carbonetti and your own memories and imaginings of trees. No experience necessary.
Facilitated by Jane Carroll, Teacher and Watercolor Artist
Monet’s Bridge at Giverny
Become an Impressionist and create an image of Monet’s Japanese bridge crossing his lily ponds at Giverny. No painting experience is necessary to explore this creative opportunity!
Facilitated by Julie Garvin Riggs, Manager of Youth, Education and Outreach, FloGris Museum, Old Lyme, CT
Who Are Your People? Crafting and Telling Stories
We have all been inspired and shaped by people who came before us or walked beside us. Those who taught us, challenged us, and loved us. This workshop helps you find someone from your life about whom you would like to tell a story. This can include family, friends, or ancestors. Using old photos, we will work together in pairs and groups to learn how to craft and tell stories.
Facilitated by Jane Torrey, Storyteller
Zen Wrapped Stones
Rock wrapping is rooted in Japanese tradition used to guide visitors along a route or spiritual path. Using a basket-like weaving technique, we will transform natural elements into unique objects perfect for gifts, personal wellness, or simple adornment. Meditate with them, leave on a trail for someone else to find, place in a garden, or simply admire.
Facilitated by Lois Matson, Teacher, Artisan, Weaver, and Sewist
Arts Experience Opportunities – Session II
Composition 101
Have you ever wanted to create your own music? This interactive workshop offers the tools to begin your compositional journey. We will share our collective knowledge, gifts, and talents together. And who knows, we may even create our first group composition. If you are a musician, please bring your instrument. If you write poetry/lyrics, please bring one of your favorites.
Facilitated by Brian Jones, Musician and Composer
Flower Petal Fairies
“God and the imagination are one” ~ Wallace Stevens
Sometimes it’s our God-given imagination that gets us through the tough times. Enter an imagined world where fairies dance wearing acorn cap hats and flower petal skirts. Using simple materials (wire, beads, artificial petals, felt, embroidery floss, acorn caps) and your unique imagination, you will conjure fairies that will be about 3” tall and absolutely adorable.
Facilitated by Kristen Walsh, Teacher and Artist
Monet’s Bridge at Giverny
Become an Impressionist and create an image of Monet’s Japanese bridge crossing his lily ponds at Giverny. No painting experience is necessary to explore this creative opportunity!
Facilitated by Julie Garvin Riggs, Manager of Youth, Education and Outreach, FloGris Museum, Old Lyme, CT
Special Delivery: Making, Sending, and Receiving Mail Art
The act of making and mailing art is called mail art or postal art. Popular in the 1960s, it was one way to debunk the art world’s gate-keeping practice of showing art only in galleries and museums. Participants will make a series of postcard-size collages designed to be “snail” mailed. Participants will also have the option to send a work of art to the instructor, who will collaborate on the design before mailing it back.
Facilitated by David D.J. Rau, Artist and Curator of Visitor Engagement, FloGris Museum, Old Lyme, CT
Walking the Labyrinth
For millennia humans in different cultures have used labyrinth walking as a means of active meditation. Using AHCC’s labyrinth, we will explore the process, intention, and three stages of this spiritual practice.
Facilitated by Jack Pott, Director of Music & Arts, Asylum Hill Congregational Church
Arts Experience Opportunities – Session III
Dances with Trees
Create an 8” x 10″ watercolor treescape. Abandon the worries and stress of the world for 90 minutes as you play with puddles of paint, brushes, paper and masking tape! Inspiration from The Tao of Watercolor by Jeanne Carbonetti and your own memories and imaginings of trees. No experience necessary.
Facilitated by Jane Carroll, Teacher and Watercolor Artist
Forever Blooms
“Where flowers bloom so does hope” ~ Lady Bird Johnson
Let’s make an ever-blooming bouquet of flowers! Learn how to twist, pinch, and form blooms using coated wire. You’ll have the option to add them to a wire hoop ready for hanging with a lovely velvet ribbon or place them in a glass vase. The wonderful sculptural flowers can be enjoyed for years.
Facilitated by Kristen Walsh, Teacher and Artist
Jazzy Pantry Staples!
Want to jazz up your recipes? Learn how to make zesty condiments, gorgeous garnishes, and delicious sauces that will elevate your dishes. You will even learn how to make brown butter ghee. A coveted list of pantry staples (and where to get them) necessary to make Asian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Italian dishes included.
Facilitated by Linda Wayman, a self-taught cook, cookbook author, caterer and unapologetic foodie.
Special Delivery: Making, Sending, and Receiving Mail Art
The act of making and mailing art is called mail art or postal art. Popular in the 1960s, it was one way to debunk the art world’s gate-keeping practice of showing art only in galleries and museums. Participants will make a series of postcard-size collages designed to be “snail” mailed. Participants will also have the option to send a work of art to the instructor, who will collaborate on the design before mailing it back.
Facilitated by David D.J. Rau, Artist and Curator of Visitor Engagement, FloGris Museum, Old Lyme, CT
REGISTRATION DUE JANUARY 27, 2025
Friday night and Saturday; includes 2 performances, 2 meals, 3 workshops, materials, and FUN for the weekend (and memories for the year)! @ $80/per person
Registration:
- Payment may be made using a credit card online at https://www.ahcc.org/civicrm/event/info/?id=224&reset=1. Select your workshop choices by printing and mailing the form.
- OR Register by check: (print and mail the Registration form – ONE FOR EACH PARTICIPANT – along with your check)
Please submit one registration form per person with payment to:
Asylum Hill Congregational Church/Attention: Arts Retreat
814 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105
Please indicate your top three (3) preferences for each session of the Arts Experience Opportunities below. We will make every effort to honor your top choices. Number 1 (first choice) through 3 (last choice):
Arts Experience I (Select your top three choices.)
_____ Dancing with Trees
_____ Monet’s Bridge at Giverny
_____ Who Are Your People? Crafting and Telling Stories
_____ Zen Wrapped Stones
Arts Experience II (Select your top three choices.)
_____ Composition 101
_____ Flower Petal Fairies
_____ Monet’s Bridge at Giverny
_____ Special Delivery: Making, Sending, and Receiving Mail Art
_____ Walking the Labyrinth
Arts Experience III (Select your top three choices.)
_____ Dancing with Trees
_____ Forever Blooms
_____ Jazzy Pantry Staples!
_____ Special Delivery: Making, Sending and Receiving Mail Art