My Week at Sleep Away Camp for Fiber Artists
I spent last week at Focus on Fiber, Mary McBride's self directed retreat for fiber artists, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Mary is making magic with this annual retreat.
The artists Mary attracts are a wonderful eclectic mix, serious about their work and eager to share thoughts and ideas, whether it be about art or being in business. We worked, we laughed, we danced, we ate and we drank wine, lots and lots of wine ( well, not me so much). There were 19 of us, half local and half who traveled from various places as far as Canada.
The Center is in a lush piece of woods filled with saw grass and trees. The soaring, architecturally divine studios and walkways are cut precisely out of these woods. Every place you look is a scene. My room was a serene retreat, all white with a taupe quilt for a touch of color. Inside the dry studio was a helter skelter jumble of tables, sewing machines, fabric, and all the other things we need to do our work. There were several huge windows to let light in and that let us see the beautiful surroundings when we looked up from our work. The wet room, where we dyed and painted fabric, was quiet and colorful. A third tiny studio held my ironing and cutting station and was used by one other artist, Janet, who did magnificent small quilts reflecting her time volunteering in Guatemala.
Sue Flynn, a local chef, cooked three meals a day for us and what a job she did! She was like a sorority house mother, taking care of all our dietary needs with the most sumptuous and delicious meals.
There was yoga and massages for our sore backs. Jacque Davis led wave dancing at 4 pm to get the blood circulating after all that sitting at the machine. There was cocktail hour every afternoon at 5 on the deck of Pamela Allen's cottage.
You know how successful this event is when you realize that of the 19 artists only three were new this year. I was one of the three newbies and I think all three of us will become regulars, too.
So I've told you about the structure of the retreat but not about the heart of it. It was fabulous! We worked hard. (I quilted and completed one quilt, worked on another and spent 2 days in the wet room dyeing silk scarves) We sang songs and told jokes. If you asked for it there was input on your work. I was convinced to step out of my box and remove the border from my quilt so the artwork would pop. I did and it worked.
I was able to concentrate on my work when I wanted to, or join in conversation if I chose. There was always someone to visit with when I got up to stretch.
I spent some time with Rosemary Claus-Gray dyeing a pair of pants in a wild and crazy design. She later took me and the other newbies to a gazebo like structure called the Pod which is hidden deep in the woods. It is a zen like space where you can meditate or read or pray.
One night, late in the week Jacque and Sheri Cooper, who are brave and adventurous, wanted to return to the pod and invited me, the cowardly one, to join them. The woods were pitch black as we left the wooden walkway and I was terrified. When I mentioned bears or panthers I gave them a good laugh. They convinced me to tag along and so again I stretched my boundaries and did something I would never have done any other place or time. I was rewarded with a feeling of courage and a sense of wonder at the beauty of the night. And no bears or panthers came along.
Our last night was over and we had returned to our rooms when I heard a commotion outside my door. I opened it up to find a few of the others complaining about no wine being left. Well, I had some so they all came in to have my Manichevitz, a very sweet wine, I also had some dates in my room so we had a party on sweet wine and dates and laughed into the night.
Now the retreat has ended but I have 18 new friends and cannot wait to return. Thanks, Mary.
The artists Mary attracts are a wonderful eclectic mix, serious about their work and eager to share thoughts and ideas, whether it be about art or being in business. We worked, we laughed, we danced, we ate and we drank wine, lots and lots of wine ( well, not me so much). There were 19 of us, half local and half who traveled from various places as far as Canada.
The Center is in a lush piece of woods filled with saw grass and trees. The soaring, architecturally divine studios and walkways are cut precisely out of these woods. Every place you look is a scene. My room was a serene retreat, all white with a taupe quilt for a touch of color. Inside the dry studio was a helter skelter jumble of tables, sewing machines, fabric, and all the other things we need to do our work. There were several huge windows to let light in and that let us see the beautiful surroundings when we looked up from our work. The wet room, where we dyed and painted fabric, was quiet and colorful. A third tiny studio held my ironing and cutting station and was used by one other artist, Janet, who did magnificent small quilts reflecting her time volunteering in Guatemala.
Sue Flynn, a local chef, cooked three meals a day for us and what a job she did! She was like a sorority house mother, taking care of all our dietary needs with the most sumptuous and delicious meals.
There was yoga and massages for our sore backs. Jacque Davis led wave dancing at 4 pm to get the blood circulating after all that sitting at the machine. There was cocktail hour every afternoon at 5 on the deck of Pamela Allen's cottage.
You know how successful this event is when you realize that of the 19 artists only three were new this year. I was one of the three newbies and I think all three of us will become regulars, too.
So I've told you about the structure of the retreat but not about the heart of it. It was fabulous! We worked hard. (I quilted and completed one quilt, worked on another and spent 2 days in the wet room dyeing silk scarves) We sang songs and told jokes. If you asked for it there was input on your work. I was convinced to step out of my box and remove the border from my quilt so the artwork would pop. I did and it worked.
I was able to concentrate on my work when I wanted to, or join in conversation if I chose. There was always someone to visit with when I got up to stretch.
I spent some time with Rosemary Claus-Gray dyeing a pair of pants in a wild and crazy design. She later took me and the other newbies to a gazebo like structure called the Pod which is hidden deep in the woods. It is a zen like space where you can meditate or read or pray.
One night, late in the week Jacque and Sheri Cooper, who are brave and adventurous, wanted to return to the pod and invited me, the cowardly one, to join them. The woods were pitch black as we left the wooden walkway and I was terrified. When I mentioned bears or panthers I gave them a good laugh. They convinced me to tag along and so again I stretched my boundaries and did something I would never have done any other place or time. I was rewarded with a feeling of courage and a sense of wonder at the beauty of the night. And no bears or panthers came along.
Our last night was over and we had returned to our rooms when I heard a commotion outside my door. I opened it up to find a few of the others complaining about no wine being left. Well, I had some so they all came in to have my Manichevitz, a very sweet wine, I also had some dates in my room so we had a party on sweet wine and dates and laughed into the night.
Now the retreat has ended but I have 18 new friends and cannot wait to return. Thanks, Mary.
A picture of our dry studio looking chaotic but actually quite quiet at 6 AM.
That retreat always comes at a bad time for my schedule, but I envy you the luxury of time to go there for a week. Mary is fun, isn't she??!!
Those woods, however, are something else! Not my cuppa.
Where are all the rest of your pictures???? Want to see what was going on!
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It's been 3 years since my first FOF and I am determined to come back, it was an incredibly productive and rewarding week for me.
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Hello again, You realise I am green with envy and green is NOT my colour!!!How I wish I could go to a retreat but DH has health issues so I will just read about them, and I did enjoy your post, and can you wright more??? I will have a studio (indoors = bedroom) in our new house and plan to have "retreats" when creative friends come to visit which should be fun.Looking forward to reading more about your retreat tales.
Take Care
Janette
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What a wonderful way to spend a week.... surrounded with so many other artists and inspiration! I can't think of a better way to get the creative juices flowing!
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Such a great time we had! Thanks for writing the stories!
Miss you Bren!
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Wonderful post. Anyone who's thinking she needs something to get her mojo back--try Focus on Fiber! Of course if you take my spot, I'll be really upset. So Mary, if you're reading this, save a space for me!
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