The Retreat

Arriving at The Center on Friday for the retreat, there are always pretty goodies awaiting us on our dressers.

Pretty little things to go with the theme of the retreat, "Quotes from the Heart".

And a touch of Spring!

Soon after we arrived, it was a delicious dinnertime and then back to the retreat room to begin planning the pages for our books. We did pastel rubbing, ink blowing, lettering and collaging. Soon, off to bed to dream about our quotes.

Good morning! A peek out my bedroom window, just as it was getting light.

Breakfast is served! And look at this beautiful fruit platter!

Here we are! The happy artists! Me, Denise, Marge, Peggy, Pat and Lois.

During breakfast we are entertained by the birds. Here's a sweet little Chickadee at the feeder.

A couple of woodpeckers were dashing in and out but couldn't catch them on my camera.

After breakfast, we went for a walk to get our blood flowing for good creativity.

Past the Retreat Wing...

the Wayside Chapel...

and over the bridge...

Lots of snow to walk on, which was good as icy underneath.

Enjoying nature.

And back to the Fireside Room that is always welcoming. Time to start creating! To the card...

The Card

Marge taught us how to make these pretty little books or cards - however you wish to use them.

We had fun painting with twigs and adding colors and spritzing.

For some reason, it reminds me of something from Alice in Wonderland. And the book...

The Book

The cover of my book about "Quotes from the Heart".

A few finishing touches to be done yet on the pages and also to finishing gluing the edge of the cover down over the staples. I composed my book like Gwen Frostic's books, with a piece of tracing paper introducing each page of artwork.

Little bare winter tree branches.

And cutting windows to reveal what is on the next page.

"Nature never did betray the heart that loved her." William Wordsworth

We like parted drops of rain,

Swelling till they meet and run,

Shall be all absorbed again,

Melting, flowing into one. Bronson Alcott

The pastel rubbings come out so interesting, I think.

"Are you too proud to kiss me?" the morning light asks the buttercup. Rabindranath Tagore

Here, the spider is on the tracing paper and the poem is on the page underneath.

The spider holds a silver ball

In unperceived hands

And dancing softly to himself

His yarn of pearl unwinds. Emily Dickinson

Fun phrases by an unknown author!

I loved choosing the quotes for my nature-themed book and it was suggested we do a personal page including writing of our own. These were just some of my thoughts while looking out the windows at the beautiful snowy woods.

Walking down the snowy path

The woods suspended in time

Not a branch moves

They wait for the signal. by me

A lovely time. A lovely retreat.

Saturday night

Just home from a retreat at The Center. Good time! Good friends! Good art! I'll show you tomorrow.

Today...

A week off from classes. Getting ready for next week's classes and the upcoming art retreat - but I just couldn't get focused today. So I watched "Shirley Valentine". The perfect movie for a day like this.

Where's the sun?

Oh, there it is!

And, just so you know, Henri' is still up to his tricks...

"Gotcha!"

"and again!"

It's a "hat trick"!

Collage

Done!

I'm excited about working on new Round Robin Collage Ledger pages. There are 11 participants and so 11 themes. Our own was to be the first (for January) and I am working on that, but did finish this one for February. The theme is "Retro 50's". I enjoyed this because I have a lot of memories from the 50's. I decided to concentrate on the stars of the Silver Screen. I incorporated the music score from "Moonglow" (theme from "Picnic"), the logos of the prominent movie companies, the Stars, and Doris Day and Rock Hudson (Pillow Talk) toasting to the entire memory.

I finished it off with a swirling of clear tar gel and gold foil (thanks to the teachings of Jacqueline Sullivan).

I thought it would give it that glowing, glittering Hollywood touch.

Snow and snow

I just can't stop taking snow pictures. It was so pretty yesterday, like Ivory Flakes.

My neighbor built an igloo. Isn't it neat?

Big fluffy snowflakes.

Timber enjoyed it too. And it's still snowing today!

Snow

The "roadside ladies" giggling and waving as I pass them on my way to Monday's class.

Arriving at The Center, it's always a wonderland in the snow.

The trees in their white coats.

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

Robert Frost

Everywhere you looked, there was winter beauty.

The three art cabins, all nestled in their white comforter.

Lovely snowy patterns on all the branches.

And once inside, there was beauty to see out of every window.

I truly am ready for Spring, but I'll hold on to these winter memories.

The woods will too.