This week-long all inclusive retreat provides you with the space and a quiet place to delve into your passions and find your creative path through immersion in nature and the arts. We – Margaret Soraya from Quiet Landscapes and Wild at Art Director Ute Amann-Seidel – have teamed up to lead this women-only winter retreat for you in the breathtaking and ancient landscapes of the Orkney Islands.
Aimed at those looking to remind themselves through creativity. Many of us arrive at a time or place in our lives only to discover we have lost ourselves. We, your hosts, have been there ourselves and our desire is to help others to also find their new possibilities. Creativity and quiet places are an ideal combination to provide a space for you to delve into your passions and spend time experimenting with your creative side through immersion in the landscape and the arts for a week.
We’ll have lots of creative things on offer for you to try and experiment with – everything’s optional of course. We will be there as facilitators rather than tutors. Slow down and find what calls to you creatively. Try Journaling & creative writing; Sketching outdoors; Cyanotype printing; Using your phone for mindful photography within the landscapes; Using Snapseed and other apps to create blended images with an artistic edge, then print your favourite images onto polaroid-style mini prints; Photography: intimate landscapes – teaching based around either small details within nature or icm, multiple exposure and other artistic style landscape photography methods; Create with objects found in nature; Mixed media intuitive painting; Collage.
Orkney in November? Seriously? – The answer is a big yes!
The breathtaking, natural beauty of the wild and rugged Orkney Isles stays with you for ever. Exposed to the full force of the Atlantic weather the inspiring landscapes are marked by towering cliffs, deep caves and giant sandstone sea stacks.
The unpredictable, wild weather is invigorating and the big open skies, rounded hills and incredibly beautiful beaches offer the ideal sanctuary for inspiration and reflection.
Orkney is also notoriously rich in archaeological remains. You get a feeling of continuity, the sense that for thousands of years people have worked the land and left their mark.
Our base for the retreat is Stromness which retains its original maritime charm with narrow winding streets, terraces of houses and steep passageways all leading to the iconic waterfront and harbour cottages where we will be staying.
The retreat includes:
– 7 nights accommodation in one of the 4-star seafront cottages (single occupancy/ most rooms are en-suite)
– Daily programme of walks, talks and creative things
– Welcome drinks and nibbles on arrival
– 7 breakfasts
– 6 lunches
– 7 evening meals with wine
– Minibus transport when travelling as a group while on the islands
– All creative materials incl. sketchbook journal
– Studio hire fees
– Wild at Art canvas bag
– Detailed pre-travel information by email
Think spending a week with like-minded women to feel that special creative flow and take in the wonders of Orkney’s stunning nature