CREATIVE FRUIT AND FLOWERS ART RETREAT ITALY 2021
From Fear To Freedom
Last year, my good friend, Ohn Mar Win, and I were invited by the brilliant people at Uptrek to do an art retreat together.
We’re both working artists and instructors with great client lists, thousands of students and a ton of experience - and we knew we wanted to offer the very best of what we can teach.
But we’re also quite different in our tastes and approaches, focusing on different areas of illustration and design.
The one thing we do have in common when we create our art is fearlessness - or rather, a willingness to get beyond the fear and stay focused on the process not the outcome.
We decided that this would be a great premise for an explorative, confidence-building art experience where our guests would discover the joy of taking chances, jumping in without a plan and following their curiosity.
We put together a week-long programme intended to take our guests on a journey - from gentle experimentation to confident leaps of faith, showing them in bite size chunks how to trust their judgement and not be afraid of the choices they make.
Serendipity was the word of the week - the happy accident. Ohn Mar and I both use mixed media and love the challenge of trying new materials that aren’t always predictable. We wanted to share this with our guests - the freedom of letting the magic unfold.
When it comes to magic, we couldn’t have been in a more inspiringly beautiful location. We stayed at the luxury Villa Oliveto Estate in Le Marche, Italy with uninterrupted views of the Adriatic coast, a dedicated chef who prepared incredible food and a beautiful, airy studio.
And when it comes to sharing, we couldn’t have found a more engaged, enthusiastic, and truly committed group of fellow artists. There were fifteen guests who joined us from Europe, the U.K., and the U.S.A. Everyone was at a crossroads in their artistic development, whether they were working artists focused on their career, or hobbyists hoping to broaden their repertoire and/or take their first steps into running an art business of their own.
Ohn Mar and I were absolutely thrilled to see how quickly and easily everyone embraced the concepts we were presenting and how transformative the process was. Over the course of that week, we saw every one of the guests open themselves up to new (sometimes unnerving) techniques and perspectives and take bold steps towards letting go and allowing themselves to be who they are. The result was a gallery of stunning, unique pieces of art, but also an unforgettable, shared experience and new and lasting connections with absolutely lovely people.
Some of the guests kindly shared their thoughts about their week. Please enjoy having a read below. Ohn Mar and I will be holding our next retreat in a stunning location in Morocco in May/Jun 2022 and we would love you to join us. Have a look here for more details!
“This retreat was exactly what I needed: focusing on process, play and creativity with no specific knowledge on what the end would be. I think as artists we get caught up rushing to the end and the known and forget the middle bit.
If you’re looking for a ‘paint like this artist’ course this is not that kind of retreat. This is a ‘get uncomfortable’, ‘try new things’ and ‘finding your voice’ course with loads of creative support and tremendous generosity and insight from the instructors.”
“Before the retreat I felt a bit blocked artistically. However, being amongst new friends and teachers I’ve admired helped me to break out of my block; new perspectives and approaches to creating art helped me fill my creative cup.”
“The retreat helped me to push through my work: be comfortable with the uncomfortable. To be a kid again and have fun with creating. And letting go of my own fear of the unknown. As well as trusting myself and my inner guidance.”
“The retreat is a gift that keeps on giving after returning home. My new friends continue to inspire me every day with their art and creative community we have created. I’m trying new things in my art and pushing myself to work outside of my comfort zone. I’m seeing patterns and creations in places I had never looked before.”
“It has me thinking about how I approach the whole creative process - to be less fearful and have more fun and play. Really what it means to live a creative life. When you’re open and present, those happy accidents are everywhere and honestly the best part of life. It was a truly magical week.”
