North Georgia Mountains
Come
with artist poet Laurence Holden and eleven others for a week following
a path through the forest, walking, drawing, listening, touching,
writing, singing, and painting into our own true nature.
Each morning we will strike out on foot from
Kawani,
Laurence's home and studio in the North Georgia Mountains, to discover
the rhythms and patterns in nature that resonate within each of us in
ways that are singular to each of us and call us to know ourselves more
intimately and more clearly.
Each
afternoon we will return to Laurence's studio to reflect upon and
reconsider with written words and drawn images the rhythms and patterns
we've discovered in the nature of our lives..
Who Can Benefit
- if you miss a personally embracing relationship with the natural world
- if you have the recurring feeling that nature has something to teach you
- if you enjoy the outdoors and would like to explore a new approach to the experience
- if you are an artist or crafts person who draws inspiration from nature
- if you suffer from nature deficit disorder
- if you are an artist or crafts person stuck in a creative rut, or just grown stale in your approach
What to Expect
- small group size - workshop is limited to only 12 participants.
- developing a one-on-one collaborative relationship with Laurence over the 5 day session
- an immersion in the natural world bit by bit through all your senses
- exploring
techniques handed down from before the dawn of time for seeing, sensing
and understanding the patterns and rhythms of life embedded in nature
- learning to connect the rhythms and patterns in nature with those already living within each us
- beginning
to recognize layer by layer the patterns and rhythms within yourself
that generate and shape the grain of your own life.
- a sharing of experiences and techniques in seeing, drawing, and organizing your experience
- an opportunity for visual artists to develop skills of seeing/drawing to extend the expressive quality of their art process
- NOTE: to get a taste of experiences click HERE to read blog entries describing past sessions.
Schedule
June 20th - DEADLINE to pay for a place in the workshop (
go to Sign up & Pay for Summer Workshop). The workshop is limited to just 12 participants.
Sunday, July 19, 7-9 pm. get to know and orientation session at
Kawani.
Monday
- Friday, July 20 - 24, 8:30 a.m. meet at Kawani and head out into the
forest together. We will return each mid afternoon to Laurence's studio
to explore and deepen the themes we've discovered together in the
forest, and end at 5:00 p.m. for late afternoon refreshments on the
porch.
Friday July 24, 5 -7 pm refreshments and a gathering,
sharing and summing up together what we've learned and exploring ways to
extend your learning from here on your own.
Tuition:
$500.00 (go to
SIGN UP & PAY)
What to Bring
- outdoor
clothing, rain gear, sturdy walking shoes, drinking water, hiking
staff, hat, lunch for each day. (We will be out in whatever weather
arrives - rain or shine)
- sketch book 8/12 x 11" or larger, lead
pencils, colored pencils, several sticks of vine charcoal, ball or felt
tip pen, plus any other art supplies you are comfortable using - all to
fit comfortably in a day pack - not much - just enough.
- lunch packed for each of the five days.
- if allergic to bees/wasps, remember to bring your meds/epi-pen.
A Note on Fitness:
While
the terrain we will be covering each day won't require strenuous
effort, it is steep mountain country with slippery leaves, slick rocks
on the creek crossings, trails that can be muddy, and we will be out
much of every day rain or shine. You don't have to be a paragon of
health to handle this by any means, but for those with health problems
or walking difficulties, other venues might be better suited. If you are
comfortable walking mountain hiking trails, you'll do fine.
Lodging
There are many fine lodgings in Rabun County. Here are some recommended ones:
These are listed in order of distance from
Kawani:
- Beechwood Inn (4.2 miles away) Selected "Best Inn in Georgia 2013" by Georgia Magazine. The
Inn is listed on the SELECT REGISTRY, Distinguished inns of North
America and carries the prestigious AAA Three-Diamond Award.
- America's Best Value Inn, Hwy. 441, Clayton, Ga. (4.4 miles away)
Standard motel with friendly owners. Located on Hwy 441, near all the
fast food places. Room rates vary depending on the time of year.
706-782-4702.
- Parker Ranch (5.2 miles away)
- Sylvan Falls Mill B & B, Rabun Gap, Ga. (10 miles away)
This historic grist mill has been transformed into a B & B. Tucked
away in Wolffork Valley; guests enjoy a delicious breakfast featuring
locally grown ingredients and baked goods made from organic grains that
are ground in the mill. Dogs allowed in some rooms. 706-746-5138.
- Dillard House, Dillard, Ga. (10.5 miles away)
A family-owned restaurant and motel surrounded by pastoral views of the
mountains. Some rooms have sliding glass doors to outdoor patios
overlooking horse pastures. The Dillard House dining room—with its huge,
country-style meals—is a short walk from the guest rooms. Other
restaurants are a short drive away. Room rates begin at $69.00. Dogs are
allowed. Call 800-541-0671 or 706-746-5348
- Lake Rabun Hotel (13 miles away)
A charming small hotel built in 1922 and nestled in the woods
overlooking Lake Rabun, with a fine restaurant, and they can pack a
picnic lunch for you.
