Wow! Our inaugural event was everything we could have hoped for! The vibe was incredible and everyone attending was as excited to be there as we were to bring our unique mixed media retreat to them. The location was picturesque and calming. Colorado Springs embraced us with amazing weather and beautiful scenery.
The range of workshops we were able to offer at this new location made me so very happy, and the students as well. We are just so lucky to have the caliber of instructors that we do. Professional on every level but at the same time so down-to-earth and nurturing. What a perfect venue for these generous souls.
Students enjoyed the wide variety of workshops and created some stunning works of art. I loved the immediate camaraderie of the attendees and how they recognized they had found their tribe of like-minded art souls.
And while each student had their own personal experience, the chemistry among attendees overall... was palpable. I know Colorado Springs is a magical place, but it was more that that. It was getting to watch these adventurous and creative individuals have a necessary play date with their inner child.
From the wide variety of workshops, all kinds of whimsical creations were made... like these tiny houses from Ruth Greening's Precious Metal Clay workshop.
And this adorable bunny with a little bit of attitude, from Helen Shafer Garcia's Animal Crackers class.
And, our instructors, well... they love to have fun! As much fun as
their students. It's their ability to laugh and play and be lighthearted
in their approach to teaching, that they are hand-picked to be a part of
the Art & Soul family. And we
hope to include more local artists in next year's lineup (yup, we're
definitely coming back). Many of us visited the Cottonwood Center for the Arts
as well as the gallery crawl and were blown away by the exhibits. So
we'll have lots of talented artists to choose from!
I must say that it was a genuine pleasure to have our event at the Hotel Eleganté. The staff went above and beyond to take care of us. Classrooms were cozy and had great lighting. The food was excellent. And ummmm... how many of us hit the Sweet Shop for ice cream? I won't tell how many times if you don't. I loved that the Hotel is surrounded with greenspace, especially the tranquil pond — complete with mama and baby ducklings. There were lots of places to sketch or just relax, and many attendees took side trips to see Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods and hiking! I'm anxious to return and spend more time in the area.
And yes! We will be returning to Colorado Springs next year, so... mark your calendars. You'll definitely want to be a part of this relaxing, inspirational, creative retreat next year. We hope to have classes available on our website by the middle of July. Watch for a newsletter announcement coming to your inbox soon!
Art & Soul Colorado Springs, CO
May 29 - June 2, 2019 at the Hotel Eleganté
Thanks again to all of you who attended and everyone who made this first Colorado event such a great success! See you soon...
Glenny
xo
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