Retreat 2008 - Part VIII (Journey to Fairyland)

I've been saving this final installment from our retreat last month for the art 'treat' at the end of this post to be completed.

Off behind the cabin and into the woods and over the stream is a path that leads into what has now been dubbed fairyland...

The stream is lined with hummocks and gnarly roots and other places that the fairies live.

In fact, if you look closely, you may see some of their houses.





Fellow POBL-member Kathleen was so inspired by the enchanted surroundings that she painted this piece of fairy wonderfulness.

Magical place, all around, indeed. :-)

Retreat 2008 - Part VII

Our retreat 'mascot' is the cabin owner's Great Dane, Matisse.

He is an imposing presence - in both size and deep-throated bark -

-but really a pussycat, very loving and cuddly. Really thinks he should be a lap dog.

I am always impressed with his contortions - he's so lean and short-haired that his anatomical structure is easy to see (we draw him a lot).

And he may have the largest paws of any dog on the planet!

We certainly feel safer having him around.

Retreat 2008 - Part VI

Yes, we eat *really* well, and take fabulous walks in nature but the whole point of the weekend is the Art.

The environment seems to inspire plein air paintings and localized subjects.

And it's great to have a whole cabin-full of artists to collaborate with or get feedback from.

I always learn something new from these women (for instance, did you know that a lit match will many times loosen the stuck cap on a tube of paint?)

One of the last activities of the weekend is always a critique of whatever work we have produced over the last several days.

Usually it's paintings, but sometimes other things (like the sculpted ground squirrel). It's always the best when one can work on personal art and exploration when retreating, but that's not always possible. Of course, I am still on deadline, so worked on things that I can't post - but I did get an entire new picturebook storyboarded (with an alternate approach also proposed) and painted more on these never-ending covers...


And sometimes we just rest.... :-)

Retreat 2008 - Part V

Just thought I'd share a few interesting textures from the weekend -

-from bird's nests nestled in the rafters-

-to tiny, boney remains of some forest rodent (with the teeniest little molars attached to the jawbones that I've ever seen)-

It was not like the Great Mushroom Year (the year before I began this blog), but we did find some edible fungi in the woods, mainly Tamarak Jack boletus and hollow-stemmed larch boletus - enough for some wild mushroom pasta and soup....

arboreal textures...

As always, there is everywhere something to treat your senses...

(BTW - Happy Autumnal Equinox)

Retreat 2008 - Part IV

The mountainous forests surrounding the retreat cabin are fairly magical themselves.

There is an entirely different feel to remote woodlands at a high altitude...

Typical of Washington forestry however, these are also dripping in moss and lichens...


...and riddled with streams and understory growth.

And when the sun is shining and the birds are singing and dragonflies and butterflies are hovering, they are a thing of glory to behold..

Retreat 2008 - Part III

The cabin by the lake, in the woods, is surrounded by cute outbuildings -

-and is full of woodsy details (log furniture made by the owner's young son)

- The decor is a lovely mix of old and character-full new-

The flannel-sheeted beds are so incredibly welcoming to climb into after a hard day of walking and working and after the temperatures drop at night..

We are always (understandably) reluctant to leave...

2008 Retreat - Part II

So, every September for the past eight years, our POBL critique group has headed up into the mountains...

-on the shores of a lake -

-in the middle of the woods, where lies a cabin...

-of great character and charm -

- where we hole up for a weekend of creating. Painting, projects and artful food.

I can't think of many things that are better....