As you may recall from my last post I was headed off to Squam Art Workshops for a little mental rest and relaxation and a creativity boost. Upon returning to the real world it has taken a bit to get caught up and readjust to the sights and sounds of daily life. I have some photos here to share and if you are so inclined, you will find something that I wrote while sitting on the dock one morning at the end of this post.
If you are looking for a place to get away to reflect or unwind or whatever it is you need for restoration, the Squam Lake area in New Hampshire is well worth the price of admission. This is just one of the beautiful moments I experienced right outside of my cabin.
Elizabeth Duvivier (founder and director of Squam Art Workshops) made this welcome for the El Dorado cabin dwellers. Elizabeth and her team put a great deal of thought into everything about Squam and it shows. When I forgot my toothbrush, I asked her where I might get one and she offered to run into town and get one for me. Then she asked the color I wanted. Having clean teeth was more important than an aesthetically pleasing toothbrush but I said "purple." That evening there was a purple toothbrush taped to the front door of my cabin. You couldn't ask for a more friendly and accommodating crew.
My first workshop on Thursday was Awaken the Muse taught by Alena Hennessy (she has some great photos from Squam on her blog). The idea was to play with different materials and go with the flow. It was very open and there was no requirement that you be attached to the end product of your piece. I enjoyed working with India inks in new ways and playing with all of the paper materials. The women in this class were all amazing in different ways and some had very personal stories that they put into their work. I would say there was a little bit of art therapy going on without any of us even realizing it.
Did I mention that Squam Lake is gorgeous? Sitting on the dock in the morning I saw others starting their day with yoga or a quiet cup of coffee while the Loons floated by. I have not tapped into my ability to truly meditate but being there was what I imagine that type of quiet to feel like.
My second workshop was Chasing the Light with Jen Korff. This class was a lot of fun and we enjoyed exploring the Rockywold Deephaven Camps while attempting to get the perfect shot. I can see why families have been coming here for generations. We were fortunate to be able to try out a variety of Polaroid cameras which have their own wonderful, nostalgic feel.
This photo was one that I took with Jen's Mamiya camera which actually uses 120 film for those of you that remember that from your childhood. It takes the most amazing soft portraits with great depth of field. I think everyone in this class is now on the hunt for one of these beauties.
This tree at camp was dedicated to wishes put out there by fellow Squam attendees. I added one to the tree as well but I can't tell you what it was or it won't come true.
Below is a journal entry that I wrote while watching the sun come up and thinking about what I had experienced, what I expected and what I received. This is unedited and pretty personal so please be kind.
This place, this place. It's beautiful and scary and hiding shadows behind the light. It is quiet and noisy. It is the truth and the lies. People come here looking for something. I came here looking for something. It wasn't handed to me with my nametag when I got here. I saw pieces of it in brief moments. I am left changed for my experience. Freer to accept the things that come.
I feel more gratitude to those around me who support me in my craziness and my search. I feel gratitude for the quiet removal of things that get in the way in life. I feel gratitude for being taught the lesson that life isn't about control. It is about taking one breath at a time and knowing it, feeling it.
The weather is shifting and so am I. Whatever it is that I am looking for is in here, tucked away for safe keeping until I need it. It isn't out there and it isn't about being that thing that I think I should be or have to be.
I don't need life to be sparkly. I need it to be real and enough and so special to me that it hurts. That is where I will find my joy. If I wasn't meant to be then who was I meant to be? The people who love me, love me for all that I am not just the polished parts that show. They know that in my authentic point of view there will be things that aren't perfect or are lacking. They also know that I won't run over them in order to chase myself down.
The things I need to know, I already know. It is about access and openness and being ready and seeing the synchronicity and grabbing hold of it. When the sun is shining I need to let the ideas grow. When there are clouds I need to give the idea time to percolate. When it is ready, when I am ready, it will be there waiting.
