Home together and making space to reflect...

One more long day of driving and our last camper is home.  It was a lovely closing worship and good to be back at Shrine Mont for a few hours this morning.  

This evening I led the Sanctuary Studio time at St Aidan's.  We reflected on seasons of the year and times of the day on accordion books with collage.  

I found myself back at Shrine Mont and on the drive near the mountain, picturing flowers seen along the roadways.

It was a long day in the car so it was nice to create some time for myself for reflection along with creating space for others to create.  

Celebration

We began our day with the closing worship for Art Camp.  Here is the community mural created yesterday during our exhibit, now displayed at the front of the room....

...It's a long mural - here's the other half.

The new addition to our installation included hoops painted by counselors and members of the camp staff.  

I also added in a few of the small ones I used for demonstration of techniques in the studio. 

It was a busy closing day, a lovely celebration of the creations and the community that gathered this week.

Installation

Today we saw our community art piece come together with the installation of silk hoops in the windows of the ballroom of Virginia House at Shrine Mont.  

It is fun to see the landscape of Shrine Mont behind the colorful paintings on the hoops.

This drawing of a porch chair almost seems to fit right into the porch outside the window.

Each window represents the members of one of the cabins of campers.  This will also facilitate taking down pieces and sending them home after our closing tomorrow.

We had a lovely viewing of the installation and all the work created during the show in the afternoon. Guests from the St George's camp, Shrine Mont staff and Shrine Mont Camps staff all came to join the campers and counselors in celebrating the work done during art camp.  

We had a station for visitors to add to a group mural and had wonderful interactions as visitors asked artists about their art.

All will be revealed...

At camp when campers ask too many questions about what is coming next, the counselor response is "all will be revealed."

Today was a full day of making, getting parts together for our final installation at the end of camp.

No pictures yet - still in process. 

But soon...all will be revealed.

Installation and Community Art...

Tomorrow begins creating pieces with the younger kids for our installation of community art.

Here is my small installation in the studio to inspire them...

First day of Art Camp

Today we began art camp with time for decorating sketchbooks.  I decorated mine too...

It was fun to share some of my favorite media with this group of young artists.  I look forward to the rest of the week and am thankful to feel myself again.

Time for healing...

I woke up in the middle of the night last night with food poisoning.

Spent today in bed and finally the evening at the hospital receiving IV fluids and an anti-nausea medicine.

I didn't make anything but was touched by how much the hand-made decorations in the hospital room spoke to me and brought a sense of connection in an otherwise sterile environment.

Making in community...

Today was a full day of preparations for camp along with taking time out to deliver my own camper to camp.

I realize that the simplicity and joy of living more unplugged for a week also presents some challenges to my practices.  

It is harder to blog without wifi.  I'm writing drafts and then waiting to find time to post.  

My quiet time this evening before dinner I took some time unpacking and sorting new supplies.  It always feels like Christmas unpacking these new collage papers.

The fullness of today also made me realize how crucial it will be to take some downtime and set aside personal making time in the midst of full days this week.  

Making space...

I arrived at Shrine Mont for my week of Art Camp today.

It was lovely to have many hands to unpack and set up the space in the studio.

In the evening I led collaborative art making for staff with blocks and light painting.

Making preparations...

I head to Shrine Mont for a week of art camp tomorrow - today was all about sorting, packing and loading supplies for this journey...

Watercolor on the road...

Watercolors completed today on the drive up and back from Shrine Mont to pick up our camper...

Returning home...

I left Shrine Mont this evening after another full day of training with the staff for camps this summer.  

In the afternoon, I took time for a labyrinth walk, a hike and some quiet space before the drive home...

...here's my favorite miss covered path.

Here are my mini collages for the day..,

Connection, Community and Quiet...

Another full day of staff week here at Shrine Mont.  It is exciting to continue to deepen relationships with camp leaders and to meet cabin counsellors today.  I look forward to working with and learning from this group this summer.

This morning I walked the labyrinth and left a touchstone in the center on a stack of rocks left by another walker...

My practice during quiet time included 4 mini collages - playing more with skies and clouds and colors this time...

Sanctuary...

More lovely time for walking and enjoying nature here at Shrine Mont.

Also a full day continuing to get to know staff for camp.  

In our rest time I had time for a short nap and making a few mini collages...

Shrine Mont...

Lovely to be here on the mountain at Shrine Mont for staff training.  So far I'm inspired by all the people I've met.

I'm back to art on the go and made just one mini collage today...

I also enjoyed some time walking and taking pictures...

And some time tonight just walking and looking (no photos to show for that;)

It's a peaceful place with a great group of people and lots to feed my creative practice.