RAVISHING RAJASTHAN RETREATS Let your imagination run wild! WORKSHOP HOLIDAYS IN INDIA, NOVEMBER 2017 NOVEMBER 2017 in INDIA with Anna, Cate and Barbara ART RETREAT with Cate Edwards and Anna WRITING Retreat with Barbara Turner-Vesselago and Anna A RAJASTHAN JAUNT with Anna Kwiecinska 3-16 November 17-23 November 24-28 November
Photos: Anna Kwiecinska India has to be one of the most incredibly inspiring places for an artist anywhere in the world and nowhere more so than Rajasthan, that romantic region, on the edge of the Thar Desert, full of palaces, pictures and princes. And after 35 years of travelling India, working in Jaipur, and now being based here in Jaipur for work, I can t wait to share this gorgeous place with you! Cate Edwards and I have chosen this as the first destination beyond Bali, for our Creative Living Art and Yoga retreat in November 2017, when the weather is delightfully temperate. Palaces, pictures and princes? Yes, I can promise you all of these things! Beginning with a couple of days in Delhi, with a blast of history, meeting influential artists, shopping and food, we ll then travel to Rajasthan, to base ourselves in two locations across 8 days to enable relaxation, touring and lots of space to work productively, ensuring that you will have art works finished to take home. All materials will be provided. As usual, just bring your intention, some yoga gear and an almostempty suitcase for the treasures you ll want to collect along the way!
ART REREAT with Cate Edwards and Anna Kwiecinska NOV. 3-16, 2017 Part 1 : NOV 3-6 DELHI 3 nights After checking in, and relaxing at your luxury central Delhi hotel, you ll spend the next two days discovering this fantastic city. A tour of the UNESCO World Heritage architectural highlights provides the historical backdrop to our stay in Rajasthan, whist meeting one of India s most influential artists in his studio will prime creative juices, before some bazaar shopping and excellent dining opportunities. Part 2: AMBER VILLAGE near JAIPUR 5 nights I discovered this stunning, family-run haveli recently, and I personally feel that it s the best private hotel I ve ever experienced! Set in lush gardens, with beautiful swimming pool, elephant safaris, amazing home-cooked cuisine, evening drinks in the polo bar, and yoga on the roof terrace overlooking the Aravalli mountains and the Amber Fort are the backdrop to 4 days spent exploring Jaipur in depth in the mornings and coming home to paint in the afternoons. This is the perfect place to indulge all of your Raj fantasies!! Photos: Anna Kwiecinska Although you ll be conveniently situated just a few kilometres from the heart of the Pink City, the magic of our location magic lies in its proximity to local villages, where it s delightful to walk through fields, meet the local women and feel connected. Our retreats are all about that whether its Bali or here, now in India. You can read review about our art retreats in Bali, and be assured that the same care, attention to detail and rich connection with the local culture will be part of our retreats here in India too. Connect with our review from Cate s retreats in Bali : or copy this link http://www.villanilayabalibeach.com/art-and-yoga-retreats/art-and-yoga-retreats-in-2016/cate-edwards/gallery-1/ You ll even have a chance to make your own block -printed sarong working with a master block printer. Or maybe you d like to find out the secrets of the best tandoori chicken you ve ever tasted our chefs will happily oblige. But most importantly, is there will be a supported space for creating your paintings on canvas or working on your art journal with Cate s inspiration and always-helpful hints to get you over the hard bit of knowing where to start!
Photos: Anna Kwiecinska Cate s wealth of experience as a professional artist and art teacher ensures that any fear you might have of that dreaded white page is effortlessly overcome from the moment you pick up your pencil. You ll be amazed at how quickly she will have you drawing, experimenting with colour and using form to be well on the way to creating your artwork from the very first day. Everyone can use colour, and it doesn t matter if your mind goes blank take advantage of Cate storehouse of imagination-boosters so this retreat really is suitable for all levels of experience (including none!) So it s OK if you have never drawn before, and it s OK if you have never tried yoga before. Come and be surprised by what you find you are capable of creating! Part 2: NOVEMBER 11-15, SHEKAWATI 3 nights Now you can bring out those floaty veils and imagine life sequestered away behind tiny latticed windows in a jewel-box of a haveli remotely located in the northern part of Rajasthan known as Shekawati. At the cross roads of traders spice and silk routes, huge wealth poured into this region in times gone by, with painted mansions reflecting their owners great wealth and importance. Whilst most have fallen into tragic decrepitude, I found an exquisitely restored haveli which will be just for us whilst on retreat. We can shut the heavy wooden doors behind us, and revel in the magic of the place with candlelit diners reclining on bolsters, dancing parties and even a hookah if you re game it s a secret garden just for us. Every surface in this gorgeous little palace is adorned with frescoes, your bedroom is sweetly decorated with antiquities and the swimming pool and dining pavilion provide a less cloistered environment to work in too. The town is a magical place to wander and photograph. I ve rarely had so much non-stop fun with my camera.. and we ll tread further afield with a rural ride and picnic everything is lovely here and it s a calm and restorative place to relax and work, of course!
Photos: Anna Kwiecinska NOV. 16 SHEKHAWATI JAIPUR where the retreat ends. From here you might like to continue your explorationof India (I m happy to advise and assist with any bookings you might be intetested to pursue), or you might like to turn your attention to creative writing and join the next retreat, which is with Barbara Turner-Vesselago, and her highly-acclaimed FREEFALL WRITING, which will be held, for 7 nights, at the same JAIPUR LOCATION as the art retreat. FREEFALL WRITING WORSHOP with Barbara Turner-Vesselago and Anna 17-23 November, JAIPUR This workshop gives each participant a solid grounding in the Freefall process. The structure of the workshop allows several hours each day for writing, with a 2 ½ - 3 hour daily meeting concerning the principles of writing which arise from reading and consideration of the work done. The six-day format allows the writer to relax into the process of writing, and to gain sufficient experience to continue to explore in this way once the workshop is over. It also provides detailed written commentary about all of the writing from Barbara, as well as discussion of selected excerpts from the work of all participants at least twice during whole-group seminars. I have done one of Barbara s writing workshops and found it to be immensely empowering both personally and from a writing perspective. For sure it was challenging at times, but as they say growth happens in areas of difficulty, and my writing certainly grew more confident as the week progressed and each day I looked forward to discovering what is was that my mind would bring to the surface each morning as I sat down to write after breakfast. I loved it! (Anna K., 2016) You can find out more here : http://www.freefallwriting.com/ So remember, it s OK if you have never drawn before, and it s OK if you have never tried yoga before, and it s definitely Ok if you ve never written much more than a shopping list. Come and be surprised by what you find you are capable of creating! FINALLY, TOUR RAJASTHAN with Anna Kwiecinska 24-27 November, JAIPUR AJMER NIMAJ JODHPUR - DELHI
A delicious way to close our retreat season with a 4-day jaunt through some beautiful country side to experience life under luxury canvas at a beautiful resort by a lake, then onto Jodhpur with its history and fabulous textile bazaars (perfect to shop for Christmas!). This is a really luxurious break to get you back home in style, with some fabulous textile shopping opportunities in Jodhpur. FULL PROGRAM - choose the parts that you d like to participate in and I ll help you sort out the connections Nov. 3 ART TOUR DAY 1 starts in DELHI with CATE EDWARDS and ANNA KWIECINSKA Nov 4. Tour in DELHI day 1 Nov. 5 Tour in DELHI day 2 Nov. 6 Nov. 7 Nov. 8-11 Nov.12 Nov.13 15 Nov.16 Train to Agra/ half day tour AGRA Drive to JAIPUR via Fatepur Sikri 4 full days of art Drive to SHEKHAWATI 3 full days of art and special trips and events Artists Return to Jaipur and may depart next day Writers will arrive in Jaipur and settle in Nov.17-23 WRITING WORKSHOP BEGINS, in JAIPUR with BARBARA TURNER-VESSELAGO & ANNA The writing retreat is 2 half days (first and last), and 5 full days Nov. 24-28 OPTIONAL RAJASTHAN TOUR Sufis, desert, textiles, music, nomads, and luxurious dining with Anna Nov. 24 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Drive to Luxury desert camp for overnight under canvas via Ajmer Drive to Jodhpur Jodhpur Nov. 27 Fly Jodhpur to Delhi. Tour ends in Delhi (Detailed itinerary available on request) ANNA KWIECINSKA T: + 61 0 424220960 (Also on Whatsapp) Email: anna@spicevoyages.com NEW DELHI OFFICE T: +91 11 41050390/91/92 E: connect@spicevoyages.com W: www.spicevoyages.com