Building off the excitement of the first No Song Unsung one night event, we decided to go bigger and organize an arts retreat in Santa Cruz Mountains. More focused on encouraging creation rather than showcasing work, we put together a program of classes, crafting workshops, and hidden campsite treasures, including a seance room and confession booth. We also worked with Madsky catering to feed our campers all weekend. Make Believe was a 3 day camping retreat where we made a home high up in the Santa Cruz mountains, surrounded by the gentle redwood giants. We connected intimately with the surroundings and each other, and engaged with our creative selves. I was a main organizer and facilitated an opening fire ceremony, The Wishing Dome - an installation that allowed for written wishes to be released and called in, The Trooth Booth - an intimate confession booth located at the end of a long pathway alongside the creek that allowed for a safe space for 2 individuals to share their truth, and a closing sharing circle at the end of the trip.
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From September 8-10, 2017, Camp Cruz was sprinkled with fairy dust and 35 makers and believers connected intimately with the surroundings and each other, and engaged with their creative selves!
Wandering through our forest home you'll find a garden, outdoor kitchen, geodesic dome, yurt, tent cabin, campfire encircled by benches, a creek, a redwood fairy circle, and plenty of wide open space. We encouraged everyone to wander throughout the grounds and spend some quality time for yourself, whether that's with a book or just sitting amongst the trees.
Remember being a kid sitting in your backyard with nothing but some dirt and imagination? We hoped being here will bring you back to that space. Take some time looking at natural phenomena and unlock your inner life. Perhaps your clouds will be dust bunnies, your mountains technicolor. Perhaps you'll find a secret hideout.
Were you once king or queen of the wild things? Come swing on the branches and hear what roars in the distance!
ACTIVITIES:
✦Find Your Flow Talk w/ Jon
✦Paper Gems with Iru Biru
✦Yoga Session 1: Going H.A.M. - Vinyasa flow with strong poses focused on core strength and hamstring lengthening w/ Wayne
✦Modern Art Workshop w/ Karen
✦Watermelon Watercolor Workshop: learn gradient lettering and make a card for a friend w/ Mel
✦Yoga Session 2: I Believe I Can Fly (R&B yoga vol 2) - Intro to arm balances and inversions set to soothing R&B vibrations w/ Wayne
✦Geometric Pendant Mobile Workshop w/ Tamara
✦Burning Ceremony w/ Holly
✦Baby's Day Out acoustic performance w/ Mel & Meggy
✦Light painting w/ Julie
✦Wishing Dome by Holly
✦Seance Central: Woods version by Tamara
✦The Trooth Booth by Holly
✦Portrait Sessions by Stephanie
✦2008: Drawing & Sketch Session by Eric
✦Interactive Improv... on our own little internet by Sina
✦Telescope Fun by Matt
Be free, be you, believe.
See the full Facebook event, artist list, and recap here.
