Reflect, reconnect, and revive: a recap of our creative retreat experience at Gunben
Introduction
We recently held a creative retreat at Gunben. We wanted to give participants an opportunity to relax, take the time out of their regular life, reduce stress and tension, and use their creativity to start a visual journaling habit.
We ran the retreat on 19 May at Gunben, a horse and cattle property near Bowning in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. Gunben is about an hour’s drive from Canberra, near the township of Yass.
The event was quite magical; both Marina and myself as well as all the participants were highly satisfied.
Bobby Graham of Slow Art and Marina Maguire of Gunben
Setting the scene: the beauty of Gunben
Guneben is set in expansive gardens amongst rural paddocks. The natural features such as the paddocks, horses, and rustic sheds, provide a refreshing and relaxing atmosphere.
Gunben property
“Leave your worries at the gate. Leave refreshed and full of inspiration.”
A warm welcome: country hospitality at its finest
Ben and Marina Maguire welcomed us with morning tea in the paddock. We stood around a blazing fire in a fire pit, getting to know each other under the watchful eyes of the horses, corralled a few metres away. For people living in urban areas, this experience, standing in the open, sharing a cuppa, a piece of cake and a chat with new friends is an unforgettable pleasure.
But the hospitality didn’t stop there. At lunchtime, Marina prepared a ‘green’ soup with all the trimmings: fresh hot bread, toasted nuts and pepitas to sprinkle on top - served out of country style enamel crockery - no paper plates or disposable cutlery here.
The catering continued throughout the day as we helped ourselves to teas, freshly brewed coffee and biscuits from the stable kitchen.
“Marina and Ben: so, so generous and welcoming - food +++! Now for overnight retreats??”
“Marina and Ben are wonderful hosts. Bobby led the art journaling with style, enthusiasm, and care for each and every participant. Lovely environment, delicious food, like-minded companions - a wonderful day!”
The art of visual journaling: creativity unleashed
The visual journaling activities were simple: we reacquainted ourselves with pen and paper. The first exercise was to practice our basic handwriting patterns like ‘over the bridge’, ‘under the bridge’ and ‘sea waves’. Once the participants conquered their initial trepidation, they all produced truly wonderful artworks.
“Bobby has the most beautiful style that makes you feel so calm and anyone can be creative.”
“What a joyful day! A mindful relaxing day at a beautiful location letting my creative self emerge. Loved the techniques that we learned. Great company and a beautiful space created for any level from beginner to experienced. Highly recommend.”
Mindfulness and relaxation: finding inner peace
The mindfulness exercise and relaxation techniques set in when we moved to drawing on paper ‘tiles’. The patterning and repetitive nature of the marking soothes the spirit. The serene environment - flowers and fruit on the table, stables furnished with horse tackle and cowboy gear, the beautiful natural setting - all helped participants de-stress and forget their regular life.
“I attended out of curiosity and to have a day of relaxation and mindfulness. I am not an experienced artist. Nor do I consider myself ‘artistic’. I was delighted with the day and felt encouraged, safe, and left extremely relaxed and fulfilled.”
Community connection: building bonds through art
While most of the participants hadn’t met each other prior to the retreat, we all quickly established a sense of community and connection amongst each other. There was plenty of time to share stories of friendship and to initiate future collaborations and conversations.
“Today was food for the soul - a time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the people, the process, and the journal!”
Artistic exploration: inspiring surroundings
We enjoyed different areas for inspiration. We all sat around a table that was delightfully decorated and used. But there were breakout rooms that included a cosy fireplace, comfy chairs and nooks conducive to a further chat.
The outdoors was highly conducive for inspiration: the paddock, stables, the scenic locations were all wonderful. Sadly the very cold wind kept us from sitting outdoors, but Marina motored us in small groups to the top of the hill from where the vistas are spectacular. This will definitely be a future spot for sketchers.
“Wonderful environment and timing/flow of the day - perfect - going home relaxed and inspired. Thank you!!”
Giving back: supporting worthy causes
One of the purposes of this event is to support Vinnies and Remount. We donate a percentage of the sales to these well deserving charities, both of which help the community. Remount is a not-for-profit organisation delivering horsemanship programs for current and former service men and women and their families who may be experiencing stress related issues, post traumatic stress disorder and perhaps physical injury. Vinnies Mental Health Service provides a recovery focused low care supported accommodation service for adults with a persistent and enduring mental health diagnosis, who may otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
“Knowing that our participation helped support Vinnies and Remount added a deeper sense of purpose to the retreat.”
Participant highlights: memorable moments
One of the standout moments for me personally was launching my new book, ‘Draw your day, at the event. This was made especially memorable by Ben’s providing a bottle of Veuve Cliquot for the toast.
“Marina - thank you so much. I definitely hope to be back again. Your cooking and the hosting from you and Ben have been wonderful. A perfect property to retreat to. Hugs and best wishes!”
Conclusion
Marina and I are so very happy with the success of the retreat and the positive feedback we received from the participants. We’re very grateful to them for participating in this inaugural retreat. This success has spurred us on to run an October spring event. Stay tuned for more information about future events.
We would love to hear from you if you’d like to share your own experiences or send us comments.
