Scheduled Art and Soul Workshops


weekly groups


 Mallorca, Spain & Oaxaca, Mexico


Saturday  Retreats


"My advice to those considering... 
If your intuition is calling you... dive in and swim there wholeheartedly."

 Caroline Y. (Atlanta, GA)


Healing Icons - Circle of Dreams

Absolutely no art or dream experience is necessary only a commitment to honestly cultivate your creative potential

 

 

Misplaced your life's passion?
Lost your joyful carefree spirit?
Disconnected, unsatisfied?  
Yearning for something more?
Wondering what is next?
Searching to deepen, enrich your life?

Our dreams come to offer us insight into our lives urging us to open more fully and deeply into our  Self.  The language of art offers the same rewards.  They are joyous wonderful soul muses.

 

Art and Soul reintroduces you to these ancient muses, guiding you back into the language of creativity...  A language full of vibrant colors, rich textures, interesting shapes, profound images, thoughtful words, playful phrases, and insightful symbols.  Not only will you master techniques that will enable you to unearth the embedded symbols within the dream but you will reconnect with the young visual artist within.

 

Nighttime dreams surface from a deep mysterious wellspring offering us wildly creative images.  Dream images appear nightly without effort.  Our unconscious paints these bizarre mystifying scenarios, using a visual, symbolic language.  This is the creative language of the artist’s palette and it resides within us all.  It is the soul’s forgotten language, the language of Divine Inspiration. 

We cannot forget our dreams. They come whether called or not but our ability and confidence to consciously create art has been cut off from our realm
of  human experience. 

 

Unraveling the meaning of our dreams and our art  leads us into insightful stories.  These stories are universal “myths” carrying personal as well as collective significance.  We dream and create not only for ourselves but for our family, our  community, our world. Our dreams and visual creations are archetypal messages and they invite us to enter our personal dance of transformation. As we unite and interweave our dream stories with our images, our own personal icons emerge as a unique testament to the profound mystery of life and creative expression

 Art and Soul 2010 All Day Saturday Retreats

Absolutely no art or dream experience is necessary, only a commitment to honestly cultivate your creative potential

 

Our day will open with the reading of a dream. Through a discussion of this dream, we will learn the practice of unearthing symbols embedded within it, allowing us to tap into the symbolic, poetic side of the brain, creativity's home.    This lively dialog will release  insightful stories, archetypal myths. Even in the absence of dream recall, everyone will benefit in the unraveling of the dream as we view all dreams as gifts from the unconscious to our entire dream community.

 

 

After lunch, various art techniques will be introduced, as tools to plunge us even deeper into our morning conversation. You will discover your own unique visual language by creating mandalas paintings, intuitive drawings, collages. Creativity is simply a translation of our physical and spiritual worlds, where there is no right or wrong. These creations will speak to your dreams and your dreams will speak to your creations— each informing the other, each strengthening your inner voice.  

As we explore these languages of the soul and travel  the bridge  between our outer and inner lives, your journey into your own personal dance of transformation begins.

 

Testimonials

I touched forgotten places in my heart, opened my mind and soul, while broadening my view of my Self , my life, and the world I live in. ”  Sara G.

“My life has been enriched and deepened by the art I’ve created.  My understanding of the “stuff” dreams are made of" has enlivened my life and is a part of  my spiritual practice.  Thank You!"  Jim R.

“This safe supportive atmosphere,  these studio walls embraced, held us.  Truly a sacred space.”  Claire T.

 

 

 

Each Retreat  -  $195 includes lunch & all art supplies No refunds after workshop starting dates.

 

Class size limited: to reserve a space and enroll contact me at Heidi Darr-Hope

 

Location: Columbia, South Carolina's beautiful historic arts district.
Vista Arts Building, Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street, Columbia, SC 29201 
For hotels and other points of interest www.vistacolumbia.com     Hampton Inn on Gervais Street is walking distance to the studio.

 

Detailed Descriptions

 

Archetypal Dream Masks - October - Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00
Explore your evolving sense of self  through the creation of a mask using mixed media materials.  Your dreams will guide your unfolding.

Autumn - the time of changing leaves, of letting go, of Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day... This time of year offers us an opportunity to reflect on who and what has come before us and how these people and events have shaped our lives.  In this workshop, we will use symbols in our dreams as well as from our waking lives to examine where we are stuck and what archetypal energy we need to move us forward in our lives.

 

 

 

Mandalas of Thanksgiving- November  - Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00
Learn a visual form of contemplative meditation

A mandala is a work of art composed of a sacred circle within  a square or rectangle.  Mandalas have been created by many different cultures as a visual means  to lead the mind into introspective meditation or prayer.  This workshop will  focus on discovering and creating your own personal healing dream mandala.  These mandalas will begin to amplify the meaning of your dreams and lead you into the grace of thanksgiving and gratitude. Several different techniques and materials will be introduced.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Drawing from the Year - December -- Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00

 

Trust the process and learn the meditative art technique of blind contour drawing.  Transpose your dream symbols into powerful insightful drawings.

Each night our psyche offers us wildly bewildering images.  Sometimes these images are mysteriously funny, convincingly terrifying, and most of the time overwhelmingly confusing.  By drawing the symbols within a dream, their relationship to each other is reorganized and our discernment of their significance broadens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Year Collage Illuminations - January - Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00 

Reveal untold stories by creating a series of collages, visual markers reflecting the many facets of who we are and who we are becoming. The symbols in our dreams will guide our way.

The psyche speaks in images – the conscious mind in words.  By intuitively selecting images and juxtaposing them with color and texture, the quiet, inner voice has a new medium to speak through.  Learning to trust and listen to this voice allows access to the greater teacher within us all.  The images chosen may seem arbitrary, but through the art of collage, we will illuminate our dream stories in unique and powerful ways.

 

 

 

 

 

Painted Winter Dreams - March 13 - Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00

 

 

Brighten your winter doldrums.  Contemplate the language of color and experience the insightful urgings it holds for us to ponder during this time of hibernation.

The monochromaticness of winter and the shortness of daylight usually leaves us longing for more light and color in our lives.  Research confirms that color within our dreams as well as within our creations guides us to an understanding of our deepest subliminal emotional feelings.  Our response to color is individually unique.  Through meditative art practices, you will begin to understand the subtle gifts color has to give and take stock in the wisdom within.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nature Amulets & Dream Shrines - March 27- Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00

As the chill of winter melts into spring and nature awakens, we witness anew the remarkable transformation which reminds us of the possibilities of growth and renewal.  Create a personal altar for contemplation, for gathering strength and for renewing one's soul and spirit.

We are intuitively drawn to objects in our environment - feathers, flowers, bones, sea shells, broken glass, rusted metal... These things hold subtle, symbolic references to our personal lives.  By learning to understand the language of these "teachers", we begin to experience powerfully uplifting and insightful forces that surround us each and every day.  After reflecting of the meaning behind the found objects we are drawn to, we will create small amulets and talismans to visually relate their spiritual significance.  Small boxes will be transformed into personal shrines using mixed media techniques such as collage, painting and  mosaics.  These embellished shrines will become mystical containers to hold the timeless wisdom harvested from nature and our dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Visual Journal - April 10 - Saturday: 10:00 - 5:00
Transpose an existing book into a unique journal that will hold the wisdom garnered from our waking lives, our dreams and the creative process.

Dream Stories teach us profound lessons about ourselves and our world.  They connect us to each other: they heal and restore.  Using  the visual language of collage, painting and printmaking techniques, our dream stories will surface, allowing inner resources to unfold into a wellspring of inner knowing.

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IArt and Soul Weekly Groups
 

I am in the process of writing a book that addresses my philosophy of teaching dream interpretation and the craft of art making as vehicles for personal and spiritual growth.  My weekly groups have been postponed to accommodate my commitment to this project.  Thank you for your support and understanding.

Please join us for the all day retreats offered monthly.
 

 


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5th Annual La Serrania Retreat

Mallorca, Spain

May 1 - 8, 2010

Creating Sanctuary
exploring spirituality, creativity & the dream

through the Art of the Mandala and Yoga

 

Creativity, art and dreams by Heidi Darr-Hope, mfa

 

Yoga and Meditation guided by Anne Miller of Amsa Yoga

"What art offers is space- a certain breathing room for the spirit."  John Updike

Contact Heidi at: heidi@darr-hope.com for more information.

Within this retreat you will

• Discover practical ways to unravel the meaning of your nighttime dreams
• Learn the art of mandala creation using process such as collage, painting, intuitive drawing...
• Deepen your intuition, reconnect with your authentic self and begin to speak with a free & open voice
• Experience guided meditation & yoga as a portal into your soul, uniting your Psyche and Soma as one
• Connect with a community of creative seekers
• Restore and renew your joyful spirit

 


La Serrania

Imagine yourself in the beauty of the Mallorcan countryside, amid the tranquil setting of La Serrania, part of a small group of people gathered together to wander and explore within a supportive space. You will be inspired by the quiet serenity of nature and the quiet time, allowing you to express your creativity in word and art, gleaned from your wellspring of imagination and memory.

To create a sanctuary for  authentic self-expression is to engage ourselves creatively in a search for meaning.  Whether we express ourselves through words, music, dance or images, our mind, body, and soul merge.  We then experience a unique way to connect with the unseen spiritual forces that guide and support our lives.

Nighttime dreams surface from a deep mysterious wellspring offering us wildly creative images.  Dream images appear nightly without effort.  Our unconscious paints these bizarre mystifying scenarios, using a visual, symbolic language.  This is the same language of the artist’s palette. They are the soul’s forgotten languages, the languages of Divine Inspiration. 

 

Our dreams come whether called or not but our ability and confidence to consciously create art has been cut off from our realm of human experience.  Our dreams come to offer us insight into our lives urging us to open more fully and deeply into our Self.  The language of art offers the same rewards.  They are profound joyous muses.  This retreat will reintroduce you to these ancient soulful muses, guiding you back into the language of creativity and the dream.  These are languages full of vibrant colors, profound images, thoughtful words, playful phrases, and insightful symbols.

 

Anne is one of Heidi’s yoga instructors at Amsa, a beautiful intimate studio in Columbia, SC (USA).  Anne’s gift to guide the body tenderly through the practice of yoga as well as her intuitive talent for remarkably insightful guided meditations, led Heidi to wonder what it would be like to unite the practice of yoga with her practice of art making.  

Whether it’s the  yoga matt or the studio table, Heidi and Anne see both practices as a means to allow the mind to still, the body to awaken and the soulful psyche to open into the unconscious
. To interlace the wisdom of both of these ancient practices, each informing the other, is groundbreaking.  This is new territory, rich fertile soil where seeds of growth can flourish . Creativity and yoga opens the space for unlived energies to emerge bringing us closer to the union of mind, body, and soul—closer to our truest authentic self.

 

Intensely interested in a creative process that respects intuition and introspection, Heidi brings over 30 years of experience in art making and teaching to this retreat.  Heidi’s method of teaching grows out of a deep respect for dreams, the work of C.G. Jung, as well as the joyous transformative qualities inherent within the creative act.  Her extroverted husband, her beloved “road less traveled” daughter, her  joyous newly wedded son and his beaming wife, along with her family dog Ziggy... keep her grounded and real.  

 

Anne’s interest in the body began with her dance studies in college, leading to personal training and then to yoga.  She has spent the last 8 years deepening her vinyassa yoga and meditation practice while raising a family of boys.  Anne’s father is a Lutheran minister who instilled a practice of deep heartfelt intuitive prayer at an early age so her interest in reflective meditation comes to her quite naturally and effortlessly.  Vivid inspiring words brush soulful profound images into the soul and spirit of  all who are fortunate to have Anne’s voice wash over their practice. 

 

Together Heidi and Anne will lead you towards kissing the inner aspect of your true self, stretching beyond your known borders into the spaciousness of  the world around you.

 

Each day will hold a gentle centering yoga practice, readying  our bodies to listen to our most intimate soulful voice. Through our dream study, this elegant, intuitive, poetic side of the psyche will unfold, gradually allowing unrealized abundant energies to emerge.

 

In the afternoon, we will use various art techniques to dig deeper into our morning conversations around our dreams and yoga insights.  We will begin to discover our own unique visual language by creating mandalas. These creations will speak to our dreams and our dreams will speak to our creations. This process will allow us to reconnect with the still small voice within.

 

Creativity is simply a translation of our physical and spiritual worlds, where there is no right or wrong.  As you explore this language of the soul and travel  the bridge  between your outer and inner lives, your journey into your own private sanctuary will begin.

 

Creativity is simply a translation of our physical and spiritual worlds, where there is no right or wrong.  As you explore this language of the soul and travel  the bridge  between your outer and inner lives,  your journey into your own private sanctuary will begin.

Quiet reflection time will be interspersed throughout the day - to meditate, swim, hike, read, journal or just be…..

Excursions beyond La Serrania -  We will begin our week together by visiting the vibrant Sunday market in Pollenca, a charming old world village founded by the Romans in 1229.  It is here we will begin our search for visual symbols while we wander the twists and turns of this village's narrow cobble stone streets.  We will climb 413 steps of the Via Crucis to reach a small hilltop chapel where a statue of the Mother of God will greet us.

Mid week we will enjoy the beautiful Mallorcan country side as we walk to the magical Caves of Campenet.  Here we will enter one of Mother Earth's greatest underground cathedrals.  Formed during the Triassic epoch, 200 million years ago, these limestone caves contain dramatically stunning stalagmite formations that are so ethereal it seems as if we are wandering around within a dream.  It is a sacred experience you will not forget.

Since the 16th century, Mallorca has been a leading center for creating artistic and household glass.   We will visit the artisan glass factory of Lafiore and watch the alchemical process of glass blowing. (www.lafiore.com) The idea of alchemy - turning something common into something extraordinary - mirrors and reinforces the process we are experiencing, diving into our dreams and creativity.

From here we set off to Parc Natural de S'Albufera, 395  hectares of pristine untouched natural beauty.  After our seaside picnic, we will spend time in silence, contemplatively walking towards a prehistoric archeological burial site.  It is on the steps of these circular funerary mounds that we will gather, break silence and continue our dream work.

 Enroll today!  Discover the gifts of your nighttime dreams. Unleash your creative power.
Reconnect with your evolving sense of soul and spirit.

 Early Bird Special

Cost for the full retreat (excluding airfare) is $1,395

After March 1-  $1,495

Workshop fee includes

Daily Art & Yoga instruction as well as inspiring guided meditations
Beautiful spacious serene accommodations within an inspiring natural environment
all meals included - Spectacular All Local Mediterranean meals. Diners paired with sumptuous wine.
Transportation to surrounding villages, inspiring markets and dramatic coastlines
Yoga mats are provided.  There will be a small list of art supplies to bring

Open to both men and women and limited to 14 participants. 

              

For more information and to register:  contact Tim Pennell in Mallorca, Spain at retreats@laserrania.com
for more information and photos - www.laserrania.com

A $600 deposit will hold a space for you.

Testimonial:
"I had heard magic still exists in this world.  Now, I know where it lives.  I am still groping through my suitcase for the words to express my experience at La Serrania.  To dive into the creative cauldron  is to swim toward spiritual ascension.  I looked to the sky and a constellation was formed, whispering me across the sea of time to recapture a wisdom I thought was just a dream.  I played, cried, wrote, smiled and colored my life with images.  They watched, winked, guided, nurtured and stretched me, gently to my origin. 

My advice to those considering...
If your intuition is calling you to this retreat, dive in and swim there wholeheartedly.
 In deepest gratitude,  Caroline Y. (Atlanta, GA)
                              

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Orvieto, Italy
May 8 - 14, 2011

Illuminated Mandalas
an art and soul pilgrimage under the Tuscan Sun

Discover your visual vocabulary by creating a mandala using camera, blind contour drawing, writing, and painting. The mandala is a sacred circle within a square or rectangle used by many cultures to lead to introspective meditation or prayer.

 
 
 

http://www.adventuresinitaly.net/DarrHopeInfoSheet.pdf

www.AdventuresInItaly.net

 

 

2011date to be announced
 

Oaxaca, Mexico

Casa Sagrada Retreat
 

Word and Image: The Language of the Soul

Join us in the mystical countryside of Oaxaca, Mexico where we will blend ancient traditional ceremonies with our own creative journeys in word and in image. Casa Sagrada, an intimate retreat center nestled in the hills above the village of Teotitlan del Valle, will be the site of Heidi newest retreat. Easily accessible by air, it is just 15 minutes from Oaxaca's international airport and 45 minutes south of Mexico City.
 

Seeking camaraderie with kindred spirits?

Searching for time to reflect and find clarity?

  • Longing to nourish and feed your soul?
  •  
  • Yearning to embrace and reconnect with your Creative Self?
  •  

Curious to learn about indigenous healing ceremony and beliefs?

 

Open yourself to  the language of the soul through Word and Image by retreating into the mystical countryside of Oaxaca, Mexico.   Deepen your connections to self while you restore, revitalize and enliven your spirit through Image and Word.

Cost for the full retreat (excluding airfare) is $1495. 
 

Contact Heidi at: heidi@darr-hope.com for more information.
See Casa Sagrada at: www.casasagrada.com. 

Open to both men and women and limited to 14 participants.
 

  •  the restorative power of the creative arts through Word and Image

  • Create vibrant prose and poetic images

  • Integrate our daily creative practices into our bodies through Hatha yoga using movement and conscious breathing thereby infusing our spirits with strength, flexibility and inner calm

  • Cleanse and purify our spirits through the ancient indigenous healing arts of Mexico experiencing a traditional temazcal (similar to the Native American sweat lodge) as well as the option to experience a Limpias, a Mexican “spirit cleansing".

  • Walk the Holy path of Guia Betz, the sacred mountain of pilgrimage that overlooks the Zapotec village of Teotitlan.

  • Feel the power of sacred community


 

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