 |
| Pat Howard and Linda Laing |
 |
| At check-in, each participant received a tote bag, filled with sketchbook, pencil, pen, glue stick, agenda for the weekend, a map of the estate, and a bottle of water! |
People started arriving around 3 pm . . .
 |
| Susan, Diane, Gina, & Cristy |
Didn't take long for people to start gathering and mingling on the covered deck, with its breathtaking view of Longs Peak and the Rocky Mountains.
 |
| Cheri Thurston |
 |
| Susan and Pat |
 |
| Some samples of Pat's, Cheri's, and Zach's work. |
After everyone had arrived, we got things started with a Welcome Reception, with introductions, overview of the retreat, and some insight into the place where we were staying for four days.
My good friends, Marcy Pryor and Carol Cure, from Durango, showed up with an amazing meal, and some appetizers, for everyone!
 |
| Cheri, helping with the deviled eggs |
After the meal, we got the retreat off to a fast start, with a "Musical Chairs" Painting Game, in the Art Studio --
 |
| Can you see the skepticism on their faces? |
Everyone got a small palette of watercolor pigments, one brush, one reference, one small square of Aquabord, and a container of water.
 |
| Pat, explaining the game. |
Okay! Time to start painting!
After 10 minutes, everyone put down her brush, got up, moved to her right, sat down again, picked up that brush, and started painting on that painting.
We took a break after a few 10-minute painting intervals. So, at this point, everyone had painted on about 4 paintings.
Everyone was having so much fun, that they forgot to be skeptical.
Time to paint again . . . So, everyone grabbed a seat at a new painting.
After a few more 10-minute painting intervals, changing seats in between each one, everyone was asked to finish the painting that was in front of her.
What a great start to our Art Retreat -- excited for Day Two!
 |
| Thanks to my son, Zach, for being the photographer for our retreat -- and for all the other things he helped with! |
