by Lauren Lynch
Sometimes we just need to go off on our own to reconnect with our imagination. Anyone can be creative, but these skills must be nurtured and developed. A retreat can be just the thing to launch or complete a project, explore a new technique, edit a novel, write a short story, or produce some plein air paintings. Whatever you’ve been yearning to do.
A retreat can be done solo if you’re comfortable venturing off on your own, or as a couple working independently, with a friend or two if you’re like-minded (and can either collaborate or trade constructive critiques at the end of the day) — or even in an RV parked in your own driveway. When we’re at home, we keep our travel trailer at the back of our driveway, plugged in. The dinette at the back has a large window that overlooks the woods at the back of our property. If I leave only the blinds open in the back, I’d never know I wasn’t deep in the forest.
Solitude can be an important part of the creative process. And our brains function best when well-rested, free from distractions and time-draining daily tasks. For optimal results, we should plan on investing in a long weekend at the very least for a productive retreat.
Given a break from the drudgery of routine and into the beauty of nature, our imaginations can run wild. We recently went on a trip to an area we’d never explored. There were so many interesting things to do there that we visited several a day and still didn’t have a chance to see them all.
I’d love to plan another trip to this area to visit the sites that inspired me the most and to linger there long enough for some plein air painting, journaling or writing. This would allow my husband time to do the long-exposure photography that he enjoys, so it would work well to do this sort of retreat together.
Retreats are especially helpful when we feel blasé or blocked. They’re also particularly important when you live and work in the same space. If your career is creative, you should be very intentional about planning retreats. Here are some ideas to keep in mind as you plan one…
Eliminate Distractions
You’ll need to unplug for this. Resist the temptation to check your phone, email, or social media. Warn your friends and family in advance that you’ll be unavailable and just allow yourself to focus on a creative project or two. Agree in advance that there will be no interruptions. I think about how my favorite artists of the past allowed themselves distance from others while in creative mode. Georgia O’Keeffe had New Mexico, Gaugin had Tahiti, Miró had Mallorca, Frida Kahlo and husband Diego Rivera had separate homes and studios next door to each other.
"My work is always better when I am alone
and follow my own impressions.”
- Claude Monet
Even thinking back to my own art school years, there were no cell phones, internet or social media. We connected face to face more often and transitioned to downtime with few temptations. And those were crazy busy days for me, going to school full-time, working part-time, completing assignments and still managing to have a social life. Somehow, though, it was easier to quiet my mind and focus on my projects when I needed to.
Modern life is demanding and overstimulating. We must be more willful about making time for art. Too many things scream for our attention. Time away from these demands is key to being productive.
Keep Things Simple
Pre-make or plan ahead very simple meals …
- Light snacks like fruit, cheese/crackers, brie/melbas, veggies & dip, nuts
- Special drinks (if non-alcoholic find something that feels like a special treat: think artisan root beer, exotic juices or teas, Perrier with lime)
Take time to just relax and think with no agenda. I find it helpful to have a journal and sketchbook nearby at all times.
Encourage Relaxation
Don’t pressure yourself too much the first day. Allow yourself to decompress, unwind … play! Doodle, brainstorm, swatch colors, journal, dream. This should help get the creative juices flowing.
Take along some comfort items. You know what you love. Here are some things I enjoy:
- A hammock (there is just something about being suspended in mid-air). I refer to my hammock time as dangling. I can feel my body unwind.
- A microwave neck warmer soothes away stress that can hamper creativity (and too much time spent hunched over a painting or a manuscript).
- Herbal teas in a variety of flavors.
- My special feather pillow and body pillow for a good night’s sleep.
Pinpoint and Cultivate Your Optimal Creative Environment
We each respond to sensory stimulation in our own unique way. It’s helpful to understand our own particular preferences and needs and also to know and respect the needs of those closest to us. As creators, it’s helpful to intentionally design a working environment that is stimulating without being over-stimulating. Consider your personal preferences…
- Visual (sight)
Dim/bright, indoor/outdoor, surrounded with creative clutter or a minimalist environment devoid of distractions - Auditory (sound)
White noise, nature sounds, classical ambiance, music with lyrics, or complete silence. - Tactile (touch)
Comfy clothing and chair, sensory toys (see the section below). - Olfactory (smell)
Some enjoy aromatherapy, others will find it annoying. I keep a bottle of lime essential oil on my desk and just open and inhale it every once in a while. There is something both stimulating and soothing about its pungent, tangy aroma to me. - Gustatory (taste)
Wine and chocolate, tea and scones, gourmet jelly beans … whatever treats make you sigh. Then keep them in moderation.
I’ve learned over the years that I’m sensitive to (pretty much everything lol) bright lights, loud noises, clothes that are not soft, harsh smells and certain food textures (I cannot gag down bananas or Jell-O). We’re all unique. Certain things soothe us, others irritate us. It just makes sense to have a soothing place to go where we can avoid or escape our irritants and surround ourselves with things that both calm and exhilarate our senses.
My husband enjoys music that I consider obnoxious. He can also have multiple sounds going at the same time. I find it disturbing, but it’s actually soothing for him. When I am alone in a car or at home, the radio is usually off. I process things in silence. One of the nicest things about a retreat is carving out time alone and having the luxury of steeping ourselves in our own ideal environment.
Tools For Getting Unstuck
Take along small mindless amusements. I have a basket of little brain-stimulating toys and tactile sensory tools. Get a little silly. No one is watching. While I’m playing, I mull ideas. There is something productive in fidgeting or pacing. Nervous energy can be harnessed and honed into creative energy. I enjoy thinking putty and squishy shapes (things I can mindlessly manipulate while I ponder a project), but here are some other fun ideas:
- origami kit, zen garden, Buddha Board water painting
- kaleidoscope, Thinking Putty, shimmering amethyst kinetic sand
- story cubes, Writers Remedy word magnets, story prompts
- magnetic sculpture building blocks or balls, buzz magnets in a velvet pouch
- small solitaire games or puzzle books
Invest in a few playful items and keep them in a bin near your work area where you can spontaneously grab them to keep your hands and mind active. The point is to let go of perfectionism, fear, opinion — even a sense of technique or style — and just play. We need to be childlike in our curiosity and eagerness to explore new things. It’s how we make new discoveries and grow.
“Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
― Pablo Picasso
Tapping Into Your Inner Genius
Years ago, I found a fun technique for tapping into creative powers. I’m a visual learner and processor, so mind-mapping works really well for me. It’s an organic way to plot out ideas and thoughts. A great Tony Buzan video explains if you’re not familiar with the technique. I love his term explosive creativity!
Michelangelo and Einstein used similar brainstorming methods — and they’re easy to apply to any project or goal. This technique unleashes creativity. No rules. Start with a simple flow chart and branch off from one idea. Doodle images and ideas, use color. This will trigger other ideas.
A couple of decades ago while I was pregnant and very open to the change in my life, I found a book called How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Micheal J. Gelb. I had a difficult pregnancy and spent a lot of time sitting in waiting rooms and hooked up to monitors. I dragged that book around with me put the ideas into practice while I waited. It helped me channel all that nervous energy into something productive. (You can also search for Michael J. Gelb videos on YouTube. He’s quite entertaining.)
Use these techniques to organize your ideas into a project you’re excited about. Plot a book, explore a theme for an art project, or just dream up your next creative retreat!
Embracing Your Personal Path to Problem-solving and Creativity
Each of us has a unique style of learning and approaching projects. If you’re not aware of what works best for you or holds you back, think back to your school years. What made learning fun? What helped you process new knowledge best? Which classes did you enjoy or dislike and why?
I learn best by seeing, then hands-on doing. As an artist, I’m also very visual. It’s difficult for me to learn by just listening to a lecture. However, I found that if I took notes, that created enough visual stimulus to lock an idea into my brain. I didn’t have to reread or study my notes later, I just needed to transfer the ideas to paper to truly absorb them. I am also better at communicating by writing or drawing than speaking.
Working in harmony with our gifts and limitations will help us be more productive (and happy)!
Finding Places That Inspire
A few places I’ve explored come to mind first. Most are remote or have low visitor traffic. Cumberland Island in Georgia was a wonderful place, accessible only by ferry (the kind that transports people, not cars), with lovely live oaks, an abandoned mansion, deserted beaches and wild horses. On our most recent trip, we visited Poinsett Bridge in South Carolina, a scenic and historic place with an otherworldly vibe. (See photo of Patrick photographing it above.) Find a place that stirs your creative soul and figure out a way to get there. (If budget is truly holding you back, then at least watch a video or study photos of an inspiring location, then let your imagination take you there.)
Now Plan That Retreat!
This process isn’t about pushing yourself (or deadline desperation) but nurturing your creative spirit, revitalizing, tapping into what inspires you the most. Even if you think you don’t have the time or means to book a week or two off, do your best to carve out a long weekend for yourself a few times a year. Rekindle that fire that burned in you when you first started. You can do this!
© Lauren Lynch and artofrv.com, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Lauren Lynch and artofrv.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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