It truly feels like after a magical trip, it’s hard to find the right words to accurately describe all that you felt, saw, and discovered. Of course, that doesn’t make for much of a blogpost, so I’ll try despite my limitations as a writer. Women from around the United States all flew to Paris and then took a 2 hour train ride to Strasbourg, France all with the same mission: to attend a creative retreat hosted by our gallery and artist
Jessi Raulet.
The trip began with a phone call several months ago in which
Jessi
and I were talking about future plans and shows.
Jessi
mentioned she would be interested in a retreat and I had wanted to create a “creative retreat” that would help women tap into some inspiration and creativity that often results from travel and new friends. After many months of work, and the details smoothed out by travel agent extraordinaire, Whitney of Undiscovered Sunsets, it was time to -head out of the trip. Here are 3 things that inspired me:
1. The attendees. It was an act of bravery to attend this retreat. Some of the women knew one or maybe two other women at most but many of the women did not know anyone else. They trusted us (the gallery and
Jessi) and that trust and bravery inspired me. It reminded me that it’s good to feel uncomfortable from time to time (traveling internationally alone, putting yourself out there to meet new friends, trying new types of art and experiences) and that great reward can come from it.
2.
Jessi, herself.
Jessi
has a bright light and energy that makes people feel at ease and excited for what’s next. I often find that as a curator I understand an artist’s artwork better once I have met them and this was no exception.
Jessi’s artwork
radiates warmth, welcomeness, and positivity. It’s for all of those reasons collectors are so attracted to it. It’s art that you want to live with.
Jessi
is a person you want to know. She also makes you feel like she truly wants to know you too.
3.
The Alsace region.
Our wonderful tour guide, Amandine, was with us for two days. She said “if you ask someone from this area where they are from they won’t say France or Germany but Alsace.” That territory throughout history has been both French and German and has a distinct collaboration of the two cultures. The architecture, food, and people feel both French and German. We all loved wandering through Strasbourg and discovering tucked away restaurants and beautiful buildings and the most beautiful clear skies. On a day trip to Germany we were all delighted by
Baden-Baden
(it didn’t hurt that a trip to the spa was also on that day’s itinerary). Once of the best meals of the trip came in the form of stuffed zucchini blossoms with ratatouille and we all rode home in the bus feeling zen after a wonderful day.
Below are major points of our itinerary if you are ever heading to the Strasbourg area or Alsace region. If you go, I hope you enjoy these spots as much as we did -
We will be planning more retreats in the future and would love for you to join us! If you are interested in more information
please let us know.
