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Community Corner

A Vacation Retreat For Artists And Writers

An Outdoor Experience to Enhance Relaxation, Creativity & Connection.

Everywhere you look in the outdoor spaces, where Annie Kelleher holds artist and writer workshops, you see pockets of serenity. Breathing space. Whether it’s a small meadow encircled by stone walls; the two ponds teaming with fish, at least one turtle, a visiting great blue heron, frogs and others; or the choice of gardens, Zen or tea.

Participants are invited to come onto what Kelleher calls, “a little piece of paradise in Canton,” in the morning before the retreat begins. They are encouraged to begin tapping into their creativity through: raking the Zen garden; creating a painting of the fish in the pond; or just taking a nap in the meadow. “It’s like a date you take your inner artist on,” says Kelleher, smiling.

While there is significance to this type of individual work, Kelleher stresses the importance of the participants coming together in the early afternoon. “A lot of synergy occurs in the group; the energy is nourishing.” Some of the tools she uses to enhance the participant experience include: creative visualization, guided meditation, yoga and writing exercises such as tarot cards to build characters in a story.

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Wendy Darasz enjoys the workshops because she finds Kelleher very organized and, “equitable to everyone who participates. She taps into a creative place that you may not have known you had.”

“This space is so whimsical,” observes Rachel Rose, another recent workshop participant. “It’s encapsulated in a safe zone. You can come to this place, where no one judges you and where everyone is sharing. It’s literally like peace from the craziness.” And, that’s the point.

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Then there’s Steve; resident ghost Steve Castanzi, the original owner and architect for the property. In the 1960s, he was known for his dapper manner of dressing and the great parties he threw on the property. He passed away in the early 1990’s. “Steve still thinks it’s his paradise,” offers Kelleher. “He created it and doesn’t want to leave. He has a sense of ownership.”

Kelleher began offering workshops for writers, three years after her first novel was published. She’s been using the Canton space since 2003. Her dream is to start a writer’s colony on the Big Island of Hawaii. But for now, she’s here in Canton where she’s “going to begin small; sticking my big toe in the writer’s colony dream.”

“People crave time outside their everyday lives to focus on themselves and to do whatever they want to do,” says Kelleher. “The retreats are a chance to connect with others who have the same types of needs and issues. Kindred spirits.”

 

Here’s the Deal

Vacation Artists & Writers Retreat: begins July 6 & 7, (860) 693-1613; 196 Bahre Corner Road, Canton: www.anniekelleher.blogsport.com; anniekelleher@aol.com.

 

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