A weekend Tribe

Four beautiful people.

Myself, painter Jerzy Michalski, print-maker Mandy Renard and Douglas Webster (Windgrove writer-in-residence)

We came together this past weekend for a serious and convivial, light-hearted and deeply intellectual probing of Sufi and similarly inspired spiritual/earth based poetry. Our focused intent was to discuss how poetry influenced and directed each of us in our work as artists, in our personal relationships, and, in our development of self.

We read aloud to each other passages from Rumi, Hafiz, Zbigniew Herbert, Billy Collins, Kabir, Kahlil Gibran and Bibi Hayati as well as several poems from fellow participant Douglas.

We prepared and served each other food and drink, sweet and savory delicacies, love, wonderment and hugh admiration.

We walked the property and marveled as one at the flux and interplay of the sacred and profane.

This small gathering of like-minded artists was also very important as it was the first gathering of people at Windgrove with a set agenda for several years and, therefore, marked the beginning of the re-emergence of Windgrove as a refuge for learning. The intention is to continue on with small workshops and retreats that deal with the fusion of spirit, art and ecology.

Along with Windgrove, once again, becoming a place for group retreats, the arrival two weeks ago of long time friend and colleague Douglas Webster for a month long stay announced the re-start of the residency program.

The photo shows the recently re-modeled and re-furnished sleeping and working area for the visiting Windgrove resident. Small and compact, but warm, friendly and conducive to creative work.

There are now two living spaces for residents that are relatively private and separated from the main house. I am trying to summon up the energy to proceed with the creation of a third resident house.