The Sedona Art Retreat offers a unique tour of self-discovery as you explore a world of creative possibilities. Sedona is known for three things; its beautiful and unique landscape, its art colony atmosphere and as a place for spiritual retreat. The Sedona Arts Center has wrapped these elements into a unique package where art and self-discovery fuse – creating a life changing experience.

The retreat starts with an orientation the evening before the first day of experiences. We then explore different models and aspects of creativity in two sessions per day over three days. Komala will meet with the group briefly at the end of each day. The final meeting takes place at the end of Komala’s session on the Talisman. Some meetings will take place at artists home/studios and some will take place in the Sedona Arts Center classrooms. Detailed itinerary and maps will be made available to all registrants at orientation.

Retreat Dates:

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Orientation – Komala U. Rohde

The Sedona Art Retreat begins with a Welcome evening session with your retreat coordinator Komala. We will meet as a group and begin to define what is important to us in our creative exploration.  An orientation and outline of the retreat is given.

Komala is a jewelry artist and teacher. Her international career encompasses over 20 years of teaching energy work to students in Europe, Japan as well as in the United States. Sitting at the workbench and creating jewelry is a meditation for her. Komala is certified both as Metal Clay artist and teacher. She is a member of the PMC guild. Komala loves working with both silver and base metals like Bronze, Copper and Steel.

Creative Journaling – Libby Caldwell

Libby teaches us how to combine sketches, color, and words to make unique personal compositions that capture the heart of the moments and memories in your life. By engaging and using all the senses these techniques can be applied to recording everyday life, life changing events, travels and things remembered. Additionally you will learn how to use the process to identify a challenge creatively and through rearranging its form - dispel its energy.

Libby has pursued many forms of creative expression: portraiture, painting, illustration. Most recently she has been painting large scale work inspired by small moments captured in her journals and through her photography. Her journaling classes help people to document both the inner and outer journey through drawing, painting and the written word; developing an expanded awareness by engaging all the senses, enhancing the memory and enriching experience.

Out of the Smoke – Dennis Ott

Each student will use the process of hand building a bowl to connect with the beautiful relationship between emptiness and form. Unexpected results happen during a Raku firing of works that you will glaze. Your completed bowls will be glazed with your choice of finish and sent to you later. The kiln teaches us to create & then let go.

Dennis Ott is the Head of the Ceramics Department at the Sedona Arts Center. He is a popular instructor in wheel-work and hand building with clay and a master of the Raku firing process. Dennis began his pottery career over 20 years ago with his first pottery class at the Sedona Arts Center. “ Clay is my window that allows me to see the creativity that is within me. I’ll start with an idea and make changes along the way as new possibilities occur. The end result is a captured moment of spontaneous creativity with clay being the catalyst. Each piece represents its own moment and therefore is one of a kind.”

The Collage – Vince Fazio

This guided collage process starts with intuitively gathering imagery,  then combines design principles with content to integrate images. Students learn to identify and balance the two sided aspects of connections - the narrative and the aesthetic.  A ‘group wisdom’ is then explored to fine-tune the image and story that each collage presents.

Vince is the Director of the School at the Sedona Arts Center. He has taught drawing and painting for many years in the college semester and workshop formats. This collage workshop was originally developed as an element of his painting workshop. He is known for his landscape paintings of the Southwest and still life paintings that include a collage aspect. Vince holds an MFA in painting from the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Photographing Essence – Kelli Klymenko

Moving beyond the photograph, Kelli will help you explore the essence of a location rather than simply the image itself.  You’ll begin in the studio with an orientation and then venture into the magnificent Sedona landscape where you will learn to capture the spirit of a place and deepen your self-discovery and expression. Kelli will lead you in a brief mediation to help you connect with your inner self and see your surroundings with new vision, an open heart and a cleared mind. You’ll learn how to photograph feelings rather than just scenes or the landscape. Move beyond the technicalities of photography and explore the true essence of composition through emotion.

Kelli Klymenko is the Marketing Director of Sedona Arts Center. Kelli lives in Sedona with his wife and three children and embraces all aspects of art. He studied at Parsons School of Design in NYC and proudly boasts being an artist, storyteller, photographer, yogi, husband, father, and science aficionado. ::Grow; learn; conserve; preserve; question; educate; change; free your mind::

The LifeMask – Liz Learmont

'LifeMasking' is a beautiful process of self discovery, acceptance and rebirth. Participants will have a demonstration/orientation and then facilitate each other in creating a real LifeMask with complete guidance from Liz. Everyone will emerge with a new liberating view of themselves. Options for hand casting rather than face-masks are offered.

Liz holds degrees in Computer Science, Math, and Physics with a 20 year career in corporate software engineering and management; yet her passion has expressed itself in the arts throughout her life. Since 1985 Liz has explored the ancient art of LifeMask Sculpting. Her ‘“mask’” is a process more than a product. The materials, sensitivity, and design Liz applies to her forms create a powerful and captivating life expression of the subject's spirit.

Creating the Talisman and Integration – Komala U. Rohde

Using texture and color, this workshop explores decorative finishing techniques in jewelry making to create a talisman. A memories of the retreat begins the designing process for this piece of jewelry. Participants can choose between making a pendant or a small domed plate while applying Patina to a hammered piece of Metal. Letting the talisman reflect inner qualities and beauty, this workshop will deepen the recognition of your own beauty. This session with the retreat coordinator rounds off the Sedona Art Retreat In this meeting we share results and insights gathered throughout the process.

Call 928-282-3809 for more information or email: sac@sedonaartscenter.com