A Book of Ours - a "Vision Quest"

We provide structure but also hold space for the unfolding of a unique personal and group experience. 

Inspired by the “pilgrim's passport”, throughout the week  you will be working on a “soul book / personal journal of exploration”. Using mixed media and intuitive exercises, Sharon (calligrapher, artist, retreat facilitator) will support you in putting raw material into a book form. This can include your own stamps that you will create, and “prompts” from the imagery we will have explored. Sharon has many years of teaching this exercise and will skilfully support each individual participant in their own unique journey and individual response. 

During the week Basia will offer presentations and poetic explorations on the Camino, liminal space and symbols of transformation in relation to the Camino and sacred geometry as a contemplative exercise. You will also be learning how to prepare your own pigments using precious stones, camino earths and gold leaf.

The week will also consist of visits to some special local places including a sunrise visit to ancient 5,000 year old petroglyphs carved with labyrinths and the beautiful “ermita” of Santa Marina, secluded in nature, where we will be collecting our pigments. 

Sharing circles by the fire and all else that the space and its participants invite.

Vision Quest

A Vision Quest is typically defined as a Native American Rite of Passage (for young men) who go alone into the wilderness for several days in order to make contact with a spirit guide in the form of an animal. It is a solitary ordeal, where one faces the challenges of both inner and outer elements but comes away with a stronger grounding in one's self and within one's community.  At the end of the quest the totem animal accompanies the individual and remains with him all his life, offering, wisdom, comfort,  guidance and support. 

As Joseph Campbell tells us in the Hero's Journey "the quest" as a rite of passage is not unique to Native Americans (nor limited to males) and is a cross cultural phenomena found in the myths and stories of all peoples. For whoever is willing to take it a "vision quest"  is a means by which to gain both personal growth as well as healing and consciousness to ones entire group.

By heeding the call to create something we begin a journey of solitude into our inner world, often challenged by critical voices  and alternatively guided by intuitive wisdom. The invitation during this week is to let go of rules we know about art making with an invitation to embrace the process of the journey and follow one's intuition in moving through what may feel like unknown territory in discovering our own "personal vision". 

Sharon Zeugin makes art and teaches workshops in her Austin, Texas Studio, and throughout the USA, Canada and Italy & Spain. In addition to being a faculty member of numerous international calligraphy conferences, Sharon was a  Program Coordinator for the  Literally Letters Program at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, and  faculty member of the Austin Contemporary Art School.  Her award winning work appears in publications such as Letter Arts Review, The Calligrapher’s Engagement Calendar, Somerset Studio Magazine, the Lark Book,”The Art and Craft of Hand Lettering,” and most recently, the 24th edition of the classic Speedball Textbook. On any day of the week she would rather be drawing, painting, writing, dancing, swimming and playing Samba.

In addition to making and teaching art,  Sharon is a visual practitioner specializing in custom maps, graphic recording and sketch notes.

Basia  Goodwin (MA) studied  at  the  Prince's  Foundation  School  of  Traditional  Arts.  Bertrand  Gamrowski  (PhD)  has  an  educational  background  in  mathematics.  Flores  del  Camino  is  our  home  and  it  is  a  work  of  love. Throughout  the  year  we  receive  pilgrims  on  their  way  to  Santiago,  run  retreats and  when  time  permits  make  our  art.  It  is  our  great  honour to live,  work  and  serve  on  this  beautiful  road.