Walking, Planning, and Making: A Winter Retreat by the Bay

This past February I was gifted an incredible opportunity to rest and retreat in Villas, near Cape May, New Jersey, at the beautiful and homey Sole Cottage owned by Stacey and Dan. As I began thinking about writing a blog post about this experience, it occurred to me that sharing a bit about how I approached this time away might be helpful to anyone hoping to carve out intentional space for their art practice and/or business—no matter what stage you are in.

The first thing that feels important to define are the terms themselves: art retreat, residency, business retreat, time away, vacation, and trip. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things—especially as an artist and a business owner.

Here is how I think about them:

Art Retreat – Time away dedicated to working on your art (or exploring a new direction) while also filling yourself up with inspiration that will sustain your practice moving forward. This can be done alone or with others. Personally, I find it works best with a little bit of structure and a loose schedule.

Residency – A dedicated period of time, usually connected to an institution, focused on creating new work – often a specific project. Residencies can be paid with a stipend or grant, offered free to artists, or sometimes require a fee.

Business Retreat – Many artists also run businesses, so time away focused on the business side of things like annual planning, finances, goal setting, and big-picture thinking is critical for the life of the business just like it is for your art.

Time Away – A break from your normal routine without a specific focus.

Vacation – Relaxation, usually enjoyed with others.

Trip – An adventure that might be mentally stimulating, a little exhausting, and often full of new perspective.

With those definitions in mind, I set out to create what I would call a mini art retreat.

Stacey and Dan generously offered their cottage to their artist friends for a few days at the cost of the cleaning fee. It was an incredibly generous gesture, and I felt so grateful to take advantage of the opportunity—especially after hosting my February Gathering for my Wonder Mastermind.

I spent some time thinking about what I really wanted from those few days. Since the beach is my all-time favorite place to be in every season, the first thing I knew was that I wanted to walk. A lot.

In addition to walking, I hoped to:

• get my annual plan for Atwater a bit more organized
• cook simple, healthy meals
• begin a new series of collages

It felt important not to overplan. Just enough structure to hold the days together and not let me brain stray to distraction where I would be disappointed (thank dumb scrolling instead of intentional reading), but plenty of space to breathe.

I packed a big salad and some groceries from home, tried to keep everything light and simple, and headed out for my Tuesday–Friday retreat. I brought food for the first dinner and decided I would figure out the rest once I arrived and saw what the kitchen was like and what I was able to cook in the space. I got there just after lunchtime, settled in, ate my salad, and then immediately headed out for a walk on the beach at low tide. I breathed in, breathed out, and took lots of photographs of sand textures and gray skies. What an instant reset.

When I came back to the cottage, I unpacked, sorted through my things, and made a loose plan for the days ahead. The kitchen was fully stocked (including a very cool coffee machine and local coffee!) which made my desire to cook and eat at the house 100% possible.

Tuesday
Settle in
Salad from home
Long walk
To-do lists, sorting emails, catching up
Evening walk
Chicken and roasted carrots
Reading

Wednesday — fresh brain, full day ahead
Avocado toast and coffee
Long walk
Monthly finances + big-picture Atwater planning
Grocery store to pick up the things needed for the rest of my week
Lentil soup and apple + cheddar toasts
Annual planning (continued)
Long walk
Salmon with protein pasta, spinach, and carrots
Movie

Thursday (I was so excited to have another full day!)
Avocado toast and coffee
Long walk + photographs
Collage work
Lunch — leftovers
More collage work
Long walk
Dinner + a photography talk on Zoom

Friday
Long walk
Bagel and coffee out
Pack up and head home

The cottage quickly became my little retreat headquarters. It was cozy, welcoming, and comfortable. It felt like being home, but without all the distractions of home. No laundry. No pup to walk. No everyday obligations quietly asking for attention. The couch was so comfortable and the bathtub even had a caddy for your book while you take a bath! (and yes, of course I took a bath!)

Time like this feels essential to me. It is often during these small retreats that both my art and my business come back into alignment. I truly believe that stepping away in this intentional way is one of the reasons my business runs the way it does.

Each year I try to make space for some version of retreat; sometimes focused on art, sometimes on business, and sometimes a bit of both. Because these early months of the year are not usually my most productive “making months” (I need sunshine for that!), I often use the winter to focus on the structural parts of the business.

This time gave me the quiet I needed to clarify many pieces of the year ahead – things that would have been much harder to sort through while at home. The days reminded me how powerful a small change of place can be. It doesn’t need to be far away, expensive, or even very long. Sometimes it is simply about stepping out of the rhythm of everyday life long enough to concentrate on your own thoughts. Whether it is a weekend, a day trip, or a few hours carved out close to home, I hope you find a way to give yourself that kind of space too.

Thank you Stacey and Dan! And thank you to Mother Nature for being gray and moody the whole time, I loved it!