More than 100 years ago, a cultural movement swept the United States in which people would travel to a sort of a summer camp where they would take classes, attend lectures and concerts, and enjoy the surrounding beauty of nature. These communities were called chautauquas, and President Theodore Roosevelt called them “the most American thing in America.”
I had never heard of a chautauqua when I met Ali Dejohn last year during a trip to Colorado, and when she invited me to come at teach at a retreat she was organizing I didn’t really know anything about The Makerie, either.
Turns out, The Makerie and the chautauqua have a lot in common. And, as it happens, The Makerie is held at the Colorado Chautauqua, a spectacular site on the edges of Boulder which is one of the few remaining chautauquas in the nation and which is located right at the base of the Flatirons. It’s really a perfect place for a creative, inspirational retreat, with adorable little cabins set at the base of the trails and community buildings nearby for meetings and classes. The scenery and location are breathtaking.
I tend to be a little skeptical of retreats. Maybe it comes from too many years of summer camp, too many forced group activities, or maybe it comes from living in New York for so long and developing a little bit of a New Yorker’s cynicism. I don’t want anyone tugging on my emotions and trying to get me to connect with a group–unless I want to do it. So I was a little suspicious when I arrived at the Makerie and walked into Academic Hall to pick up keys to the cabin I would be sharing with three other instructors.
While I might be a little suspicious of the retreat experience, I’m still a big believer in the power of a weekend getaway. Lots of good things can happen from a little change in scenery, a chance to to meet new people, and time to be inspired and to learn something and make something.
It turns out, the Makerie is nothing and everything like that. Yes, it’s a retreat. No, there’s no kumbaya or campfire or forced activities. Instead, it’s full of like-minded people (mostly women, with a few brave men–go, men!) who are enthusiastic about making things, about exploring creativity, and about being part of a new community. It’s a relaxing and energizing experience, and everyone can do what they want, which is enormously freeing in itself.
I was hooked almost immediately. I learned new things. I made new friends. I was inspired. I didn’t want to leave. And I was a teacher! I can just imagine how much more fun it would have been if I could actually have taken the classes instead of planning for them and doing the teaching! There are two days of classes, and this year’s offerings included intuitive painting, multimedia embroidery, crochet, photography, food styling, letterpress printing, and sewing. With some really impressive teachers, too! You can see this year’s class offerings here. How can anyone choose, given all those amazing options?
The sense of community at the retreat was what really grabbed me. One evening we had a panel discussion about creativity, and several of us teachers continued that conversation well into the night when we got back to our cottage. I had so much fun getting to know many of the people who attended the retreat, and it was amazing to see how many friendships grew. I know that I’ll be staying in touch with quite a few people, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this regard.
You know I’m a sucker for details, and Ali’s attention to detail is disarming. The tone was perfectly set at check-in and continued all the way through the weekend, with adorable little class signs, the most amazingly packed picnic lunches, and a wonderful lounge area filled with craft books and snacks and comfortable chairs to sit around in while we chatted and spent time together.
Will I be going back? You’d better believe it! I’m already making plans for next year. And if this sounds like something you would enjoy, I would encourage you to put your name on the Makerie’s mailing list so you’ll know when enrollment opens for 2013. But start planning now, because the size of the retreat is limited, and I’m certain that as word gets out it will fill up quickly. This is something you don’t want to miss!
If you’d like to see more photos from the Makerie, you can find a whole bunch of them here. Thanks so much to Teryn and Linda for letting me use their wonderful shots!