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June 20-28 FULLY BOOKED
July 3-11 FULLY BOOKED
2024 retreats in Morocco, Bali and Greece - sign up and be the first to know!
THE 2023 ART + YOGA RETREATS in BALI with ESTE MACLEOD
If you love the idea of an entire indulgent week of art, yoga, good food, sea swimming and restorative Balinese massages in a tropical island paradise, then Florabunda Plus might be just for you.
Many thanks for a magnificent experience!
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Glenda W. Melbourne Australia, Florabunda 2022
These 9-day/8-night retreats offer you an expansive week to focus on making four multi-layered canvases with the guidance and inspiration of internationally renowned artist Esté MacLeod.
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Not only a deep-dive week with 35-hours of tuition sharing Esté 's detailed techniques for drawing, planning and painting floral-inspired subjects, this really special retreat also includes:
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All your artist-quality GOLDEN materials - Esté is a Golden Artist educator; we will be using the same materials and products she uses in her professional practice. (You just need to bring a sketchbook ).
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A full day tour into the beautiful East Bali region of Abang for guided plein air drawing of botanicals, and a swim in the royal bathing ponds fed by natural spring waters, before a hidden gem lunch treat of gourmet Balinese delicacies as you view the majestic Mt Agung, Bali's famous, most revered volcano (yes, we have three here!)
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Boating and snorkeling with a guide - optional, of course
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Cooking'n'Cocktails with our executive chef - cook your own 7-dish megibung with tips and recipes to be able to make it at home - plus our Signature Nilaya cocktails and snacks as you stir the sauce!
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A stylish night out on the town with fine dining, cocktails and live jazz
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Daily yoga (including 'proper' chair yoga so everyone is included!), starting with a 30-minute breathwork session when you arrive, and a full yoga session after painting, with alternative days for extra long shavasana and 2 guided deep rest yoga nidra sessions
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A 60-minute deliciously restorative Balinese massage or reflexology treat with our expert masseuses using Sensatia's pure sweet almond oil infused with restorative essential oils where you choose your favourite scent - Meditation or Relaxation - and you'll receive a little souvenir bottle to take some home too
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A 90-minute heavenly, live sound-bathing experience (some call it 'sound therapy' or 'healing' - we just call it divine) that will have your senses and imagination floating ...
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plus your choice of accommodation and breakfast for 8 nights + airport collection + most meals
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and time to yourself on a mid-week rest day, with the last afternoon free for shopping or more pampering
A luxurious week where all you need do is turn up each day after breakfast (and perhaps an early-morning dip? ... the snorkeling is fabulous), having taken the short walk in our pretty village to Villa Nilaya, where our first 30 minutes of the day are spent with yoga teacher Angelina, who'll lead us in some calm and focusing breathwork - pranayama - and then to art ...
Flowers are integral to Balinese spiritual life; colours signify cosmic directions and the gods residing there. The many-layered spiritual world of the Balinese people - Hindu, Buddhist and animist traditions all combined into a distinctive form of island Hinduism. This week, you too will embrace these beautiful blooms to create an abundant and multi-layered vision of tropical flora - flora abunda!
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And at the end of each day? A deeply restorative, full, luxuriant yoga class with Angelina on our beautiful teak-floored yoga space.
Stretch, breathe and relax deeply ... drift off to sleep, perhaps, to the sound of the lapping sea at the end of the garden .... before padding downstairs as evening gathers, for a healthy, delicious buffet dinner prepared by our own Villa Nilaya chefs, with alternate evenings all yours to spend discovering the seaside dining venues in our village of Mendira near Candi Dasa.
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Choose from one of three accommodations - from cute Balinese bungalows to luxe-plus resort suites, all venues have dining facilities if you fancy a night at home. Your 8-nights' accommodation with breakfast is included in the retreat price. There is nothing else to pay. See the Accommodation
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Esté and I warmly invite you to join our group in 2024 for this exceptional art experience by the sea in East Bali.
WHO WILL THIS RETREAT SUIT?
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Coming to this course with an open mind and a preparedness to get the most out of the detailed instruction, even as a complete beginner, you'll find your way into making surprisingly sophisticated artworks.
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If you have some prior art-making experience at any level, then this retreat is rocket fuel for your practice!​
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The YOGA is suitable for ALL LEVELS of experience, including novices and for those with restricted movement we'll have a 'chair yoga' alternative for you.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
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With 35 hours over 11 art sessions of dedicated tuition time with Esté you'll expand your skills in design, planning and creating sophisticated, multi-layered works on canvas.
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You will create four principal artworks on medium sized canvases, with, of course, sketchbook explorations of flowers and floral forms nature, inspired by Nature, and using Esté 's signature Creative Leap method of drawing as well as other 'hacks' to create an endless repertoire of imaginary forms that will lead the way for the creative processes to follow.
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Esté 's instruction is detailed and specific - this is the basis of her success as an online arts instructor.
You will use a variety of professional acrylic paints and mediums and experiment with different printing and stamping processes as well as mixing of paints to expand your sense of colour and a deeper understanding of more advanced creative processes.
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Watch Esté work on a large 'masterclass' canvas so that you can see all of the techniques in action, and evolving through the week, as you paint side by side with this acclaimed artist and designer whose online classes attract 1000's of enrollments.
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Techniques and processes which you will be incorporated into Florabunda Plus
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Drawing with pigment pencils and developing unique imaginary florals based on Esté's drawing methods
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Drawing from Nature on the mountain day tour to inspire layout of painting.
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Learn specialist paint brush techniques - you can pre-order a set to work with or bring your own
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Painting with GOLDEN High Flow to develop ink-like marks and stamping.
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Painting with GOLDEN Fluid and medium to explore translucent and opaque layering.
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Mono-printing with GOLDEN OPEN paint.
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Collage with hand-painted deli sheets
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Four quality canvases (40 x 40cm ) (can be de-stretched for travel, but we will pack theses for you and recommend that you simply check them in as 'fragile' baggage as long as they fit within your luggage allowance)
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Mixed media sketchbook drawing exercises using specialised papers.
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ALL ART MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED - just bring a sketchbook with you
All of the materials you will use are the same materials that Esté uses throughout her work.
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Paints and Mediums
Golden Paints is a professional artist quality acrylic paints and medium, You'll mainly be using their versatile and intensely pigmented water-based 'Fluid' and 'High Flow' paints, plus OPEN medium acrylic for the mono-printing part of the course.
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Brushes
Using the best brushes is a great way to ensure a head-start on quality mark-making. Your pre-retreat information will include the brushes you'll need for this retreat. If you have them, please bring them along, or opt to buy a new set which Esté will bring for you.
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Sketchbooks and Canvases
Your finished works on quality, deep stretched canvases will be hung for the final night exhibition ... we call it 'floaty dress night' ... it's a distinctly Balinese-style cocktail evening celebration of your achievement with a fabulous night of entertainment.​
MEET ESTE MACLEOD
Esté Macleod is an acclaimed British artist and designer whose way of teaching will show you ways to turn the things you notice into expressive, sophisticated artworks on paper using new dynamic painting and mixed media techniques.
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Her way of teaching will spark your imagination, get you in a creative flow and show ways to broaden your art practice as anyone who's experienced Este's popular on-line courses will know.
Read More...
Esté is a free-spirited artist with a background in textile design. She has been teaching on-line art courses since 2015, focusing on processes and concepts to make individuals' creativity blossom. These courses have gained an incredible following, as Este combines carefully-selected materials and techniques and shows different methods to be used for continued exploration.
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"When I teach, I keep guidelines tight and simplify processes, the knowledge gained enables the flourishing of new ideas when applied to individual art practices."
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Este is a professional artist and designer. In addition to her paintings sold in galleries in the UK and internationally, her work is used in a variety of products ranging from wallpapers and textiles, homeware, ceramics, puzzles, stationary and book illustrations.
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Born in South Africa, Esté has been living in the UK since 1999.
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Her educational background includes: HND Textile Design, Fine Art Printmaking, BA Hons Ceramics and Glass, MA in Contemporary Jewellery Design.
Creative Living Retreats by Anna Kwiecinska
With a background as an art historian and art gallery owner, my collaboration with artists continues to be a fascinating career which evolved into specialist art retreats designed to combine seriously good art tuition with authentic cultural experiences.
The practice of yoga has under-pinned Creative Living Retreats, as a source of focus for creative inspiration - so whether you join us as a novice or a yogi, each day presents a new yoga journey with our intuitive teachers to Live Creatively.
Over a decade, many retreatants have returned for our thoughtfully curated weeks of supported creativity, and I genuinely look forward to welcoming you to experience the depth of wellbeing that Creative Living Retreats have become known for, More info
Loved the whole thing. Food was amazing and plenty of variety. Staff amazing ... I just thought you did the retreat so well. I felt totally satisfied with the way you made it all happen and made us all feel very special. You really were the glue. Very professional.
The exhibition was just so beautifully put together.
Lyn Mowday, Busselton, Australia, 2019
How does the retreat work?
With our varied evening programs, each day is a little different, but the working part of our program is like this:
Read More.....
BREAKFAST At your hotel. Walk to the retreat hub, Villa Nilaya - about an 8 -10 minute walk away.
​MORNING 9.00 - 9.30 am on all mornings other than day tour and boat trip days
BREATHWORK yoga 'pranayama' to calm, meditation to focus, 'sound bathing' to inspire
ART SESSION I 9.30 -12.30 with morning tea
LUNCH BREAK 12.30- 1.30
ART SESSION 2 1.30 - 4.30 with afternoon tea
YOGA 4.45 - 6.15
DINNER 6.30 When at Villa Nilaya, dinner follows yoga, and is a buffet of Balinese dishes, zesty, but not spicy hot
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The full day tour includes a plein air drawing session with Este, a gourmet Balinese lunch and a second art-making session.
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OPTIONAL boat trip includes a morning picnic
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You’ll also have three free evenings with several dining options within just a few minutes' walk of the villa and your hotel.
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Speaking of food ...
Balinese food is very flavoursome, with complex flavours that you'll learn about in our chef-led cooking experience. Even spicy food is not fiery, but tangy with galangal, lime, coriander and ginger.
Let Anna know of your special dietary requirements at booking.
What does your Retreat include? Practically everything except your airfare !
see all the inclusions >
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A/C Airport Taxi collection with name board on arrival at the International Airport
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Accommodation with Breakfast for 8 nights in your choice of beachside hotels and bungalows
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35 Hours of Art Tuition with Este Macleod over 11 sessions
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All Art Materials (value approx. GBP 125 ) these are the same professional materials that Esté any level uses in her professional work. Bring your brushes or pre-purchase from Este for delivery at the retreat.
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You should bring a sketch pad - more details in pre-retreat information
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Daily Yoga with Angelina (originally from Australia, resides in Bali) – gentle stretchy, restorative and deep relaxation yoga suitable for experienced yogis as well as those looking forward to trying yoga for the first time, and more advanced for those wishing to extend their practice.
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Breakfasts 8
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Lunches 5 - buffet, provided at Villa Nilaya during the retreat. We serve really fresh food, with an emphasis on vegetarian, tofu and seafood protein, and not too starchy (quinoa and red rice often replaces white rice).
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Morning and afternoon teas each day
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Bottled Water available throughout the retreat
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Dinners 5 including:
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‘Welcome Dinner BBQ' at Villa Nilaya (dietary restrictions catered for - please advise)
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Exhibition Night Dinner and concert performance
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Cooking and Cocktails with our executive chef Pak Dewa Ardika
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A fine dining and jazz dining experience in town
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Balinese Massage or reflexology treatment in house at Villa Nilaya
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a sound-bathing event (some call it 'sound healing or sound therapy ... we just call it divine!)
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and surprises along the way,,,,,
You made Florabunda a multisensory success. The program was beyond special.
I thank you Esté for your professionalism, your generosity in sharing all of your secrets and of course, your amazing talent.
Thank you Anna for convening this fabulous experience.
Your style, grace and attention to detail made everyone feel important. Sharing your home for those days of art and food and armchair yoga will be a special memory for me to hold.
You have gathered an amazing staff around you ... thank you again.
I loved Florabunda.
Gloria C. Queensland, Australia. Florabunda 2022
What's not included
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airfare
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travel insurance
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personal expenses
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return taxi (you can pre-pay this when you book )
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3 dinners and 2 lunches - our village of Mendira has several excellent 'warungs' - local restaurants
YOUR RETREAT STARTS at 3 pm on DAY 1 ( We recommend booking an extra night before the retreat start date so you can get over jet lag and really relax at the start of your retreat).
The retreat FINISHES after breakfast on DAY 9 and the check-out time from your hotel is 12 pm.
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Extra nights are easily booked with Anna - please mention this on your booking form.
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Other curated excursions and activities are offered for pre- and post- retreat days. There is usually a small group who wish to participate and share the transport costs. The brochures will be sent to you when you have secured your retreat place, or on request.
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