This past weekend I spent the weekend with 16 strangers on a beautiful lake in northern New Jersey. The home belongs to the family of Mark Junek and he has been organizing 3 day artist retreats since early 2012. This was the third iteration of makehouse, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it.

For 3 days we lived within a nurturing and productive structure that enabled us to work on projects totally free of distractions and the outside world. The setting was beautiful and serene and the environment of artistic sharing and openness made for a really extraordinary weekend.

In the mornings we were asked to remain silent until the end of breakfast .... I would quietly sketch people in the silence.

I worked on initial construction for a project I am doing for Lar Lubovitch. I presented my design process and a finished muslin of a jacket for my share on Saturday night. Others shared small dance and music performances or reading from scripts they have been working on. Others shared their thoughts for future projects or words to provoke thought among the other artists.

The trip provided amazing clarity and momentum in my practice. Now the goal is to hold onto that practice and keep my momentum going through the chaos of New York City.

Thank you Makehouse! I am forever grateful. I can't wait for the next one. If you are curious about applying to future make house sessions click here... MAKEHOUSE