A Haven of Peace, a Piece of Heaven
The Bield at Blackruthven
Retreat and Conference Centre
The Art Space
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'the world of reality has its limits—the world of imagination is boundless'. Jean-Jaques Rousseau
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Art is revelatory; it opens up possibilities for us to remember our past and reimagine our future.
Space to be Expressive
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Art can be both a source of inspiration and a form of expression. As part of your time at the Bield, we invite you to give yourself permission to play and create. Immersing ourselves in a creative process, whether that is arranging found objects, building a shelter, making a collage or drawing a flower gives us time out from our over active mind or anxious body. It allows us to experience the present moment in all its fullness. As these moments stretch into longer periods of stillness and aliveness, a doorway opens which enables us to move from the physical realm into that of our imagination and the spiritual. In these connected moments, a sense of attunement to something larger begins to emerge and we deepen our relationship with God.
Place to Find Yourself
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We are each of us instruments for experiencing life as it flows through us. These experiences can be distilled into works of art. Making art can help in addressing tragedy and strong emotions, deep gratitude and great joy, when words would not suffice. The process of making is often far more important than the end result. If we are to understand the human condition and are to accept ourselves in all of our complexities of feelings, we have to be prepared to be vulnerable and go naked. Making art can be a valuable tool in this process enabling us to engage in an active dialogue with those parts of ourselves we find threatening or depleting.
Being on retreat you probably seek peace and rest, but you should not overlook the gift of struggle and engagement with challenging issues. Here in the art space there are materials to help you engage in those struggles if they beckon you. You may find new growth as you open yourself to possibility, risk, and joy in the negotiation of that risk. In so doing you will also grow in wisdom, grace and living of life in all its fulness.
Time to Experiment
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Whether you have always dabbled in creative pursuits or have not picked up a pencil since you were a small child, it makes no difference. Here you are invited to partake in an instinctive means of expression. Approach each new endeavour as if you have never created anything before. Come with no expectations, but a curiosity about the world. With a beginner’s mind, you can just simply be, you can focus on the process of being in the world and being fully present, becoming one with our world.
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The art space is always accessible. It is a relaxed well-equipped room in part of the stables where you are free to come and experiment without needing to worry about making a mess. There is a whole variety of materials to inspire you to come and play, try something new, do something different and see what happens, you are encouraged to take materials outside into nature, or to bring objects you have found in the landscape inside.
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On those chillier days we will have the wood burning stove stoked up to keep you warm.
Liz our Art Facilitator is based here, so is on hand to provide advice about process and materials, encouragement and a listening ear.
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time“ - Thomas Merton