Marrakech

Marie (right) and her sister Chalice (left) with Lora Murphy (center) at the Maison 28 retreat in Morocco.

I am looking forward to being able to travel again and I am so grateful for the journeys that I took for granted at the time.  I love John O ‘Donahue’s wisdom – he has a beautiful poem about traveling where he says, May you travel in an awakened way, gathered wisely into your inner ground, that you may not waste the invitations which wait along the way to transform you”.  Traveling teaches me so much about myself and at the end I am always grateful to be back home.  

I went to Marrakech on an artist retreat in October 2018.  It was a group of artists joining for classes with Lora Murphy teaching encaustic portraiture, while staying in a Riad in the Marrakech Medina.  We would be inspired by the souks, historical sites, gardens, and museums.  It is always interesting the people that you meet along your journey. The souks (markets) are so alive and full of anything you can imagine.  I came home with two rugs, pigments, amazing memories and lifelong friends. 

These art retreats teach me so much so quickly.  I aspire to be on two a year to keep the fire inside alive.  I am delighted when a piece of one of my journeys shows it's face in a project that I am working on.  

When it is safe to travel again, I would highly recommend Maison 28 Riad and retreats in Marrakech run by Melanie Royals. She can be found at maison28marrakech.com or on instagram at @maison28marrakech.

P.S. If you take pictures of the snake charmers they will put a snake around your neck and that is extremely stressful if you aren’t a fan of snakes…. Just saying for a friend.