Drawing Breath: A workshop in Umbria combining drawing and mindfulness – 27 April to 4 May 2019

The art room (top floor), dining room (ground floor)

The half landing inside Villa Pia – the view I chose to draw every day

Aileen – drawn with ink and a brush attached to a long stick

Repeated drawing of my left hand with eyes closed

First drawing of seven uses the movement of the train to create the lines

Dawn on the sleeper heading back to Paris…not far from Dijon

Second drawing of seven – tea and baguette

Third drawing of seven – welcome home flowers

Final drawing of seven – back to square one

The ‘Drawing Breath’ retreat was led by Tania Kovats, Professor of drawing at Bath Spa University and Jane Sassienie, an organisational change consultant and psychotherapist…. both are life long meditators. The retreat was held in the beautiful rolling hills of Umbria at the classic Italian ‘Villa Pia’ just walking distance from Lippiano.

My journey started from West London via Kings Cross St Pancras to Paris, sleeper train to Milan and train to Arrezzo with a final stretch by bus and car. The journey was a meditation in itself watching the beautiful countryside of France and Italy pass by.

Each day at Villa Pia started with a new mediation that was carefully curated to link with the drawing practice that followed to help head, heart, hand and soul come together.

The images above are a selection that show the epic (to me) journey of arriving and returning home: the experience of drawing and mediation travelled over the week, supported by the warmth and hospitality of Villa Pia and the stunning Umbrian countryside.

https://www.drawingbreath.me/

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