The Montana Art Quilt Retreat

September 21 – 26, 2005

with:

Laura Cater-Woods
and
Cynthia St. Charles

The description of the 2005 retreat is below, please click here to be notified when plans are set for next year. We had a great time at the 2005 retreat, check out a few of the pictures.

Two workshops in one in our hometown of Billings, Montana

Participants will spend half of each of the four workdays creating unique surface design textiles with Cynthia and the other half day working with Laura in creative process development.

Small group format

The number of participants will be limited, providing for a personalized, intensive creative experience.

Pristine pines and panoramic views

The retreat will be held at the St. Charles home in the pine covered hills among sandstone cliffs on the outskirts of Billings, Montana. Participants will enjoy walking in the woods on the adjoining 350 acre nature conservancy to take in the broad views of the Yellowstone River Valley. Deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, raccoons, porcupines, and many types of birds reside here. At the end of a long day in the classroom, soak in the hot tub nestled among the pines. Experience a dramatic sunset, watch the moon rise, or gaze at the stars.

Gourmet Meals

Enjoy the St. Charles’ specially prepared lunches and dinners served family style on the veranda, patio, or spacious dining room.

Convenient Lodging and Transportation

Participants may stay at the newly opened Holiday Inn Express, just 1.5 miles from the St. Charles home. We will meet your flight, and provide daily transportation between the hotel and the retreat center. Continental breakfast at hotel.

Holiday Inn Express (406) 259-8600 $79.00 per night

Unique Opportunities

Environmentally Friendly Surface Design with Cynthia St. Charles

Hands-on experiences in surface design techniques including fabric painting with transparent, opaque and metallic fabric paints, creating original rubber stamps using materials found at the hardware store, rust dyeing using rusty nails, Tyvek®, Angelina fibers, Shiva Paint Sticks, Foiling, Thermofax silk screening, resist techniques, and various types of photo transfer. Participants begin with basic foundation of techniques, adding additional layers of surface design in subsequent work sessions to create “complex cloth”. This workshop provides an emphasis on non-toxic materials which can be safely used at home.

Idea to Image with Laura Cater-Woods

Fueling up, making the map vs. “winging it”, checking your toolbox, getting started, enjoying the journey. We will use collage as a way of investigating personal imagery. Individual and group instruction focuses on developing ideas and on defining and exploring self direction. Supply list on registration.

Costs

Registration fee, four days of instruction, the Surface Design Kit (up to 5 yards fabric), meals, and local transportation totals a very reasonable $770.00.

Questions?

Call Cynthia at (406) 259-4113 (home) or (406) 670-1710 (cell) or e-mail cynthia@cynthiastcharles.com

Registration

To be notified when plans for the 2007 retreat are final, please click here.