The Pilgrimage: A Journey into the Inner Life of the Creative

Many creatives who are vocational artists lack spaces to work in community and get the in depth attention that they need and desire. In addition, there are lots of creatives working jobs that rarely provide space to think and work as creatively as they want because they are so busy with other tasks. They end up neglecting their creative selves. Both these types of individuals need spaces where their creativity can be nurtured, developed, and integrated vocationally and spiritually with the support of wise community. 

The Pilgrimage: The Inner Life of the Creative is a curated, facilitated, and excavated journey designed by art historian and theologian, Dr. Daniel A. Siedell, and spiritual director and founder of Nuos Formation, Julie Barrios that gives artists space to intentionally create in the community of other artists and receive insight about their work and guidance around how it expresses and interacts with their soul.  

The Pilgrimage will start as soon as you leave your door with interactive, creative, instructive prompts that direct your attention as you travel to your destination—the Assisi House in the Mission District, San Francisco. Upon your arrival there will be creative and contemplative exercises prepared for you to engage based on the prompts you answered on the way there. This model of being in responsive, improvisational, conversation through your artistic expression and other creative works will create an experiential, art dialogue that will continue throughout the retreat. Through this dialogue participants will be guided in the co-creation of a supportive, courageous community where through shared visual and verbal storytelling, they will help one another forge new possibilities in their work and in their respective spiritual journeys. This will include art making, visio divina, spiritual direction, and a number of excursions that will fill your senses with the vibrance and complexity of the city of St. Francis.

Through Dan and Julie's combined expertise, you can anticipate:

• Opportunities to notice and name the contours of your interior map and discern the interrelationship between your growth as an artist and as a person.
• Building your own creative community that can offer wise and thoughtful feedback.
• Access to expert insights into your creative process, the work you produce, and how it intersects with your personality.
• To gain greater understanding of yourself as a creative. 
• Receive a sense of invitation of how your creative life is lived vocationally with God.
• New language for exploring the mystery of God in relation to your creativity and vocation. 
• Lots of free space to work on your craft.

Cost

Program costs include the price of all excursions, daily breakfast, three curated meals, and lodging upon availability and request.

$1395 includes shared room lodging and breakfast (Space is available by request first come first serve).  $1095 includes All retreat programming and admission to all excursions, including a Michelin star meal.

A $500 deposit is needed to reserve your spot. You'll receive an email invoice for the remaining balance to be completed by July 1st.

Please consider if you are able to make a donation to assist another artist in attending. Your donations are tax deductible and processed through New Horizons Foundation. You can donate here.

Location

The Assisi House in the Mission District, San Francisco. Exact location address will be provided once you are registered.

About the Creators/Facilitators

Dr. Daniel A. Siedell is a professor of modern art history, theory, and criticism at Kings College NYC and a Doctoral Candidate in theology at Drew University.  Dr. Siedell is the author of God in the Gallery and Who's Afraid of Modern Art? Both works explore how the relationship between the spirituality and participation in creative aesthetic experience can move us deeper into the mystery of God and self.  Dan is a follower of Nick Cave.

Julie Barrios is the founder of Nuos Formation and has been a spiritual director for 17 years.  She is also a painter having created a body of work titled A Pervasive Sense of Well Being and is currently working on an encaustic series titled The Well at the Top of Mary's Mountain.  She is currently very interested in the work of Rene Girard and Simone Weil.  Julie is a huge fan of Sufjan Stevens.