Journey Home creative healing Retreat
Disconnect to reconnect
book your stay
Box 3 Waldersee Manitoba R0J 2G0
Phone: +1.204-352-4096
Email. Journeyhomeartistretreat@gmail.com
journeyhomeartistretreat@gmail.com
+1.204-352-4096
Journey home creative healing retreat
Journey Home Artist Retreat © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
“I choose a block of stone and chop off whatever I don’t need.” — Auguste Rodin
In this meditative, hands-on retreat, you’ll explore the traditional, reductive technique of sculpting—where form is revealed by removing the unnecessary. With only hand tools, you’ll shape, sand, and polish a unique piece of soapstone, learning to listen deeply to the material and your own inner voice.
Each participant will begin with a raw, irregular 4 lb. block of soapstone—no two alike. Guided by sculptor Robert, your first steps into the stone will be supported with care and intention. Grease pencil lines will help outline your vision. Using a bow saw and wood rasp, you’ll begin roughing out your form—trusting instinct and learning to see what wants to emerge.
By day two, your sculpture will begin to speak, inviting completion. You’ll refine details using riffler rasps and palm chisels, bringing clarity and precision to your form. Once shaping is complete, you’ll remove all tool marks with drywall screen in preparation for the meditative sanding process.
You’ll sand progressively with wet/dry silicon carbide paper: starting with 320 grits (extra fine), moving to 400 (super fine), and finishing with 600 grits (ultra fine). Then, a special moment: your piece will be gently warmed in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes. When removed, you’ll apply beeswax, which will melt on contact, awakening the stone’s natural colors and hidden beauty.
Once fully cooled, a protective sealant will be applied, and you’ll complete the process by polishing with a soft cloth—bringing your sculpture to its final, radiant form.
This is more than a technical workshop—it's an invitation to slow down, connect with the elemental, and uncover what has always been there, waiting within the stone... and within you.
This two night all inclusive package is $650.00 & GST for up to two people and includes:
*one 4-5 pound piece of soapstone per person.
*use of all tools and equipment required to carve.
* 6 hours of direct time, support, guidance, and instruction from Robert Christiani our Artist in Residence during the two night stay.
* two nights stay in our authentic Mongolian yurt for up to 2 guests.
* 6 home cooked meals (2 suppers, 2 lunches, 2 breakfasts) From the country of your choice.
*Snacks and refreshments.
For more information and available dates please contact our Events Coordinator Sherry Lynn, at journeyhomeartistretreat@gmail.com
or call 1-(204)- 352-4096.
“Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that, a story.” — Marty Robbins
In this deeply creative and reflective retreat, you’ll explore the ancient art of mask-making as both a sculptural technique and a personal journey. Working with plaster bandage, you will learn the full-face casting process—first receiving the cast yourself, then offering the experience to another. This powerful exchange not only teaches technique, but also builds trust and presence.
Your completed cast becomes your foundation mask—a literal impression of your unique features and a symbolic starting point. From this form, your creative
process unfolds.
With guidance and support, you’ll begin to envision and sketch possibilities for transforming your mask: sculpted features, expressive additions, paint, texture, and symbolic found objects. You’ll then enter a phase of creative play and exploration, using materials such as Plaster of Paris, drywall compound, and natural or
repurposed objects to bring your vision to life.
Each step invites deeper self-expression and opens space for stories—spoken and unspoken—to emerge
through the art.
This retreat offers more than a finished mask—it offers a mirror to the inner self, a space to embody transformation, and a tactile journey into the layered language of identity, memory, and imagination.
This two night all inclusive package is $650.00 + GST for up to two people and includes:
*Gypsona Plaster bandage, paint, pencils, sketch paper, adhesives, etc. needed to create mask.
*6 hours direct time with Robert our Artist in Residence for instruction and support of the mask making and mask building process during the two night stay.
*Two night stay in our authentic Mongolian yurt for up to two guests.
* 6 home cooked meals (2 suppers, 2 lunches, 2 breakfasts) From the country of your choice.
*Snacks and refreshments.
For more information and available dates please contact our Events Coordinator Sherry Lynn, at journeyhomeartistretreat@gmail.com
or call 1-(204)- 352-4096.