relationship with stone, he will teach me to listen to the rock and allow it to guide me, leading me to its new
creative form. Working with my hands to shape the stone will offer me new physical insight; movement
patterns, with attention to pressure, force, repetition and precision. As a dancer the movement of carving
will give new perspective and add dimension to my choreographic choices. These seemingly pedestrian
movements are a world of information/inspiration to a dancer's body. Carving is the perfect way to inform
my future choices as I put the finishing touches on my work. Heart Stone is awaiting its final stage of
creation before it hits the stage.
Robert will also lead me through an:
-Illumination Process: A practice thousands of years old, originating from the “Earth-Keepers” of the Andes
and Amazon. It’s a powerful tool for the transformation. The process removes energetic intrusions, or heavy
energies, from the luminous energy field that surrounds the body. By clearing and transforming these heavy
energies, the luminous field can re-pattern the body and soul back to wellness.
My heavy heart needs this. It's perfect.
Sherry has a background in various body/energy work and is trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and
Reality Therapy/Choice Theory. She will lead me through and teach me about:
-Reiki: A natural healing modality that acts to harmonize the energy body, physical body, emotional body and
mental body level. It is practiced by hands on body placements.
-Therapeutic Touch: Works to alleviate discomfort and stimulate the clients self-healing capacities. Benefits
include relaxation, pain reduction, accelerated rate of healing and alleviation of psychosomatic illness.
-Access Consciousness Bars Session: A modality that is used to change the energy in the body and also to
help you to let go of what no longer serves you. There are 32 different points on the head that correspond to
different areas of your life. Running your bars (stimulating these points) is a hands on body process that
starts a flow of energy and erases years of fixed points of view, judgments, negative feeling and limiting
beliefs that hold your back.
These energy practices lend perfectly to my work as a dancer/performer, where emotional energy is
integrated into and just as important movement. Sherry will offer new insights/approaches to body/mind
connection that I will integrate into all areas of my practice, training, creating, and teaching in my
community. They will offer me personal healing, both emotional and physical (post-surgery).
Sherry and Robert's guidance are perfectly suited to the world/experience I've worked to create in Heart
Stone. They are an uncanny match for my current needs. Finding a residency to further my understanding of
body/mind connection, that will also support physical healing from surgery and mending my spirit is a gift.
Add in carving lessons that relate to my current choreographic work, well, that's meant to be! "
EndorsementS
CONNIE WAWRUCK-HEMMETT - 2023 CUSTOMIZED CREATIVITY/ARTIST RETREAT
Journey Home Creative Healing Retreat is a rural residency in Waldersee, MB, two hours from Winnipeg. It's
run by founders Robert Christiani and Sherry Lynn. They offer Health & Healing and Creative Residencies, in
a distraction free, unplugged, therapeutic natural landscape. They only serve one client at a time and
residencies include accommodation and all meals. They have offered a personally tailored residency
that will further my artistic practice and nurture my body and spirit.
Robert is a practicing professional visual artist, teacher and shamanic energy medicine practitioner trained
by The Four-Winds Society. He works to reconnect guests with their creative process and the resulting
healing benefits. He will lead me through a healing creative process, while teaching me to carve soapstone.
Through his developed five stage carving process, Robert teaches a traditional reductive sculpting
technique. I will learn how to hand cut, shape, sand and polish soapstone without the use of power tools.
Carving will offer a much needed creative outlet and is very relevant to my current chorographic work. My
piece, Heart Stone, is an installation-style performance piece that includes a sculptural and interactive set.
My stage is set with a six-foot sculpture, a suspended "waterfall" of yarn and unspun wool, and many piles
of rocks. My "duet-partner" is a specific stone that I interact with and manipulate throughout the work. The
piece includes themes of mental health and life cycle. It explores similarities between the human mind
(emotional health) and elements in the natural world. Working with Robert will enable me to forge a new
7 Days 6 Nights
"I am Rebecca Sawdon, I'm an independent contemporary dance artist based in Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg,
MB. My experience includes work as a dance interpreter, performer, artist educator, choreographer and
producer. My resume includes a diverse variety of professional contracts with many reputable companies
and artists, including Odette Heyn-Projects, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO), Winnipeg's
Contemporary Dancers, Company Link, M-body, New Dance Horizons, amongst others. Past artistic activity
includes work in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia and Europe. Highlights include a month-
long choreographic residency in rural Iceland, a self-directed residency in Germany and training intensives in
Italy and Austria. Frequently a guest dance artist for The Mariachi Ghost, I have toured across Western
Canada with the award winning band.
As the Artistic Director and Founder of Sawdon Dance, I am working to provide much needed platform and
opportunities for my community and art form. Past achievements include a 90min solo production, touring
performances, research residencies and hosting low-cost professional technique classes for the Winnipeg
dance community and abroad. I have been the recipient of many artistic grants and have served as a jury
member for funding agencies. I have trained professionally in Europe, hold a BA Honours Degree in Dance
from the University of Winnipeg and am a 2010 graduate of the Senior Professional Program of the School
of Contemporary Dancers.
"Come to the middle of no where that put you in the centre of everything!"
This is your opportunity to customize an extended creativity/artist retreat.
This week long retreat will provide you with time to focus on your artist/creative process and allow you to get away from your hectic life and concentrate on your creative/artist visions.
Together in conversation and collaboration with Robert and Sherry, we will create a 6 night, 7 day all inclusive retreat that allows you meet your goals.
Here are a few questions to consider before we talk:
- What is your idea?
- What is your goal?
- What do you hope to achieve?
- How is it relative to your art practice or creative process?
- Do you need special equipment/ materials?
- How will you know you have obtained your goal?
- How do you see yourself interacting with Robert and Sherry?
This all inclusive package is $1950.00 + GST and includes:
*6 nights stay in an authentic Mongolian yurt.
* all home cooked meals and snacks (menu planned in conjunction with Sherry)
* 12 hours of direct one on one time with Robert.
* 2 Shamanic sessions with Robert.
* 4 Energy healing sessions with Sherry. (Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Access Consciousness Bars)
customized creativity/artist retreat
Have an idea, lets talk!
Rebecca Sawdon - 2021 customized creativity/artist retreat
Journey Home Artist Retreat © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Journey Home creative healing Retreat
Disconnect to reconnect
book your stay
+1.204-352-4096
Box 3 Waldersee Manitoba R0J 2G0
Phone: +1.204-352-4096
Email. Journeyhomeartistretreat@gmail.com
Journey home creative healing retreat
Day: One
What is the nature of your stay at Journey Home Artist Retreat?
“I am a multimedia artist and am fascinated by the ideas of both mask making and soapstone carving [for jewelry].
I am also a widow, having lost my husband last year after 58 years of marriage, so I am looking to heal my heart and sooth my soul. Having talked to Sherry I believe that this week is exactly what I need and will do much more for me than grief counseling would ever do. My physician concurs.”
Day: Seven
“Where do I begin, to tell the story” – yes like the Streisand song says, I do wonder where. Guess the beginning is best – an ad pops up on my Facebook that immediately grabs my attention.- an Artist Retreat right here in MB.
How could I have known the metamorphosis I would undergo while in your care, Sherry and Robert. I came to have my soul heart and psyche soothed and am going home with so much more achieved than that.
Yes Sherry, I have fallen in love with myself again- or should I say for the first time? You have nurtured me both with food and your wonderfully warm healing hands.
Robert – learning from you and receiving your wisdom has been a true blessing. The artist part of me, I think is finally able to compete with and even overcome my ego. I’ve learned Who I am, something that I fear few people really arrive at without help, and yours has been immeasurable.
To both of you I am so very grateful for the talks we have had individually, but also around your table- which for me is now a symbol, not only of Sherry’s great cooking, but also the best way in which three people can come together and truly share themselves.
In the coming days I know that your gifts to me will just keep on coming because you both have a home in my heart.”
With love and gratitude Connie