From Compass to Path
A Collaborative Mini-Retreat Focused on Creative Wayfinding
It’s no coincidence that our first mini-retreat is named “From Compass to Path.” This title captures the journey we've begun—and the journey we’re inviting you to join.
This journey started with what became the first compass point on our journey—our 'magnetic north,' if you will. This was, as we wrote in our first blog post, the idea of bringing creators from many disciplines together into shared space with opportunities to collaborate, share work space, and build community.
From this, we began to identify the other points on our compass: the kinds of work we might do together, the roles that physical activity and food might play, the ways we can foster productive conversation, the importance of physical surroundings, and how we might honor each creator's need to do individual work.
As we have developed Grove Creative Collective, we have used these "compass points" to orient ourselves and chart our path forward. For months, we’ve walked this talk: We've asked tough questions, explored countless answers, pivoted when needed, and leaned into our creativity, skills, and imagination to shape a series of creative retreats designed to be transformative, enlivening, broadening, and (maybe most importantly) fun.
Fine, you say, but what does all that mean? What would that look like?
The good news is that we know the destination. We see shared dinners filled with delicious food, lively conversation, laughter, and stories floating through the air. We picture a writer curled up by the fire, revising a chapter or a single poetic line, maybe sparked by an earlier conversation with the musician who is outside, headphones on, composing their next piece. Nearby, we imagine an artist at a spare table, sketching the beginnings of a new series, maybe inspired by a single word from the morning’s meditation. And perhaps a photographer is sitting at another table, scrolling through images from yesterday’s hike, capturing light and shadow in new ways after seeing the Rockies for the first time. We also have exciting plans for shared, collaborative projects at each retreat, invitations for everyone to stretch and play together at the edges of their comfort zones.
When we imagine all of this, we see sparks flying, perspectives shifting, hearts and minds opening wider than they ever could alone. We see opportunities for each of you to build community, ignite fresh ideas, renew your energy, and nurture your creative practice. And, we believe that, when you come on one of our retreats, you'll leave with a stronger sense of the compass that orients your creative work, more tools and ideas to navigate your path, and the satisfaction of having helped light the way for a community of other creators.
How amazing is that?
