A creative retreat with Katrina Koltes at EOM studios, Ireland
I can’t express how magical this experience was for all of us involved.
In July, 2019 I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the west coast of Ireland and teach in a one week,all-inclusive retreat at The Essence of Mulranny Studios.
Our delightful hosts Lora Murphy and Cheryl Cobern Browne were amazing and made this experience truly magical for all.
Our time in the studio
Our creative time in studio was incredible special and I miss them already! I felt a special bond formed between all of us that made our time there extra magical.
We covered various materials and techniques from watercolor, oil pastel and charcoal studies, while all my lessons were themed on Irish myth and lore. We painted Faerie trees and drew pixies, inspired by the all Irish faerie spirits and stories. We painted Selkies inspired by the wild Atlantic coast and we created our Irish Goddesses in oil pastel. Each day we spent many hours in the studio, creating, laughing, sharing stories, and just having a load of fun. I will truly treasure that time spent together with my wonderful students.
“I have loved and admired katrina’s beautiful, soft watercolors and faces from afar for so long and when the opportunity arose to join her in Ireland at EOM for classes. I was in heaven.
She is gorgeous and so caring and giving in her classes. There were many different skill levels and desires and she could please and help everyone.
She has a soft delicate way of teaching and I came away from my classes so happy with the many new skills that I had learnt, but also with a beautiful new friend.” – Annette Stevenson
“Katrina’s retreat, The Land of Heart’s Desire, wow! Having never experienced a retreat before I was nervous on what to expect but in reality I had no reason to be. Katrina was a patient wonderful teacher who helped instill confidence in myself in both my art (inner critic squashed) and my self confidence to step outside the box and try new things, both in art and life. I traveled a long way from New Zealand and feel so privileged to have been able to meet Katrina, who is a wonderful kindhearted soul, to watch her make beautiful art and learn her wonderful techniques. She is truly an inspiration who I know loved to help us all on our creative journeys. If I ever have the chance to join her again I would and for any other lucky students who can join Katrina in future retreats, you will not regret it, it is truly an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget. “
We had so much fun gathering inspiration from Mother Earth’s nature and the land, so for example, before our mermaid painting we went on a walk on the seaside to collect findings that would inspire our project like shells, driftwood and seaweed.
Each day was a delight as we delved into Irish myth and let it inspire us in our creations.
” What a joyful experience to be with Katrina in person! Her talent, patience, and gentle presence enabled me to make art that I never imagined possible. To watch her demonstrations turn into her beautiful signature art was magical. I’m so grateful!” – Kim Townsend
” I really enjoyed my time in Ireland, it was like heaven on earth! And Katrina’s teaching is nice and gentle and so magical.” – Zuzana Hanakova
“The week spent with Katrina at EOM studios was magical. The perfect blend of studio time and exploring the local landscape for inspiration! Katrina was a kind and patient teacher, and did a phenomenal job of making everyone feel at home, regardless of skill level. Her encouraging manner will bring out the artist in you!” – Katrina Hall
A huge thank you to all the wonderful ladies that participated and to EOM studios for inviting me to teach in this magical place and connect to these beautiful souls.
I can’t wait till our next creative adventure here in Italy May 2020… Exciting!
“Be brave enough to live life creatively. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you will discover will be wonderful. What you find will be yourself.” – Alan Alda