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NEW RETREAT - just launched!
with
30 May-7 June 2023
Get Your Early Bird Discount!
$200 - ends 28 February
If you love the idea of an entire week dedicated to creating striking eco leaf-printed textiles, time out for daily yoga, healthy fresh food prepared by our own chef, delicious sea swimming and restorative Balinese massages in a tropical island paradise, then Bali Ecologia is probably just for you!
Helen Biles joins us from the UK where she is well-known as a painter and eco print-making specialist creating and selling her textiles with superb one-off eco prints created entirely by hand using the age-old techniques of Japanese shibori, rust printing, indigo and experimental dyeing using the natural forms and pigments of leaves.
She regularly presents one-day-one-technique workshops in the UK. Now with this week-long retreat you'll have the opportunity to not only learn all of her workshop techniques and have your printed fabrics made up into beautiful take-home objects by our seamstresses.
Creative Living Retreats specialises in presenting expert tuition from gifted teachers alongside the creativity-nurturing benefits of yoga in simply beautiful surroundings.
Anna has been curating retreats here at Villa Nilaya by the sea in Beautiful East Bali since 2011.
THE BALI ECOLOGIA ECO LEAF-PRINTMAKING + YOGA RETREAT in BALI
Many thanks for a magnificent experience!
Glenda W. Melbourne Australia, Florabunda 2022
This 8-day/7-night retreat offers you an expansive and experimental week to focus on making your own eco leaf printed textiles inspired and using the plants, flowers and leaves you find here in the gorgeous gardens of Bali.
This is a really fun week with your own leaf printing and textile outcomes that you can take home and use straight away! (no stitching required ... our stitching-angels will do that for you).
Along with 36-hours of tuition in Helen's detailed techniques for eco leaf printing, this unique retreat includes:
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All your art materials (fabric, dyes, adornments, mulberry paper) AND all of your yoga equipment
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A full day tour into the spectacular East Bali region of Abang for observation and collection of botanicals, a swim in the royal bathing ponds fed by natural spring waters, before a hidden gem lunch treat of gourmet Balinese delicacies as you view the majestic Mt Agung, Bali's famous, most revered volcano (yes, we have three here!), where you'll spend the afternoon working with Helen.
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Cooking'n'Cocktails with our executive chef - cook your own 7-dish megibung with tips and recipes to be able to make it at home - plus our Signature Nilaya cocktails and snacks as you stir the sauce!
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A stylish night out on the town with fine dining, cocktails and live jazz
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Daily yoga (including 'proper' chair yoga so everyone is included!), starting with a 30-minute breathwork session when you arrive, and a full yoga session after days at the villa working, with alternative days for extra-long shavasana (deep rest) and a guided deep rest yoga nidra session (no matter what level your experience with yoga, you will feel comfortable with these classes).
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A 60-minute deliciously restorative Balinese massage or reflexology treat with our expert masseuses using Sensatia's pure sweet almond oil infused with restorative essential oils where you choose your favourite scent - Meditation or Relaxation - and you'll receive a souvenir bottle to take some home too
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A 90-minute heavenly, live sound-bathing experience (some call it 'sound therapy' or 'healing' - we just call it divine) that will have your senses and imagination floating ...
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plus your choice of accommodation and breakfast for 7 nights + airport collection + most meals
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and time to yourself with the last afternoon free for shopping or more pampering
A luxurious week where all you need do is turn up each day after breakfast (and perhaps an early-morning dip?
... the snorkeling is fabulous), having taken the short walk in our pretty village to Villa Nilaya, where our first 30 minutes of the day are dedicated to mindfulness meditation with some calm and focusing breathwork - pranayama - and then to art ...
Bali maybe known as The Island of the Gods, but for botanists, it is a treasure trove of flora.
What a joy to incorporate the leaves you find in the gardens here to print your own unique eco leaf printed textiles!
And at the end of each day? A deeply restorative, full, luxuriant yoga class on our beautiful sea-facing, teak-floored yoga space.
Stretch, breathe and relax deeply ... drift off to sleep, perhaps, to the sound of the lapping sea at the end of the garden .... before padding downstairs as evening gathers, for a healthy, delicious buffet dinner prepared by our own Villa Nilaya chefs, with alternate evenings all yours to spend discovering the seaside dining venues in our village of Mendira near Candi Dasa.
Choose from one of three accommodations
From cute Balinese bungalows to luxe-plus resort suites, all venues have dining facilities if you fancy a night at home.
Your 7-nights' accommodation with breakfast is included in the retreat price. There is nothing else to pay. See the Accommodation
Helen and I warmly invite you to join our group for this exceptional art experience by the sea in beautiful East Bali.
WHO WILL THIS RETREAT SUIT?
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You can join this retreat as a complete 'textiles' beginner and achieve fabulous reults!
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The YOGA is suitable for ALL LEVELS of experience, including novices and for those with restricted movement we'll have a 'chair yoga' alternative for you.
ART RETREAT DATES & extra nights
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STARTS on ARRIVAL DAY (DAY 1) You will be collected from the airport, The drive to our village is about 90-minutes.
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The Retreat STARTS after lunch on DAY 1.
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ENDS after breakfast on DEPARTURE DAY (DAY 7), There is no program today and checkout time is 12 from your hotel.
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Arriving early or staying longer is highly recommended!
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Anna has secured special hotel rates for a limited period if you wish to arrive early/stay longer. Please enquire.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
With 36 hours and 12 art sessions of dedicated tuition time with Helen you'll learn these Techniques and Processes:
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How to identify leaves and flowers in the local area which will make beautiful eco leaf prints
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How to use these leaves to make strong, beautiful and stunning leaf prints printing onto a variety of cellulose and protein fabrics, of different weights and weaves, silk, cottons and linens (cloth will be used to make the eye mask)
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How to bring colour into your eco prints using dye blankets - cutch, pomegranate, henna, oakgall, logwood, madder, marigold, brazilwood, indigo
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How to dye with indigo
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How to make and maintain an indigo Vat
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Learn the art of shabiro and resist printing techniques (folding, stitching, blocks of wood) (cloth will be used to make the cushion)
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How to use different mordents to create a variety of tones and shift colours from dark blue to a teal, a pink to an orange
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How to combine eco leaf printing, natural dyeing and shabiro techniques to create layers and textures into your prints
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Scale up your prints from sample size to print large pieces of cloth - (cloth will be used to make the sarong)
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How to create a clean, crisp and strong print
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You will dye fabrics which will be sewn during the retreat for you into:
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- a luxuriously padded silk eye mask, printed with leaf techniques (make a bandana instead if you wish)
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- a large cushion cover in premium handwoven linen printed using leaf techniques
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- learn the art of Japanese gift-wrapping, using your own hand-printed lustrous silk 'wrapping paper'
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you can further adorn your items with tassels brought by Anna from Morocco
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Plus a sampler collection of 10 designs in silks and cottons which can be made into anything of your choice when you get home
ALL ART and YOGA MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED
Over a decade, many retreatants have returned for our thoughtfully curated weeks of supported creativity, and I genuinely look forward to welcoming you to experience the depth of wellbeing that Creative Living Retreats have become known for,
Creative Living Retreats by Anna Kwiecinska >>
With a background as an art historian and art gallery owner, my collaboration with artists continues to be a fascinating career which evolved into specialist art retreats designed to combine seriously good art tuition with authentic cultural experiences.
The practice of yoga has under-pinned Creative Living Retreats, as a source of focus for creative inspiration - so whether you join us as a novice or a yogi, each day presents a new yoga journey with our intuitive teachers to Live Creatively.
Loved the whole thing. Food was amazing and plenty of variety. Staff amazing ... I just thought you did the retreat so well. I felt totally satisfied with the way you made it all happen and made us all feel very special. You really were the glue. Very professional.
The exhibition was just so beautifully put together.
Lyn Mowday, Busselton, Australia, 2019
How does the retreat work?
With our varied evening programs, each day is a little different, but the working part of our program is like this:
Read More.....
BREAKFAST At your hotel. Walk to the retreat hub, Villa Nilaya - about an 8 -10 minute walk away.
MORNING 9.00 - 9.30 am on all mornings other than tour day/s
BREATHWORK yoga 'pranayama' to calm, meditation to focus, 'sound bathing' to inspire
ART SESSION I 9.30 - 12.30 with morning tea
LUNCH BREAK 12.30- 1.30
ART SESSION 2 1.30 - 4.30 with afternoon tea
YOGA 4.45 - 6.15
DINNER 6.30 When at Villa Nilaya, dinner follows yoga, and is a buffet of Balinese dishes, zesty, but not spicy hot
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The full day tour includes a session collecting identifying and leaves and with Helen setting in a magnificent garden. Today also features a gourmet Balinese lunch and a second art-making session.
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You’ll also have two free evenings with several dining options within just a few minutes' walk of the villa and your hotel.
Speaking of food ...
Balinese food is very flavoursome, with complex flavours that you'll learn about in our chef-led cooking experience. Even spicy food is not fiery, but tangy with galangal, lime, coriander and ginger.
Let Anna know of your special dietary requirements at booking.
What does your Retreat include? Practically everything except your airfare !
see all the inclusions >
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A/C Airport Taxi collection with name board on arrival at the International Airport
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Accommodation with Breakfast for 8 nights in your choice of beachside hotels and bungalows
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36 Hours of Art Tuition with Helen Biles over 11 sessions
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All Art Materials
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Yoga Classes – gentle stretchy, restorative and deep relaxation yoga suitable for experienced yogis as well as those looking forward to trying yoga for the first time, and more advanced for those wishing to extend their practice.
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Breakfasts 7
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Lunches 5 - buffet, provided at Villa Nilaya during the retreat. We serve really fresh food, with an emphasis on vegetarian, tofu and seafood protein, and not too starchy (quinoa and red rice often replaces white rice).
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Morning and afternoon teas each day
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Bottled Water available throughout the retreat
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Dinners 5 including:
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‘Welcome Dinner BBQ' at Villa Nilaya (dietary restrictions catered for - please advise)
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Exhibition Night Dinner and concert performance
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Cooking and Cocktails with our executive chef Pak Dewa Ardika
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A fine dining and jazz dining experience in town
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Balinese Massage or reflexology treatment in house at Villa Nilaya
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a sound-bathing event (some call it 'sound healing or sound therapy ... we just call it divine!)
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and surprises along the way,,,,,
You made Florabunda a multisensory success. The program was beyond special.
I thank you Esté for your professionalism, your generosity in sharing all of your secrets and of course, your amazing talent.
Thank you Anna for convening this fabulous experience.
Your style, grace and attention to detail made everyone feel important. Sharing your home for those days of art and food and armchair yoga will be a special memory for me to hold.
You have gathered an amazing staff around you ... thank you again.
I loved Florabunda.
Gloria C. Queensland, Australia. Florabunda 2022
What's not included
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airfare
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travel insurance
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personal expenses
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return taxi (you can pre-pay this when you book )
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2 dinners and 2 lunches - our village of Mendira has several excellent 'warungs' - local restaurants
Costs and Accommodation
Your 7 nights of the Retreat are included in the retreat package. You'll stay just 8-10 minutes' walk from Villa Nilaya, the retreat hub, where most of the art-making, yoga retreat and meals are taken. All three options offer traditional Balinese hospitality, in absolute sea-front locations, ranging from family-friendly Amarta Bungalows to 5-star resort luxe at the Candi Beach Hotel. You can check all of their details on the Accommodation page of this website
In 2023 the Retreat accommodation BEGINS on MAY 30 just after lunch and ENDS after breakfast on JUNE 7. There are no classes on June 7.
Arrival earlier to recover from travel or staying a little longer to rest after your retreat is highly recommended.
Anna has secured special rates from all 3 venues, so please feel free to contact me for 'extra night' quotes, and see HERE for add-on trips, workshops and tours which you may like to consider.
BOOK SOON to secure the hotel and room of your choice! ALL RATES are in USD
3-star seafront, friendly and unpretentious, set amongst garden with swimming pool, restaurant, all sea-facing rooms
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Superior Rooms (8 only) $2599
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Suite Rooms (6 only) $2799
4-star spacious sea front property with 2 swimming pools, and various styles of rooms, restaurant and efficient service
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Superior Ocean View Room $3049
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Deluxe Ocean View Room $3289
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Honeymoon Suite (1 only) $3599
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Wooden Chalet Sea view (2 only) $3699
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Wooden Cottage garden view (2) $3199
5-star expansive sea front property amidst landscaped gardens with 2 swimming pools, safe private white sand sea beach, resort facilities, service and several restaurants
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Deluxe Garden View Room $3899
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Deluxe Garden View Cottage $4199
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Deluxe Ocean View Room $4599
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Deluxe Ocean View Cottage $4769
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Deluxe Junior Suite Garden $4889
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Deluxe Junior Suite Sea View $5099
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Luxury Ocean View Suite $5649
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Luxury Ocean View Pool Villa $6899
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These prices are in USD for single-occupancy A/C rooms with a queen or king bed. Twin beds available in some room types.
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Please contact Anna about :
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Prices for twin-share or double rooms with either another retreat participant or a non-participating partner.
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prices and availability for extra nights pre- or post- retreat
