A Creative Intuition
with
Tee Hardman
& Anna Kwiecinska
13-20 September, 2025
8 days/7 nights
Day 1- arrival day - Welcome dinner
Day 8 - departure day - no program
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6 Days with Art Program + free time
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AIRPORT is ATHENS (and then a 2-hr ferry to Hydra)
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Discover this legendary home to artists and writers throughout the C.20th and re-discover your original, intuitive & unique way of knowing the world!
Intuition is the original way in which we know the world, but it is something we have lost touch with. Fluidity is essential to intuition, so come and remember how to flow in the moment.
If you love words and images, then imagine reading a poem of Hydra and intuitively expressing it as an image using playful ways to “keep you out of your head”.
Creativity researcher and artist Tee Hardman has been teaching this for many years. She’ll teach you her FIA FACTOR method- Fluid Intuitive Action, which is about embodiment and intuitive connection. This retreat is intended to slow us down, so that we take the time to notice the small things. By allowing ourselves to surrender all our inhibitions and expectations, we become fully present and at-one with what we are experiencing. In the inspiring setting of Hydra, we will explore, write, draw and paint, really getting to know the place in all its richness.
Tee is also an architect, so she will share her many modes of artistic expression.
Suitable for everyone to loosen up and go with the flow – beginners and experienced creatives alike!
The Background
This year, our second season of Art Retreats on Hydra, brings an emphasis on enjoying the many beautiful locations of the island as sites for art-making, or exploring to gather inspiration.
When not on location, en plein-air, you'll work at our retreat hotel, in a spacious, private garden courtyard shaded by a sweeping 200-year old olive tree, and should it be too warm, too cold- or even wet - there's an A/C indoor area in which to work also.
This retreat is open for anyone, and non-participating partners are welcome to join.
Anna knows the island well, having lived on Hydra for two wonderful years, and during some of that time worked as an arts instructor.
Tee Hardman is an Associate Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of the Free State.
Having taught design, drawing and creativity full-time at several universities in South Africa for 26 years, Tee has escaped full-time academia and now facilitates art and creativity retreats for everyone!
An experienced arts facilitator, she is passionate about nurturing creativity in all forms and her retreats will get you writing, dancing, drawing and painting freely and intuitively.
Her signature 'Leela-Flow' workshops, both in-person and on-line, have introduced many participants to 'intuitive flow' techniques of creativity, empowering anyone who yearns to be creative, whether as an artist, a writer ... or perhaps simply to expand one's way of taking pleasure in the world by building awareness of one's instinctive creative abilities. Read more about Tee
On Hydra, it's early Autumn, the days are warm, the Aegean Sea beckons for superlative swimming, and the evenings are still long - sunset around 8.15 pm - perfect for exploring the many charming portside tavernas, the boutiques and art galleries are open late.
Your traditional Greek accommodation is a family-run hotel in a quietly central part of the port which you can reach without climbing all those steps for which Hydra is (in)famous.
You'll need to be quick to secure your place on this special week with only 12 places available - staying in your own room in accommodation hand-picked by Anna and chosen for ease of access, views, delicious breakfasts and a pretty courtyard and terrace for making art (see the gallery of photos further down this page).
We can't wait to share the magic of Hydra with you!
A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.
Art does not reproduce what we see; rather, it makes us see.
Paul Klee
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT TEE HARDMAN'S TEACHING
As one of the first participants of T’s creative intuition workshop....It was fabulous! I'm a visual artist so all the other aspects opened many doors in my soul, poetry, movement, music and general sensory awareness. JK
I can highly recommend any of Theresa’s workshops. She is an architect and an artist and has a PhD on the creative process. If you’re feeling blocked or a bit lost, this workshop might be just the thing for you! HB (author)
I’ve so enjoyed this workshop. I loved it and you’re a wonderful teacher. I can’t imagine the last time I felt so inspired. I’m very
impressed and positively overwhelmed. GH (painter)
Thank you, Theresa, for the most relaxing and inspiring day. I really value your ‘teaching style’ with its gentle inspiration and openness to exploration. MR (teacher)
I just wanted to thank you so much for bringing out my creativity and how you have transformed how I can get creative every
single day without over thinking it! I now love cuddling on the couch with my cat and A5 sketchbook and just getting stuck into
the good stuff in my heart and soul! You are such a wonderful person filled with such light and joy – you make everyone feel
alive and encourage us to value ourselves – thank you, thank you, thank you!" MW (designer)
Thank you, Theresa for this time we had together. Time to think, to play, to dance, to find our inspiration, to make friends, to learn. CT (businesswoman)
What a weekend!!! Thanks everyone. So, my take-away.. What I learned and will pass on.. Intuition can be generated by removing inhibitions and really listening to my own thoughts and inner voices, forgetting about what is expected or supposed to happen. Music plays a huge role as does silence. People pleasing is out, me pleasing is in. And just gooooo!! JK (artist)
Thank you T... what a wonderful experience! Learning to free up those inhibitions...hear the music...and create.
CK (businesswoman)
I went for my usual early walk this morning, and kept saying...‘wow.... look at the colour of this and look at the colour of that...’then my family said ..’it’s the same as always!’... seems I have come home to a new vibrant appreciation of the colour of my life around me. Sometimes we just have to refresh and wash off the dust to seek the colours of our lives...
CK (businesswoman)
Your work around intuition and creativity is so valuable. You have inspired me greatly to trust the process and enjoy the journey that I am on despite the need to want to know where I am headed. I wanted to tell you that you have been a surprising influence and joy in my life this year. I am in such a good place right now. The voice inside my head has been silenced. I wanted you to know that I am grateful for you xx JB (professional photographer)
Thank you for being available to our needs. I noticed your generosity with materials. I loved learning. I loved watching you draw. Loved listening to your talk on Friday night. Loved your acceptance that allowed us to be free. JvdW
It was incredible! I want to do it all over again.... JM (psychologist)
I found your style of teaching to be really one of the best I have encountered. You are warm, knowledgeable but not pretentious which really helped to make me feel at ease. As an introverted character this was appreciated. The creative space where work can be so personal doing so is even more challenging. Grant Words can’t explain how much I enjoyed your retreat. I think you have unlocked something deep inside me that has been yearning to come out... ME!...
The past two years have been very difficult, straining and emotional and I have been craving creative flow. I kind of lost myself somewhere in the process and haven’t known how to get back to being the real me again..... This was exactly what I needed to feel inspired again.
Thank you thank you so very much! You are so colourful and full of life and I loved your enthusiastic and encouraging playful ways. Thank you for reminding me that it's okay to play and express and feel free!
“You were incredible this weekend. You teaching would live in me for a long, long time to come. F
WHO WILL THIS RETREAT SUIT?
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Coming to this course with an open mind and a ravenous curiosity, even for the quotidian details of life on Hydra will serve you well!
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Everyone has an innate ability to be creative - come and tap in with us on this wonderful island for a week
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If you have some prior art-making experience at any level, then this retreat will help you find new modes of expression, change up the way you approach 'seeing' into 'making' and bring a new dimension to the way you already work.
WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE?
A relaxing week where all you need do is turn up each day after breakfast - perhaps after an early morning swim.
As a mid-high season Mediterranean destination, the temperature hovers around 23-28 Celcius to 20-ish Celcius during the night. It's usually dry (it can rain), and the sea is perfect for swimming, with the summer crowds having already departed.
Tee and I warmly invite you to join our group in 2025 for this richly explorative art experience by the sea on the legendary Greek island of Hydra.
You have organised us beautifully, Anna!
Huge thanks for every day you pulled together for us
Gina S. U.K,- Hydra Art Retreat October 2024
MEET TEE HARDMAN
"The experience of creative intuition is fragile and fleeting" says Tee, "it's mysterious, but powerful!"
"Those moments of mysterious potentiality and open-ended suggestiveness which generate new and original thoughts, sounds, images and actions often happen we're in that state of 'flow', and that state is generated through playful creativity ...when the outcome is not measured".
Tee Hardman is a professional architect, rational, logical and exacting. She is also an artist, and she is a researcher into Creative Intuition - she's written a Ph.D. thesis about it!
She'll show you how to tap into and nurture creative intuition.
This is how it happens…. • Slow down • Pay attention • Focus on one particular thing • Practise “intelligent mindlessness” - no thinking • Tune into an embodied awareness, including emotions and sensations • Allow your intuitive awareness to flow through you • Express these intuitions as lines, marks, words or other forms of playful creative expression
Tee works in various creative mediums, although she prefers the fluidity and spontaneity of ink and other water-based mediums.
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.
Over the last 14 years, hundreds of people over dozens of retreats have experienced the depth of wellbeing that being creative can foster.
Creative Living Retreats are a source of focus for creative inspiration, with our intuitive teachers guiding you to Live Creatively.
Having held the first Retreats in 2011, and every year other than during the pandemic, many retreatants have returned for our thoughtfully curated weeks of supported creativity, and I genuinely look forward to welcoming you to Hydra! More info
Loved the whole thing ... 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 on a BALI RETREAT
What's the teaching plan and how does the retreat work?
Our program presents a different approach each day, for which you'll be using your special sketchbooks which are provided, and as you work towards the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to bring as many of these approaches into the creation of larger art work on other supports (canvas or larger paper).
Our inspiration comes from the walks and visits w we take,; sometimes we'll work on location, for on-the-spot inspiration, stay for a taverna lunch and a swim, or return back to the hotel to work in in the spacious, bougainvillea-trellised courtyard where you can spread out, and - or inside if you prefer.
After the morning session of art concludes, you're free to lunch, take a siesta, walk to one of the many beautiful swimming spots, and on some days we have organised water taxi trips to such locations with either an included traditional Greek lunch or dusk supper.
On some days the second art session will happen at the end of the afternoon, on others it will be after lunch - it depends on our location.
We spend a day on the mainland at Ermioni, a 30-minute boat ride away, with a scented pine forest, site of ancient Classical ruin, lovely swimming spots and great places to sit and draw or paint, with our lunch included (many say the "best all week")..
In all, the retreat comprises 24 hours of art time with Tee Hardman. You're free to continue your art-making at any time, anywhere, including the hotel.
You will receive demonstrations and have sessions to develop;
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continuous drawing as a method
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intuitive drawing
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intuitive painting
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flow painting
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landscape drawing and the drawing of buildings
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drawing water
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creating poem paintings to the lyrics of works created by writers on and about Hydra
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and finally create one or two larger (but travel-sized or travel packable), developed artworks
The port features four museums, three of which are included in the retreat program, an art cinema and two art museums, with free entry for you to enjoy.
Anna will share menus from favourite tavernas during the week - there's a wide choice, from fine dining to take-away souvlaki, and the several supermarkets are available for self-catering too.
Where does the retreat take place ?
The retreat hub offers accommodation, breakfast and relaxed and private places for the art both outside beneath a 200-year old olive tree in high-walled courtyard, and inside beneath a high-beamed ceiling (should very occasional rain happen).
Although Hydra is a very vertical island, with steeps scaling steep hills populated with the iconic, picturesque stone houses, our retreat hub is just a few minutes' walk from the port, on flat ground, with no steps required to approach it. The hotel has ground, first and second floors (no lift), with a dedicated buffet breakfast bar, sea view terrace access for all.
What does your Retreat include?
see all the inclusions >
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Accommodation with Breakfast for 7 nights
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Breakfasts 7
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Taverna Lunches 3
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Welcome Dinner
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Farewell Dinner
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24 Hours of Art Tuition with Becky Blair over 6 days
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Some Art Materials
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Water taxis to 2 destinations for painting and lunch
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Boat trip to Ermioni on Peloponnese for a day of painting off the rocks besides pristine clear waters, perfect for jumping into refresh before lunch (this depending on the weather, i.e.seas)
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National Museum visit with a special guest (surprise!)
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Visit to the home and studio of Hydra's famous C.20th artist Panayotis Tetsis
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gift bag with art goodies
What's Not Included
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airfares
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ferry to and from Hydra from Piraeus (Athens)
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porterage between ferry and your hotel on Hydra (can be arranged, cost applies)
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your personal insurance
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all alcoholic beverages
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any entrance tickets to places not described in the itinerary supplied on this site
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all personal expenses laundry, telephone etc.
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any boat taxis extra to those described in the itinerary (ie to two destinations for painting trips)
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any extra activities such as horse riding,
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.
Gloria C. Queensland, Australia.
ART RETREAT in Bali 2022
GETTING THERE
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You fly into ATHENS AIRPORT : ATH - Eleftherious Venizelos
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YOUR RETREAT STARTS on DAY 1 (13 September) when we meet for our welcome drink prior to port tour followed by Welcome Dinner
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GETTING FROM ATHENS TO HYDRA
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The port of Piraeus is 30 minutes from Athens airport and central Athens by taxi.
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You can purchase your boat tickets AHEAD OF TIME online for about Euro 38-44 - several boat companies operate this route, so check here for the sailing time that best suits you:
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The RETREAT FINISHES after breakfast on DAY 8 (20 September)
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Extra nights may be available at the retreat hotel - enquire with Anna - please mention this on your booking form.
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GETTING FROM ATHENS TO HYDRA - be sure to NOT BOOK the last available boat if you are planning to fly out of Athens that night (just in case the sailing is delayed or cancelled ... rare but possible).
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 after arrival at Piraeus port on retrun
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return boat from Hydra to Piraues as you may wish to stay on Hydra longer (this can be organised by Anna for you)
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5 dinners
ART MATERIALS
A detailed list with links and images is available when you book, or on request
You will need to bring the following with you:
A box of good quality, saturated and light-fast watercolours - any of these are recommended:
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Winsor & Newton
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Daniel Smith
https://www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-smith-watercolour-paint-half-pan-metal-box-set-of-12 topped up with https://danielsmith.com/product-updates/watercolor-tube-sets/paul-wangs-colour-play-lab-set/
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Kuretake
https://www.jacksonsart.com/kuretake-gansai-tambi-japanese-watercolour-large-pan-set-of-18
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3 flat hake brushes 2”,3”and 4”
https://www.greatart.co.uk/jax-chinese-hake-flat-brushes.html
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watercolour brushes
https://www.greatart.co.uk/i-love-art-classic-watercolour-wash-brush-set-3-brushes.html
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Optional extra brushes https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B091XWWWRK?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_wa_apin_dp_XMQCYXW36VHVNXX5NKD1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_wa_apin_dp_XMQCYXW3
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3 black waterproof fineliner pens 0.3mm, 0.1mm and 0.05mm
https://www.jacksonsart.com/uni-pin-waterproof-sketching-pens
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A dip pen
https://www.jacksonsart.com/speedball-mapping-pen-set
The rest will be provided
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Rooms with own direct terrace are on 2nd floor; terrace-access rooms on 1st floor (as is suite).
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There is no elevator in this hotel as it is a historical building. Terraces face towards the sea. Rooms allocated strictly on first-come basis.
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Non-participating partners are welcome to join in our group activities - fee applies
