CAMP AND… COURAGE, COMMUNITY, CREATIVITY, COMPASSION

Yes. A camp for adults…

A sleepover camp for adults…

A sleepover camp for adults where one can connect with some mighty special people — artists, writers, musicians, coaches, parents, travelers, and truly, anyone who practices kindness and inclusivity would be welcome.

A sleepover camp for adults where magic happens for a small community of fellow travelers because:

…we adults are desperately in need of play, surprise, magic, art, story, and music in our lives.

It’s Patti Digh’s Life is a Verb Camp!

Lake Reflection ©2018 Bo Mackison

It’s a sleepover camp for adults where one can, according to Patti Digh:

“reclaim your courage, reignite your creativity, reconnect with your community, and rekindle your compassion.”

Home Sweet Home Away from Home ©2018 Bo Mackison

And if that isn’t enough to pique your curiosity, camp is held at Kanuga Conference Center, a short drive from Asheville, North Carolina, and next year it takes place on October 31 through November 4 which is perfect timing for the fall color extravaganza. (I recommend adding a day before or after and exploring the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway and/or Great Smoky Mountain National Park to take in the glory of the region.)

Story Tree ©2018 Bo Mackison

THE COURAGE TO MAKE STRONG OFFERS:

I just returned home from Camp 2018 which marked my fourth year in attendance and I’ve already registered for Camp 2019 and even offered to teach a workshop on Phone Camera Photography.

(Camp does that to you, makes you want to stand up and volunteer. And…that may or may not happen —  I’ve sent the offer into the Universe, but I’m not the only one to make a strong offer. There’s an amazing group of talented creatives that share their many gifts each year.)

Molly Sharp ©2018 Bo Mackison

Cleaster Cotton ©2018 Bo Mackison

CAMP OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE:

I took my first ever jewelry workshop with silversmith Molly Sharp and it was an amazing introduction to the wonders of creating fine jewelry. What a kind and informative instructor! She guided eight new-to-jewelry students through the needed steps to create silver and stone pendants, earrings, and rings, and we all left her workshop wearing jewelry we’d excitedly created over the course of 6 hours.

Molly has already agreed to return next year and I highly recommend her workshop. (She’ll be teaching a pre-camp jewelry workshop on October 30, 2019.)

Contemporary Primitive Art Workshop ©2018 Bo Mackison

Contemporary Primitive Art ©2018 Bo Mackison

CAMP OFFERS CONNECTIONS & COMMUNITY:

Cleaster Cotton taught her Contemporary Primitive Art workshop and created a welcoming atmosphere where campers could play and create and make magic with color, pattern, and texture.

Cleaster will be returning to teach at camp in 2019. Yay!

Gaelynn Lea ©2018 Bo Mackison

Carrie Newcomer ©2018 Bo Mackison

The musicians at camp – wow! Inspiring. Talented. Energetic. Magical.

Read about Gaelynn Lea and be amazed at her journey. I also invite you to download her music. Take your time to listen, really listen — her music is a transformative experience.

Carrie Newcomer not only gave an inspiring concert with favorites such as You Can Do This Hard Thing, Sanctuary, and A Gathering of Spirits, but she also taught a master class in songwriting!

Here is the song we sang at the camp talent show — Yes! Camp does have a talent show! — featuring Carrie Newcomer and The Verbs. The song’s title is Love is a Verb.

There was so much more – speakers and fiddlers and more musicians and more create workshops and there were s’mores and an open mic. Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni was stunning, a gifted storyteller telling an important story and her reflections on Truth, Justice, and Love was expansive. Santos Soul brought the house down with their rendition of Ancestors played to close Sunday’s session. So much happened over the course of those four and a half days, it’s almost impossible to document it all. So much goodness and inspiration and community building. So much goodness!

This is what camp is — it’s the filling of one’s inner well full enough that it will be source and resource until it’s time for camp once again. ~ Bo Mackison

There will be new speakers and musicians and poets in 2019. Poets Patricia Smith, Danez Smith, and Liz Acevedo will be reading poetry. Patti Digh hosts the event and leads the camper troops ever onward. (While you are thinking about all the wordsmithing awesomeness, check out Acevedo’s new book Poet X! )

SO COME TO CAMP!

Life is a Verb Camp 2019 registration is open. If you register by November 15, 2018 you get a price break. it’s a priceless event, but you might want to check it out at discount prices.

Come to camp, okay? You know you not only want to come, you really NEED to come.