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let your creativity flow like the Buffalo (River)
Residency, Retreats, & Sabbaticals
CALLING Y'ALL CREATIVE PEEPS
Invest in yourself with a Nature Immersion
in the rural rolling hills of mid-south Tennessee
Taking the creative flow on the road for an art and nature immersion to northern Japan. 11 max participants
HIGHLIGHTS
This is called the "Western Highland Rim" of mid-south Tennessee which is the foothills of Appalachia with spectacular landscape and views at any season. Skies can be quite dramatic and on new moon evenings you'll probably see the Milky Way. 17 acres edging the Buffalo River with a variety of landscape scenery.
" My wish is to stay always like this,
living quietly in a corner of nature."
- Claude Monet
You deserve the focused time in a quiet, natural environment for yourself and your work - writing, research, fine art, music, graphic design, dance, architecture, sound/film, craft, and those in associated disciplines such as natural and social sciences.
Venture to the rural rolling foothills of Appalachia in the Western Highland Rim in middle Tennessee - one of the best light pollution free zones in the region. Partake in a unique opportunity to live in a magical and luscious landscape where you can explore the flora and fauna of the bio-diverse region just under 2 hours southwest of the creative capitol of Nashville and 3 hours east of vibrant Memphis. Escape the fast-pace world into a farm and forestry region where you'll have access to 17-acres with a variety of habitat from meadow to bamboo grove to river to forest; furnished housing; space to work; and interactions with the camp donkeys, chickens & roosters, camp cats, two farm dogs, and peacocks.
Every moment is a special opportunity to connect on multiple levels to the earth and environment, yourself and your work, and any others that may be on site. Sleep well and disconnect to reconnect. Create rhythm in your routine as you understand the ebb and flow of the natural world from the sun and stars to the water.
* Program options include 1, 2, or 3 weeks; with a month or longer option, such as for sabbatical, available based on additional interview after application
Carve out time that you deserve for yourself and your creative endeavor.
Learn to go slow. Take time to gaze at the stars. Smell the earth.
Disconnect to reconnect.
Shifts happen here.
light pollution free zone
Rewarding experiences occur when we get LOST – lost in thought, lost in a good book, lost in translation, lost in conversation, lost in place.
Visit the blog to learn about past participants experiences. Chronological order. 2024 participants will be added soon.
![DEVON FLAHERTY [info]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7133e6_3b38db3d4c6a40c9a4caa00f1a2a56e5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1000,h_1000,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/7133e6_3b38db3d4c6a40c9a4caa00f1a2a56e5~mv2.jpg)
![DEVON FLAHERTY [info]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7133e6_3b38db3d4c6a40c9a4caa00f1a2a56e5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_744,h_744,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/7133e6_3b38db3d4c6a40c9a4caa00f1a2a56e5~mv2.jpg)
![DAWEI ZHAO[info]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7133e6_3dac9fef64b94cbaa88caf71ab1e6e48~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1000,h_1000,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/7133e6_3dac9fef64b94cbaa88caf71ab1e6e48~mv2.jpg)
![DAWEI ZHAO[info]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7133e6_3dac9fef64b94cbaa88caf71ab1e6e48~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_744,h_744,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/7133e6_3dac9fef64b94cbaa88caf71ab1e6e48~mv2.jpg)
Homestead Experience as Creative Philosophy
As you disconnect from the fast-paced world, you'll encounter the homestead lifestyle with a minimum of daily required activities such as washing dishes by hand and basic care of common spaces as well as monitoring trash and composting. More details in FAQ.
If you want to experience more of a connection to the land, apply for the farm stay 'scholarship' which is a work exchange discount of $150 from the residency fee each week (maximum of $300 value). For those staying less than 30 days, this includes two hours of guided activity which may be centered on the garden, compost, bamboo, trail, or other basic maintenance needs. Additionally, you'll find 4 hours on your own balanced daily or in larger time blocks to help on the land which is likely a physical activity with additional guided direction, but can be managed on your own schedule. *This is based on an interview after application and contractual commitment. Scholarship value and hour commitment is different for month or longer terms.
See the F.A.Q. for more info.
" Adopt the pace of nature.
Her secret is patience."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The residency program namesake – Sarasvati – is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and nature. In Japanese Shinto, she is known as Benzaiten. This is a secular place that invites all walks of life to pursue your creative passions.
Nature should likely be your muse, collaborator, or co-conspirator. There is an organic curation of the participants at the particular time when paths intersect with the goal to create an interdisciplinary and diverse group for unique, once-in-a-lifetime particular individual experience. You don't have to be a full-time artist, writer, or creative to reap the benefits of this space. This is an artist-run residency, so your host is also a working creative in graphic design, photography, ceramics, craft, and education seeking to provide you with a memorable experience. As a former graphic design professor, Val is seeking to host a variety of disciplines including academics or former academics. Except for a housekeeper from the community, there are no staff on site as this is an emerging program.
Sarasvati creative Space @ Camp Wonder Wander offers a safe, comfortable, and creatively designed space in a rural setting (on a well-maintained, yet infrequently traveled state highway; not in the 'boondocks') just twenty minutes drive from civilization for individuals – graphic designers or architects, writers and poets, fine artists, musicians or songwriters, filmmakers, storytellers, performers, craft artisans, academics, or those just seeking a creative outlet – to get lost; to explore their inner dream scapes and rejuvenate one's inner spirit; to carve out the time and space needed to start, finish, polish or develop projects or portfolios; to generate ideas, to create and engage in experimentation needed in the design and creative process.
Please visit the F.A.Q. page for information on the room and rate options. The residency fee for all staying longer than 14 days includes a certified by ANFT Forest Therapy guided walk during your time to connect to the land intentionally.
Camp Wonder Wander is a creativity retreat space with a total of 17 acres including 500 ft of Buffalo River frontage.
Experience the season of your choice with spring and autumn as the best options.
Limited availability December - February and June - August has family-friendly options.
see pics of the land, spaces, and rooms here
TESTIMONIAL
My time in the Sarasvati artist residency was nothing short of life changing. I spent two months at the residency building a body of work to apply for graduate schools. I did not really know what direction I wanted my art to go before I came to the residency, but the space lends itself towards unfettered creativity and artistic freedom, allowing me to take my art down new, unforeseen paths. With few distractions, I was able to enter into a routine where I was much more productive than I would have been at home. Being able to go on a meditative walk down to the river or to just step outside and visit with the donkeys helped to keep my mind grounded as I worked. It’s a beautiful place where it’s easy to appreciate the changing nature all around you, a landscape which lends itself to artistic expression no matter what form it takes. I also met great people while I was there and had inspiring conversations while sitting around a campfire or looking at the stars. The artist residency left an indelible impression on my life, and I know that the course of my life will be changed because of it. - Brent Rowley (residency February - April 5, 2021)