Our Laity Lodge retreat: in images

A cellist's shoes

I feel like a broken record every time I write up a report of our time at Laity Lodge. It usually involves three recurring adjectives: beautiful, wonderful and how-soon-can-we-go-back? Our retreat was rich. I come away again grateful for the generous hospitality of the staff and leadership of LL.

I'll be posting a few entries in which I include summaries of things that were said and done. Charlie Peacock, Sandra Organ-Solis and Ginger Geyer each tackled my assignment to share with us their "Fives and Threes." What were five things they wish they had been told when they first started off as artists and what are three practices that keep them sane and healthy as they go along. In addition to sharing the fact that they've been making art for over three decades, all three of them gave voice to longings that many of us as artists know acutely, even painfully well.

For now, though, let me leave you with a few salient images and videos from our experience over the past four days.

To start off with: a fantastic improvisation between Charlie Peacock, Elizabeth Larson and Steuart Pincombe (parts two and three of the redoubtable musical group Credo).

Untitled from David Taylor on Vimeo.

Our fearless leader, Steven Purcell.

Listening.

I led a panel on Friday night that was really fun.

Panelists Jeff Guy and Jessie Nilo

Panelists Jay Walker and Maria Fee

Andi Ashworth reads a psalm.

Listening.

Paul Ranheim leads us in worship.

We sent upon the Frio River a "regatta" of bark-and-leaf boats made by Robert Feuge.

Launching near.

Launching far.

Adrift on the river.

Kenyon Adams, Tre Cool.

Steuart Pincombe on a baroque cello (circa 1727).

Elizabeth Ann Larson on violin.

(We got to listen to music that ranged from the baroque era to the contemporary. So fine. More to come later.)

We ate, oh, did we eat.

A mind-bogglingly tasty dish; sorta made me think of something from Titus Andronicus but more ethical and much better tasting.

Karl Digerness leading us in worship Sunday morning.

The merry band of retreatants.

... and then there was this tasty bit of improvised music.