Retreats Stradbroke Island

20/10/2025

Did you come to the "Motherhood Is ..." exhibition at Soul Lodge last year. for the Straddie Arts Trail?

Maureen Hansen was a contributing artist and she joins us this year as special guest and artist-in -residence. We have decided to extend the morning workshop program and welcome creative souls who may want to join us on Thursday, Friday or Saturday morning 10am - 12pm. Learn colour, form and find your own style. Experiment with a range of media and surfaces. Sessions are $50 each.

For 30 years Maureen Hansen has continued the tradition of plein-air painting brought to us by the Impressionists. By painting her immediate surroundings over hours at a time, Hansen mixes the colours unique to Queensland.

Hansen is a true colourist who paints directly in front of her subject for hours observing changing light from life. Typically, Hansen’s paintings are known for their saturated colour in oil or gouache and their gestural brushwork. Her exhibitions feature landscape, still life and portraiture.

Artist talk is Sunday 10am -12pm and is free.

Book in here
https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

@lauri.ladyexplorer @skyesthelimit_insta

18/10/2025

Meet our artist-in-residence Maureen Hansen at Soul Lodge, Amity Point during the Arts Trail.

Maureen Hansen trained under William Robinson at QUT in the late 1980’s and carries on the tradition of observational painting as influenced by 20th Century Modernists like Matisse, Bonnard and the Fauvist group.
For 30 years Maureen Hansen has continued the tradition of plein-air painting brought to us by the Impressionists. By painting her immediate surroundings over hours at a time, Hansen mixes the colours unique to Queensland.
Hansen is a true colourist who paints directly in front of her subject for hours observing changing light from life. Typically, Hansen’s paintings are known for their saturated colour in oil or gouache and their gestural brushwork. Her exhibitions feature landscape, still life and portraiture.

Her work is found in Parliament House Collection Canberra, Brisbane, Ipswich, Redcliffe and Warwick Art Collections. She has been awarded the Tattersalls Landscape prize and Churchie Art Prize. Overseas, Hansen has exhibited in London and St. Petersburg. Her portrait of Robert Forster of the Go-Betweens was published in the 2017 edition of Rolling Stone magazine in Berlin.

Maureen will be speaking at the FREE artists talk on Sunday, 10am - 12pm. Or join one of our morning workshops Thursday, Friday and or Saturday.

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

17/10/2025

Did you come to the Lines in the Sand arts festivals at Straddie?

From 2009 - 2014 myself, Jo Fay Duncan and co-creators ran artists' residencies, (hosted at the Headland Chalet), conversations, enabled outdoor installations around the Gorge Walk and headland workshops.

Craig Tapp's sand art appeared on the front page of SIN (Stradbroke Island News), Thanks .There were too many people to mention. But I am going to add a few account names to this post, so that you can see something of your legacy.

Our 2026 Artist-in-residence program at Soul Lodge, Amity Point is this year hosting the first residency program since these times. As part of the Arts Trail . We aim to make it an annual event, which is our way of supporting artists and bringing people together and attention to the fragility and beauty of nature here.

There are now a range of ways you can become involved:

🫵🏽 Join our full retreat program Which is program plus accomodation $1140 - $1540

🫱🏽 Have your own accomodation? Join our full day program October 22 - 25 $300

✍🏽 Observation, Composition & Your Own Style, Thursday workshop October 23, 10am - 12pm

🌊 Waves, Water's Edge & Horizons, Friday workshop October 24, 10am - 12pm

🫶🏾 Beach Finds & The Art of Still Life, Saturday workshop October 25, 10am - 12pm

🙌🏽 Artists Talk, Sunday October 26 10am - 12pm

🏝 Beach Finds & The Art of Still Life, Saturday workshop October 25, 10am - 12pm

Be apart of something beautiful, by booking in here

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat
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Gee wiz, I could go on for a long time here.

11/10/2025

Bayo Akomolafe breathes deeply before speaking; "The lesson of our times, is to look for the cracks ... breathe long and deep enough to perceive them ... and slow enough so that new worlds can seed"

Art is an excercise in perception.

Lets breathe slow and deep enough that we perceive our truthes.

Our gathering October 22 - 26 is about more than art making. It is about being with nature, with others.

Hope you will join us.

With only two weeks to go. Claim your place at this gathering ...

http://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat
https://youtu.be/cUO2zoc-ybg?si=XfMvCj0Zy-pHdl6m

Learn the skills to create beautiful compositions, guided and inspired by experienced artist Maureen Hansen, on-location at island paradise North Stradbroke...

10/10/2025

Attention all creative souls!

With just a two weeks away until our Nature Art Retreat, we are offering a 10% discount on full retreat prices for solo-women travellers or couples. For those who are looking to enjoy our island style hospitality, we share an intimate gathering for guests and places are limited **** Code is CreativeSoul2025

Book here https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

Our day program is open to those who have their own accommodation. Or if you would like to come for a day trip the still life workshop promises awaken your creative soul.

Check the https://www.stradbrokebus.com.au/ for day trippers, as public transport access to us at Amity is not so frequent. While you are here you can enjoy a Coffee from Bo Beans and do some koala spotting.

10/10/2025

Are you an artful soul? A creative spirit? Want to join our Nature Art Retreat program but have your own accommodation on the island?

Join us for the three day program only option. A sample schedule for the day includes;

🌊 Beach & bush track mindfulness meditation
🦅 Morning asana and pranayama for creativity
🐬 Nature art workshop at Soul Lodge
🐨 Lunchtime (bookings essential)
🦘Nature Immersion, art on location
🏝 Island ecology conversation.

Over the coming days we we will dive a little deeper into some details. But for now you can find out more here, or book in for an authentic island experience, inspiration and good old fashioned hospitality.

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

06/10/2025

Join us at Soul Lodge, Stradbroke Island for the Straddie Arts Trail, October 22-26. Tap into your creative spirit with our program of nature inspired art workshops, artists talk and retreat.

To find out how you can connect with us follow this link
http://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

05/10/2025

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

03/10/2025

Nature Art FREE Artists Talk, Sunday October 26, 10am - 12pm, is open to everyone and visitors to the Straddie Arts Trail.

Nature Art Retreat is from Wednesday October 22- 26, and culminates in an
art exhibition opening, is open to everyone and visitors to the Straddie Arts Trail.

Who is talking? Our Nature Art Retreat guests, artist-in-residence Maureen Hanson and host Jo Fay Duncan.

Find out more about the Nature Art Retreat here

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat

Visit https://iamstraddie.com.au/ to find out more about the Straddie Arts Trail and book in for the Nature Arts Artists Talk.

03/10/2025

Have you been to the Straddie Arts Trail and wondered how to become more involved?

Well now is your chance. Those who join in our program have the opportunity to display their work in the studio gallery Soul Lodge, Amity Point. You may even have art that you have done on or about the island and would love an opportunity to share the work.

Book into the Nature Art program only for just $300.

We aim to bring good folk together, who share a common love for the island and art making.

How else can I get involved?

Nature Art program only for those who have their own accommodation on the island Thursday October 23 - Saturday 25 $300

Beach Finds & Art of the Still Life,, Saturday 10am - 12pm $50

Artists Talk, Sunday 10am - 12pm FREE

02/10/2025

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Escape the everyday and find your creative spirit on a tranquil journey to North Stradbroke Island.

Surrounded by the peaceful bushland, you'll spend four nights immersed in nature and art, sharing moments of joy with kindred spirits under the gaze of curious koalas and kangaroos.

Experience a sanctuary to reconnect with your creative potential. And enjoy the opportunity to share your unique voice with the world by being apart of the Straddie Arts Trail.

Join us ...

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat..

26/09/2025

Dear Friend, We are looking forward to our next five day retreat which coincides with the Straddy Arts Trail and hope you will join us.

Our Nature Art Retreat is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22-26 and there are a few different ways to join us; one is to book into stay in our holiday house for four nights, the other is to join us for the program only (you may have your own island home or can stay with someone else).

Or join us for a morning workshop Beach Finds & Art of Still Life. You can find out more at Humanitix.

https://events.humanitix.com/nature-art-retreat
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