Sonic Mud Retreat
Join us or a very special ceramic chime making workshop with multidisciplinary artist and instrument builder, Julia Elsas. During this two-night three-day retreat, Julia will guide you through making ceramic components for your very own ceramic wind chime.
Julia Elsas is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Her art practice encompasses ceramics, textiles, printmaking, sculpture, installation and performance. Recent exhibitions and performances include Carnegie Museum of Art, Asya Geisberg Gallery, Available Items, Pasaquan, The Bo Bartlett Center, Isabel Sullivan Gallery and Jane Hartsook Gallery.
Julia has been an artist-in-residence at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica di Venezia, Venice, Italy; Gowanus Studio Space, Brooklyn, NY; Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, VA; and Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA. She was in the 2018-2019 inaugural cohort of the New Jewish Culture Fellowship, a 2019 - 2020 Keyholder Resident at the Lower East Side Print Shop and a 2022 Artist in Residence at Obracadobrain Oaxaca City, Mexico.
Julia teaches ceramics at Greenwich House Pottery and printmaking at the Lower East Side Print Shop in NYC.
What to Expect-
This weekend retreat is designed for creatives and curious …
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Create with nature in an inspirational environment and sleep among the stars. Each accommodation at Gatherwild is created by artists and designed for comfort and delight. Each site offers privacy as well as convenience. Choose from a design forward solo or shared accommodation.
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Workshops are led by Julia Elsas, a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist, instrument builder, and educator who teaches at Greenwich House Pottery and the Lower East Side Print Shop. With an extensive background spanning ceramics, textiles, and sculpture, alongside international residencies from Venice to Oaxaca, Julia brings an incredible depth of technical expertise, material experimentation, and creative innovation to her teaching.
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Wind chimes have been used for divination, protection, storm prediction, warding off pests and evil sprits. Make your chime components unique to you and your personal universe. The workshop takes place at the end of summer, on the cusp of the Autumnal Equinox. What are your intentions for this change of seasons and this year?
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Meals will be a combination of farm fresh prepared meals on site and an opportunity to explore neighboring restaurants or cooking onsite. See the schedule for meal details.
Daily Schedule
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Daily Schedule *
DAY 1 - Monday, August 31: noon arrival
Arrival & Grounding: Settle into the ranch with coffee and tea on the Sunset Deck.
1 PM Studio time: Wind chime intro and structural building session
5 PM Afternoon Reset: Enjoy a Sauna Session, round of ping pong in the Game Lounge or exploring the local area.
Evening: Dinner on your own - adventure to restaurants in the neighboring towns or cook out at your campsite
DAY 2 - Tuesday, September 1:
9 am Morning Flow: A Private Yoga Session on the deck.
10 am Breakfast: Yogurt & Granola Spread
11 am Studio Time: Designing and building wind chime components.
4 pm Afternoon Reset: Enjoy free time. Explore Hudson or Tivoli or stay and lounge in the hammock or take a dip in the mini pool.
Golden Hour: Head to the Sunset Deck for an optional happy hour & hanging wind chimes on the sunset deck.
7 pm Evening: A Wood-Fired Pizza Party followed by an Evening Bonfire & S’mores Bar under the stars.
DAY 3- Wednesday, September 2:
9 am Wake-Up Call: Start with fresh egg collecting and goat feeding + Bagel Bar Breakfast
10 am Studio time: Surface decoration
1 pm The Takeaway: A final goodbye to the goats & departure.
Included Workshops-
Begin your morning with gentle movement and setting intention.
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Start your first work session with wind chime show and tell including examples of wind chimes throughout history. We will go over structural components of wind chimes followed by a 3-hour building session using techniques of coiling, slabbing, and pinching to make our wind chime crowns.
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Continue the structural and decorative process in a relaxed and guided environment.
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Wrap up the workshop with a 3-hour studio session - adding color and surface decoration to your chimes. Document and label work carefully for bisque fire.
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The GatherWild x Jessie Mordine is proud to offer a dedicated scholarship for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists and makers. This scholarship is designed to support greater access, representation, and equity within fiber arts by removing financial barriers to participation.
What’s Included:
Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary workshops led by Jessie Mordine; all materials and instruction are fully provided. The retreat also includes on-site accommodation and entry to the Sheep and Wool Festival, offering a comfortable and restorative environment to learn, create, and connect in community.
To be covered by the scholarship recipient:
Transportation to and from the retreat and meals are covered by the participant.
This opportunity is intended for BIPOC individuals who would benefit from financial support and are interested in exploring or expanding their weaving practice. Through this scholarship, GatherWild and Jessie Mordine aim to cultivate a more inclusive and supportive creative space, where diverse voices and practices are welcomed, valued, and nurtured.
To apply, please send a letter of intent and any past work in a portfolio (either in a PDF or website format) to hi@jessiemordineyoung.com and laura@gatherwild.com.
$1250
Shared Accommodation
Experience the weekend in a communal, artist-designed space that fosters connection and creative exchange. Our shared accommodations feature two sleeping spaces within a single room. This is the ideal choice for those looking to immerse themselves in the social energy of the retreat, or a great opportunity to share with a friend. Each accommodation at Gatherwild is unique! Input the dates (August 30th - September1st) with the button below and book the accommodation that feels best for you.
$1490
Private Accommodation
For those seeking a quiet space to process their craft, our private accommodations offer a secluded retreat. Set within one of our unique, site-specific cabins or structures, these rooms feature a queen bed, bespoke furnishings, and expansive views of the surrounding landscape. Each accommodation at Gatherwild is unique! Input the dates (August 30th - September1st) with the button below and book the accommodation that feels best for you.
How Payments Work:
A $500 non refundable deposit is required to hold your place. Remaining Balance will be charged on July 30th.
“Secure My Spot” will lead you to the Booking page, where you will input August 30th. Choose the accommodation that feels best to you, you can also peruse the unique accommodations here.
Still have questions? Contact us directly.
For questions regarding the accommodations & logistics:
hello@gatherwild.com
For inquiries around the workshops:
hello@juliaelsas.com
Add Ons & Upgrades
Concert & 3rd Night $300
$300 includes the workshop & Tuesday overnight private accommodation. Email hello@gatherwild.com to add this to your retreat reservation.