LEAF Spring Retreat
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Join us May 11-14 in the heart of Lake Eden
for the LEAF Spring Retreat!
The pulsing drum is the heartbeat of humanity!
Everywhere across this great land, we see, hear and feel impressions of the peoples that once cultivated it. In this year’s Spring Retreat, we will uplift and honor First Nations, Indigenous & LatinX peoples as a precursor to our Fall Festival, “Legends of The Americas!” We also have a yearly focus on Health: mental, physical & emotional wellbeing. It is a time of rejoicing and celebrating those that came before us. A rekindling of the wisdom passed down through generations; a time of honoring beautiful legacies, stories and traditions. Please join as we enter a world of learning through the eyes of the greats, this May 11-14th at LEAF Retreat!
“My people will sleep for a one hundred years, but when they awake, it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.”
Louis Riel
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Retreat’s hand-drawn poster art comes all the way from Chiapas, Mexico! Our featured artist for Retreat is known as Alen Stone, a Chiapas native with strong Mayan roots. His passion for creating art began 20 years ago, as a practitioner of graffiti & Hip Hop culture. Alen said that, from the beginning, he wanted to represent his culture and heritage, so he began fusing Mayan influences with his graffiti pieces and this began his two-decade journey. Alen chose the jaguar as the centerpiece because, not only is it the state symbol of Chiapas, but the majestic creature inhabits their mountainous region in great numbers.
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The jaguar was also a symbol of Mayan warriors and revered by many indigenous cultures throughout Mexico. The fans on either side of the jaguar are folkloric symbols of Chiapas and are connected to the traditions of his people. The piece is a lovely dedication to Mayan culture and the wonderful people and traditions of Chiapas, and we are extremely honored and excited to share it with you today! Let’s congratulate Alen Stone for a job well done!
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This year’s LEAF Spring Retreat is partially funded by the NEA’s Grants for Art Projects and South Arts’Traditional Art Touring grant. We send so many thanks to them both!
