• A day retreat to turn your poems into beautiful gifts. 
• A new Saturday retreat we're calling:  "A Writing Getaway"
• Dates for the Landscapes of Poetry - the monthly writing group
• Next September - one more Everything You Wanted To Know About Poetry
  
• Learning from Some Masters scheduled for March and October 2012
  

You know: Someone asks you for something you’ve written, or you have written something you would love to give to a friend or family member, loved one, colleague. But all you have is a printer that prints it out on... a piece of paper. Is that enough?

Lewis Hyde in his influential book The Gift calls for a return to the artist as gift giver. Following his lead, we’ll discover ways that you can turn your writing into a tangible art object, learning how to make alternatives to that piece of paper.

Under the direction of Jack Ridl, Dianne DeYoung, and Beth Trembley, you will have a hands-on time creating alternative media, variations on the notion of a book, artworks in themselves. You will create at least three basic forms and will be given many ways to improvise on each. And there will be time to begin putting your own writing into your book art forms.

We will gather at the home of Julie and Jack Ridl--or as they call it, "The Monastery” – on Saturday, November 12. The workshop will run from 9AM until 3PM plus. The Monastery sits at the foot of a huge dune in the woods with Kelly Creek meandering by. We will work near a wall of windows that allow us to feel the presence of the woods while we are snug inside making, making, making.

Jack Ridl  as you know - is a poet and teacher who has led workshops for more than 40 years and is the author or co-author of 12 books, but he has always wanted to make his own!

Dianne DeYoung is a journal keeper and poet who loves all forms of creative expression using words. She has studied book making with Andrea Peterson at Ox-Bow.

Beth Trembley is a storyteller. She has published a short memoir and fiction and a series of mystery novels and runs workshops both at Hope and in the local community. She began making her own books to supply her art journaling habit and learned about creating books at the Kalamazoo Center for the Book Arts.

Where: Jack and Julie Ridl’s "Monastery” at 6625 147^th Avenue, Holland 49423

When: Saturday, November 12, 9AM-3PM (But you can stay and work till 5!)

Skills needed: NONE

Registration: Deadline and balance in full due:  October 29

Cost: $160 Includes lunch and certain materials we’ll supply*

*After registration, you will receive all directions, and a list of inexpensive materials to bring with you.

Open to those 17 and older

LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS - Sat March 3, 2012 and Saturday October 6, 2012

A perfect follow-up session if you've just taken Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know about Poetry But Were Afraid to Ask!.  Though anyone who has taken Jack's other offerings will benefit from this workshop. And - even if you have taken this session before, Jack has promised to dip into his infinite bag of Masters for a number not covered in past session. 

This is what Jack says about Learning from the Masters: "Here's an opportunity to spend some time as an apprentice with a group of master poets.  During our day together, we will take a close look at some contemporary poets, noticing what it is in particular that distinguishes their work.  There will be no pressure at all to compose an accomplished poem while we are together.  The idea is for all of us to 'learn by noticing and trying out' and in that way enriching our own writing and also gaining a deeper appreciation of the various poets' visions and artistry."   Come join us!

When:  Saturday, March 3, 2012  9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., and/or October 6, 2012 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m

Where: A Come Write with Me event hosted by Colette Volkema DeNooyer on the shores of Lake Michigan, Holland, MI.

Cost: $150.00 (includes lunch)  All checks made out to Jack Ridl  Limited to 15.

To register: email Colette at comewritewithme@gmail.com for registration form.  A non-refundable $50 deposit required with registration assures your participation. (Balance due September 22, 2012)

Open to those 17 and older.

A WRITING GETAWAY -  Saturday May 12, 2012

Here’s a chance to get away from all that keeps you from hunkering down with your own world and your own writing. Just say no to phones and texts and the laundry and the boss and the kids and the mail and the bills and the things we learned as kids that "have to be done before you can play.”

Come to a getaway along Lake Michigan and spend the day writing and writing and writing. And writing.

We’ll gather at 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 25, meet one another and then under the direction of Jack Ridl head into our own worlds and see what happens. Jack will provide prompts, but you don’t have to follow them.

You will head off for a 45 minute write and then come back together for some conversation. Jack will respond to your writing questions, issues, dilemmas, frustrations, ideas, joys, wonderings.

Then after Jack tosses out some writing ideas and a few more prompts, off you’ll go once again to write. Then back for more conversation. Then off to write. Then back again for at least three or four blocks of writing time.

(And if you would rather keep writing rather than returning to the circle – that’s fine too. We want you to write your heart out! Use the day the way it works for you.)

Somewhere within these writing times, we’ll break for lunch, a delicious lunch. And then after a nap (you can if you like!) we’ll get back to more of the same.

So, give your soulful self a much needed break, a chance to play, guaranteed renewal, a place where you can be you, with others who know what it means to have a whole day with what matters.

(And if you enjoy this day – you can come again on May 12 for more of the same!) 

Where: Shores of Lake Michigan, Holland, Michigan.  Home of Colette Volkema DeNooyer

Cost: $150 per person. (includes lunch)