mindful drawing experiences
Transformative drawing workshop retreats that enable participants to connect with nature through drawing.
Nau mai,
haere mai
Kinship is a small contemporary drawing school with open-air weekend drawing workshops in the Ruapehu District and one-day sessions in the Eastbourne Bays Regional Park, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington.
Intimate class sizes of 1 – 4 students, with tailored mentorship.
Retreats are led by active professional practicing artist Dr Maria O’Toole.
About Maria
Maria O’Toole is a visual artist who lives between Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Ruapehu. Her practice is based in contemporary abstract drawing. She received a PhD in Fine Arts from Toi Rauwhārangi, Massey University. In her doctoral research she experimented with aligning her environmental concerns with her drawing practice. Maria’s drawing school kinship evolved from this rigorous study. She runs regular drawing workshops and events in her Eastbourne Bays Studio, the Ruapehu District and in other venues by invitation.
Maria is an experienced senior tutor at tertiary level. She has received multiple awards and residencies in Aotearoa and overseas including; a Merit in the Parkin Drawing Prize (2020) and Finalist in the National Contemporary Art Award (2023).
Upcoming Retreats
Ruapehu Drawing Retreat Weekend
Friday 27 – 29 November
Ruapehu Weekend Drawing Retreat, Central Plateau This is an opportunity to step out of your everyday and invest in your art practice. You will be encouraged to immerse yourself in the stunning Ruapehu whenua through a series of mindful drawing exercises. We will be walking and drawing in the open-air.
Meals will be provided leaving you plenty of time to be creative. Your accommodation for the weekend is in a comfortable old villa with large outdoor spaces to relax in.
Sustainable Travel
The Train to Ohakune is recommended. This is not included in the price. Check timetable at https://www.greatjourneysnz.com/scenic-trains/northern-explorer-train/
Whiorau Studio Workshop Retreat, Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Dates on request
This drawing workshop makes the most of the coast and native forest surrounding the studio. We will connect with nature through drawing processes, they take place in the open-air. Lunch is provided and there will be time to discuss your practice.
Drawing processes designed to deepen our respect for the more-than-human world.
The whole experience of working with you has clarified and identified what I need for my own work. The meals you provided were fabulous.
Jude G
The retreat has given me plenty of juice and fuel to feed into my practice. It is exactly what I needed to open up more possibilities and ways of working. I can’t wait to get into the studio and equally spend more time in the natural world where the work begins.
Nicki
kinshipworkshops.com 