Each year Flying Arts runs a six-day retreat with leading visual arts professionals. In 2004, Living the Landscape took place in the shearers- quarters at Bingara, west of Cunnamulla. The 2005 retreat was held at Magnetic Island in June/July.

Girraween 2007

In late August this year’s Annual Artist Retreat, Four Seasons was held in the unique landscape of the Granite Belt in South East Queensland. Featuring massive granite outcrops with precariously balanced boulders, this stunning environment boasts wide-open skies, crisp fresh air, vineyards, wineries, and four distinct seasons. Tucked up against the Girraween National Park the Lodge covers four hundred acres of natural bushland with on-site bushwalks, luxury cabins, plunge pools and an outdoor hot spa. The participants benefited greatly from the expert guidance of lead artists, Melbourne based Dean Bowen and Brisbane based June Tupicoff. The successful combination of experienced, generous lead artists, stunning scenery and a group of vivacious and talented participants resulted in a great week, evidenced by the body of diverse and accomplished artworks.

Eungella 2006

Flying Arts held the Annual Retreat in the stunning surrounds of Eungella. Lead artists Wendy Teakel and Glen Skien and Flying Arts staff member Joanne Armytage, took participants on a week long creative journey in this unique environment. The park hosts the oldest and longest stretch of subtropical rainforest in Australia providing a fabulous environment for a week of creative expression. ‘Eungella’ meaning ‘Land of the Clouds’ in the local aboriginal dialect was just that with early morning vistas shrouded in clouds. Our accommodation, the Eungella Chalet, was positioned right on the edge of the Clarke Ranges with spectacular views down the Pioneer Valley to the coast.

Magnetic Island 2005

Twenty-four participants enjoyed six full days of painting, drawing and printmaking at the Outdoor Recreation Centre at Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island recently. Our talented tutors Anneke Silver and Ron McBurnie designed a dynamic program for the week and put in extraordinary time and effort in to making it a highly successful artists retreat. Read more about Magnetic here.

Bingara 2004

Living the Landscape was held from April 29 to May 4 at Bingara, a working sheep and cattle property 120kms south-west of Cunnamulla. Over the six-day residency the twenty participants worked under the guidance of tutors Mandy Martin and Michael Pospischil drawing inspiration from the landscape and exploring connections to their surroundings. Participants travelled to Bingara from places including Gympie, Maleny, Bundaberg, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Cowra, and even Perth, and lived in the basic but comfortable shearer's quarters.