The annual EngAGE programs staff retreat was hosted by artist Jerome Gastaldi and his collaborator, Carol Ashton, at Gastaldi’s country studio property in Fallbrook, CA. He has painting, sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics studios on-site and leads groups to participate in exercises contained in their book, Keep an Eye on Your Soul: Creating Change Through the Arts (2007). His artwork can be seen in the Yard House restaurant chain. Carol and Jerome also developed an online course, “Explorations in Creativity,” for Brandman University which explores the creative processes as healing and agents of change. Techniques are being used with at-risk and incarcerated populations, the military, and therapists, as well as a foundation for community building in this country and abroad.
COO Maureen Kellen-Taylor, who has a background in Expressive Arts Therapy, did a test-run of the process with Jerome and Carol and decided it would provide a great opportunity for the EngAGE team to connect with each other as community, apart from the work they have in common, to be refreshed and to encourage their talents for creativity and playfulness — all of this in beautiful surroundings crafted with the artistic eye and skills of the artist-owner. Thanks, Jerome and Carol. The time with you worked magic!
Contributed by EngAGE C.O.O. Maureen Kellen-Taylor
(Click on the photos to enlarge them.)
