MOSAIC ALCHEMY
Providing art and social experiences that result in one of a kind mosaics. As we continue to emerge out of the COVID 19 Pandemic, Experiences are available via ZOOM, FB msgr, and by phone.
Serra Retreat Grounds - Malibu, CA
This Tender Ground
Weekend and Day Retreats at Serra Retreat Center
Healing Through Art and Journaling
for Los Angeles Wildfire Survivors
Artist Betty Rosen invites you to a series of free mosaic-making workshops, expressive arts retreats, and community rituals of renewal offered to those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. Hosted at the Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, this three-year residency,
THIS TENDER GROUND offers a place to rest, restore, and reimagine together through the healing language of art.
Our long term project, inspired by the AIDS QUILT, will be a community driven public art piece, to commemorate and offer healing from the wildfires.
This is a three year residency. Our last two events of 2025 are:
Day Retreat
December 8th 10am-2pm
Weekend Retreat
November 21-23rd
See EVENTS page for details.
Please call Serra Retreat Center to register. I will send out a welcome notification a few days before the Retreat with all the details. Serra Retreat: 310 456 6631
We ask only for a $25 registration to hold your space, protect our time, and insure attendance. If this is a barrier, let us know and we will make other arrangements.
TO REGISTER, please call Serra Retreat at 310 456 6631
https://www.serraretreat.com/this-tender-ground
If you would like to support our work over the next 3 years, you can make a tax deductible donation at the link above by choosing THIS TENDER GROUND. We thank you.
DAY RETREAT SCHEDULE
Gentle Arrival at 9am - Speed limits on PCH can be 25mph still.
Please check in at the main office. Enjoy the Grounds at Serra. Walk the Labyrinth. Gawk at the views of the Pacific Ocean. Have a cup of tea in their dining room.
10am-12pm - All activities in the RINDGE ROOM
Build Your Own…. Bouquet, Bracelet, Lantern… Or all 3!
Introduction to Creative Journaling. - Betty was certified as a Creative Journal Expressive Arts in 2021 under Dr Lucia Capacchione. This simple tool has transformed her life and she looks forward to sharing it with you.
Presentation by Kate Samuels. Hear Kate’s story of loss and renewal. She will share with us the mosaic animals she’s made from the recovered shards at her home
12pm - 1pm. Lunch provided in the Serra Dining Room
1pm - 2pm Beginning Mosaics - Make a holiday ornament. Learn to use cutting tools (hand nippers) or choose from precut materials. Explore color.
Tessarae (anything used to make mosaics) as Eye Candy! Explore Shapes, Angles…get lost in the art making process.
Short reflection journaling exercise and conversation to complete our day.
What we’re offering:
Take a weekend for yourself, yes, just YOU. No cooking, No Social Media, No work. No fretting. No paperwork. No decisions…
Experience the simple, empowering, healing and fun work of Dr Lucia Cappachione’s CREATIVE JOURNAL EXPRESSIVE ARTS. Check out Lucia's Amazon Author Page to explore her many publications.
Explore an introduction to mosaic making. Betty has been a professional mosaic artist for 20+years.
Enjoy the beauty of Malibu, California’s SERRA RETREAT CENTER
Leave with tools and materials to continue your creative practice. Or not…
Enjoy our special presenters sharing their artistic crafts, tips, and stories of their creative paths.
Make new friends and/or get reacquainted with your BFF inside of you.
Weekend Schedule
All activities in the Serra Room
Friday
Arrive anytime after 3pm - Enjoy the grounds, get settled in.
Upon arrival and check in at Serra Retreat
5pm - all evening “BYOB” (Build Your own Bouquet) and other creativity stations to explore and discover.
6 - 7:00pm - Dinner
7 - 8:00pm - Intro to CJEA writings.
8:00-9:pm- Dawn Mendelson - Community Mosaic Artist will share her projects and philosophies of making art together as we plant seeds for our community project to commemorate the Wildfires. dawnmendelson.com
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8 - 9:00am - Breakfast-
9:30-11am - Movement & Spiritual Scavenger Hunt (Weather Permitting)
12 - 1:00pm - Lunch1:30-2:30pm - Rest, Enjoy the views, creativity stations, chat with new friends.
3 -5:00pm -Make Mosaics of California Symbols. Poppies, Bears, Quails etc…we will explore imagery from our great state using glass, ceramic tiles, broken plates etc.
6 - 7:00pm - Dinner
7:00 - 8:15 - Laughing Yoga with spiritual practitioner Martin Weich. Yes, Laughing Yoga is a practice and one we all need so much right now. -
8 - 9:00am - Breakfast
9:00am - Checkout: Remove belongings from your room to cars, place bedsheets in hall, and return to Rindge Room9:30am - 11:30am - Grout your California Symbol.
11:30pm - 12pm -CJEA Journal Reflection and Evaluation
12:00pm - 1pm Lunch
Retreat Concludes
You are welcome to enjoy the Serra Retreat’s grounds for the afternoon as long as we are respectful of others at retreat center.
What’s Provided
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Single rooms, with bed and desk and lamps, adjoining bath with shower, Serra provides simple towels, soap, linens.
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(5 Meals, cafeteria style).
Friday: Dinner
Saturday: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Sunday: Breakfast
There is a fridge in the Serra Room where we will gather. Feel free to bring snacks to share or special foods for those with food allergies or other preferences. -
Creativity Stations to Explore -
Coloring, Mandala Rock Painting, Flowers, Collage/Lantern making etc etc. Every workshop will have different Stations.
Journaling and Art Materials
By consent, Email list to stay in touch with other participants.
Learn and play with these tools and more. :)
Glass, plates, ceramic tile, smalti, etc. Play with these materials and more.
(left) Lucia Capacchione (right) Betty Rosen at Serra in 2022
Mosaic Alchemy
Hosted by Betty Rosen CJEA Practitioner & Mosaic Artist.
Betty Rosen has had successful careers in Film Production, Music Publishing and as a Teaching Artist specializing in mosaics and community built projects and now as a CJEA Practitioner.
Resilience, Music, Art making, Scribbling, Spending Plans, Nature, Intimate conversations and Belly Laughs are the tools we will share and practice together so we can identify and pursue the changes we crave.
About the Space - Serra Retreat Center
Serene, rustic, and a home for the Friars. It’s important to us to show respect for their practices and this sacred space. This is not an opulent Malibu retreat; this is a simple, beautiful place for reflection and residence for the Friars. It’s stunning. Quiet. And a rare opportunity to stay in Malibu at an affordable rate.
Please visit their website if you have any further questions. You will be more comfortable if you leave your inner foodie at home, and there are many Malibu eateries to take advantage of on either side of the retreat. There is a refrigerator to store snacks and specialty items.
Overseeing Malibu Beach from Serra Retreat Center
Level of walking moderate to extreme. There are stairs everywhere. *
https//www.serraretreat.com/
Community Dining Room
I have been there for personal retreats many times since COVID; they take safety precautions very seriously.
Please don’t come if you are experiencing any symptoms or have traveled less than two weeks prior. Proof of vaccination required by Serra Retreat Center. Social distancing and masking will be in place when inside.
Please join us and share this opportunity with others!
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean
All activities in the Rindge Room and courtyard. Beautiful tiles everywhere!
2022 Retreat; CJEA Exercise in Rindge Room
Mosaic Alchemy’s Celebrating Circles Retreat 2022
Pioneer of CJEA work, Dr. Lucia Capacchione, and others, participating in non dominant hand journaling exercise.