Teaching at Wintergreen in 2016
If you love the sound and shape of words, if you are ready to express the small narratives and emotions of your own lives, if you are ready to explore the spirit within you and in the people, places, and things around you, this guided in-person retreat is for you. Everyone is welcome.
In this guided writing workshop and retreat, Lorna Crozier will work with you to tell your stories, in your voice, and re-awaken your passion for words. Be part of a community of writers that is sure to form during this extraordinary week at Wintergreen.
Indeed, we will be taking the notion of building a community of writers to the next level at this year’s retreat. As the Beatles say, “It’s been a long, long, lonely winter”—and we are all emerging from what seems like a very long winter indeed.
We are planning this retreat with the expectation that COVID-related restrictions will not impede us from enjoying each other’s company and Lorna’s teaching in safe and exciting ways. That said, one of the lessons of the pandemic is that there are also effective ways to engage remotely. This year we will be filming Lorna’s teaching sessions so that we might craft a virtual version of Lorna’s Wintergreen workshop for poets who don’t have the opportunity to travel to Wintergreen. We want to assure you that we will not be filming retreat participants, other than as “background audience.” (As Lorna said, “Who wants to be filmed reading their first, very raw draft of a poem?”) Over the six days of the retreat, the photographer will film for around 6 hours in total (see below for details).
A week or two before the workshop begins, Lorna will send you a few instructions in preparation for your time together. You will be asked to bring only one new poem to the course, as this retreat is all about new work, along with books of poetry by other poets to share as the week unfolds.
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
Sunday
Enjoy dinner with Lorna and fellow poets as you become familiar with the bounties that Wintergreen Studios offers. Lorna will describe the architecture of the week and offer the first “call” on Sunday evening (filmed), for participants to respond to in preparation for Monday’s session.
Monday to Wednesday
Morning sessions led by Lorna (filmed): create and read new work (not filmed).
Afternoon choose-your-own-adventure: writing (with Lorna ever present, ready to encourage and advise), walks down the Wintergreen trails, or quiet contemplation.
Thursday to Saturday
Writing retreat—time for you to dive into your work. Afternoon craft sessions by Lorna (filmed) to be negotiated, based on the wishes of participants.
Thursday evening
Evening public reading in accordance with COVID-compliant gatherings (filmed). Lorna will read from The House the Spirit Builds, a collection of poems and photographs taken at Wintergreen. The photographers, Peter Coffman and Diane Laundy, will also be present. Some of the poems will be performed at the locations where the photographs were taken; other poems will be read indoors. This promises to be a one-of-a-kind poetry reading!
Friday evening
Workshop participants have an opportunity to share the work that they have produced during the week (not filmed).
Remember, you will not be editing poems that have already been committed to the page prior to arriving at Wintergreen. Instead, Lorna will give you exercises meant to inspire and generate new material. You will leave this writing retreat at Wintergreen with new poems tucked into your pockets and ideas that will inspire you to continue writing when you get back home.
CHAPBOOK
For the past several years, these new poems have been collected into a chapbook, published by Wintergreen Studios Press. Below are the titles that were published during past retreats:
Momma’s Prayer Flags (2015)
Sound Me When I’m Done (2016)
Teasing the Tongue (2017)
This Wine Into Water (2018)
We hope this year’s group will also elect to publish their new work. Lorna will tell you more about the possibility—and the logistics—when you’re all gathered at Wintergreen.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
An Officer of the Order of Canada, Lorna Crozier has been acknowledged for her contributions to Canadian literature, her teaching and her mentoring with five honorary doctorates, most recently from McGill and Simon Fraser Universities. Her books have received numerous national awards, including the Governor-General’s Award for Poetry. The Globe and Mail declared The Book of Marvels: A Compendium of Everyday Things one of its Top 100 Books of the Year, and Amazon chose her memoir as one of the 100 books you should read in your lifetime. A Professor Emerita at the University of Victoria, she has performed for Queen Elizabeth II and has read her poetry, which has been translated into several languages, on every continent except Antarctica. Her book, What the Soul Doesn't Want, was nominated for the 2017 Governor General's Award for Poetry. In 2018, Lorna Crozier received the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award. Steven Price called Through the Garden: A Love Story (with Cats), her latest nonfiction book, “one of the great love stories of our time.” Lorna Crozier lives on Vancouver Island.
Lorna’s previous teaching at Wintergreen, in the summers of 2010, 2011, and 2013, in the cold of winter in 2014, and in the spring time of 2015, 2016, and 2017, and fall of 2018, has been most joyfully received. Called “a poet to be grateful for” by Margaret Laurence, she has been an ambassador for poetry wherever she goes.
FEES
Pricing includes tuition, meals (18), and accommodation (6 nights), except for the off-site option. HST included. $250 non-refundable deposit. Payment in full is required upon registration.
Because of COVID considerations, private (non-shared) accommodations will be offered in 2021. If you are fully vaccinated, and wish to share a room with twin beds, please contact us directly to make those arrangements.
REFUND POLICY
If you cancel before September 15, 2021, all but $250 (non-refundable deposit) will be refunded to you.
If you cancel between September 16 and October 15, 65% of the full fee will be refunded to you. Alternatively, your registration is transferable, so if you are unable to attend, a friend can come in your place. If we are able to fill your space from the waiting list, all but the $250 non-refundable deposit would be refunded to you.
If you cancel after October 15, 2021, refunds are not available.
OFFSITE
Facilities and meals, but no overnight accommodation – $1700
WINTERGREEN STUDIOS*
Tenting in the Camping Meadow – $1850
Hobbit House (private remote woodland cabin with small double bed) – $2100
Parthenon (private remote woodland cabin with double futon) – $2100
Maple Room or Courtyard Room (rooms in the Lodge with 2 twin beds) – $2350 private; $2050 shared SOLD OUT
North Room or Garden Room (rooms in the Lodge with 1 double bed) – $2500 private SOLD OUT
Beach House (private woodland cabin near Lodge with 1 double futon) – $2350 private SOLD OUT
*If your preferred accommodation choice is no longer available when you register, please contact us to be put on the waiting list. We also expect to have two new rooms on the second floor of the lodge by the time of Lorna’s retreat (yet to be named!). We will update the choices on the website accordingly, once the new accommodations are in place.