Inspiration for tapestry design can come from an infinite number of sources. But actually recognizing something as a starting point for a design can be tricky!

I was the artist-in-residence at Petrified Forest National Park last November. I spent much of my time there exploring this design/inspiration ~~problem~~ challenge.

While at the park I did a lot of hiking, photographing, and sketching and I practiced using the wonderful things I found as a starting step for a tiny tapestry design. I wove a 2 x 2 inch tapestry every day in the park and you can see them in THIS blog post.

This experience of using a little loom and simple forms inspired by the environment was so powerful for creating meaningful tapestry designs, that I wanted to share it with all of you. I'm hosting two retreats at the gorgeous Colorado State University Mountain Campus this summer. One of those retreats is full (though you can get on a waiting list), but the other has many spots open still.

In this retreat, we'll be exploring the beautiful mountain environment and using inspiration gained there to weave small "sketch" tapestries on whatever loom you want to weave on. We'll stay in cabins and there are plenty of private rooms (each with a private bath) available. We have a beautiful lodge classroom with views of the surrounding mountains and we'll spend some time walking around the campus and practicing learning to see. For those participants who like to walk, we'll be taking some easy guided hikes. And for those of you hard-core hikers, there are some amazing trails to high-mountain lakes and views that should not be missed.

Colorado State University's Mountain Campus is situated at 9,000 feet elevation beneath the Mummy Range in Rocky Mountain National Park.

CSU's Mountain Campus is a high-altitude gem tucked beneath the Mummy Range. It backs up to Rocky Mountain National Park and is reached via the beautiful Poudre River Canyon north of Fort Collins, Colorado.