A Fall Weekend of Eco-Printing & Cyanotype at Big Raven Farm
September 11–14, 2025 | Spring Grove, Minnesota
There’s a moment that happens on the first day of a retreat at Big Raven Farm—it’s quiet, but unmistakable. It happens when the car doors close, the gravel crunches under your feet, and you step out into fresh, clean country air. You take a deep breath, look around, and realize… you’ve arrived. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally. You’ve arrived somewhere soft and sacred. A place where your creative spark will be nurtured and your spirit will finally get the rest it’s been craving.
Welcome to our Fall Art Retreat: The Wonders of Nature—Eco-Printing and Cyanotype. This isn’t just a workshop. It’s a heartfelt, full-sensory experience designed to nourish you in every way.
The Feel of Big Raven Farm
Big Raven Farm isn’t a venue—it’s a home. A big, beautiful, art-filled, soul-soothing home. You’ll sleep deeply in one of our thoughtfully prepared guest rooms, each one designed to be cozy, quiet, and restful. The walls are filled with original artwork, the beds are plush and comfortable, and the views look out onto rolling hills, gardens, and golden fall fields.
Outside, our 15-acre property is a patchwork of wildflower meadows, trails, tall grasses, gardens, and forest edges. In early fall, it’s absolutely radiant—sunlight through turning leaves, crisp mornings, and gentle breezes that whisper change and creativity. You’ll gather plant materials from the land itself—leaves, stems, flowers, and bits of nature that will become the foundation of your art.
There’s a deep sense of peace here. You’ll feel it the moment you arrive. And by the time you leave, it will be woven into your bones.
The Nourishment
Our retreat is about creativity—but also about care. You’ll be nourished from the inside out, starting with meals prepared in our on-site kitchen by Chef Darin Warling, who brings love and artistry to every plate. Each meal is a celebration of seasonal, local ingredients. Farm-to-table breakfasts, satisfying lunches, and dinners that gather us all around the table for laughter, reflection, and connection.
Coffee will be hot in the morning, wine and tea offered in the evening, and snacks available when the creative energy really gets flowing. Meals are served family-style, and dietary needs are always respected. Many friendships have been born over a shared plate of something delicious at this very table.
What You’ll Learn
This retreat combines two incredible art forms—eco-printing and cyanotype—each rooted in nature, yet wildly different in aesthetic and process. And don’t worry: you don’t have to be a trained artist to fall in love with either. You just have to be open to play, to trying something new, and to letting nature take the lead.
🌿 Eco-Printing
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Learn how to gather and identify botanicals that print beautifully
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Discover how to prepare fabric or paper with mordants like alum or iron
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Practice bundling and steaming techniques that reveal the natural dyes hidden in plants
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Explore layering, composition, and color shifting for organic, earth-toned prints
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Create one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect the land you’re walking on
☀️ Cyanotype:
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Mix and apply light-sensitive chemistry to an assortment of unique papers
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Arrange natural items into thoughtful, high-contrast compositions
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Use sunlight to expose your designs and water to develop them into brilliant blue and white imagery
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Experiment with double exposures, layering, and toning to go beyond the basics
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Capture the delicate lines of leaves, ferns, feathers, and found objects in dreamy, celestial prints
Both of these mediums are rich with possibility—and we’ll provide all the supplies, tools, and instruction you need to dive in joyfully and confidently.
What the Retreat Will Feel Like
More than anything, this retreat is about feeling held—by the land, by the work, and by one another. You’ll be surrounded by other curious creatives who want what you want: time, space, connection, beauty, and a break from the pressure of always doing or producing.
You’ll feel the thrill of experimentation without the pressure to be perfect. You’ll have time to rest, to stretch, to sip tea, to walk the trails barefoot if you want to. You’ll be free to explore, to reflect, to nap in the hammock, to laugh over dinner, and to watch your own creativity surprise you.
We promise you’ll feel:
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Inspired by the natural beauty of fall in Minnesota’s Driftless Region
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Grounded by daily creative practice rooted in the land
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Rejuvenated by delicious food, quiet mornings, and slow evenings
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Connected—to your own inner artist, and to the people sharing this weekend with you
You’ll Leave With…
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A collection of eco-printed and cyanotype pieces ready to frame, collage, journal, or gift
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New skills that you can bring home and continue exploring on your own
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A deepened sense of wonder for the natural world
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A few new friends (we’ve seen it happen every single time!)
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A full heart, a rested body, and the kind of creative spark that keeps glowing long after you leave
Come With Curiosity. Leave with Magic.
This is your invitation. To take a deep breath. To press pause. To let art and nature wrap you up in something meaningful and healing.
We can’t wait to welcome you.