New Paths at Eureka!

We've been expanding the paths around the retreat so that now it is possible to walk all the way from "Meditation Rock" near the top corner of the property all the way down to the trail's end which is atop a 30 foot birch tree.  It's an easy and safe climb all the way to the top where one can catch a bird's eye view of the studio.  Along the trails we have a lot of lovely boulders with fragments of mica that were dropped here after the mighty glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age.

-Michael

Our New Artist Residency Video

I finally found some time to sit down and make a short edit of video shot in the studio over the last year or so.  I'm hoping to add to this some other angles like the wonderful nature and things we do when people come to visit us like bonfires and barbecues.  There is still good availability this summer for artist residencies, accommodations, directorial services, and studio rentals.

Special thanks to all the talented people who made this possible.  In order of appearance: Scott Jameson, Valerie Doucet, Kyle Driggs, Leland Faulkner, Jane Pokrovskaya, Brad Terry, Karen Montanaro, Michael Menes, Rob Lok, Bronwyn Sims, Daniel Orrantia, and Michael Trautman. 

Artists in Residence

2015 Artist Residencies have begun!  There is still plenty of availability this summer for artists who need a space to develop their craft.  Rob Lok and Jane Pokrovskaya (left) are shown here receiving direction from Leland Faulkner (right) as they work on new material for their duet comedy show.  The couple came up from New York City for a week to develop material for an upcoming contract on Disney Cruise Lines.  Artist residencies at the Eureka Retreat can be customized to fit artists' needs.  Rob and Jane hired Leland as an outside eye to give their show shape, develop the characters, and choreograph new routines.  They also did a professional video shoot on the last day of the residency to help market the new work.  We really enjoyed having them come and stay with us and we hope they will come back very soon!  For more information on artist retreats, click here.

Winter Magic

Quiet, beautiful, and cozy are words that come to mind at this time of year here in the foothills of western Maine. The smell of the wood stove burning... the sound of wet snow falling off the roof... enjoying a warm cup of tea... all perfect for writing a script, creating a new juggling act, practicing yoga, or just getting away from the stresses of life.

After celebrating Christmas with family in Prague and New Years in Tahiti on a cruise contract, Andrea and I are looking forward to spending some quiet time at home at Eureka over the next couple of months.  Fortunately, it has been a mild winter compared to the really severe weather we had last year.

Soon, the middle of March will bring warmer temperatures and the magical spring ski season. We are planning to do some nice skiing and snowboarding with friends, family, and guests at nearby resorts! And it's not too long before the birds return and start singing in the treetops in the early mornings. 

A lot of magic! smile emoticon

Leaf Peeping in October

Coos Canyon near Rumford, Maine

On weekends in October, we experience some of the best days of the year in the hills around Western Maine.  The fall foliage hits its peak usually on the first two weeks of October.   Optimal views depend on temperature, rainfall, and winds.  What is truly remarkable is that there aren't crowds of tourists around like we have all summer long.  Some smart travelers are well aware of the value and make reservations a whole year in advance.  We picked a perfect day to visit the Rangeley Lakes Region and Coos Canyon near Rumford.  Lots of requests for reservations on weekends from folks coming down from Canada and up from Massachusetts...

There are also a couple very well known fairs in Maine at this time of year as well.  The Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg runs the first week of October and there is also the Common Ground Fair in late September in Unity, Maine.

Hunting season arrives in November along with  shorter days, colder rains, and occasional snow.  The mood shifts to getting indoors and playing in the studio!

Breaking From The Pack

Bronwyn Sims working on her aerial apparatus for her one woman show "Moment of Impact".

Sometimes, as artists, we need a time to focus without distractions getting in the way of our work.  Although we need input and encouragement, there comes a time when we need to put the social aspects of being artists aside and just concentrate on the work itself.  Sometimes we need to break from the pack, find our unique voice, and reframe from deriving ideas from others.  This is one of the main reasons why artists of so many disciplines enjoy escaping to Maine each year.

For those who want to cut to the chase, we still have space this summer for affordable artist residencies in July and August. Here is the link for more information and an application that can be downloaded.

http://www.eurekaretreat.com/-retreats.html.

Rejuvenation Awaits in the Backwoods of Maine!

Improvisation with Brad Terry

A few of us got together on May 4th in the studio with Brad Terry to experiment with theater improvisation to live music.  Brad is an amazing musician who has played with quite a number of jazz greats including Dizzy Gillespie.  Despite his notoriety, Brad is extremely humble and generous and a real charm to experiment with.  It was an interesting and inspiring afternoon!  We are looking forward to having him back along with his virtuoso jazz guitarist.  I think the high point of the day for me personally was when Brad started playing, then he abruptly stopped and said, "The acoustics in here are wonderful!"

Read more about Brad here.  

Brad improvising with Karen Montanaro.

Brad improvising with Leland Faulkner.

"Admiration"

Brad shares a story.

AFFORDABLE 7 DAY ARTIST RESIDENCIES

Our SUMMER BROCHURE is finished!

To promote our first official summer season, we are offering 7 DAY ARTIST RESIDENCIES for only $350 per week (plus 8% State of Maine Lodging Tax). It's a deal that simply cannot be beat for a quality place to live and work during Maine's high season. Space is limited. Apply early!

Click here to read more about the summer at EUREKA.

Michael Menes, Owner

What Is Your Passion?

We had fun making a little commercial in the studio recently.  There is also a full edit of this large ball juggling number on Vimeo here.

Video Work

This spring we're getting into shooting and editing videos of performance pieces for artists' marketing and publicity.  Below are moments from Leland Faulkner's project involving capturing his hand shadows.  Click here to see the finished edit.  

A frame from Leland Faulkner's Hand Shadow Act.

Editing promotional video.

Setting up a jib arm for a smooth shot.

Improv Sessions

A good laugh during a recent improv.

The solitude of the Maine woods is such a perfect place to explore all sorts of strange and wonderful impulses!  Some of us veteran stage performers from around New England have been meeting at Eureka every now and then just to clear the cobwebs from our synapses.  We employ theater games and improv work.  Improv is a wonderful way to reconnect, dissolve blocks, discover new characters, invent graphics, inspire new material, and discover what works.  It's very good for the heart and is a sure way to get to know one another (and ourselves) with amazing speed and depth.  Each session is unique depending on the makeup of the group.  We try to get between six and eight players each session bringing in at least one or two new faces from out of state.  We experiment with many different improv exercises from various teachers.  It's not only laughs that we are after, but a full range of expression.  It's a real work out!  But quite a lot of fun!  I'm hoping that improvisation will be somewhat of a cornerstone of the work going on here at Eureka.

Photo:  Randy Judkins (left) sharing a moment with Jack Golden (right) during a recent Sunday Improv.

Upholstering The Main Studio

We've been spending this intense winter indoors getting things ready for spring and summer at Eureka. We are doing a big push to finish upholstering the main studio.  It looks wonderful!  By using fabric there is no drywall dust, mud or mess... The walls have been covered with batting and fitted with over 75 yards of beautiful material. We used custom snap buttons to hold the fabric to the walls along with wood trim. The acoustics are wonderful and even with sub-zero weather outside, the studio is really cozy.

We are now taking reservations for residencies and short stays this summer.  7 Day Residencies begin the week of July 6, 2014.  Residencies are for individuals, couples, or small groups interested in focused studio time.  Develop a creative project, rehearse, train, video work, or spend time with a director.  Residencies are very flexible.

We will also offer Bread-and-Breakfast style accommodations when our guest rooms are not booked for creative residencies.  Visit our website for more info:  (www.eurekaretreat.com/-retreats.html)

The Very First Post of a New Blog!

Circus Friends From Montreal

I had a fantastic time this summer up in Maine in July and August working to get "Eureka" up and running.  In August, I got together with circus friends, yoga teachers, directors, touring artists, photographers, video makers, and many other friends and artists who stopped by to check out the finished space.  As expected, the weather in Northern New England was unbelievably nice.  We had some amazing sessions, parties, feasts, and awesome adventures around Maine.

Now I'm back on tour for a couple of months in Europe but have time to work on the marketing to get ready for next year.  A web site is definitely the first step...  (www.eurekaretreat.com)  I really want to get the word out there about this wonderful project in the backwoods of Maine that I've been working on for the past 13 years!

Yes, it's called "The Eureka Retreat."

So... yes, I have finally decided on a name for the retreat.  So far, feedback has been great.  It was difficult to find a good available domain name that also worked as a title for the space.  I hope the new branding creates something which is not too narrow and yet draws interesting people and projects to the facility.

The new website is a bit of a skeleton right now, but I'm working every day on getting more pages up and don't mind feedback.

-Michael Menes, Owner
The Eureka Retreat