🌾 Visual Haiku with Flax Fiber Collage with Jacqueline Mallegni
A contemplative five-day creative retreat exploring Wabi-Sabi and natural materials

“Wabi-Sabi,” the Japanese aesthetic of impermanence and simplicity, will guide our creative journey in this meditative, hands-on retreat.
Together, we’ll explore the poetic potential of flax fiber, handmade paper, and found natural materials — weaving them into tactile collages that evoke a personal sense of place and quiet reflection.

Through texture, tone, and mark-making, you’ll learn to express the essence of landscape and memory. Using flax roving, ink, and natural dyes, we’ll move gently between making, observing, and refining — letting material and intuition shape each composition.

Retreat Flow

Day 1 – Welcome & Foundation
Arrive, settle, and begin exploring flax fiber through demonstration and play. Learn to prepare flax roving and natural materials for collage.

Days 2–4 – Exploration & Expression
Immerse yourself in:
• Non-traditional papermaking with flax fiber
• Combining handmade papers, foraged materials, and thread
• Mark-making with ink, dye, and stains
• Layering texture, perception, and materiality
• Developing personal visual haiku — small, resonant compositions of fiber and light

Each day includes process demonstrations, reflection, and extended studio time to work at your own pace.

Day 5 – Reflection & Closing
Refine your collages, share your discoveries, and participate in a quiet group reflection. End the week with a renewed sense of connection between material, process, and place.

Studio Environment
Create in Aya’s spacious, light-filled fiber art studio in Stuart, Florida — surrounded by coastal calm and natural light. Each participant enjoys ample workspace (never more than two per 4′×8′ table) with electric power, USB access, and access to water and dye facilities.

Each morning begins with fresh coffee, tea, and pastries, and lunch orders are picked up from favorite local cafés. During retreat weeks, the group often enjoys an optional evening dinner outing at a nearby waterfront restaurant.

Details
Instructor: Jacqueline Mallegni
Dates: January 21–23, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuition: $740
Skill Level: All Levels
Materials Fee: $30 (paid directly to instructor)
Class Size: Limited to 10 participants

Materials Provided:
Flax roving (natural and bleached), Lineco PVA glue, fiberglass screen, bowl, sponges, gesso brushes, plastic sheeting, and more.

Students Bring:
Notebook, handmade paper, favorite brushes, optional dry pigments, plant fibers, and stitching materials (tapestry thread, needles, etc.).

Immerse yourself in a week of quiet making and mindful creativity — a retreat that celebrates imperfection, nature, and the poetry of fiber.