I am an artist/artisan living on a remote Island on the Eastern Shore, Maryland. I am very interested, just finding out, about your Institute and Retreat, and very excited about it! I hope to be able to come there and study as well as finding new friends who are artistic like me, and appreciate the olde sacred arts and creating by hand. I have thought to venture to Eire as all the olde sacred arts are still done by hand, as they way I love to create. I love stained glass as well as sculpture, and I have done goldleafing (as well as handknitting...my hobby!). I want to become involved in this, as an artist, I have always been forever searching for such a sacred place to create the sacred art. I love the stained glass in churches and I would love to create this as well. I actually would love to know a monk who may be very artistic as well, as I love the mediaeval illuminated manuscripts. So much more to say. I have lived an innocent life, and now surrounded by watermen here, with really no one to talk to or care about sacred art. I would love to move to your community where I can be appreciated with my talents. Please write to me, snail mail, Mary Elizabeth Graf, 25662 Frenchtown Road, Frenchtown Island, Maryland 21871 or my email at owltipimoon1@yahoo.com. My mother is from Plainville, MA, and we would travel to MA and through CT every summer and I remember loving Mystic Seaport. Are you near there? Please all you artists of the sacred world, contact me. I shall be waiting. "maerian"...little flower PS. I am trying to find such sacred artists to accompany me to the Maryland Renaissance Festival..of course dressed up, but I specifically like the Monks garb. I just love the olde ways and olde world and love Sacred Art so emmensely. I am enthused to find others like me!!!