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8 • Exploring the Arts • N e w s G r a p h i c & D a i l y N e w s • M a r c h 2 0 1 4 By Jennifer McBride Conley News Service WEST BEND — Cedar Valley offers scenic views and a tranquil atmosphere tucked away in the hills out- side of West Bend. The space and surroundings are con- ducive to creativity. The retreat, which includes dining, lodging, a spa, an on-site horse rescue and an array of workshops, also offers numerous art classes. Beki Borman, West Allis, shares her artistic talents across Wisconsin, where her work is on display at numer- ous venues and she also teaches. She works in oil, acrylic, watercolor and pas- tels and has led four classes at Cedar Valley. "It's one of my favorite places to teach because it's a retreat-like atmosphere and it's all-immersive there," she said. Everybody thinks Mil- waukee is great, but north of the city is not lacking in artistry, Borman said, adding she also enjoys the Cedarburg Cultural Center. Retired art teacher Joyce Eesley, Milwaukee, teaches private classes and other groups, along with sharing her watercolor talent at Cedar Valley, where she shares her insight and cre- ativity with class members and helps them as they dab paint to their brushes. "Cedar Valley is just the most wonderful place. It's relaxing," she said. "The people are just wonderful, they have wonderful places for teaching art classes. It's like being on vacation and teaching at the same time." Eesley's watercolor works have been shown nationally and internation- ally. She enjoys teaching three-day workshops. "By the time you're done teaching for the day it's time to relax and go for strolls and walks on the grounds," she said. She stays overnight at the lodge. "It's just such a nice quiet place and they're so caring." Cedar Valley sits on about 100 acres. It's more like a destination place and there's very few places like it in the state, Cedar Valley director Rebecca Conde said. "There are few places where a person can come to spend the night, explore the grounds and join in artistic projects," she said. "It makes you want to be cre- ative and get those creative juices flowing." Upcoming classes include silk scarf painting, water- colors, pastels and yoga drawing. "Through simple medita- tion and breathing exercises we bring the awareness of our minds into synchronici- ty with our body's desire to make marks on the paper," according to the class description. "In so doing, we open our hearts to the beau- ty present in the object we are sketching — we become one with our subject." Cedar Valley is 35 miles north of Milwaukee and nine miles west of West Bend at 5349 County Road D. Artistic, soulful retreat nestled near West Bend Serenity at Cedar Valley Conley News Service photos by John Ehlke Top: A patron uses a photo as a guide for painting during the class "Paint Like an Impressionist" taught by Beki Borman at Cedar Valley in West Bend on Feb. 22. Participants learned how to capture the colors and light like an impressionist artist would. Along with different techniques, the students learned how to paint a impres- sionist style painting. Above: Cindy Gonnering of Kewaskum works on a landscape painting using watercolors during the class.

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