Darsie Beck is a bit of a Renaissance man… a professional artist, landscape designer, stone carver, journal keeper, and a teacher. He arrives for his annual Centrum Residency armed with computer and printer, sketch pad and yoga mat, running shoes and infectious smile. Before leaving he will have filled page after page with writings and illustrations of his time here. When he first shared his journal pages with me, I wished I had joined him on his early morning sojourns around the grounds and along the coastline of Fort Worden. In that moment I fully understood the power of these "retreat-like" residencies to breath life and vitality into the creative process.

Darsie is coming back to Centrum this spring. This time he will spend part of his residency presenting a workshop, Discovering Your Essential Nature. He will be joined by Port Townsend Visual Artist Gloria Lamson and by Aletia Alvarez, co-founder of Madrona MindBody here at Fort Worden. There is still time for you to register for the workshop, which will be held May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 2009.