​the women of sanctuary

You must be wondering just whose great idea this retreat is, right? We're New England women who love to gather with like minded women from around the globe. We love art. We love the great outdoors, especially during our favorite seasons of spring and autumn. We love to share the joy of gathering and creating spaces that encourage growth and exploration, and making memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

We feel strongly that what women really need is a good listening to. We want to get to know you, to pamper you just a bit and share the self discovery process of making art.

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​Nancy Rafi, Chief Instigator, Dept of Shenanigans

Nancy is the mastermind behind these artsy weekends. A mixed media artist from way back, she usually has her hands in paper, clay, wire, fabric and paint everyday in her home studio - you can rarely see the floor!

Nancy has created events throughout the US. Her favorite was overseeing 140,000 Hurricane Katrina survivors - women returning to the Superdome in New Orleans for a weekend of pampering, creativity and activism.

Continuing forward on the success of the first retreat in October 2019, she's excited to offer another autumn retreat for 2020. We hope to see you there!