Last year Bob Barancik and his wife, Amy Blake, founded Rockledge Studios on 1.3 acres they own on Long Island. Rockledge offers professionals from various fields the chance to reconnect with their deepest values by providing an inspiring and contemplative environment and by offering creativity workshops.
The two studio buildings, the Japanese Summer Space and the Octagon Studio Space, fit unobtrusively into their wooded setting and take full advantage of natural light and scenery. The Japanese Summer Space, overlooking the “sacred” rock outcropping for which the studio is named, offers a contemplative setting for thinking, writing, composing and meditation. The larger Mennonite-style Octagon “art chapel” is built to encourage collaborative thought and expression including performance, fine art, discussion and problem solving. Tom Hepp of Liberty, Maine, and Scott Stoll of Portland and Harrington, Maine, built both structures.
Three-day Core Creativity Workshops offer groups of up to six people instruction in painting, writing, improvisation, sculpture, photography and movement. Bob Barancik, Bruce St. Thomas, and Dan Reardon also offer personal creative career consultations for mid-life professionals exploring the theme “been there/done that/what next?” Bob Anderson, designer and builder of the furniture at Rockledge Studios, offers “Joy of Woodworking” workshops at his studio on Long Island. Individuals and small groups looking for a creative space also may inquire about renting Rockledge’s facilities.
Rockledge is also offering a series of discussions in the Octagon studio, focusing on important cultural issues, entitled the Octagon Table Dialogues. Public discussions are recorded and made available to those interested in listening.
To maintain the simple focused atmosphere at Rockledge Studios, facilities are limited and guests are asked to find their own food and lodging on and around Long Island.
To find out more about Rockledge Studios and Barancik’s other work, see www.rockledgestudios.com.