The Creative Edge Retreat – Bali

Earlier this year, I flew to Bali — a place I’d dreamed of visiting for as long as I can remember. I boarded a plane with someone I’d never met, heading off to join a group of eight strangers from all over the world for the Creative Edge Retreat. What could go wrong?
As it turns out — absolutely nothing.

From the moment I landed until the day I left, I was in what felt like paradise. Every single day felt like I’d won some sort of miracle lottery.

We all carry goals of different sizes — things we hope to experience or accomplish in this lifetime. For me, Bali was a big, dreamy, will-this-ever-happen kind of goal. When the opportunity came, I didn’t hesitate. I just said yes. (And yes, I’m still paying off the Barclaycard — worth every penny.)

What I most wanted from this trip was to truly engage with Balinese culture. It’s not called The Island of the Gods for nothing — there are hundreds of them, woven into every corner of daily life. Balinese Hinduism is uniquely beautiful, and so are the people. I absolutely fell in love — with their warmth, their spirituality, their constant, effortless generosity of spirit. Always smiling, always helpful, deeply connected to tradition and community — it’s no wonder so many people feel drawn there.

The beaches, the food, the temples, the scenery — all of it was incredible. But the moment that touched me most deeply? A visit to a local charity school.

It was technically a school holiday, but when the students heard we — the visiting artists — were coming, they all turned up. I’ll never forget that courtyard full of smiling faces.

In an impromptu moment, I gave an art demo featuring my beloved Crow, setting him free in Bali. Then, together with retreat host Alice Sheridan, we introduced the children to a blind-touch drawing activity — where the artist closes their eyes and draws what they feel while touching the face of their subject. The room erupted in laughter (as you might imagine).

And then… the Hokey Cokey. Yes, really.
Alice somehow got the entire courtyard — every single child — to hold hands and sing along as she led the dance. Some loved the dancing. Others sprinted full-speed into the middle. There I was, in a tropical paradise, surrounded by laughter, singing “put your left foot in…” and feeling like I was exactly where I was meant to be.

By lunchtime, the parents began arriving on their scooters and motorbikes — entire families packed onto one bike, babies balanced in arms, helmets optional. It was joyful, chaotic, and beautifully unlike anything I’d seen before.

This wasn’t a holiday. This was a creative and spiritual deep dive. I could never have imagined how deeply saying yes to this would affect me.

Now, back in Cambridge, I feel like I’m seeing my home — and my life — through new eyes. A kind of quiet shift that I wouldn’t have believed possible if you’d asked me a year ago.

What’s next?

For now, I’m happily back in the studio, pouring this experience into my paintings. More adventures are calling — but I’m not rushing.

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