won•der (n.) a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable. (v.) 1. desire or be curious to know something. 2. to feel admiration + amazement. marvel.
what is finding wonder?
the concept of finding wonder was born out of my own desire to witness + capture the amazingly, overwhelming beauty around me. for me — its purpose was just that. find. wonder. it became my mantra. in every piece of life. be still. quiet. and open to it. i was desperate for it. i needed it. as a life source — as my breath. i picked up my camera and where my own eyes had failed me, i began to see beauty through my lens. i began to find the wonder of the things around me. seemingly small, insignificant things. those little things grew into bigger things + moments + slivers of time. finding wonder is a journey, however, i truly believe that when we are open to seeking it — we will find it. everywhere.
our mission.
finding wonder + artful storytelling is a journey of the soul. it is our desire, through FINDING WONDER, to come together + inspire YOU to tell your own story, using personal experiences as a springboard for your creativity. in creating a space of stillness + reflection, we allow for vulnerability and thus a place to feel empowered to acknowledge that story. knowing it is being out of one’s comfort zone that we are allowed to stretch + grow, we will impress how to look for, and find those moments that speak to + move us to create — being present and quiet. nurturing our bodies + spirits. seeking moments worth holding + coming away empowered to look within to that which moves us most. to find our personal voice. and most of all — to seek, find + fall in love with WONDER.
finding wonder + artful storytelling — NEAR + FAR. FOREIGN + FAMILIAR.
each one of the FINDING wonder + artful storytelling retreats is thoughtfully designed + curated to offer our attendees a respite from their daily routine. this retreat, is dedicated to creating a space of rich connection + growth to your creative journey. each of us brings to the table our own experiences from life that raise our voice as an artist. it is when we can finally embrace + realize our own true self + the gifts we possess — that we can truly find the wonder around us and use that gift to move others with our art. we curate each detail with the utmost consideration + care. there are deluxe accommodations, amazing food + drink, regionally planned activities + exploration as well as some personal time for reflection + rejuvenation. each location is carefully chosen based on our own travels + experiences, offering you experience-based knowledge of each destination. these offerings are from our very favorite places around the world — near + far, foreign + familiar. we hope you will join us — not just to FIND WONDER, but perhaps a bit more of yourself as well. xo.chandra + cindy
additional details:
we welcome any individual who is ready to embrace a different perspective on how they see + experience the world around them. it is up to each attendee (you) to determine how you would like to capture that WONDER. you may bring any camera you choose, (i.e. dslr, point + shoot, iPhone, etc.) with knowledge on how it works as we will not be spending any time covering mechanics or technical questions. this is not a photography focused nor portfolio building retreat. we do take photos, we journal + encourage any other form of creativity to capture + tell your story, but our main focus is on you, on being in the moments of WONDER before us + celebrating them! at finding wonder, we believe everyone deserves to be in the presence of wonder. we honor + celebrate gender inclusivity.