Lesbian Poetry:Elsa Gidlow:Druid Heights Artists Retreat

In 1946, feminist poet/philosopher, Elsa Gidlow purchased five acres of land above Muir Woods National Monument along the Northern California coast. The garden bloomed under her hand, and an intimate,lively community grew up around her. She named this place Druid Heights. During the four decades she spent there, Elsa often reflected on her lifelong struggle to support herself as a writer, and she dreamed of a retreat where women artists could come and work in a peaceful, supportive environment. Elsa wanted to encourage women just as she had Alan Watts in his creativity by providing Alan a home in a beautiful place.
At the time of Elsa's death on June 8, 1986, the Druid Heights property had been appropriated by the National Parks System. However, through Elsa's bequest and the efforts of Marcelina Martin, who had come to know and love her in the least seven years of her life, Elsa's dream of an artists' retreat was kept alive and given form. On Solstice of 1988, Marcelina was joined by Hallie Iglehart Austen, Arisika Razak, Karen Geiger, and Joan Iten Sutherland, and Druid Heights Artists Retreat was incorporated as a nonprofit organization.

Five members of Druid Heights Board of Directors

Our vision was to find and develop a home for D.H.A.R., where artists could come for retreats in a community of individuals who are integrating art, spirituality, and ecopolitics. Our goal was to create a place which nourishes the artist within the context of this community and which encourages work supportive of healing the planet. Since we were unable to purhcase such a property, D.H.A.R. decided to provide grants for residencies at an existing retreat in Northern New Mexico.

Druid Heights began giving artists residences in the Summer of 1989. We gave priority to women, and in particular to lesbians, creating art that was life-affirming, socially engaged, and innovative. We were committed to including the full plurality of women in our society: all ages, colors, classes, physical abilities, and stages in their artistic careers. Recognizing the critical importance of women's creativity for our culture's survival, we supported artistic development for groups who have not usually been so supported. We invited writers, visual artists, media artists, dancers, theater/performance artists, musicians, and artisans in traditional and ceremonial forms to apply for residencies. During our short life as a harbor for the arts, we sent painters, writers, photographers, multimedia and performance artists on retreat. DHAR continued to give retreat to artists as long as our financial base held. Generating grants for DHAR was a difficult task, and regrettably in 1992 DHAR ceased to exist due to lack of funding.

Look for the online exhibit of Druid Heights Artists Retreat and tell your friends. Help keep the spirit of Elsa Gidlow's legacy alive!