“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon, to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language,” said Henry James.

Join us for an inspiring summer afternoon of writing at the Mesa Refuge – the former home of well-known California Abstract Expressionist painter Sam Francis. The home and gardens of Sam and Margaret Francis provide the ideal setting for exploring our inner and outer landscapes and enjoying the gardens, writing sheds and views of the Giacomini Wetlands and the San Andreas Fault. In this workshop led by former Mesa Refuge Executive Director and teacher Susan Page Tillett and author and teacher Elizabeth Fishel, students will learn the history of the artists’ home and will be encouraged to find a place on the property that resonates with them, as an inspiration for their writing.

Open to writers of all experience levels. Short writing prompts and poems shared in small groups will help you sharpen your observational skills, mine your memories, and use all your senses to create surprising pieces of prose by the end of the session.

The instructors have co-taught popular writing workshops at the Mesa Refuge, Ghost Ranch and online for UC Berkeley’s Osher Lifelong Institute and at the 92nd Street Y in New York for the past 10 years. They particularly enjoy teaching at the Mesa Refuge, where they first collaborated.

Sliding scale $50-100. Limited to 18 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation.

Susan Page Tillett became the first executive director of the Mesa Refuge in October 2013. She originally came to the Mesa Refuge as a writer and later moved to West Marin to lead the artist community from founder’s startup to a sustainable organization. Susan has a deep commitment to supporting the work of creative people and connecting them to the local community. Prior to directing Mesa Refuge, Susan was executive director of the Ragdale Foundation, a large artist community north of Chicago, from 2000-2012. During her tenure, she welcomed more than 2,000 artists-in-residence, restored the historic property, increased Ragdale’s profile in the community and raised more than $10 million. Before working in artist communities, Susan had 25 years of experience in museums, including the Smithsonian, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago History Museum and the Cape Cod National Seashore. You can read more about Susan here.

Elizabeth Fishel is a widely published journalist and author of five nonfiction books including Sisters; Reunion; and Getting To 30: A Parent’s Guide to the 20-Something Years (coauthored with Jeffrey Arnett), as well as a contributor to publications including Vogue, Oprah’s O, Ms., New York and The Writer. You can read more about Elizabeth here.