Art Speaks Louder than Words in Crete

21 October 2025

Today I was one of a very mixed group seated around a large table covered with a paper tablecloth. Different nationalities and professions but common themes related to travel which had brought us together on Crete. Three days into our stay on the island we joined Penelope Orfanoudaki (Artful Retreats) at her art studio in Kera, a stunning location on the island of Crete, for a workshop. Penelope was our facilitator and very clear that she would not be our judge and participants should not be judgemental but could ask questions.

Prior to taking part in the first task, we were asked when we last did any drawing. I have a lovely relationship with an Italian family I came to know through tour leading groups in their hotel. This spilled over into spending time there with their children and drawing and painting was (and still is) a favourite activity. But no holds barred when it came to pointing out my weaknesses as an artist. Butterflies were my go-to in times of desperation. This first discussion started a journey of nostalgia for me. Drawing an animal was the first task. Did a butterfly count (the pedant in me)? I decided it had to. Words were added alongside the drawing and advice given overleaf.

The results were interesting and, in some cases amusing as well as providing an insight into the personalities of other members in the group – animals were both real and creative. Questions were asked. Most curiosity arose from Yanna’s tiny drawing of a goat with curly horns in one corner of her paper. Yanna’s perception was that we would have to use the same piece of paper for the next task. A conservationist or someone always one step ahead?

Penelope asked us what we thought about the request to change colours every few minutes (we had chosen 3 colours each). I said annoyance as I had not finished with the first colour (the perfectionist in me?). Tabea, who created a very happy bird, pointed out my butterfly had a sad face. I said it was ‘pissed off’ because it was not flying free. Penelope commented on my use of two negative phrases – something to take away and mull over – was I a negative person? Some filled the page, with drawing and words. Some wrote one or two words (but made up for it with lengthy explanations). I excused my use of many words by saying writing was my preference over drawing.

We moved on – having selected a fragment of rock we had to push it around the paper tablecloth in front of us creating a continuous line that went where the rock led the pen. Fabrice was next to and on a frantic journey with his rock – I thought he was going to encroach on my ‘space’, panicked and contemplated lifting my pen (not allowed) to draw a boundary between us. That would expose my need for space around me so I didn’t. Once time was up and we were faced with varying degrees of scribble across the table cloth we were asked to turn them into a ‘journey’.

The results were interesting – two of us, guides by profession – took this literally and created a journey looking outward . Yanna went on a personal journey. Fabrice who had created a doodle of huge proportions felt the only way to go was to colour in all the small spaces he had created – Picasso in the making? Fivos who had resented being told what to draw in task one suddenly became top creator having discovered pastels, a medium he had not come across before, and created what I thought was the best work artistically. Chrisoforos  was thinking about the walk he was planning for the following day whereas I was re-creating (very badly) a ski resort. This made me realise how much I wanted to return to my favourite place in the Italian Dolomites and I created a real journey that evening.

It was an interesting and fun exercise and definitely drew the group closer together creating a topic for conversation that evening and well into the next day.

Want to know more about Artful Retreats? Check them out here