“Once Upon a Time…There was YOU”
“Once Upon a Time…There was YOU”
A 10-day creative retreat in the Brothers Grimm’s homeland.
Not the you who rushes through deadlines or forgets her dreams. But the one who still believes in beauty, mystery, and meaning.
The one who knows that stories—especially the ancient ones—hold keys to the self.
The Grimm Journey
I created this retreat because I believe that fairy tales are not just for children. They are mirrors. Maps. Symbols that speak to us in moments of transition, longing, or creative hunger.
This retreat takes participants on an immersive journey through the fairy tale world of the Brothers Grimm, which was pivotal in popularizing fairy tales across Europe and North America, in their city of birth, Hanau, Germany, blending artistic creation with cultural exploration. It includes visits to historic landmarks, nature walks, and creative workshops in my own art studio.
What if art, imagination, and myth could help us return to parts of ourselves we’ve forgotten? This 10-day creative retreat was born from that question.
It’s more than an escape. It’s a return. A guided creative experience where you’ll work on a personal art-based project while walking the very woods that once inspired the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.
Through journaling, painting, storytelling, and shared ritual, you’ll reconnect with your inner archetypes, your emotional landscape—and your own creative rhythm.
No experience is needed. Just a longing to feel alive again.
To listen to your imagination. To follow the breadcrumbs back to yourself.
Come join me in the land where stories were born—and begin rewriting your own.
The residence is aimed at stimulating your ability to visualize and creatively capture the fantastical, emotional, and moral themes of fairy tales.
Note: The retreat is exclusive to only three residents at a time, and its activities will be conducted in English, unless the group is completely Spanish- or German speaking.
Your Accommodations
- Each selected participant will be lodged in a private room for 10 nights at “Villa Rosenau“, a historical villa in Hanau which offers a charming, tranquil environment that echoes the period of the Brothers Grimm.
- Three residents will be sharing a very spacious three-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms, carefully furnished to foster a sense of community and inspiration. The Villa is a mere 3-5-minute walk from my art studio.
- Amenities consisting of basics and cleaning items for individual or general use such as coffee, tea, oil, & basic spices are included, as is the Wi-Fi service. Residents will be in charge of their daily meals, with the exception of a group lunch in Frankfurt.
- Transfer of the group from/to the main train station in Hanau upon arrival and on departure will be provided at the times agreed (please see details under “Terms and Conditions ”). Would you be needing transportation to and from the airport, it can be arranged with a taxi, for an extra fee that fluctuates between €75-€95 and takes around 21 mins. outside the rush hours.
- Rooms will be adjudicated according to the participant’s time of registration under the principle “first come first served”, based on room size, i.e. the first to register will get the biggest room (with bathrom), and so on. All rooms are quite comfortable and well suited, including your own private writing space1
Ars Solaris-Studio/ Workshops:
- Your artistic/craft work during the retreat, and most of the workshops, will take place at my Studio: Ars Solaris. The space will be available to you every day of the retreat from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, except when we are out on a planned group activity.
- During the workshops, you will be introduced to the magic of storytelling & the role of archetypes in fairy tales.
- You will also learn about creative practice and reflection, as well as the use of some mixed media techniques to express your ideas.
- We will visit a couple of Hanau’s historical landmarks to get you into the Brothers Grimm mood.
- We will also visit one of the forests which inspired some of the folk stories they collected in their travels along the Deutsche Märchenstraße (“German Fairy Tale Road,” that goes from Hanau to Bremen).
Your Retreat’s Summary:
- Stay 10 nights at a historical, beautiful villa in the Bruder Grimm Stadt, Hanau, Germany.
- Enjoy workshops, creative activities, and mentoring of the development of your retreat’s project, led by Alexandra de Kempf, your hostess, in the flesh.
- Walk to Wilhelmsbad Park, and visit the Phillipsruhe Palace & the Brothers Grimm Museum by the Main River. Retreats participants until April 26, 2026 will also enjoy the beautiful exhibition: “Menschen, Märchen, Mythen: Entdecke Georg Cornicelius” (“People, fairy tales, myths: discover Georg Cornicelius”).
- Hike the beautiful Spessart/or the Taunus forests, including transportation, picnic and guided tour, and a visit to the house (now a museum) where the Brothers Grimm grew, up in Steinau an der Straße.
- Delight in an allegorical “Fairy Tale Dinner,” prepared by your hostess.
- Join the Ars Solaris community, under the tag “Creatores Solares,” where both the attending established artists, as well as the attending creatives from other disciplines, will be added to exhibit the work achieved during your residence.
The retreat will be offered once a month.
(find and choose your preferred dates).
Cost: €1.800 + €1.000 acommodation/participant
February 2026
Mo. 16 – Thu. 26 February
March 2026
Mo. 16 – Thu. 26 March
May 2026
Mo. 18 – Thu. 28 May
June 2026
Mo. 15 – Thu. 25 June
August 2026
Mo. 24 – Thu. 03 September
September 2026
Mo. 21 – Thu. 01 October
October 2026
Mo. 12 – Thu. 22 October
November–December 2026
Mo. 23 November – Thu. 03 December