Arielle + Cory
Together, Arielle and Cory, have developed a love of cooking and traveling which stems in large part from this wonderful origin place. At their engagement, Arielle and Cory travelled to Arbois for the first time together to taste their beloved Jura wines straight from the source. It was this unique experience that inspired them to reimagine what was their parent’s (see Arielle’s folks - Martine and Seymour! below) artists retreat with a greater focus on their shared love of the unique wine and food of the region.
Martine + Seymour
Martine left her home country of France and married American artist Seymour Simmons (seymoursimmons.com) within a year of their meeting. Not long after she brought her new husband to the old French Farm House high in the Jura Mountains that has been in Martine's family for generations. Beginning in 1983, they started to bring interested travelers and artists to paint and sketch in this beautiful and inspiring place. Seymour, who has his Ed.D from Harvard University and has been teaching artists for decades, retired this last year from Winthrop University. French Martine's first job in the US was an au pair for a ghost writer for Julia Child! 20 years old in a kitchen full of cookbooks, she learned how to roast a chicken for the first time from an American chef writing French recipes and has since become an incredible French chef herself! Together in these 35 years of workshops they combined their passions for this place, Seymour's love of teaching art and Martine's love of regional cooking! They shared this passion for food, art, wine and the Jura with their daughter Arielle who always came along on the retreats as their kid, then participant, and eventually photography teacher.
Caryn
As a published writer, public speaker, yoga + meditation instructor, Caryn frequently emphasizes the importance of living in the moment, savoring your meal, appreciating the company you keep, spending time in nature, and staying in creative process. She’s a natural connector who inspires others daily with her vulnerability and force to be reckoned with ability to create and hold space for others. As an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Caryn travels the world connecting others to their innate healing wisdom. She combines her knowledge and skills to co-create integrative retreat experiences that encourage heart-centered consciousness.