Join your fellow ministry-minded creatives on a creative two-day retreat!

We’ll focus on graphic design and creative processes, our commitment to our craft and our creator and several key design disciplines including brainstorming, typography, and of course, just plain having fun.

RISK is a two-day, one-night retreat for creatives for only $150! This is an incredibly encouraging and renewing event. We hope to see you there!

Who's behind this?
Where is it?
What should I bring?
Where do I sign up!?

PLAY & DISCUSS

While we learned a lot last year, we didn’t play enough. This year, there’s still plenty of opportunity to learn, but there’s even more time for play.

And we’re keeping the group small — registration is still limited to 40 people.

7 Sessions

4.5 play + 2.5 learning (you figure out the math)

A Beautiful Setting

The retreat takes place in Holland, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan. Watch the sunset, play in the sand. Sit around the campfire. It’s all good.

Camp Geneva

bunk beds + sand in your shorts + improved wifi

Telephone Pictionary

We promise to play until someone’s conference t-shirt is soaked in hilarity tears or someone passes out from laughter. (It’s worth coming for this alone.)

Spurtivators

creative exercises we actually do for fun

Worship & Encourage

Most of us have committed our talent to God’s purposes. While that may look different for each of us, this is a time where we can openly explore the spiritual aspects of our “job”

Your Spirit

campfire worship without Kumbaya

How is it? Here are some completly unsolicited reviews:

Risk is a two-day, one-night retreat you can't afford to miss!

Friday, October 14
9a

Arrive

Hurry up and join us already!

9:30a

Session 1 :: Play :: PhotoWalk

Make some great photographs, see the camp, make friends! More Info

Led by Brian Richards, Independent Jackofalltrades
Ready, set, snap! Bring your digital camera (fancy or just a point-and-shoot) and get ready to take some photos! We’ll be walking around the beautiful Camp Geneva taking photos, getting to know each other and collecting specific shots for a photo challenge. Don't forget your laptop and USB cable!

11:30a

Lunch

Good Eats.

12:30p

Session 2 :: Play :: Ink & Paper

Make things. More Info

Led by Alex Tillard, designer at Central Wesleyan Church
Dump your hangups and lets get creative! We're not going to devulge the specifics for this one, just be ready to create and have fun.

3p

Session 3 :: Learn :: Independent v. In-House

Which role is best for you? More Info

Led by Becky Martin, Josh Cowen
Are you part of a larger team or do you fly solo? The challenges and responsibilities can be vastly different for those who design and manage as part of an in-house team vs those who are independent. During this session, you can choose which conversation you’d like to be part of.

Josh Cowen will facilitate the In-House discussion. Be ready to ask questions, share your experiences, talk budgeting, processes, best practices, working with people who don’t “get it” and receive lots of encouragement that what you do make a difference, not only to your church or ministry but, more importantly, to the very people who attend.

Becky Martin will facilitate the In-Dependent discussion. Again, this is a chance for you to pick the brains of those who create for multiple clients. Maybe you want to know about billing or how to grow your business or have a great way to manage tasks that you want to share. Come and share your experiences or, if you’re new to owning your own business (see how we’re avoiding that unflattering “freelance” term), then glean from those who have been at it for a while.

5:30p

Dinner

Can't wait, I'm famished.

6:30p

Session 4 :: Play :: Screen Printing

Learn how screen printing works (and print your own shirt!). More Info

Led by Adam Weiler, founder of Ambrose
Have you ever looked at a t-shirt or poster and wondered, “How do they DO this??” Well, get ready to learn! Adam will be teaching this amazing class on how to design to take advantage of the possibilities (and limitations) of screen printing. Then, you’ll actually screen print your own conference t-shirt.

9:30p

Campfire/Worship

With a special guest appearance by the holiest of camping treats, the S'more.

Saturday, September 18
8a

Breakfast

A reward just for getting out of bed!

9a

Session 5 :: Learn :: Typography

Keming is just kerning with poor tracking. More Info

Led by Becky Martin, principal of Cottage Design.
Now you too can finally understand the magic behind PAFKIS (pick a font and keep it simple), kerning, Papyrus and Comic Sans.

10a

Session 6 :: Learn & Play :: New Brainstorm Methods

Get past your mental blocks and solve some problems. More Info

Led by Josh Cowen, Marcom Director for Central Wesleyan Church
Who doesn’t love a good brainstorm? What a great way to come up with new ideas and get the creative neurons firing. In this session we will dive into the refreshing pool of new brainstorming methods. Thinking about things in new and weird contexts to force those out of the box connections.

12:30p

Lunch

One of my 3 favorite meals of the day!

1:30p

Session 7 :: Play :: Scavenger Hunt

With Prizes! More Info

Led by Alex Tillard, designer at Central Wesleyan Church
Stick around for this crazy-awesome clue-finding scavenger hunt. You'll be glad you did when you see what the prizes are!

3p

Closing Remarks

Your creativity has been sparked. Now what? More Info

A quick recap, some closing inspiration, and your last few minutes of serene relaxation.
4p

Checkout

See you next year!

Register Online!

Registration is $150 per person. After you have completed the form you can either pay electronically or via check/money order. A confirmation will be e-mailed to you once you have finished.

What your $125 gets you:

  • 7 sessions taught by people with passion and humility.
  • Overnight lodging in new cabins with in-suite bathrooms.
  • Four meals, snacks and fresh-ground coffee.
    (Alex will probably insist on having carrots on hand, but you don’t have to eat them.)
  • Your own, custom-printed retreat shirt!
  • Swag and prizes from:
    • Veer
    • French Paper
    • The Image Group
    • And more!
  • Normally $150, but if you register today you'll save $20!
  • Note: You do NOT need a PayPal account to pay via Credit or Debit Card.

  • About Yourself

  • mm/dd/yyyy
  • Company/Organization name

  • By submitting the form, I understand and agree to the following:

    1. In the event that I need to cancel before 10 p.m., Oct. 6, 2011, I will get a full refund minus a $15 service fee. If I cancel after 10 p.m., Oct. 10, 2011, there will be NO refund. (Your registration may be transferred at any time.)
    2. My picture may be used for future promotional materials.
    3. I will not break into “Kumbaya” while sitting around the campfire.
    4. I am not actually registered until payment is received.

Who Are your Speakers & Volunteer Organizers?

Adam Weiler

Adam is the director of Ambrose. He was born and raised in Iowa where he studied art and mathematics. Adam moved to Holland after falling in love with the beach and his amazing wife and co-conspirator Jenna. Together they share two cats and the love of sauteed vegetables.

He is passionate about a variety of things including, but not limited to: books, bicycles, Wendell Berry, infographics, new paradigms on time and Edy's Tart Mango Frozen Yogurt. More

Brian Richards

Brian has been practicing and studying design for as long as he can remember. He picked up his first copy of Photoshop in 1998 (Photoshop 4!) while still in Middle School and hasn’t looked back since. Currently Brian is the Communications Associate for His House Christian Fellowship (a college-aged ministry), Creative Director for Watermelon Ministries (a creative ministry equipping other ministries) and a freelance designer under the banner rzen Media (pronounced “risen”). Oh, and after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in photography, he has been serving as a professional photographer as well. In other words, he’s a workaholic desperate to be a part of this 2-day retreat. Brian lives with his wife Katie in their new home in Grandville, MI. More

Alexandra Tillard

Alexandra (or Alex) was an Art and Spanish double major at Hope College. She has always loved to draw and got into graphic design her senior year of college. She’s been working with Josh Cowen for over a year and has loved creating designs incorporating drawing and computer art. She graduated in 2006, so she’s only been designing for 4 years. She’s also just starting to do some freelance work and really enjoys that too. She lives with her husband Matt in Holland, Michigan. More

Josh Cowen

Creative jenius extraordinaire (yeah, he can’t spell). Along with being a husband and father, he is the Marcom Director for Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, MI where he puts his creative juices to work. He also owns Khias Design, a small design house, and volunteers with an after-school art program called Ambrose. In his spare time he loves the outdoors, working with his hands and video games. More

Becky Martin

Becky has been concepting and designing for churches since 1997. In 2001, when Becky and her husband moved back home to West Michigan, she decided to give up the comfort (and sometimes monotony) of a 9–5 for full-time freelance work. Doing business as “Cottage Design,” Becky provides identity, print, and branding solutions to clients across the country. Eighty percent of Becky’s clients are churches, which allows her to give her talents and energy to something she truly believes in — Jesus and His redemptive plan. Becky and Sam live on an inland all-sports lake (hence the “Cottage” reference in her business name) with their two young sons. More

A few last Important Details...

Who's behind this?

Asterisk* logo

Asterisk* is a group of fun, dedicated artists and communicators from West Michigan who meet monthly to share ideas, constructive comments on work, practice creativity and have fun! We are made up of church workers and freelance artists who love to do art for God’s glory. Christ is central to each of our ministries, and He is incorporated in all our work. We are always open to new ideas and new members and rounds of Telephone Pictionary. [weareasterisk.com]

Where is it?

Camp Geneva logo

Yep, that’s Papyrus in their logo, but we don’t hold it against them. They’re a great host. Camp Geneva, located North of Holland, Michigan, is a beautiful, modern Christian camp and retreat center. We will be staying on the Shores campus, overlooking Lake Michigan. The camp’s address is 3995 Lakeshore Dr N, Holland, MI 49424. [campgeneva.org]

Click here for directions »

What to Bring

You’ll receive a confirmation e-mail after you register that will include a pre-retreat checklist, but here are the highlights.

For Learning

  • Bible
  • Computer
  • Camera
  • USB Cable for camera
  • Drawing Pad/Sketch Book
  • Pens/Pencils
  • Inspiration (magazines, books, etc) to share

For Comfort

  • Clothing for any type of weather (Michigan is unpredictable)
  • Flashlight
  • Bug spray
  • Toiletries
  • Bath Towel
  • Pillow
  • Sleeping bag
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Coffee Mug

Any Questions?

We would love to hear from you! Please fill out this form and we'll be in touch shortly.