From calligraphy and wood block carving to weaving and bell-making, Vacation With an Artist offers the chance to take mini-apprenticeships with master craftspeople around the world. Anthony Pearce reports
These days, the search for authentic travel experiences is a top priority for many travellers. To make life easier, one US company called Vacation With an Artist (VAWAA) is offering travellers the chance to book “mini-apprenticeship” retreats with master craftspeople and learn skills which are otherwise at risk of being lost.
Vacation With an Artist features local artists specialising in “crafts under threat” – such as block printing, leather shadow puppet making and bamboo bicycle making – on a platform through which they can share their skills with a wider audience.
Other experiences include traditional brass bell crafting with Yoshinori in Takaoka, Japan, where travellers will learn the 400-year-old craft of making Buddhist bells from one of ten remaining craftsman in Japan. Yoshinori, the teacher, is a fourth-generation master. The four-day experience costs US$1,495 (accommodation is an extra US$445).
For those interested in Indian crafts, there is an Ajrakh block printing masterclass in Mumbai, where people can learn all 13 steps of the technique from Sarfraz Khastri, a sixth-generation artist. With a choice of 800 carved teak blocks, the patterns are printed on to saris, scarves and shawls.
“While experiential travel bestows individuals with memories and stories to share, and transformational travel is about self-improvement, learning journeys are a chance to return home with new knowledge and abilities.”