Learning how to do “a real Salzburg plait”. Do each other’s hair up. Very Girlie: That’s exactly how the atmosphere feels like right now during my creative holidays in Altenmarkt in the beautiful province of Salzburg. Girls, ladies (even two guys!) and one of the youngest Austrian hairdressers, Pia Dertnig, meet at the rustic Moosalm mountain hut as part of the “natura.kreativ” creative workshops in Altenmarkt. Teaching me and all the other excited, creative ladies, how to do traditional plaits. “I have made sure my hair is long enough especially for this course”, I hear myself laughing. “Really?!” Pia is enthusiastic! 🙂 One of the participants, a mother of two, has plaited my hair into a beautiful French plait all across my head; I wear it more than a day (and a night!) since it is really hard to part with the masterpiece. … Hands-on creative travel: This is what it feels like. Have a look at the giggly atmosphere here in Salzburg.
Happy as: I feel like a young girl going out for a ball for the first time having her hair done … or something like that anyway. Hehe!
Off we go learning how to plait, using different “live models” who have come to join the “natura.kreativ” creative workshops here in Altenmarkt.
Pia Dertnig (in the middle) is only 22 years old and one of the youngest hairdressers with a degree in Austria; she has focused on traditional plaits as part of her work and is around each year during the creative summer workshops in the destination of Altenmarkt.
This plait is called “fishbone” plait, it really is quite easy once you’ve got it figured out but does take a while depending on the length of hair.
Happy tutors: Annelie and her pianist, who normally teach vocal training & singing in a choir, have also joined in the fun having their hair done.
There you are: My “hairy (scary)” masterpiece at the end of the workshop! 😀
Plaiting, crafts, sculpting: Each summer, the “natura.kreativ” creative summer workshops draw in the crowds to Altenmarkt.
Build your own wooden sculpture from local mountain river driftwood. Or “bring your own” piece of wood from the Bodensee lake in Vorarlberg! Learn to chisel cats, cups, hearts or eagles from wood by joining young, talented artist Daniel during a crafts workshop. The creative summer workshops in Altenmarkt have you choose whatever course tickles your fancy. “I really love the open-mindedness and flexibility of all the creative artists and tutors here, they are reflected in the easy-going atmosphere that characterises the creative destination of Altenmarkt”, my colleague & travel writer Andreas Susana says publishing on his blog “Travel By Photos“. Workshops involving wood turning & sculpting is what I would like to try next year, having now tried almost everything else as far as painting & singing is concerned. Visiting the different workshops locations in Altenmarkt, I have stopped to chat with the tutors Walter & Daniel as well as their eager creative travellers.
Romance abounds here in Altenmarkt, don’t you think?
This cup does already feel smooth and beautiful: Please do touch!
What a wonderful piece of wood: Even I, being no expert at all, can feel that there is something to treating and crafting this piece of wood into something beautiful, a sculpture for the dining hall or living room perhaps, or the garden.
Walter, who is the tutor for the wood sculpting lessons here in Altenmarkt, is a patient and talented man who runs his courses also in English, if need be.
Happy to hear more about creative travel here in Salzburg? Check out further emotions & photographs of “my favourite creative workshops” including acrylic painting, watercolour technique, nude, baking bread & making jam, singing in a choir & vocal training, photography, plaiting and a lot more. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: We have been invited by the destination Altenmarkt-Zauchensee to travel to the natura.kreativ creative summer destination in Salzburg. All opinions are my own.