MOSSY TRAILS
OFFGRID LIVING - ARTIST RESIDENCIES - SPECIAL EVENTS - CAMPOVER CONCERTS
"And into the woods I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir
We're an off grid, working homestead. This is a family project. We are a family of artists, craftsmen, homesteaders, and merchants. We are dedicated to sharing our space to promote & encourage the arts, community, and wellness by living in harmony with the nature that surrounds us, being inspired by it, and learning from it. You will find us 1.5 hours north of Edmonton and 20 minutes southeast of Athabasca, Alberta, Canada on Treaty 6 lands.
EVENTS:
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Land and Plant Medicine Wisdom
With First Nations Elders & Teachers, Joe Cardinal & Emiline Roan
Your day will be steeped in Indigenous wisdom, culture, and traditional teachings as Joe and Emiline identify a myriad of wild plants of the Boreal Forest, teach ethical harvesting and land practices, as well as traditional preparation and healing properties of the plants.Joe is originally from Saddle Lake First Nations, Alberta. He now serves as Elder, Pipe Carrier, Teacher, Knowledge Keeper, and is presently the Spiritual Advisor for Hinton and Edson Friendship Centres.Emiline is originally from Sweetgrass First Nations, Saskatchewan. She now serves as Elder and Cultural Teacher for Samson Band School in Maskwacis (formerly Hobbema), Alberta.Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024Times:Registration - 9:30amWelcome and Opening ceremony - 10:00amHit trails immediately following to approximately 4:30pm(bring bagged lunch, water, insect protection, appropriate footwear and rain gear in case of inclement weather - we proceed rain or shine.)Location:
Mossy Trails is 1.5 hours north of Edmonton AB in Athabasca County (Exact location will be sent with receipt of ticket purchase.)Cost:
Registration fee: $125.00 includes GSTEarly Bird Registration, prior to June 7th: $115.00Youth, 12 years or older are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Full registration applies.We can only accept 20 participants.(Proceeds will cover expenses as well as ceremonial gifts to be presented to the Elders, respectfully keeping with First Nations tradition.)
Please etransfer registration fee to marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.comBe sure to identify which event you are registering for in the message section.IMPORTANT: Follow up with a confirmation email to secure your spot and receive directions to the property.*If you’d like to make a weekend of it, we will be hosting an outdoor concert in the evening following this event. We offer free camping for everyone who pre-purchases a concert ticket. Continue scrolling down for concert information. NOTE: Discount on concert tickets with camping if purchased at time of event registration payment. Include $20.00 per person and indicate ‘plus # of concert tickets’ in the message section.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Wild Herb and Mushroom Walk with Robert Dale Rogers
Spend the day with internationally renowned herbalist, mycologist, and author, Robert Rogers. Robert has been an herbalist for over 50 years, and the author of 65 books. He has a great interest in all things medicinal, including plants, fungi, lichens, ferns and mosses. His latest book is a study on medicinal insects and arachnids. Robert taught herb and fungi medicine at the college and university level for over 26 years and conducted a clinical practice for nearly that long. He will guide us in finding and identifying edible/medicinal herbs and mushrooms of the Boreal Forest. Many of his 65 books will be available for purchase.Date: Saturday September 14thTimes:
Registration - 9:30Hit the trails - 10:00am - approximately 4:30pm(bring a bagged lunch, water, insect protection, appropriate footwear and rain gear in case of inclement weather - we proceed rain or shine.)Location:
Mossy Trails is 1.5 hours north of Edmonton AB in Athabasca County (Exact location will be sent with receipt of ticket purchase.)Cost:
Registration fee: $125.00 includes GSTEarly Bird Gift for Registration, prior to June 7th: A Field Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms of North America by Robert Rogers & Daniel Winkler ($10.00 value)Youth, 12 years or older are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Full registration applies.We can only accept 20 participants.
Please etransfer registration fee to marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.comBe sure to identify which event you are registering for in the message section.IMPORTANT: Follow up with a confirmation email to secure your spot and receive directions to the property.*If you’d like to make a weekend of it, we will be hosting an outdoor concert in the evening following this event. We offer free camping for everyone who pre-purchases a concert ticket. Continue scrolling down for concert information. NOTE: Discount on concert tickets with camping if purchased at time of event registration payment. Include $20.00 per person and indicate ‘plus # of concert tickets’ in the message section.
ARTIST RESIDENCY:
“Those who look for the laws of Nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator.”
* - Antoni Gaudi*
Our aims and objectives are:
a) To support the arts by providing space for artists to experiment, focus on their craft, and create without interruption.
b) To provide artists with an experiential and/or healing retreat, in a rustic and remote location, where they can be refreshed and inspired by the sights and sounds of nature while experiencing life in and on the land.
c) To expand the artistic awareness of our local rural community and their appreciation of the arts by offering shows and artist talks by visiting artists.We offer a self-guided program with assistance and instruction on running power tools and harvesting natural materials when required.
We are looking for artists in any genre or discipline of visual & performing arts including film and writing, who are passionate or curious about being inspired by the purity of wild nature and creating within it.Participants will be immersed in the charm and ruggedness of life on an off-grid homestead and be inspired by the life and beauty of the mossy trails winding through 120 acres of boreal forest region and leading to our golden pond, home to a multitude of birds and waterfowl, frogs, muskrats, beaver and is often visited by moose, deer and coyote.While the location is rustic and remote our solar power system provides ample electricity to operate all of the power tools, lights, and computers, and free WiFi is available on the property. However, we do encourage visiting artists to unplug as completely as possible in order to get the full benefits of this experience.Visual artists are encouraged to experiment with and utilize found materials on the homestead in a creative and responsible manner.The focus of our residency program is to support, encourage, and promote the arts and the creative process in our region by sharing our space and life experience with professional and emerging artists in any genre and discipline. Diverse experience levels are welcomed to apply.* If you are interested in scheduling a residency visit at MossyTrails, please email your request for an application form to marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.comA printable application form will be sent to you via email.
We generally reply within one business day.
NEWS!
Our very own Smokey released a new song and video "Springtime", check it out here and on your preferred streaming platforms:
Past Events:
ART WALK and ARTIST TALK
An Evening of Art in Nature
A huge thank you to the many Athabasca community members who came out to celebrate the two new artworks and enjoy the beautiful natural environment they’ve found their home in.Many thanks to the featured artists, Lori Clarehout for an inspiring talk on her process and what informs her artwork, and Nickelas Smokey Johnson who also guided the walk through the gallery.Tours of the Boreal Gallery can be arranged by appointment for groups of five or more participants at a cost of $10.00 per person.Picnic area is also available if you’d like to bring along lunch or refreshments.Email marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.com to book a tour.
Wednesday, May 29th 2024 at 6:30 pmBoreal Gallery welcomes two new art installations:
PORTAL, an interactive playground piece by Nickelas "Smokey" Johnson & Lori Claerhout’s most recent artwork, DREAMLAND QUILT.An Artist Talk by Lori Claerhout will be preceded by a guided Art Walk through the woods, which house fifteen works by seven Alberta artists.Lori is an artist based in Athabasca, AB. Broadly, her work is concerned with social and environmental issues and seeing what’s familiar in new ways.Lori's mixed media sculpture, Dreamland Quilt, was previously shown at DreamLand, a private duo exhibition with Jovi Klak in Athabasca. Dreamland Quilt will now find its home in the Boreal Gallery where it enters into a collaboration with nature's elements, as do all of the artworks here, to continually evolve and be transformed until it completes its inevitable cycle and finds its way back to the earth.Light refreshments and a Q&A to follow.
NOTE: Mossy Trails' Boreal Gallery is an outdoor gallery at our personal residence.Although we will be outdoors, because of the unseasonal dry conditions, we ask that visitors refrain from smoking on the property.
The art walk is approximately 1/4 mile over moderate mixed terrain. Please consider appropriate footwear and insect protection for your own comfort.While we welcome you as our guests, any donations made towards the expenses of these community events, as well as maintaining and upgrading the artworks and trails are immensely appreciated but not required.For DIRECTIONS please confirm your attendance by emailing marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.com after which we'll send you a google maps pin or written directions.If you have any questions please call/text 780 689-1767.
WILD HERB/MUSHROOM WALK WITH ROBERT DALE ROGERS--SOLD OUT! THANK YOU!--Spend the day with internationally renowned herbalist/author, Robert Rogers. Drawing from his 40+ years of study and practice, he will guide us in finding, identifying, and learning how to ethically harvest edible/medicinal herbs and mushrooms of the boreal forest. Many of his 50+ books will be available for purchase.Date: Saturday August 12, 2023Time:
Registration - 9:30 am
Hit trails - 10:00 am - 4:30pm
(bring a bagged lunch)Location: MossyTrails, 1.5 hours north of Edmonton AB in the Athabasca County (exact location will be sent with receipt of ticket purchase)Cost: $135 includes GSTPlease etransfer registration fee to marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.com followed by a confirmation email to secure your spot and receive directions to the propertyEarly bird registration: May 17 - May 31
Early bird gift: signed copy of Mushroom Medicine - The Future of Functional Fungi by Robert Rogers
PAST CONCERTS:
Prepare yourselves aesthetes, we are pleased to wrangle cattleherder of the cosmos, the Bobby Tenderloin Universe, for our last campover concert ever (of the season) at Mossy Trails.The Universe is joined on our Boreal Vegas stage by the trembling aspen hisself, resident musician Smokey and his band of weary prophets, preceded by the intimate openings of dreamy drover Connor Connors.Please also enjoy, as accompaniment to this animated advertisement, a snippet of the unreleased song “Console”, from Bobby’s much anticipated upcoming album.Bring a tent, a cooler, a chair, some bug dope, and enjoy the waves of music wafting under a canopy of starsThere will be a small film crew capturing this event
-Presale payments are $25.00 per night for campsite and concert. $30 at the gate. To confirm your spot, e-transfer your donation to: marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.com-IMPORTANT! Please send a follow-up email with subject line "CAMP OVER SHOW" so we can confirm your spot and send you directions.-Our donkeys don't like sharing all of their pasture space so we are asking that you leave your pups at home and to consider carpooling.-Camping is limited to tents and small trailers. Unfortunately we can only accommodate fifth wheels or large RVs with special circumstances and with permission only. Thank for your understanding.-Camping is completely self-contained with no services other than outhouses, wash stations, and potable water if you have your own containers.-Campers can come anytime after 6pm to set up their camp!-Bring a chair!-Please remember this is our home and we ask you to respect it as such.Thanks!
AUGUST 12, 2023
Resident moth charmer SMOKEY is joined by special guest and former residency musician, the ethereal KELSEY McMILLAN, for a night of mildly mystical and majestically melancholic folk music.Bring a tent, a cooler, a chair, some bug dope, and enjoy the waves of music wafting under a canopy of stars
Saturday October 22 2022
Aladean Kheroufi & Smokey
Come to our last Camp Over Show of the year! Alberta’s prince of soul, @a.d.kheroufi culminates a week long residency out here at @mossy_trails by sharing an intimate set on our Boreal Vegas stage. @smokeysings, peddler of misery, opens the night.
$20 presale / $30 at the gateBring a sweater and a blanket (and a chair!), but we’re expecting mild and beautiful weather.
Saturday Sept 17 2022
Aaron Parker w/ Kelsey McMillan & Smokey
Get downright autumnal with the soaring tenor of the cosmos' own altar boy, Aaron Parker. Kelsey McMillan returns to our stage after plumbing inner dimensions, and Smokey grumbles his way through a late night janitorial opera.
$20 presale / $30 at gate
Friday Aug 19 2022
Mariel Buckley w/ Smokey
It’s Alberta’s rising country roots miracle Mariel Buckley! We’re pleased as pickles to have the 2019 WCMA Artist of the Year woo and weep from our stage. Her ragged antithesis Smokey will open the evening.
$20 presale / $30 at gate
Saturday August 20 2022:
Jody Shenkarek w/ The Blue Coyote
Queen of the scene Jody Shenkarek brings her original, laid back country folk songs to our outdoor stage, and Nickelas "Smokey" Johnson performs as the Blue Coyote, yodelling his way thru a suite of old cowboy songs.
$20 presale / $30 at gate
Why Choose? Consider making a musical weekend of it! Camp out August 19th and 20th to take in both concerts for $40 PRESALE or $60 at the GATEOur donkeys don't like sharing all of their pasture space so we are asking that you leave your pups at home and to consider carpooling. Camping is limited to tents and small trailers. Unfortunately we can only accommodate fifth wheels or large RVs with special circumstances and with permission only. Thank for your understanding.Camping is completely self-contained with no services other than port-a-potties, wash stations, and potable water if you have your own containers.Campers can come anytime after 6pm to set up their camp!Whether you are camping or just coming for the show, be sure to bring a chair and mosquito protection. They are plentiful this year!
-Presale payments are $20.00 per night for campsite and concert. $30 at the gate. Or $40 presale / $60 gate for both nights. To confirm your spot, e-transfer your donation to: marilyn.mossytrails@gmail.com
-Please indicate campout concert artist and date in the message.
-Please be sure to send a follow-up email so we can confirm your spot and send you directions.
Thanks!
