MINI BOX SESSIONS

The Box Sessions™ are a series of gatherings, organized by Sant Epernay, LLC, which celebrate community and cultivate creativity in a variety of artistic fields.

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2024 TBS: Mexico
2020 TBS: Santa Cruz
The Box Sessions 2022 Drawing with Pixar Animation

TBS: Drawing with Pixar Animation
November 2022

Pete Docter, three-time Oscar winner and Pixar Animation chief creative officer, joined Laura in Healdsburg, California to talk about what inspired his hit movies, Monsters, Inc., Soul, Up and Inside Out. Pete was accompanied by story artist Louis Gonzales who taught an animation class, including how to draw Pixar characters, including Mike and Sulley, from Monsters, Inc.

The Box Sessions 2023 Playwriting with Lauren Gunderson

TBS: Playwriting with Lauren Gunderson
March 2023

Lauren Gunderson is one of the most produced playwrights in the United States and has a unique perspective on storytelling. She is the author of The Catastrophist, the musical Justice, which explores the lives of three female Supreme Court justices and The Time Traveler’s Wife, with music by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart. Lauren talked with Laura about how to craft characters that come alive onstage and taught a writing class that examined how to write dialogue and action scenes.

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Megan Schumann called The Box Sessions a “glorious” exploration of creativity.“If the array of perspectives was a taste of the magic Holson conjures around her dinner table, then find a friend like her.”
Lee Weinstein, Author“We loved the first morning after Samin Nosrat’s talk. Lynda Barry just rocked our world — she was so funny. ‘Art is resilient,’ as she said. So are we humans.”
Corny Koehl, Media executive and President, 3 Mutts Media“For decades I have produced for the biggest names in media, specifically in the world of mind-body-spirit. Never had I experienced a weekend event that captures these fundamentals in such an uplifting and entertaining way as I did when I attended The Box Sessions. Like an alchemist, Laura Holson magically mixes style, content, music and soul, resulting in unforgettable experiences, rooted in meaning and connection.”
Mark Thompson, Media Executive and former Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times"At The Box Sessions, the creative sparks fly from start to finish. No one is better than Laura Holson at getting creative talent from every discipline into one place to bounce insights and ideas off each other."
Angi Evans, School executive“Without the pandemic crisis, I would be grateful, but now I think of the weekend often, as it was my last ‘normal’ excursion. I often think back to meeting new people and hearing wonderful ideas in a gorgeous location in the Santa Cruz mountains. Thank you for providing me with a great time.”
The response to the first Box Sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees were asked to fill out a survey and 95 percent said they would attend another Box Sessions. Here are some of their comments about Laura and her guest speakers:
“I loved the variety of the speakers - coming from so many disciplines and backgrounds. It was refreshing to get such a diverse group. Loved all of the personal stories and vulnerable/openness of the speakers.”
“I'm trying to prioritize connecting with other creative people higher in my daily life. I did not realize how essential community is for creativity until I saw the way it functioned for each of the inspiring guests.”
“Their messages about (a) feeling like failures or (b) following an unknown / unconventional path (or both) were heartening. We can’t hear these enough.”
“I don't think of myself as creative, I'm an ops person. They all showed me I am creative. They inspired me.”
“I really like how you centered people of color on stage.”
“Thank you, Laura, for your incredible vision and creation. You are a gift to the world!”

Coming Up in 2024

Join award-winning writer Laura Holson in February 2024 and reignite your creative spark. You’ll explore the picturesque town of San Miguel de Allende, take classes in photography and cooking and visit historic sites.
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