A Story of Art, Vision, and Transformation

I'm Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, and H4 Retreats is built upon my lifelong dedication to art, specifically encaustic art, and a vision to create a haven where artists can thrive. It's a story of passion, resilience, and the evolution of a dream, marked by the journey from pbseggebruch to the comprehensive artistic experience now known as H4 Retreats.

My journey began with a deep immersion in the world of encaustic art. As an artist, I explored the medium's unique properties and developed a strong connection to its expressive potential. This led to the creation of five instructional books, which became a cornerstone of my career, taking me around the globe to share my knowledge and passion with others. This early phase of my artistic endeavor was often represented by pbsartist, a name that encapsulated my individual contributions and artistic identity.

For a decade, I traveled extensively, teaching encaustic techniques to artists across the world. This included two years spent abroad, leading workshops and promoting the medium and its materials in Australia, New Zealand, and Bali. These experiences were transformative, exposing me to diverse artistic perspectives and solidifying my belief in the power of art to connect people.

During this time, I also continued my annual retreat, Encausticamp, at Dumas Bay Center in Washington, which I had established in 2010. The retreat's success and the growing demand for immersive art experiences led me to expand its reach, taking Encausticamp to Australia, New Zealand, and Bali.

In 2015, after returning from two years abroad, I decided to establish a permanent base for my artistic vision, moving from the Seattle area to Lexington, Kentucky. This marked a significant turning point, as I purchased a 3-story, 1880s limestone house and transformed it into "EncaustiCastle" – a dedicated space for artists to gather, learn, and create. The EncaustiCastle became the heart of my efforts, hosting retreats and residencies that attracted artists from around the world. 

The acquisition of the house next door marked the beginning of the EncaustiCastle Compound. After four years of leasing it to tenants, I renovated the property, claiming it as our own. I also built a large studio garage behind this house, providing a dedicated workspace for a resident artist. This new studio, along with the EncaustiCastle and three additional freestanding studios on the property, formed the EncaustiCastle Compound – a multi-faceted art space designed to foster creativity and community.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, temporarily halting retreats and residencies. However, this period also provided an opportunity for reflection and further development. I focused on renovating and upgrading properties, a choice that has proven instrumental in the overall growth of the H4 retreat model, including several houses in Michigan and Colorado. I also undertook renovations for my gallery owner here in Lexington, renovating four apartments in her building in the CBD. Beyond renovations, I dedicated myself to full upgrades and maintenance on the compound structures and gardens, envisioning a future where art residency tiny homes, ‘gites’, would be built, surrounded by you-pick flower and vegetable gardens, making this a truly artistic oasis. 

This vision reflects a commitment to creating a sustainable and inspiring environment that supports the artistic process and adds value and integrity to the neighborhood and Lexington itself.

It was in this evolving landscape that business coach, artist, and friend of over 15 years, Brenda Tassava Medina entered the picture, bringing her vision and expertise to expand on the foundation I had built. The EncaustiCastle Compound became the cornerstone for the H4 Retreats business model, which is structured around four key pillars, all rooted in the foundation of art.

These Four H4Retreats Pillars: 

The EncaustiCastle Compound serves as the robust foundation for the H4 Retreats business model, structured around four key pillars that encapsulate our unique offerings and growth potential. These pillars are designed to attract artists and foster their development, while also representing distinct revenue streams and strategic areas of focus for investors:

• Hearth-This pillar represents the deep artistic expertise and unique, hands-on learning experiences offered. Rooted in Patricia's decades of mastery in encaustic art, demonstrated through her five instructional books and global teaching career, Hearth is the home of EncaustiCamp, which provides a high-quality, immersive environment for artists to explore, learn, and create within the medium. This encompasses the core artistic identity and the foundational workshops that draw participants to our unique setting.
• Horizon-Focused solely on our diverse range of short-term, intensive workshops and structured programs, Horizon embodies the expansion of our reach beyond the initial Encausticamp. This ‘eastern’ location for the west coast birthed original offers opportunity to reach more, teach more, and inspire more; a tenant pbseggebruch has ascribed since the beginning. This pillar emphasizes our ability to consistently deliver high-value, sought-after artistic education and experiences.
• Hone-Beyond direct artistic instruction, Haven encompasses our initiatives to support artists' professional growth and build a thriving, interconnected artistic community through WinterWax. This includes developing resources, offering mentorship in artistic business practices, and fostering connections among artists, collectors, and the wider art world. This pillar also speaks to the ongoing development of the EncaustiCastle Compound as a unique and inspiring environment that adds significant value to our offerings and the surrounding area.
• Haven-This pillar is dedicated to our longer-term residency programs, designed for artists seeking deeper immersion, sustained creative development, and a dedicated environment for artistic incubation. Haven provides resident artists with extended access to studio spaces, mentorship, and a supportive community, fostering significant growth and the production of new work. This represents a commitment to nurturing professional artistic careers and offers a more extended engagement model.

H4 Retreats is more than just a business; it's a culmination of my lifelong passion for art and the commitment to fostering artistic growth, now amplified by Brenda's partnership to create a thriving community for artists from around the world. It's a space where creativity is nurtured, skills are honed, and connections are forged, building on the strong foundation laid by pbseggebruch to become the expansive and transformative H4 Retreats.

EncausticRevelation: 

A Strategic Relaunch for Global Encaustic Learning (Formerly pbseggebruch)

For nearly two decades, the artistic endeavors and educational initiatives known as pbseggebruch flourished as a vibrant hub for encaustic artists. Beginning in 2010, EncaustiCamp grew steadily, reaching its capacity of 67 attendees. International retreats consistently sold out, and WinterWax enjoyed full enrollment during its operation. The residency program also attracted a global pool of talented applicants. This success was built upon a foundation of community engagement and thought leadership, including five influential books on encaustic authored since 2007 under the pbseggebruch name, which played a significant role in expanding the medium's reach worldwide.

The global landscape shifted dramatically with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The necessary restrictions on travel and gatherings led to the unavoidable cessation of in-person retreats and residencies under the pbseggebruch model. This period of disruption, while challenging, provided a valuable opportunity for reflection, reevaluation, and strategic refinement of the business.

Now, fueled by renewed energy and strategic alliances, I am thrilled to announce the relaunch of these successful initiatives under a unified and evocative new brand: EncausticRevelation. This rebranding signifies not just a return but an evolution, strengthened by key partnerships that position us for accelerated growth and expanded success. I am delighted to be partnering with Brenda Tassava Medina, a proven successful business management consultant and artist herself, whose expertise will be invaluable in navigating our expansion. Additionally, Daniel Seggebruch, with his ten years of experience as a certified organic farmer and experienced home renovator, brings a unique perspective and practical acumen to our operational framework at the EncaustiCastle Compound. This powerful partnership provides the robust foundation necessary to capitalize on the existing demand and scale EncausticRevelation effectively.

The momentum for this relaunch is already evident. In collaboration with Enkaustikos, a leading manufacturer of encaustic paints and the producer of my own line of signature colors, I am thrilled to announce two upcoming workshops this July. Significantly, both of these relaunch workshops have already sold out, demonstrating the continued strong interest in my instruction and the anticipation surrounding the return of our immersive learning experiences under the EncausticRevelation banner. This immediate success underscores the inherent value and pent-up demand for what we are bringing back to the encaustic art community.

The proven success and established reputation built under pbseggebruch, now amplified by strategic partnerships and immediate relaunch success, provide a robust foundation for the next chapter as EncausticRevelation. The demand for immersive encaustic experiences remains high, and the limitations of our previous infrastructure, with EncaustiCamp consistently at capacity, still present a clear opportunity for strategic investment to unlock substantial growth and fully realize the revitalized vision of EncausticRevelation.

The requested funding will be strategically allocated to:

• Expanding Retreat and Residency Accommodations: Increasing our capacity to host more artists for longer periods, fostering deeper creative exploration and community building under the EncausticRevelation banner, guided by sound business management principles.
• Renovating Studio Spaces at the EncaustiCastle: Enhancing the learning environment and providing state-of-the-art facilities for workshops and residencies, branded under EncausticRevelation, with a focus on creating a sustainable and inspiring space.
• Securing Working Capital for Three Years: Ensuring a stable financial runway as we strategically scale our operations and fully realize the potential of our expanded infrastructure as EncausticRevelation in a changed world, leveraging the expertise of our new partners.

This investment is not merely about rebuilding; it's about strategically building upon a proven model with a renewed sense of purpose, powerful partnerships, and clear market validation through our sold-out relaunch workshops. My established brand, built through years of successful retreats, residencies, and influential publications as pbseggebruch, now synergizes with the business acumen of Brenda Tassava Medina and the operational insights of Daniel Seggebruch to propel the success of EncausticRevelation.

Investing in EncausticRevelation is an exceptional opportunity to support a business with a demonstrated track record of success, a strong global appeal, and a clear vision for growth, now entering an exciting new phase with strategic partnerships and immediate market validation. By addressing our infrastructure limitations, we can meet the existing high demand, expand our reach, and solidify EncausticRevelation's position as the premier destination for encaustic artists worldwide. We are not just returning; we are revealing a new era of encaustic learning and artistic empowerment, backed by a strong team and undeniable market enthusiasm.