An Invitation
to be part of the story
As a professional artist with over 25 years of experience, my work has always been rooted in bold expression and emotional honesty. Through painting, I’ve built a life around creativity and connection, and over the past 15 years, I’ve had the honour of creating immersive, art-centered retreats. These experiences are deeply nourishing and often life-changing. People come to make their own art, but leave with renewed clarity, lasting friendships, and a sense of creative and personal healing that’s hard to put into words.
And this is no small thing. In a world that feels increasingly loud, distracted, and disconnected, these retreats offer something rare and essential: space to slow down, to create freely, and to truly reconnect—with others, and with themselves.
One thing I know for sure is that creativity flows best when the heart is full and the soul is nourished. With this in mind, food is at the heart of everything we do—the art of cooking and the joy of eating are celebrated just as much as the act of painting.
You may know exactly what I’m describing, as you may have experienced it first hand.
And now, after countless requests, I’m fulfilling a promise I’ve made over and over again: "Yes, I’ll get you the recipes!”
RETREAT. the book.
For over a year now, I have been deeply immersed in bringing a beautiful book to life. I’ve been writing, recipe testing, photographing, designing, and balancing it all alongside my ‘real job.’ I’ve created the content, including gorgeous images of the retreats, my paintings, stories, and of course, recipes—an invitation to experience the magic of our retreats in your own home. Every page will be filled with the flavours, colours, and moments that have delighted our guests, reflecting the love and care we pour into every one of our gatherings.
I’m now at a point where I need to bring in the right team to help me complete it at the level of excellence it deserves.
To give you a general idea of the book, here is the mock layout:
My Options
When it came time to bring this book to life, I explored three different publishing paths:
Traditional Publishing – While this would have covered the cost of production and handled distribution, it meant giving up creative control over the design, content, and even the rights to my work, with the publisher taking the majority share of sales. It just didn’t feel aligned with the personal and intimate nature of this project.
Self-Publishing – This would have allowed me complete control, but the responsibility of managing every detail—editing, design, printing, marketing—on my own, while still honouring my retreat work, felt overwhelming and would have stretched both myself and the project thin. I would also need to fund everything myself, with no support for distribution, promotion, or reaching the audience I know this book is meant for.
Hybrid Publishing – A balance of both worlds, where I could work with industry professionals who believe in my project and have the expertise to bring the book to life. I would retain ownership of my work and retain the profits. I will also receive expert support in bringing it to market with effective promotion. This is a pay-per-service model, where I fund the production, but I’ve been accepted as a client because they believe in the quality and potential of this book.
After meeting with three separate publishers and consulting an experienced literary agent, I’ve chosen to pursue the hybrid path. I’m in discussions with an exceptional publisher based in Toronto who brings decades of experience and has strong connections throughout the U.S. and global markets. Their team truly understands the vision of this book and is committed to helping me realize it with the level of quality and heart it deserves.
With their support, I can focus on creating a book that embodies the beauty and joy of our retreats—without compromising on any detail.
The Opportunity
As this project has grown, it’s become clear that bringing this book to life at the level of quality it deserves is a much bigger endeavour than I first imagined. The costs have exceeded my initial expectations, and while I’ve invested deeply—both financially and creatively—I’ve realized that I can’t complete this alone. And now, I’m inviting a small group of my patrons to join me in this final stage.
I’ve chosen you because you’ve been with me for a long time. You know my art intimately, and you understand the full breadth of what I do—both on the canvas and beyond. You’ve witnessed the unfolding of this path, and your presence and support have always mattered. I’d like to offer you a meaningful opportunity to stand beside me as this expansion becomes real. Simply put, I’d love to have your name woven into my story.
This project will be supported by three tiers of patrons, each receiving acknowledgment and unique gifts as a token of my deep appreciation:
Founding Sponsor – $25,000+
A singular opportunity for an organization whose values align with this work, that wishes to back the realization and launch of RETREAT.
Cover Recognition – featured on the inside front cover or back outside cover.
Ten Signed Published Editions of RETREAT.
Original Artwork by Laura Harris – created exclusively for the sponsor, at their direction, up to $25,000 value created in honour of your contribution.
Recognition Across Launch Press, Digital Media, and Social Platforms, with heartfelt thanks.
Creative Event Collaboration, co-developed with Laura.
Invitation to an Exclusive Private Dinner Event – a soulful, celebratory evening of beautiful food, wine, music and connection, hosted by Laura in her home.
$10,000 Patron
Prominent Name Placement at the front of the book (unless anonymity is preferred).
Five Signed Published Editions of RETREAT.
Exclusive Digital Preview – a full PDF of the book before its official release.
Original Artwork by Laura Harris – a custom painting, up to $10,000 value, created in honour of your contribution.
Invitation to an Exclusive Private Dinner Event – a celebratory evening of beautiful food, wine, music and connection, hosted by Laura in her home.
$5000 Patron
Prominent Name Acknowledgement in the book’s “Gratitude” section (unless anonymity is preferred).
Three Signed Published Editions of RETREAT.
Exclusive Digital Preview – a full PDF of the book before its official release.
Original Artwork by Laura Harris – a custom painting, up to $5000 value, created in honour of your contribution.
Where the Money Will Go
Publisher’s Fee & Professional Design Estimate: $25,000
Printing Estimate (1,500 hardcover copies): $28,500
Distribution Estimate: $5,500
Publicity & Marketing Estimate: $7,500 – $25,000
Total Cost: $66,500 – $84,000
The Bigger Picture
This book is more than a beautiful object, it’s a powerful and natural evolution of what I’ve been building for the past 25 years. It brings together my art, my retreats and the spirit of connection that’s at the heart of everything I do. By sharing our stories, recipes, and images, RETREAT allows me to reach new audiences in a deeply personal and lasting way.
RETREAT is both a celebration of what we’ve built and a catalyst for what’s to come. It’s a full-bodied expression of my creative vision—one that will continue to grow through future projects, exhibitions and retreats. Its success will amplify everything I do, allowing me to expand into new spaces, foster new relationships and continue offering transformative experiences through art and gathering.
It’s a Beautiful Thing
For centuries, patrons have been the lifeblood of artistic creation. From the Medicis to modern-day champions of creative work, the arts have always been sustained by those who see their worth. Patronage isn’t just about funding, it’s about believing in a vision before the world sees it. Your contribution ensures that this book is created without compromise—with the beauty, quality and heart it deserves. This isn’t just a recipe book, it’s a piece of art itself. A delicious piece of my creative world and a lasting expression of creativity and connection. By choosing to be part of it, you’re stepping into a long, meaningful tradition—one that supports artists, honours beauty and helps bring something truly special into the world.
Thank you
Thank you so much for your friendship, past encouragement and consideration. If this speaks to you, I would be incredibly grateful to have you be part of this journey. If this is not the time, please know that your encouragement alone means the world.
If you're considering supporting RETREAT at any level, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. I’d love to connect with you and answer any questions you may have.
For your convenience, I’ve also included a ‘pay now’ link below, or please e-transfer to lharrisstudio@gmail.com
