"my just crawled out from under a rock look"

 I made this in an art class that I take with a phenomenal artist/teacher and a group of amazing, creative women.  Though I was given the dimensions of my features (ie. two different sized eyes, a really long nose, and a very small mouth) and a process to follow, it took me a while to get comfortable.  The sheer novelty of spending all that time studying my face in the mirror, not looking for new wrinkles, but looking to reproduce my features, was enlightening.  I really saw myself in a new light, the color of my eyes, the shape of my nose, the shades in my hair.  I've noticed all these things before, of course, but not in the context of having to reproduce them.  And then, just when I was getting a little more used to seeing myself on the paper, Jill (my teacher) handed me a piece of charcoal to create the shadows and dark circles.  More discomfort.  Not exactly a "pretty" result.  In these days of staying youthful, and getting rid of the flaws, I'm busy highlighting them!  What a freeing thing to do.  It actually looks like me, though I'm not quite that pinched or sickly looking :)  And I love it!  I've done tons of painting and other creative projects over the years but I'm not sure that any have had such an impact on me.

I've made many more since - of my kids, my dad and my mom's dog.  I'm so excited about the possibility of making them with old and new friends in our Wine, Women and a Paintbrush series.  Can't wait to see what will arise!

Lori

Today I am Grateful for Me - A Mixed-Media Self Portrait

A self-portrait seems like the most daunting of creative endeavours. Why is that? Do we feel we can only attempt a portrait if we have the skills to get the likeness just right? Or is it because we really have to look closely at ourselves; if not at our actual features, then at ourselves, our lives, our values, etc. Sometimes this navel gazing seems like a huge task that we don't have the time to do "properly" - with genuine reflection and effort. Does "properly" mean that we need to get it RIGHT? Goodness, there seems to be so many things that can stop us dead in our tracks because we have this perception that we must get it right.
I think of that quote...."boldness has genuis in it...", you know it:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” - Goethe



So with that abandon to action, I attempted a self portrait that became a wonderful exercise in letting go and surrendering to the process. Surrounded in a variety of papers I found appealing, magazines I love reading, pages from old journals, and a current writing on Gratitude, pictures of family and a selection of my own artwork that had some meaning for me, I let loose with scissors and gel medium. The process of collage was completely absorbing and enlightening as I watched myself be moved and inspired by certain images, colors, and words.
The whole process was inspired by the book Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts, so I can't take credit for the idea. I can however own the courage it took to jump in and allow myself the gift of engaging in the process. It's hard to give ourselves permission to take the time for these things most of the time....so for this I am grateful - to myself.
In the end, it was very moving, enlightening, and fascinating as the painting spoke to me on it's own as I worked. Only one brief moment felt frustrating...when my critical brain piped up to observe that my facial features were out of proportion. I was both amused and grateful that my Wise Woman (right brain) very quickly quipped back..."that's OK, it's SUPPOSED to be like that!"

24 Hours of Creative Bliss

The Girls' Great Escape -

Imagine 24 hours away from the usual daily routines! Come enjoy some space and freedom, renewal and creativity. There will be time to unwind, to discover new creative talents, to experience JOY, relax, laugh and have fun. As part of the 24 hours, you’ll be given all the things you need to maintain that spirit when you are at home – that will sustain you and create new routines for the future. Together we will hang with old friends, make new ones, and use the time just for ourselves – something most of us don’t do often enough. Our creative sessions will incorporate sacred art, creativity, meditation, journaling, nature and play.

Our time together will leave you with simple and powerful techniques to use in your daily lives, to sustain and enhance your own adventure. You’ll also create beautiful, interesting artwork that will continue to inspire you long after the great escape is over.

We are holding the Girls' Great Escape at the FCJ Centre on the weekend of May 15. Please join us.


Cheryl and I were fortunate to have met at a weekend exactly like this. We met on the airplane, talked our heads off, connected - as Cheryl has pointed out - in so many ways, and became lifelong friends. The time away from our busy lives and families, the opportunity to meet new people, relax thoroughly, learn new skills, and create to our heart's content allowed us to totally be ourselves, put aside everything else in our lives, and just be. Memories of that weekend and the inspiration from it will stay with me forever and we are excited to be able to offer something similar to you.

For me, I have a really hard time finding enough time to be as creative as I would like to be. Really to do anything that is important to just me. Everything always seems hurried or just a little too short. It's not that it is necessarily, it's just that that's the way that it can feel sometimes. I'm either pulling myself away to attend to something else or really needing some sleep! Fitting alot in into not alot of space. Even though I try to make the most of those times, I really relish the idea of spending 24 hours on myself, knowing that there will be no interruptions and nothing else to do - I can just relax into the day and enjoy it fully.

If you'd like more information about the Girls' Great Escape, please contact Cheryl or me.

How it all began

Syncronicity brought us together... and the more time we share the more we see our parallel lives, philosophies, and loves for art. We became fast friends when we realized that we registered for the same retreat in California early last year. How much we have in common is almost freakish. We both have a significant corporate background and once becoming mothers we realized that the environment there is most definitely NOT focused on wellness. We both individually chose to follow our hearts and start our own businesses supporting the corporate environment we left - our focuses: stress management and emotional intelligence. In our personal lives we learned through becoming mothers that balance is critical and that for us, resilience and much needed stillness comes through a variety of creative endeavors. And, so....we both are avid artists in a multitude of mediums. We even discovered that we played soccer together in a tournament a few years back when Lori joined our team for a couple games! Imagine - less that a few meters apart on the field and yet we didn't really "meet" until years later. And so.....this led us to now. For us the connections are obviously purposeful. We still share art adventures and ideas incessantly. We love the retreat experience and understand first hand how a brief escape away from the daily routine is a vital renewing gift we give ourselves. We have a passion to share our creative experiences with others who may not otherwise make time for it themselves. We call it Emotional Wellness Experience - a variety of creative and fun interludes delivered in a retreat setting or in an ongoing series or even as a corporate wellness program. The underlying focus in most of what we do is to provide meaningful, fun, reflective, creative activities to counteract the fast and stressful lifestyles that most are currently living. Sound like fun? So...come, unplug from the crazy-making, grab a crayon, tune in to your silent and intuitive self and get lost with us in some creative fun!

Rumination for the moment
Tools: A pen or pencil or crayon of your favorite color. A journal or anything to write on.
Get quiet. (Lock yourself in the bathroom if you have to.) After a moment of stillness consider this: What color speaks to your soul? What does it say? Draw something with a pencil, pen or crayon of your color - a doodle, a symbol - whatever image or words that surface spontaneously. When complete, journal any thoughts you may have on this reflection. What does it mean to you or say about you or what message is here for you?