Building Community

Some of the nicest benefits of creating in groups is the sense of community and support we can share with one another.  Our Tuesday afternoon Creative Connections group just completed a project based on the idea of Tibetan Flags.  Of course, the Tibetan flags are created and hung with messages of peace and the intent that these blessings would be shared around the world, carried by the wind.  In the same way, we created miniature inspirational tiles, shared them with each other, and strung them on chains to be hung in our spaces as a way of continuing to encourage one another with these positive thoughts.   Just another reason to love creativity!

Our Hands, Ourselves

This week's creative adventure was an exploration of our hands. What and who they've touched, what work they've done, how they express who we are, what their future holds. We started with a conversation about all those things and more and then chose positions to plaster. Once dry, we painted, glued, drew and doodled to add more personal details.

One of the ladies who attended is off on a global adventure shortly. Her young grandson, wanting something of hers to have while she was away, took home her plaster hand! He loved the feel and look of it, loved placing his own little hand inside. Whether they are hanging on the wall, sitting on a shelf or table, or being used as mementos, they all tell incredible stories of our lives, loves and experiences.

An interesting perspective on the importance of PLAY

As I was doing some prep for corporate work I'm doing, I came upon this TED talk about play. It's fascinating.
Here's the link...http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/483

This video just makes you happy!

Enjoy,
Lori

The Lovely Ladies of February's Wine,Women and a Paintbrush

When you re-read a classic you do not see in the book more than you did before.  You see more in you than there was before.

  ~Clifton Fadiman

I think creating self-portraits has a similar effect.  Despite the wonky measurements, each of these are reflections of their creators.  One can't help but, in this process, see more about themselves.  Thoughts?

This TED talk with Elizabeth Gilbert is well worth the 20 minutes you'll spend.  Grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and settle in for an interesting perspective on the creative process. Whether you were a fan of Eat, Pray, Love or not, if you have a passion for creativity and all that it brings to your life, watch it.  And if you have comments, please leave them - I would love to know what you think.

Lori

New Dates for the Wine, Women and a Paintbrush Series

I couldn't resist when I saw the photo of the two sheep smiling.  Cheryl and I keep talking about taking a picture of the two of us, this one will have to do for now!

Here are the rest of the dates for the Wine, Women and a Paintbrush evenings through June.

Thursday, February 26

Thursday, March 19

Thursday, April 30

Friday, May 22

Friday, June 19

Please let us know when you'll be joining us!

When I re-opened my altered book this morning I was struck by the experience of just being grateful. This fabulous book is a collaboration of some wonderfully warm and creative women that I had the pleasure of spending a laughter-filled evening with.  What a great gift and memory.  And, even as I look at it now, I can see that it has more to tell me.  For instance, I've journaled about the quotes being "black and white" and me feeling more grayish and yet the colors I chose to journal and doodle with were black and white!  As Monic so aptly put it, "huh".  Regardless, though, of what I see or discover, what is already there are beautiful colors, quirky stamps, thought-provoking quotes and terrific memories, and that's enough in itself.

So, a heartfelt thanks to all of you who began this adventure with us.   I believe that it's going to be a fun ride!  I'm already excited to see you again next month.  And, for anyone who is curious and thinking about being part of this amazing group, please do.   We promise you'll be warmly welcomed and quickly at ease!

Lori

A Community of Courage

Less than a day after our first Woman, Wine and a Paintbrush evening, I am reflecting on how inspired I am by all the really cool women we shared our night with. Lori and I chose to lead everyone down a road of uncertainty, and they all willingly and cheerfully allowed themselves to go there. Why?... you might ask. Well, we knew that most folks often get hung up on needing to have a measure of control over our efforts, particularly creative ones. And, yet, we are often quick to judge our own creative efforts quite harshly. And, so we moved these adventurous women down a road of creative activity that did not allow for any control at all. (The project was an altered book done collaboratively, with a different person completing each layer.) Perhaps it was difficult for some, and perhaps it was completely frustrating for others, and I believe it was fun and liberating as well if one successfully reached the place of "letting go". What I do know is that all were willing to go into uncharted creative territory and be uncomfortable with the process in it's various stages. With this, I am inspired...and grateful. A community of women to share a creative journey is a blessing to me. And, to know that they are willing to allow themselves to be uncomfortable at times is so inspiring. I love that about women friends - we are willing to learn about ourselves, to grow and to stretch, to be vulnerable in the presence of one another, to grapple with our desire to have a measure of creative control, and to laugh at ourselves in the process. I believe this is what makes us women powerful. So...KUDOS to all you brave ladies who joined us on a journey of creative experimentation. I hope we have only just begun to show each other what we are capable of and you will continue this creative adventure with us in the coming months.

Creative Connections / Wine, Women and a Paintbrush

"You use a glass mirror to see your face;  

you use works of art to see your soul." 

                           George Bernard Shaw

Over the last couple of weeks, Cheryl and I have been following a blog from Milliande - check out her incredible zentangle to the right - who has created an amazing community of like-minded souls who love to create and want to stay connected to others doing similar things.   You can, and should, read more about her at www.milliande.typepad.com. We think she is absolutely fabulous!

Every time I read one of her new posts, I'm inspired to get out my paints and journals and all other paraphenalia and get after it.  The problem so far has been that I don't make the time (not that I've had much extra lately).  But even when I do, my creativity hasn't been nearly the priority that I want and need it to be.  That's a big part of the reason that I'm so excited about our upcoming Creative Connections and Wine, Women and a Paintbrush workshops.  Both prepping for them and then being a part of them will ensure that I'm actively creating and not leaving it for when I have a moment, after everything else is done and before I finally collapse at the end of busy days!

Both workshops, weekly on Tuesday days and once a month on Thursday evenings, will be full of learning new things, creating fabulous projects, and making the most of those 3 hours that you've set aside for yourself each week or each month.  Cheryl and I have oodles of ideas, all designed to get a little introspective, laugh at ourselves sometimes, and keep the whole thing more creative than artistic.  That said though, Cheryl is an accomplished artist who can help you build your skills in a number of media.

We are starting out with a January to June offering for Thursday evening, and a March to June session for the daytime.  Hopefully you'll be inspired to stay with us in the fall as well cause we have great ideas for those months too.  Actually, we have enough ideas for years to come but that's getting a little ahead of ourselves!

Here are the particulars:

Daytime

Tuesdays, starting March 3 from 12 - 3 pm.  At Willowridge Community Centre, 680 Acadia Drive SE.

Evenings

The third Thursday of each month, starting January 29.  From 7 - 10 pm. Same location.  Which, by the way, is fantastic!  Lots of parking and big, sunny windows that look out over lots of green space, so we may have a chance to get outside when the weather suits us.

Cost and Materials

$40.00 per session gets you 3 hours of creative fun, most of the materials needed, nibbles (contributions gratefully accepted each week), and inspiration galore.  We'll make sure you either finish your project completely in class time or help you access the things you need to keep you happily creating at home in between.

So, if you, like us, are in the mood to spend this year reflecting and growing, connecting with interesting people, and creating, join us. Email us here through the box at the left or call either Cheryl 403.542.6241 or Lori 403.452.4085.  It's going to be a blast!

Lori and Cheryl

"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?