Welcome to our Thursday art/life trail ride…I’m so glad that we’re exploring this creative terrain together. This week we visit my favorite studio…that created by our Mother Nature. My joy and appreciation of time out in the open air began early on and is now expanding with my new studio on my fifty acre ‘off the grid’ retreat/tree farm…more about that in an upcoming post.
Me growing up with a favorite tree. 1959
When I was a little girl I couldn’t get enough of being outdoors or of learning. After a day at John Muir Elementary School I’d run the ¾ mile home, change clothes, bolt down the stairs, dart 4 houses up the street to Dale Ruby’s and set up make-shift cardboard box desks in the back corner of his family garage. Paper and pencil in place I’d gather the other kids and we would draw for an hour or two. We were in our own world until mom opened the kitchen door, stepped out onto the blacktopped driveway, puffed her cheeks and sent her ‘come to dinner’ whistle drifting down the sidewalk.
Today I’m celebrating many summers of hangin’ with the young artists at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art…such great adventures we have!
A Child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision…for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.
Rachel Carson
The Art of Nature and the Nature of Art
I send you all best for the ways in which you connect, detect, discover, experiment, invent, walk, wander and wonder through your art/life in the week ahead.
Announcement…One Moon / Month Away!
TOOLS FOR CHANGE
Wednesday, September 23
8 pm.
Mark Your Calendar now…September 23, 30, October 7, 14 e-Studio conference calls
Tools for Change: 8 creative steps to provide ‘slow flow’ structure for your art/life. In Tools for Change we put the fun back into being functional through…
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Vision: Create a Strength-centered commitment to the next step in your art/life
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Research: Discover the tools that will set your roots deep into your creative ground
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Action: Let go of fixed ideas. Move, make the call, send the message~engage others
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Higher Creativity: Take the risk, Practice courage, revise the vision
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Reflection: Listen, integrate, be resourceful, face the shadows, demon, & strange beliefs
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Sharing: Orient toward contribution, generate connection, be of service, support empowerment
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Gratitude: Realignment, completion, mastery
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Dreams: Listen, choose freely, dream, transform
In our ninety minute weekly conference call (recordings available if you are unable to attend live) we sync in with natural rhythms. As this Tools for Change e-Studio opens we are beginning the flow of feminine/receptive time that takes us deep into our roots starting at the fall equinox…which happens to coincide with our start date…how auspicious is that!
Tools for Change gives you access to the organic flow of feminine time: slower, elegant, rich with ease and grace that moves in a spontaneous intuitive fashion so that your deepest dreams and visions of what your art/life can be…particularly during our legacy years…blossom and grow.
TUNE UP / TUNE IN
By learning the eight steps and applying the four-week process presented in “Tools for Change” you will have a wealth of information regarding ways to creatively move your art/life in an upward spiral Moon by Moon, year by year.
I invite you to become a ‘social artist’ uplifting your self, others and the art/life.
In Tools for Change you’ll listen to yourself and hear how the information lands for you. You will create illustrated reference materials that make the work part of your legacy. Kelly and I will also provide structure for you with beautiful PDF handouts.
I trust that by experiencing “Tools for Change” you’ll be motivated to discover limitless openings in which imaginative art/life ideas and inspirations unfold, blossom and evolve . . . all at a slow-flow/hushed rush natural pace.
~See you next week~ I’ll have information about signing up..til then…may we each trust the art/life trail ride~
I am a working Heartist with more than thirty years of practice in supporting the creative best in each of us to come forth and shine.
I invite you to connect with the uplift of ‘Luna See’ and Lifecycle; time management tools for aligning with natural creative rhythms.
Travel with me into a realm of calm and renewed heart-centered emphasis.
Through our shared journey with my monthly newsletter‘Luna See’ and my creative consult ‘Lifecycle’ you will discover and expand your ability to experience, express, create and contribute your deepest and wisest most authentic gifts to this unspeakably beautiful world.
Wondering and wandering with children…it doesn’t get much better than that!! When I first started teaching I picked up a book, I can see the cover and pages clearly but can’t remember the title. Anyway it became my bible for all grade levels….nothing “curriculum” about it. Instead it was filled with text and images of kids learning by discovering thru nature with a sense of awe and wonder. Great teachings for any age:-) thanks again
Really…no better game in town than being a wanderer and a wonderer…those kids have cellular memory of what you allowed space for…they are out there making magic happen…and I’ll bet a few of them have found you, come back and let you know too.
Love seeing the children actively engaged in their art and creativity while moving in the natural world. It is certainly a reminder of the simplicity and creative peacefulness that comes with such an activity. We all need more of these types of experiences, small ones and tall ones. What a great adventure!
Agreed! Every time I’m hiking around with a group of young artists we discover magic happening. All this past week we came to visit a magnificently large garden spider: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Argiope-Spider_vq1963.htm
Each day we were able to investigate her prey from the day before as we found empty husks of insects large and small lying on the ground underneath her massive web. One of the artists painted a portrait of her…a stunning example of the impact a week out in nature made on one child.
Donna, every time I see your picture at the end of your blog, I say ‘hello’ and send you hugs and good wishes across the miles.
Love you
Hello back!! I appreciate and gladly receive the hugs and the good wishes across the miles!!
I love looking at those young people making art. You are so inspiring.
Norris
Thanks Norris…I love learning about the environment through the fresh eyes of our kids…it truly is inspiring.