Prismatic

 Healing and creativity run through our family line, midwifery, growing and using herbs, color, crafts, music, and my mom and I traded back and foot rubs through my childhood.  My dad and I sang in the choir, and I had piano lessons, and in college I was education, with a music minor.  

Creativity has woven a thread through my whole life, I always identified as an artist, and a healer.  This year these threads of art music and healing came together with the Intentional Creativity practioner training, PRISMA. 

Art Cart

One of the things I love about our Intentional Creativity community and practices is the encouragement to activate our own gifts and bring those to our offerings. The PRISMA training builds on this, and we're invited to include IC into current sessions and offerings. The PRISMA calls and videos include the research and science underlying the use of creativity and mindfulness for healing. 

Scribbly Sketch

While much of our personal work is done with paint and canvas, we also journal about process and insights.  During this course, we're also on a 13 month painting journey. Anthropas. I'm reprising a large canvas which began as Diva X.

Anthropas - moon 1

For sessions with clients, we can use the simplest of materials, watercolors, coolers pencils, markets, a mixed media pad of paper.  I often use Inktense blocks and Neocolor 2 crayons. 

Supplies

I'm fond of using all these materials in my own sketchbooks and processes, and my Juju Journal. 

That Risky Glaze

 Beloveds who are new to our painting community are often a bit nervous (shakin' in our boots!) when it's time to do the first glaze! And why not? We're got several layers on the canvas, we may really like what's there - and now you want me to cover it up?? Ugh! 

When I took my very first Muse class in 2014, I was having a good time with ceremony, visioning, painting and journaling, ...

Then Elisabeth told us we were going to paint over our canvas with a Risky Glaze - ¿paint over? ¿glaze? Yikes!! 

So how do we glaze and why?

Applying a glaze, a thin layer of translucent paint, is a great way to integrate what has gone before, and is a key component of our process with Intentional Creativity® It is also a simple way to add Mothercolour, which brings harmony to the whole painting.

Supplies:

• Spray bottle, adjusted to mist
• Clean t-shirt squares 4" or larger
• Old towel to mop up excess water
• Shallow cup
• Big brush

Glazing basics:

• Use a transparent color - Golden's Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold or Transparent Red Iron Oxide are some favorites! (Green Gold, transparent yellow iron oxide, Quinacridone magenta, a transparent blue are other options)
• With Golden paints, you'll find a little transparency scale on the back of the bottle it tube, look for ones with the dot toward the left. (Without white)
• I use a small shallow plastic cup ~ 3" across, put in ~ nickel size dollop of transparent paint, and a teaspoon or so of dirty paint water, and mix, adding more paint or a spritz of water as needed. You'll need a bit more water with heavy body paint, but not a lot! 
• Spritz the canvas all over with your spray bottle
• Lay it flat on your drop cloth, if you can (you can also glaze it upright on your easel - your choice!)
• Put on happy music if you're working on your own
• Use a big brush to apply your glaze all over the canvas
• Spritz again if you need to for the glaze to spread
• Use a piece of T-shirt, to rub and "burnish" the canvas if you wish (try on a small area first)
• Then, you guessed it! 
• Sit back with your journal, and write about what's being integrated!  

Student applying a partial Glaze

 Other Glazing Options

• We often glaze several times, here are some options to consider:
• Partial glaze, use one color on half the canvas, and another on the other half. Smudge the line between the two, burnish if you wish.
• 4 directions: choose 4 transparent colors. Spritz the canvas with water, then use the first color along the top, spritz again and let it drip ...rotate the canvas, spritz and use the next color ... Spray, paint, play with the drips. Turn the canvas again 
• We may want to glaze just the background, to make our figure stand out more - light draws the eye
• I love add a bit of metallic Gold as times! Our inner Critics are easily distracted by shiny objects! Spray the canvas, and use splashes of gold or another metallic in a few areas, usually in addition to another glaze color! 
• And - however you glazed, grab your journal, and write about what's coming up, what's being integrated. What happens as you turn the canvas and get a different perspective? 

In our process with Intentional Creativity, each layer builds on the last, and we are invited to return to our Journal, and our notes in messages from the original visionary journey, and our intention for the piece. 
What if there was nothing we could get wrong? 

What's going into the fog, and what's coming forward?

Take it to the Journal 

Pour a cup of tea, move back about 6' and sit with your journal. Hydrate while your glaze is drying! This helps integrate what's happening in the canvas.

This is a good time to write fast and furious about whatever is coming up, and is fun to use watercolor pencils. If something seems important, you may want to note it elsewhere, or just process - get it out! (I hear Shrek, "Better out than in!") 

Is this something that's come up before? Is there a voice attached to it? (Can you identify a person who told you that?) You may want to dialogue a bit with your Muse. You can let the words and colors cross and build. This can become a compost layer ... You can later activate the colors with water, and perhaps collage over the words.

 

It can also help to return to the initial visioning, and ask yourself if/ how what's coming relates to those? 

What attracted you to this class or journey in the first place? 

What's shifted who've you first wrote? 

What insight is arising? 

This is also a good time to notice symbols that may be arising, and sketch them in your journal.

 

Remember to take photos to document your journey, especially between steps and before you glaze. 

Sit With Her

Shande'nea Star Path - Legend 

Muses each have their own energy and timing, their own interests, inquiries and inspiration. Shiloh Sophia, the founder of our Intentional Creativity® community, has provided a wonderful format for inviting our  Muses to flourish, and encourage us to shine in our own special ways!

Since painting my first Muse Gabriella in 2014, I've danced between painting, journaling, creating cards and codxes and being in conversation with my paintings. 

You might wish to bring out your Legendary Lady, and Muse, plus your notes about them, and the intention you wrote on the canvases, and call council.
Pour a cup of tea and sit with your journal and your ladies. 

Put on some music, perhaps what you painted to, before, or something you currently love.

• What messages and insights do your ladies carry for you?
• Do they have suggestions for how to proceed?
• Which of your other ladies carry messages for you and your quest?
• What is your next step?

If you are in process on a painting, do this same exercise with her, as you consider where to dive in. Ask her! Sometimes I do a light glaze, then sit back and journal while it drips.

Rosa Mystica - Legend 2020

This may be a good time to clean up your painting supplies, and reset your altar. Get out a new candle, and maybe some flowers to welcome your muse! Is it time to create a new journal, or Oracle cards? Sweep the floor, open the curtains, it's time! 

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Gratitude and Vivid

This week our creativity community is engaged in a week of journaling, painting, and lots of opportunities to connect, led by different constellations of SiStars, in a gathering called VIVID.

Cup of Creativi-tea

I'm distant learning aide for my Grands, so I've been participating sporadically, and poking along with the painting ("there's no behind!") We began Sunday creating new Cosmic Smashbooks with the Creatrix Catt Geller! 

The day culminated with the graduation ceremony for the Color of Woman Class of 2020 - what a year for it!!  I am so proud off this amazing group of women who persevered and completed the quest, and those who took extensions and will be continuing on Muse Time! I am a behind the scenes support for these gals, as they move at their own rate, bringing them hummingbird medicine.

I've also been creating Neurographic doodles, and an engaged in a Gratitude practice. Developed by a Russian psychologist, Pavel Piskerev. I am reminded of our Metacognative drawings, and interested to see how the two will interface.

Neuro noodles

Gratitude practice, Day 1

• This week of Vivid
• Spending time with my Grands
• The return of a couple of bodywork clients

Gratitude #1 + Joy Rebels

Yesterday we had a session with one of my CoW classmates, Katherine Whiteman and her daughter Katie (18) who graduated the next year, and is our youngest EC teacher! They led a wonderful session in finding joy - Joy Rebels!

Day 2

I am grateful for

•  my basically good childhood (50s-60s)with a stay at home, well educated, curious mom
•  a good, hard working, involved dad
•  Lots of time in nature, camping, riding the neighbors' horses, just playing! 

Gratitude 

I look forward to getting back to my painting panel, and meet my MYSTIC legendary lady.

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Creating with Intention

 We are often asked, "What is intentional creativity?"

The simple answer is, any creativity that begins with a purpose! Time out of mind, people have combined setting an intention with creative process. Knitting a sweater for someone? We think of how we want them to be cozy and warm! Cooking a meal? We intend that those eating our food will be nourished.

Flowers in paint water

Our friend and fellow Intentional Creativity® teacher, the Bejeweled Baroness Elizabeth Gibbons writes, "By creating with intention, we create a cosmic portal, a quantum field where we can explore our potential and possibilities. We shine the divine light of our higher self into the darkness of our shadow self. We are able to heal and integrate all aspects of our psyche and to access a miracle field, the space between the thoughts where our divine spark lives."

When asked if they are creative, 95% of young children say 'YES!' ... by middle school, that's dropped to about half, and by late teens, only about 5% see themselves as creative! What changes? 

Often, that thought begins with a thoughtless comment, criticism, or a comparison with someone more 'talented.' Unfortunately, that comment is often made by an "expert," a teacher or a "more talented" friend. In reality, Creativity is the birthright of all humans! 

With Intentional Creativity, the process is more valued than the 'product,' though chances are you - yes YOU - can create something that brings you and those around you pleasure and joy, and looks good to boot! And like any other 'muscle,' the more we create, the more skillful we become.  

Intentional Creativity *Metacognative exercise: 

1) Take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself a question, perhaps 'What am I passionate about?' - 'What upsets me?' - What brings me joy?'  Take a marker or pen, use a piece of paper, a simple composition book, or fancier art journal; place the tip of your marker on the paper and doode for a minute or so, just letting the line flow. (You can use your non-dominant hand if you wish.) 

Doodle, non-dominant hand

2) Then begin writing, inviting insights from your quick doodle. Write what comes to mind. Did new awareness arise? Write for about minute or two. 

3) Now, move to another page, choose a pleasing color, and sketch a symbol and wrote some of the words around it. Draw a line (a kind of ripple around your symbol and words) more words, and another ripple. 

Symbol and word ripples

In this case, the layers were

• What becomes possible when I bring more scared space into my life?
• What form does it take?
• What needs to be released/added in my physical space?

Musea Atelier - step 4 sketch

4) Do a simple sketch, bringing form to your insight - here, we sketched our muse holding the visionary screen depicting our sacred space (my Atelier studio) 

We can jot down a couple of action steps that will help us bring our vision into reality, and choose one or two we can do in a day or two. I often put these on little cards in my Vision Planning pockets.

Visual Planning Board

*Metacognative drawings can be done for most inquiries, this way of "thinking about thinking" brings our thoughts conscious, so we can acknowledge, fine tune, and release ones which no longer fit! We often use Metacognative drawing in our Red Thread circles and IC classes are a way to quickly shift state and tap our intuition. 

In our Red Thread Creatives group, we explore bringing intention and awareness to different creative practices in our circles and classes. 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

How do you bring intention to your creative process?

Vivid - Legend 2020

In the invitation to the newest Legend course, Shiloh Sophia invites us to examine what we are harvesting and what we've learned in 2020. In a bold move, she is offering Intentional Creativity® teachers the opportunity, after completing Vivid, to be licensed to offer this signature course to prospective students! 

As Shiloh began teaching the process we've come to know as Intentional Creativity, one of the first steps was a journey to reconnect with our Legendary Self in a several month course that includes journaling, visioning and painting. As the prerequisite for the Color of Woman teacher training, I first painted my legendary lady, Shanden'eah Star Path in 2105. 

Before taking Legend, I had the opportunity to take several local IC classes, from Elisabeth Friese-Mick and Heidi Moondancer; plus two online from graduates Flora Adobe and Jassy Watson. It was invaluable to have these in-person and small group experiences as a foundation for the course, and benefit from different teaching styles! And though I could include them in my initiate book, they didn't "count" toward the course.

Shanden'eah Star Path - 2015

Earlier this year, I again had the opportunity to paint Legend in the Oracle and Ally, and to help tend their online classroom. As in other years, some of the students began their IC journey in my classes. I'm excited at the prospect of offering the prerequisite course, both in person and virtually! 

Here are some of the students, and part of their stories: 

While I was still in Color of Woman, my friend Sepha Nisbet invited me to tea, to pick my brain about CoW. Long identifing as an artist, Sepha has taught watercolor, clay, and was offering Paint Night parties - but longed for the depth of creating with intention! She took my first Muse class and shared great practical suggestions for setting up and flow, and always asks the best questions! 

Sepha graduated from CoW 2016, and we co-facilitated many circles and classes before she took to the Road as a Travelling Artist. 

When it came time for Sepha to offer her 13 step class, Christy Cozby was one of the students, and I played harp and assisted. Christy came to another of our classes a couple of years later, then enrolled in CoW 2020, and will graduate November 1! 

I felt I'd come full circle to take Christy's 13 step class, Princess Silver Hands last month, virtually! I am so pleased with this small canvas and transformed princess! 

Linda Allen & Angie Delaplain began coming to classes from several hours away, both in McMinnville and at my friend Margot's in Corvallis, before deciding to enroll in Color of Woman! Linda competed the Red Thread Circle Guide program first, then decided to take the plunge and do CoW. They both took my spring 2019 class, Embracing Mother Gaia just before their CoW Quest began. 

They graduated fall of 2019, and Linda took the 2020 Cosmic Smashbook course, with founder Catt Geller! Linda co-facilitates most of my virtual Red Thread Circle, and has led several, Angie will lead her first this week! 

Another student in the Gaia class, Carol Fairbanks, has taken at least 4 classes with me, and attended numerous circles. An older student (78) Carol also has extensive art experience, and her paintings are phenomenal. She has taught paining and yoga, and is a dedicated environmentalist. She took my Harvest Queen and Wonder Woman classes last fall, shortly before enrolling in CoW 2020.

She chose Harvest Queen as the theme for her virtual class, which I also attended, and offered one of her other events via our RT Circle. She is graduating Nov 1 as well. 

Carol at Harvest Queen - 2019

In the summer of 2017, my friend Glenda's sister Sherry Rueger Banaka and I chatted on the way to Glenda's book reading, and the next week, Sherry contacted Shiloh for early enrollment! 

Sepha was one of the Art Doctors for Legend 2018, and with our local friends Sherry, Angie and Rema in the class, we decided to offer an open studio for those finishing recent paintings or in Legend. Gals loaded paint, brushes, and their big canvases in their cars to join us. Sherry graduated in 2018, and last fall we co-facilitated Grief to Gratitude. 

Sherry, Nadya, Rema and Angie 2018

Rema Tillet began coming to Red Thread circles several years ago, graduated from the Cosmic Smashbook training, offered by CoW graduate Catt Geller.

My cousin Leah Hankins has been a steady attendee of the Red Thread Circles, and also took Harvest Queen - she completed the Red Thread Guide certification in the summer, and I look forward to her presence and facilitating local circles soon!

 

I found it invaluable to have had in-person experiences as a foundation for the training, and have gotten wonderful feedback from the students who have gone on to take trainings themselves. There's a benefit from smaller classes, and experiencing different teaching styles! I am delighted at the opportunity for graduates of Color of Woman to "refresh" with Legend, and have the opportunity to be licensed to teach MYSTIC! 

 

    

Instagram -Tags and Tips

Yay, I now have 1000 followers on Instagram! 

I began posting on Instagram two years ago, after Maestra Shiloh Sophia suggested we  use the #intentionalcreativity, and see if we could boost the numbers of posts over a thousand or so tagging our brand! We are now at 13.4 K! 

In those early days, I wrote, "It's been fun playing with my pictures for posts, making little montages (which don't always behave!) And meeting new virtual friends! I love the journal pages @quantummemoir does, and ... I'm @nadyakingartist ❤"

• When you start typing a tag, suggestions will come up - bypass ones that have over a million, and look for ones in the 50 - 500k range ... 
• Look at tags other friends and colleagues in your community use - make a note of those which fit! 
• Choose a few that are unique to you, or your small group. Recently I added red thread Creatives, as that's the name of my Facebook group. 
• It's a good idea to check out the tag, and see how the posts match your intention - I usually click "recent" as well 💖
• I took part in a pod early on, where 6-8 of us tried to post daily, follow each other, and like and comment on each other's posts - Quantum Memoir was one of the pod, and we're still in touch.
• When you have a bit of extra time, visit some of the folks who liked recent posts, and choose several which appeal to interact with and comment on.  
• Post a link to your website or blog in your bio, and update your site regularly. If you're promoting an event, make more information/ registration easy to find.

Here's a recent post with other suggestions on using hashtags.

Are you on Instagram? You're invited to post the link to your account, and share an tips you've discovered. 

 

Harvest Queen and Princess Silver Hands

 Last weekend felt like a Retreat, as two of my friends who are in this year's Color of Woman teacher training offered their required 13 step class - virtually! Carol Fairbanks has been a frequent student in my workshops and circles since 2016. I first met Christy Cozby in Sepha's certification class around the same time. 

Carol chose as her theme Harvest Queen, drawng from the Harvest Queen class I taught in person last fall. She scheduled her class over two sessions, so we'll meet again tomorrow. 

Heidi, Leah and Carol, fall 2019

Inquiries:

• What wisdom can I harvest from this year?
• What mature fruits are ready for harvest?
• What is ready to be Clipped?
• How can I make space for the next cycle?

I pulled the card Old man of Stories - Legba - asking, 'is the story one of healing? What will being balance and harmony?' (Rainbow Earth Tarot)

Underpainting 

For the underpainting, we chose 3 words and 3 colours to represent them - 'centered,' (Quinacridone violet and Dioxazine purple) 'renewal' (Green Gold and Yellow Oxide) and 'gratitude' (primary magenta)

Symbols: 

Apple, (fruitful harvest) spirals of life, wreath - crown, balance and wholeness

This week I revisited her face and expression, bringing in a looked Fae presence - and need to do loved listening/ journaling! We will gather again this Saturday, and delve deeper! 

*°*°*°*°*°*°*°*

Christy's class on Sunday was based on the tale of Princess Silver Hands, or the Handless Maiden - which she told beautifully! (Several of us weren't familiar with this tale)

• what gifts do your hands bestow?
• They are the "tools of tools," enabling you to feel and do.
• What do they hold, feel, grasp, fashion, give and receive? 
• What phases go with hands/restrictions? Sitting on my hands, hands are tied, waiting for a band out ... 
• How do we internalize the patriarchy, make a margin without all the information?

Our creativity grandmother, Lenore Thomas Strauss asked, "what ancient knowing lives within these hands?"

All the great stories are variations on the same story of challenge, journey into the underworld (forest) benefactors (a pear tree that offers its fruit, King, kind mother in law) initiating and renewal.

Sketch on the background

I appreciated the places in the story where in spite of challenges, our heroine is cared for, loved and nurtured. 

 

There's a pear tree in the background, and a bird nesting in her hair (I used reverse stencils on both paintings, the technique we learned in treesisters.) 

One theme in the story is a renewal of wedding vows with the King, after a seperation and misunderstanding, and a big celebration, lasting nine days and nine nights. 

Our Color of Woman SiStar Anna Corsini, from Florence, Italy, committed to continuing working with her lady over nine days! 

It is fun to see the shadows of the birch tree on my lady ... 

She's continuing to inform me as well. I look forward to what each of these paintings and process have to bring.

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Grist for the mill

Today our Intentional Creativity® community had a call with Shiloh, EXPLORE, she shared the  graphic wheel, and at the end, gave us a DARE to rearrange something in our homes to create more room for creativity/ art making! 

The graphic is a good reminder for how we interact, share, and tend ourselves and our community. 

Process - both graphic and personal, isn't always neat and tidy! We often say, "When tears (or snot) flow, add them to the canvas!"

A story Shiloh often tells: when her mom was suffering from medication that made her feel crazy, Sue reminded Caron that she worked hard for the experiences, and it was all grist for her creativity! Not to discard any of it, but to let it inform her creativity (often poetry). 

This is a good reminder for all of us - when things come up for you, and they will! - acknowledge them! 

• Invite witness - and witness yourself! 
• Self care isn't selfish!
• Take it to the canvas or journal, use image and writing to distill an antidote for the poison - the creative process is a wonderful alchemical tool! 
• We often mark an unavoidable tragedy line on the canvas to acknowledge something that happened, that we didn't have control over, or say in - and it becomes part of the layers. 
• And pay attention when insights come - record them in your journal, create a Compass Card
• Sit with it, go on a walk, change scenes and come back later

Some of us are embarking on the Soulbird (painting) journey, or Motherboard Coach training, others are finishing Color of Woman or the Read Thread Guide ... Many are just beginning to paint and create with the community, others are frequent fliers! 

There's now a universal calendar of classes and calls on the Musea website, which will make offerings easier to track! I appreciate the calendar page in my MeetUp groups, especially now with our bimonthly virtual offerings. (Our next session is a virtual Soul Spa, next Thursday, September 10!) 

It's easy to see the shiny objects of a new class or training - deep breath - you don't have to do it all!! 

You are enough! 

There's a place for each of us in the circle, and we daddy hold our piece of the thread! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Catching Dreams

It's always fun to experiment with the creative process, and see what emerges. This week there's a thread of unrest, so I find painting prayer dots a soothing balance. With that in mind, I was curious when I saw my friend Gisela's tutorial video on painting a dream catcher in a journal! 

My grandkids had out the box of craft paint, as they had been decorating their trash baskets lids, and I had one of my composition book journals with me. These are great places for creative play, it doesn't have to be perfect! It was a lovely ready to sit at their picnic table in the sun and paint! 
I stared with several glides for the background, and splattered stars - seeding my dreams. One role of a dream catcher is to capture the bad dreams so they don't trouble us - so happy to do that right now! 

Night sky with stars

The next step is to paint the hoop, either free hand, or using a container as a template, and then begin to fill in the pattern - 

Dream Catcher - basic lines

As we begin to fill in the web, we are invited to consider what we are grateful for - dreams that have already manifest - family, basics: food and shelter, health ... 

Dreams and prayer dots

After filling in the web of lines, and adding some color while reflecting in gratitude, we painted feathers for the dreams we wish to bring in - continued well being, time/resources for creativity, safety, ... While engaged in the creative process, our whole brain lights up, and insights flow - this is a good time to lightly play attention, and jot down ideas! 

In our community, we often "Pray in dots," and I had three friends in mind as I painted dots around the hoop and feathers, I had three friends in mind with needs for healing and comfort. 
After I came home (across town) I pulled out a board book juju journal I began with Cat Caracelo and her 12 Days of Solstice group last December. I joined two matching books with black art paper as a hinge - this center spread was the foundation for the dream catcher page.

Hopes and Dreams

I followed the same process with dark paint, this time my Golden Fluid acrylics, then slayer stars, hip, web and adornments. The comet of new wisdom, Neowise, is seeding new directions, the feather brings insights, and the goddess stone helps ground and center. I used my water pitcher as a template for the hoop, and painted prayer dots around the edges. 
This version echos the web pattern of the dream catchers I've made with supple sticks and linen imitation sinue. 

One of the Dream Seeds is to do a series of these mini classes with a theme of Good Medicine - we've offered several in our bimonthly Red Thread Circles - What's in your Basket? Medicine Wheel - revisiting the color wheel and Medicine Black via the lens of the four direction wheel - and Prayer Flags.

Medicine Wheel

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Dancing Entrepreneurs

One of the things I love about our art community is the invitation for us each to claim our own "piece of Red Thread." In circles and trainings, each SiStar is encouraged to discover and claim her gifts, and empowered to share them with others. During this time of social distancing - ehm - Artist In Residence - many are offering prompts and mini classes.

This week, my IC SiStar Ally Markotich invited us to paint a series of Prayer Squares "A Three step spiritual practice to engage your innate creativity as your prayer."  Ally posts prompts Monday, Wednesday and Friday Details are available on her site. Materials are simple, paper and colored pencils, markers, watercolor, etc. 

Earth Day Medicine Basket

This weekend, students in Color of Woman teacher training and Intentional Creativity® Guild members met online to paint Vision Plan Book for these changing times. Shiloh writes that she does one of these graphic plans as preparation for each of her offerings. These folded booklets are done on watercolor paper, and are one of the Red Thread projects during the CoW Teacher Training. 

Vision Plan Book

In this month's Mothercolour Guild Call, we painted simple color wheels...I'm always intrigued that some of my favorite colors are easy to mix. It's fun to do a wheel using different colors for the primary positions, and the Mothercolour can be mixed combining all three basic colours used.

Hansa yellow, Quinacridone Magenta, Curelean Blue

Shimmer watercolor

This month's Red Tread women's circle will a Zoom call - on Resilience - check it out here!
What's on your creative agenda this weekend? 
Happy Paint Party Friday ❤ 

Sedna of the Northern Sea

What times we are living in! And even with lots of time, I've found my creative juices don't always flow. I'm tending several online class in our community, including this year's teachers training, and enjoy our new private App , iMUSEA, for delivery.

My Australian friend and color of Woman teacher Tania McGinnis decided to offer prompts in her Heart Speak group on Facebook - a journey to paint Sedna, the Inuit sea goddess. We're beginning with a stone cairn (I'm using a canvas I began for another painting)

Stone Cairn

In the stories about Sedna, she has a hard time choosing a husband from those who court her, and finally decides to marry a handsome stranger... He takes her to his island home, and reveals that he is Raven!

Her father comes for a visit, and decides to take her back to their home ... 

But a storm comes up, perhaps Raven's friends in protest ... And Sedna falls overboard ... 

In his fright, her father won't let her back in In the boat, and stikes her hands with his oar ... Her fingers become seals, whales, walruses, and all the creators of the sea, and Sedna herself the sea goddess, providing bounty. 

In 2003, a planet with an egg shaped orbit of 11,500 years (!) was discovered and named after Sedna. (# 90377) Astrologer Heather Ensworth offers this version of Sedna's story,  how the planetary orbit impacts earth's story, and her role as a guide through this Transition.

And here is a rare interview with visionary and astrologer Barbara Hand Clow on these times we're experiencing - she mentions Sedna toward the end of the session. I've enjoyed Barbara's books on astrology and our transition times for 30+ years, and was excited to find this. 

Apothecary in process

Over the last month, I've been participating in some wonderful online classes and circles, plus spending time with my daughter and her family. I grateful for the connections, and inspiration.

My friend Sherry Rueger Banaka and I will offer an online Red Thread session on April 27th  on Resilience and Healing. We will include a simple creative practice, and an EFT tapping sequence. I've needed to cancel my in person monthly circle, so it will be nice to get together via Zoom! (Let me know if you'd like to join us!) 

Stay safe and enjoy your creative time! 
Happy Paint Party Friday!

Guild Gathering

In 2018, our teacher Shiloh Sophia revived the medieval practice of gathering those who have developed proficiency in an art or trade into a Guild of Journeywomen. Our preparation includes the year long Color of Woman teacher training and competing our Thesis - an Initiate Book summarizing the assignments and offerings we've given. There are now over 250 graduate Guild Members worldwide. Check our directory for someone near you! 

Sepha, Nadya and Shiloh, 2016

Nearly 20 Guild Gals currently live in Oregon and Southern Washington, and several of us met for the first time in classes, at graduation, during travels, or an in-person gathering. It had been several years since we had a local gathering, so in November I invited the local gals to a Gathering at the studio in MECA gallery. We set it for the afternoon, and Jan from Southern Washington, 3 hours away, choose to stay overnight! 

Sharing Purple thread with Sepha and Janet

While we do Red Thread circles when gathering with students and beloveds in our broader community, when meeting with other Guild members, we use a Purple Thread of Leadership. I've shared purple thread with several SiStars as they traveled through Oregon, weaning strands of connection. It's always a delight when we gather, and this was no exception! 

Olivia, Sepha, Uma, Nadya, Jan  - Nov 19

We shared chocolate and tea, warmth and SiStarhood. Our Muses must have consulted - our colors were delightfully coordinated! We passed the thread, and shared highlights from our year, and dreams for the future. 
We planned to share a Metacognative drawing practice (Uma is taking the Motherboard training), but after our check-in round we just kept talking!  And talking - laughing, commiserating, and finally said our fond goodbyes, with a stronger connection and sisterhood.

We've made plans to meet again quarterly, likely in Portland or Olympia. Each time we're together, in person or virtually, the connections strengthen - we're just a thread away ...

Purple Thread cuff

I used the purple yarn from this and other circles with my Guild SiStars to crochet this little cuff bracelet. It's both decorative and a wonderful reminder I can just give a tug, and the support and love from my sisters is on the other end! 

Zines for planning

When preparing to teach a class, i generally make notes of what I plan to include in my journal, and I have a sets of prompt cards for the flow of an intentional creativity class. Last summer, I happened on a call with the lovely Denise Daffara on working in little "zines" ... but had missed the instructions, lol! 
So after the call, looked up how to make one, and was enchanted! 

Calendar and Zines in process

Who doesn't like tiny booklets? And with the central slit, they fold into a cover and several pages - perfect for a little collage session, or a planning booklet! 

Double Calendar spread, paint and collage

We made zines at our next Red Thread Circle, a double spread from this calendar made a fun booklet that is a bit larger. I liked some of the black and white illustrations of candles and beeswax, so worked around including them. The small blue Zine was made from one calendar page. 

Acrylic paint and collage

The double calendarspread, or even piece of notebook paper is a great size for a small "class notes" booklet, which can be written in directly or painted and collaged. Hers a little "kid friendly zine" tutorial.
It could also be:

• A poetry booklet
• A mini art journal
• A process page - write what you want to compost on the 'inside,' paint over' then flip and fold to "grow some lilies"
• A booklet of symbols you use in your paintings
• Writing about your painting

In our community we create Vision Plan books on watercolor paper as part of the Color of Woman quest. These are a lovely visual way of collating ideas for our work with IC, but in a larger format. 

Vision Plan Book

I am enjoying the compact booklets for collection my class ideas, as another option. 
What's your favorite style of booklet? 
Happy Paint Party Friday!