Story Card Teaching Pack

I love the Soulful Story Card process, and offer an abbreviated version a couple of times a year for my Red Thread Circle. I quickly realized that if I saved some of the process papers, I wouldn't need to "reinvent the wheel" each time I offer it, and would have several sample old stories/ issues and antidotes to share!

Story Card case and process papers

My deck is housed in a plastic 3×5" card file that I found at the Dollar store. It has several compartments where I keep:

• Some of my Story Cards
• Painted blank cards with sample backgrounds
• Process papers with an "old story" on one side, and the antidote on the other (scribbles, cross-outs and all!)
• Blank Index cards and colored paper for doing the process cards

The kit makes it simple to offer a story card class. While it was the first Red Thread Event I offered during my CoW Quest, that's one of the few times I've had beloveds craft a full deck! 

Our monthly Circle is 2-3 hours, so a simple project works best, and we usually make 3-6 cards. I encourage them to "own the process," and create more on their own as they recognize old stories.

Cards from the teaching kit

I usually use watercolor paper from a pad, and have them create the background, then we move on to the old stories and antidotes while that's drying. They take home both their own competed cards and blanks. 

* The first SC class I taught, two of my 3 beloveds got so engaged in painting the background, they didn't want to move on!! My Time Angels Card helps us keep moving these days! 

I make a few new cards with them, sometimes working with a old story, at others, cards for my classes like "When in doubt, GLAZE!" I use extra  background cards for business cards (torn in half again) and like using calligraphy pens and Inktense pencils for the words and designs. Shimmer watercolor paint adds sparkle without the mess of glitter! (I also just have them use watercolor rather than acrylic paint)

In one of our circles, we played with Mark making and symbols rather than words. I've often thought in a longer workshop, it would be fun/ helpful to make a few cards for old stories that arise, and to write about the symbols! Sometimes a "group issue" will come up, and several participants will make cards on that.

Here's the announcement for one of my story card classes:

"Do you find yourself frequency revisiting the same old stories? Your creative Muse is ready to keep you rewrite a few, and give you a new Oracle for guidance! 

"Come celebrate yourself, and tap her magical nature and whimsical wisdom. We will identify several 'old stories,' and using our collective vision and wisdom, create colorful Soul Vision cards to remind us of our new declaration."

This is a great process to revisit as old stories come up, and I recommend making a few new cards periodically! I've often thought it would be good to create a few insight cards during a longer painting class.

Have you offered this as one of your RT classes? 
You're invited to share any tips, or personal favorite cards! 

Classes and Support

When we begin sharing intentional Creativity with others, we we may encounter unexpected challenges as we support our students' process. While some classes flow almost seamlessly, others have a "problem student" or unexpected issue.

Breathe! You've got this!  In my classes and sessions, I've developed strategies to address some that may be helpful. 

Carol's paint station - Gaia

Class set up: know your materials, and plan your set up. 

• I often use a less expensive paint for the first layers (Amsterdam tube paint) and have that out first. I demonstrate how much to put on their palette (paper plate) and have them come to a central table for refills. (If it's a higher price class, you'll likely want to with with Golden from the beginning) 
• When we switch to Golden at the glaze, I stress we only need a dime size of several colors, and dispense their first colors. I mention we may use any extra on the sides, the "lingerie." 
• I bring 1 oz bottles of my Golden paint to class, especially shorter ones, plus 4 oz bottles of white, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold, brown, and primaries red, blue and yellow. (The small bottles help get across that we don't need much paint!)
• A selection of several brushes, T-shirt rag, water and spray bottles are at each person's station, along with their canvas and a table easel. For a palette, lids from yogurt containers are a handy size for classes, and can be reused.
• I have square trays ($ store!) for each student's table setting - which helps corral and identify their supplies. 
• Remind them to put their "Brushes in the water" when ready to share the next step. 
• Pitchers for water in the paint table, and a bucket to dump paint water in are handy.

I go over the general flow of the class with the students at the beginning, and use my 13 step prompt cards to stay on track. If it's a shorter class, I spend a bit of time thinking about steps to combine. I often paint a demo before the class, sorting out inquiries, planning the visioning, etc. 
When I teach, it's a combo of planning, and intuitive process - tuning in to the group. I mark quotes to read throughout the class, and which paintings I'll bring for inspiration. I often bring small journals for students who haven't brought one, and encourage its use throughout the class.

What comes up? Ooo, it's different each time! 

The critic is likely to appear, wearing a variety of hats! 

• "I'm not artistic" - the Tyranny of Talent! 
• Comparison Queen - your painting looks better!
• I just don't like my painting! And on ... She's too pale, now she's too dark, ...

When the critic first appears, I often thank the student, and mention that they may be speaking for others in the group as well. I'll comment that it's long been her job to keep us safe, and it's sometimes uncomfortable when we try something new/different. 

I give some options, she can count rocks in the parking lot, or shall we set her up with a drink by the pool? She can hold the map and help navigate, but we won't let her drive, and may ask if the student can identify her voice - who along the way is she parroting?

"What if there was nothing we could get wrong?"
"It's only paint!"

I suggest this is a great time to journal, maybe "hand her the pen!" And then give the pen to the muse. Does she have a name? This is a great time for a movement and journal break, have everyone move back from their canvas (if you can - they don't always want to stop painting!) 

Different materials - gals who identify as artists may bring their own materials - if it doesn't upset the flow of the class, and they are in the flow, I let them be, and may ask about materials they are using. I'm often inspired, and want to try them myself, lol! (This is the nearly compete painting, which my artist student Carol continued to work on after our one day Gaia Encounter class)

Carol used acrylic ink and stencils

I generally encourage them to "try it this way, this one time," and some do, some won't! 

I invite them to use the Golden fluids for most of their work. If they brought less expensive paint, they will likely be disappointed, and it's hard to guide them - I may say, "I'm sorry, but if you use different materials, I may not be able to help a much... This is a good time to try something different! You can always use what you're familiar with next time!" 

Wanting to paint over or even gesso - this may happen toward the end - three of my favorite tools for times like this, or when they're feeling stuck are:

• Take it to the journal! Move back from the painting, and perhaps dialogue with the muse/critic around what's coming up. Is this something they encounter at times in their day to day life? How do they usually handle it? Would they like to try something else? You might have some journal prompts on slips of paper, and have them choose a couple. I aim for at least one journaling session during a one day class, and often suggest an extra journal break if they are getting frustrated. In a longer class, you could lead a second visioning at this point. 

• Grey scale - this is a great time to have them take a photo and edit it to show contrast in grey! I show them how, or do it on my device - it's an excellent way to see where contrast is missing, and that may help redirect them. It's also a good way to see if the features feel balanced, and invite them to make subtle shifts.

Grey scale and enlarged

• When in doubt glaze! Glazing is scary - and so potent! It's a great tool for engaging the Muse! While we'll generally just do one glaze in a class, each repeat adds depth. 
• They want to gesso? Bring out a couple of color possibilities for glazing, show them the transparent scale on the back, and mention that a glaze preserves these luscious undershirts they've built, but allows the old stuff to "compost." 
• ** Have them eat some chocolate and journal while the glaze dries. 

• Glaze Options: in addition to glazing the whole canvas, there are several other options. 
• Partial glazes with a couple of colors - lay the painting flat, have them glaze, then show them how to burnish with a rag.
• Glaze half the face a different colour
• 4 direction glazes - choose 4 colors, spray and paint one color at the top, spray and play with drips... Then rotate the canvas and use the next color ... 
• White! If they really want to gesso, suggest they try a white glaze at the top (Zink white is more translucent than titanium) - spray and let drip ... Maybe spray, then paint white in the area they're uncomfortable with - and spray again ... They can also use White in the 4 directions, turning the canvas. 
• Gold or another metallic is another choice for a student wanting to gesso - shiny objects distract the critic!

• Shiloh suggests a white glaze for reclaiming our own demo canvas after a class. Journal about the class, insights, challenges, your own process, perhaps take yourself through the journey again. Smudge, then bless and spray the canvas, with a large brush, paint white at the top, then let it drip ... Sit back with a cuppa, and journal. 
• I sometimes use a combo of white and gold for this! I've also flipped the canvas and begun over on the face, without gessoing! 

• Codes and symbols - this may be a good time to ask if any symbols came through, and how they want to depict them. Jane they noted them in their journal?

• Biophotons, Stars and Prayer Dots- I mix white with glazing medium when I'm painting stars or sometimes when adding prayer dots - if they want to cover with gesso, a layer of light may be what's indicated! 

These are a few of the issues that arise - I've had students create very different paintings from my basic instructions - including landscapes with wonderful creatures rather than a lady! If it doesn't interrupt the flow of the rest of the class, and they are happy in their zone - I let them be! 

I bring out metallic and interference paint toward the end for "adornment"'- not as messy as glitter, and so satisfying! Then invite the students to hand Her the pen, and receive Her name and message.

What are some of your teaching challenges, and how did you handle them?