After teaching

 

You Did It!

Your 13 Step painting class is finished, the students have gone home or exited zoom - whew!! And now what? 

After documenting the process and what came up - for you, for your beloveds, and some self care, there's your Canvas, in a special after- class limbo! What's next in your own process?

I try to take time after teaching to connect with my demo painting and do some of my own Journaling - as I usually don't get much time for that whilst teaching! Sometimes *another* Old Story has come up for clearing, and I make some new story cards. Did any recurring or new codes symbols come through? What do they have to say? 

If I did a demo before class, I may bring that out, and begin a dialogue with both. Perhaps I'll bring her out to my porch for morning café, and into my bedroom for awhile to inspire my dreams. 

Forest Queen 👑 

This can be a good time to consult our own Oracle - pulling a card or two from the Soulful Story or Wild Card deck can bring insights and inspire the next step ❤ 

Several years ago, Shiloh suggested this process for reclaiming a demo painting: To really change it up, set aside some time,  smudge, spray your canvas, and paint a strip of white (or white with a bit of color) along the top of the canvas - spray again, then sit back (6' away or so) and journal while it drips! Use that as a guide to move on, and reclaim her! Spending at least a long on the painting after a class as you allotted duringthe workshop allows you to listen for the painting's voice. 

Other options I've used after Journaling and sitting with the painting awhile, are to go in with another round of Lights and Darks, tending details, perhaps adding code and prayer dots, then glaze again. 

If I skipped any steps for ease of teaching, I might revisit those - pulling out my 13 step cards helps me refocus! I may also have had some insights around using the cards, and be ready to rework one or two! 

If the canvas calls for bigger shifts, I might do directional glazes, using different colors on each side, spraying and letting it drip, then turning the canvas and repeating.  I sometimes use gold for this, or my beloved interference paint! 

Sometimes m all the demo painting really needs is another round of Lights and Darks m a partial glaze, some listening and adornment! And sometimes m they seem fine for months - or years - then begin nudging is for attention!! 

She Changes

Mama Gaia Class

Another element of the after class process is a follow up connection with students, both for feedback and perhaps tending if a lot came up for them! While we're only responsible for our piece of the thread, when that piece includes teaching, there's also connection and tending. 

You may wish to schedule an occasional Open Studio session, where beloveds can bring their own WIP and receive support and tips! One beloved called me 18 months after class, and was ready to do more on her painting, so we scheduled a private session on her covered deck! I brought She Changes, which had been my class demo, and we painted together. 

Learning to balance your own creativity process and tending your students is ongoing, we've got this! 

Tools of Transformation

 During the Color of Woman quest, we have been given treasure trove of tools for accessing our own intuition, insights and vision, for calming the Critic and engaging the Muse! 

This Tool Kit is full of powerful offerings for our beloveds - and ... we often forget how helpful they can be for our own process! 

What can we do when the critic raises her head? Pull out the tool kit, and choose one or more to revisit!

My first Story Card deck and cover

• The Soulful Story Card process is one of the first assignments on the CoW journey - for good reason! 

In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron wrote: "An affirmation is a positive statement of (positive) belief, and if we can become one-tenth as good at positive self-talk as we are at negative self-talk, we will notice an enormous change." 

If we only had the Story Cards as support for the rest of our journey, we'd have such a potent aide!! Often the very stumbling blocks addressed by the cards are encountered over and over - and in the cards, we have a wonderful way to turn them into stepping stones!  I share several ways to use them here.

I usually offer a Story Card session in my Red Thread Creatives Circle a couple of times each year, and use this as an opportunity to create a few new cards, to address other old Stories I've become aware of!  I like working on less expensive water color pads of paper for creating the cards. 

You may find this a good time to assemble your Story Card kit, for offering this as a virtual or in person class. So save your process papers with old stories and their antidotes to include in your kit. If it's been awhile since you created your deck, check in and see if there's are any old stories surfacing to be countered with new cards!

Story and Ally cards, plus 13 Step prompt deck

• The Medicine Basket - ooo, what a lovely image!! 

I love Shiloh's description of her physical basket, and items included!! You may wish to assemble a physical Medicine basket or bag to include some of your special tools! I've got a little basket for Red Thread and a couple of Shiloh's books, a little red silk bag for special scissors, and little balls of red yarn, and found a small purse made from Red Ties for bigger balls and tools! 

If you're feeling 'stuck' around your Piece of the Red Thread - pull out your Medicine Basket, and revisit your tools!

Red Thread Basket

Some of the Medicine Basket inquiries are:

• What will you be known for? 
• What Healing tools & remedies do you offer? 
• What can people count on you for?
• Who are your Beloveds?
• What is in your medicine basket?

Our Medicine Basket process helps us identify our special gifts, and points us toward our Soul Work! When I painted & collaged 'gifts' onto my first Medicine basket, I immediately saw this as a lovely process to include in my upcoming Reiki 2 class (and included that as my first RT event assignment). I invited my students to bring scrapbook materials, Quotes they might want to include, and then dream-stormed on how to integrate the teachings of Reiki, & the Medicine basket process. We created covers for the Reiki Journals I encouraged them to begin, over a background that included the Symbols they learned!

I've continued to include creating Story Cards and Medicine Baskets in subsequent Reiki 1 and 2 Classes, and love how they dovetail with the Reiki teachings on intention. I've also shared it in Red Thread style paint parties, like this one for my school chum Nancy (center with the basket on pink) and her friends and family.

Paint with Pals - Medicine Basket

• Many of us have felt we didn't quite 'fit' in this current world, family, community - the House of the Heart allows us to claim belonging. 

Shiloh comments - "We either experience everything as a miracle or nothing as a miracle. We experience the Universe as a friendly or unfriendly place. People's world view stems from their belief about whether they belong here." 

In the fall of 2019, I joined CoW graduate and EFT practitioner Sherry Reuger-Banaka in offering a workshop on Grief to Gratitude, using the house of the Heart as the class template. This was her Soulwork - combining IC and EFT! I've enjoyed doing this one on canvas several times, and they are such cheery houses! 

The prompts from a CoW student offering (via Zoom) led to recalling the cute 50s home my dad painted pink, with dark red trim and a white roof (to reflect the Central Oregon sun) ... And the Blue Door of my piano teacher's little back room Bible Bookstore. 

 

House of the Heart 2020 - on canvas

• Need a Treasure Map for finding your way? Pull out your Vision Plan Book! 

This is a process Shiloh Revisits each time she's planning a new offering - and is a great one for us to revisit as we seek insight and momentum. I love the whole brain, Muse led approach - our biz-coach, Stella Mac invites us to, "Create a business plan using your winged eye – you have to know how to look with a visionary lens to craft a business that reflects who YOU are." 

Vision Plan Book

In spring of 2020, Shiloh and Amy Ahlers offered a course called Dancing Entrepreneur, where we created a new Vision plan Book, plus a deck of 16 action cards to augment the booklet, and support moving forward with our plans! This is where I encountered the idea from another student of creating a board and planning pockets for a Visual planning system!"

Journal Calendar Biz-Plan

• Another tool is one we've all kept in various forms over the journey - the Journals!!  

This is where we've processed, and made notes around different assignments. 

I tend to keep both art journals for the longer painting processes, and the Smashbook style composition books for writing. I've amassed a lot of journals, and reviewing these can be helpful - reach for the one that 'falls off the shelf!' 

One of the biz tools I used following graduation was creating a monthly Smashbook spread with my goals  for that month splashed about, "popcorn" style. 

Some were specific to that month, while others are ongoing (hosting monthly Red Thread Circles, painting, blogging) I could see at a glance what I accomplished, and what I still wanted to work on!

I hope you're inspired to pull out some of your favorite tools from the training, and revisit the messages! This is a good time to complete or fine tune writing about the projects, and finding which best serve you.

SOULWork

 The invitation reads: "Your SOULWork Project is a culminating presentation exploring Intentional Creativity as applied to a personal interest. Plan to take 6-8 hours taking your interest to the 'next level.' Document in the way that makes sense: writing, link to a hosted URL, etc."

How do we make that connection between a personal interest and IC?

A good place to begin is to pull out your journal, your Medicine Basket, and draw a couple of Story Cards.  Sit with one of your paintings, and inquire, 

• What are some of my Personal Interests and how do they dovetail with IC? 
• How can I serve MY beloveds and my Soul Purpose? 
• Perhaps do a Metacognitive Drawing around the inquiry. 

If it's something you've already done, you can share the link (dropbox, youtube, blog post, google docs, etc) or you can simply flesh out your notes and any images you have of your project 'in the works.

I originally wrote about my SOULWork from the perspective of being a Grandmother, and using it to support my grandchildren. While that's been a part of work since the beginning, when my 4 year old grandkids added strokes (invited!) to my CoW paintings, I realize that another thread is my offerings as a Reiki Master.

In 2015 and '16, I wrote about this on my King's Touch Reiki Blog, "When studying Intentional Creativity, preparing to become a Color of Woman teacher and IC coach, I needed to offer several Red Thread Circles and events. My teacher Shiloh Sophia invited me to consider the connections between Reiki and the IC teachings, "I know there are connections, explore what they are."

A Chinese legend tells that we are connected before birth with those whom we're destined to meet by an invisible Red Thread. Through out lives, the thread may twist, stretch and tangle, but will never break. We each hold, and are responsible for our own piece of this thread.

I immediately saw a connection with my own Reiki Thread, and considered how to weave the IC teachings to support my Reiki students. In April on 2015, I included my first Red Thread circle for the training during a Reiki I class, inviting each initiate to share her piece of the thread. One, Lora Pirtle, was already certified in IC, and was tickled. During our 2nd Degree class in July, we incorporated the symbol practice sheets into creating a Medicine Basket as a journal cover. 

Students Creating Journal covers

When I took Second Degree Reiki in 1990, we first learned the three symbols, and then (gulp!) burned the papers!! Scary, but empowering! We were at the coast, & that night, I danced the symbols under the stars - WOW!

With Intentional Creativity, we can use the creative process as our Holy Fire of transformation and integration. 

Some of the Medicine Basket inquiries are:

• What will you be known for? 
• What Healing tools & remedies do you offer? 
• Who are your Beloveds?
• What is in your medicine basket?

When I painted & collaged 'gifts' onto my first Medicine basket, I immediately saw this as a lovely process to include in my upcoming Reiki 2 class (and included that as my first RT event assignment). I invited the students to bring scrapbook materials or Quotes they might want to include, and dream-stormed on how to integrate the teachings of Reiki, & the Medicine basket process. 

Intentional Creativity has proved to be a lovely support the Reiki teachings. I've formulated a Red Thread Reiki curriculum, with creative projects to help the teachings of each level. These Red Thread teachings are available separately for those who have studied with another Master, and I would love to collaborate with other Reiki Masters in offering these.

In later Reiki Classies, we've made Prayer Flags on the Reiki Principles during First Degree and Apothecary Vessels for the journal covers. So my SOULWork was already present, and interwoven into other assignments for my certification, I just needed to see the pattern!

I invite you to explore the connections between IC and your own interests/ skills/ healing tools - how can you weave the treads together? 

Missing Out

In a chat with a Muse Time sister who is reengaging with her Quest, she said she  felt sad when she saw the assignment list, and realized how abbreviated it was compared to the the info available during the training. Would she be as well prepared as others?  I suggested she purchase a copy or download the pdf of the Color of Woman book, and check in with her Muse ...

Blessing Flower

This fear of missing out, and an urge to chase the Shiny Object are part of the Mindset that can lead to distraction! What would it take to start, and then see if we need more information? Can we set a task aside for a wee bit as we gather info, or start on a simpler one?

Rosie Mac and I led a call recently with 16 of our Muse Time SiStars, we invited you to submit questions and concerns, and to take stock of where you are on your quest. 

I suggested printing out writing out the assignment list from your class (Jena pinned post on the page with the link), and sorting them into Ta-das and ToDos, then fine tune the second list by: 

• Easy peasy
• A bit more challenging, but I've got it!
• YIKES! 

The blessing flower format is a creative way to arrange your ToDos. And for those yikes - remember to tug on the red thread - and that's often where the juice is!! 

Rosie, who completed her own Quest after 5 years - which included some major setbacks, offers inspiration and hope!  "If I can do it, you can, too!"

In addition to various physical challenges and unavoidable tragedies, which threw many off course, we identified several main issues: Mindset / limiting beliefs

• too little: time/ money/ energy. 
• I'm not as artistic as others // 
• I've got an art degree (and this should be easy for me!)
• Chatter from the Perfection Diva and Critic
• I'm not sure how to get inspired again!
• Overwhelm
• I can't get students [beloveds] for my class ...

Some of the solutions for these

• Simplify - it doesn't need to be a magnum opus
• Organize: put it on your calendar! 
• Can you commit 1/2-1 day a week?
• Do a bit at a time (even 20 minutes a day - or 5, if that's all you've energy for!)
• Use your tools - story cards to address old stories, vision plan book, medicine basket
• Collaborate, teach each other! 

If you halted during a painting, this post on journaling and reclaiming would be a good place to start as you revisit Her - does she need more work, or is she done for now? Again, simplify! (You can always return later - she'll call you back!)

If you've got several paintings to do, consider competing the current one, and be sure to do the journaling! Receive her message, and ask her assistance in moving forward. You can work on more than one painting at a time - Shiloh does this herself! Find what works for you! 

Be sure your studio is set up so you can do this easily, and put taking café with your paintings and process on your schedule - your own notes are a goldmine for future sessions and classes!! 

Check with the group, and see if anyone wants to paint or work on RT projects together virtually (it doesn't need to be the same painting!)  Share a Red Thread circle at the beginning, set a time frame, check in at the end! Be sure to sit with your cuppa and journal (at last 6' away!!) during/ after the session.

Red Thread mini altar

Organization  and writing

• Set up a file and folders for your Color of Woman assignments on the computer
• Write on paper first - write from your heart - then enter on your computer
• Simplify - you can always add more details later! 
• If English is your second language, write in your mothertongue, then translate
• Invite someone to help edit, and for tips on compiling your initiate book.

What's the carrot?

For Rosie, she wanted to join Kerry Lee in painting a series of murals in Christchurch, NZ - but needed to graduate first! So, even though she was still recovering from a brain injury, she reengaged with her quest, and graduated in 2019! 

Rosie and I have both benefited in many ways after graduating and becoming Guild members - access to classes, hearth tending, being support for courses. 

So ask yourself, 'what is my carrot?'  You began Color of Woman for a reason - what is it now? Look back at your Future Teacher Visioning - has it changed? Keep the orthogonal, but consider storing an update!

Take your inquiry to the page and canvas - what draws you forward? 

My beloved piano teacher, Marion Coe told me, "Commencement means to Begin!"

       

Metacognative Drawing

During our Muse Time call yesterday, We mentioned Metacognative drawing as a way to quickly tap into insights. Metacognation = awareness of our thoughts,  thinking about thinking! 

Shiloh has tapped into this over the last several years, and integrated it into the Motherboard coaching training. 

 Metacognative exercise: 

1) Take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself a question, perhaps 'What am I passionate about?' 'What's my next step?' 'Who are my beloveds?' ...

• Take a marker or pen, use a piece of paper, your Smash 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. 
• 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 another 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) 

This sketch can take any form - I like combining this practice with Neurographic noodling, and jotting a few words of insight on the reverse.

Wishing on a Star

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 on my board or in my Visual Planning pockets. 

Visual Plan Board

You can check the Educator directory to see who is in your part of the world, it look up sometime you've found inspiring. 

Using our Tools

During the Color of Woman quest, we are given treasure trove of tools for accessing our own intuition, insights and vision, and for calming the critic. Many of these make great offerings for our beloveds - and ... we may forget how helpful they can be for our own process! 

What can we do when the critic raises her head? 

In the 80s, Douglas Bloch suggested writing an affirmation, then processing "what comes up."  (Douglas Bloch, author of 'Words that Heal') We often decorated our "finished" affirmation with sequins and sparkles, ...put them up on mirrors, carried them in our wallets...

Story Card deck and cover

In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron writes: "An affirmation is a positive statement of (positive) belief, and if we can become one-tenth as good at positive self-talk as we are at negative self-talk, we will notice an enormous change." Like Bloch, Julia suggests writing out the affirmation, then the 'blurts' which counter it, & suggests identifying their origin - "who told you that?" "Do you believe it's true?" 

With Intentional Creativity®, we approach the affirmation by first writing out the 'old stories' which hold you back, the critic chatter and negative beliefs on one side of a slip of paper: "I never have enough time!"  "I'm too old" (or too young, or too busy) "I'd love to do my art, but I don't want to end up a starving artist" ... "I can't afford__"

Then, we write an antidote on the other side of our process paper, and craft a short affirmation; the Antidote is transferred to our card & decorated. And then, ... we often tuck the deck away, and head off to the next assignment!! 

Oops! 

When talking to Creatives in our community, I notice some continue to "reaffirm" stories they countered during their CoW quest!  When I hear one surface, I often ask if they wish to reframe that story, & affirm something positive instead! (And try to remember to do this as well!!)

So my inquiry today is, "How do you utilize the lessons and reframe offered by your Story Cards?"

I invite you to light a candle, pour a cup of tea, pull out your journal and cards. Shuffle through your story card deck.

A direct approach: Journal about some old story phrases you notice your Inner Critic has been pulling out, and which block your progress. Perhaps do a Metacognative drawing. Then:

• go through your story card deck, and pull 2-3 cards which relate to that issue, and work with their messages. 
• Journal about the messages, and actions you can take. 
• Put them up on your altar or vision board till your next reading. 

Intuitive Reading

• Shut your eyes, breathe into your heart and belly
• Pull a card at random, and before looking at it, hold it between your hands
• Notice your impressions - a color, a word or two, a plant or animal ally
• Open your eyes and look at the card and affirmation
• Journal about both your impressions, and about that card and message
• How does it relate to the old story you've been battling?
• Place the card somewhere you can see it, and continue to receive messages

Oracle reading

• If you work with other Oracle decks, pull a card or two from your own deck as well
• Write about the Oracle in your journal, including impressions from your cards
• Add new insights to the back of the card 

Additional cards

One of my favorite Red Thread Circle offerings is creating 3-5 story cards in a 90 minute class. I'm always curious to see what beliefs tag along, and the variety of cards that will be created! Often several beloveds share similar old stories, and work on antidotes together.

This is great to do for yourself when you notice none of your cards read fully address a current issue! A piece of watercolor paper from a pad is a good size, and you'll likely want to make additional cards the same size as your current deck. I usually paint a sheet (often 9×12") then tear apart for cards, but only make a few. 

This can be a good time to assemble a little Story Card kit, for offering this as a virtual or in person class. Save so your process papers with old stories and their antidotes to include in your kit.

Additional Story Cards

Symbols, Totems, Elements and Angels

• Create additional cards inspired by messages and symbols from your paintings
• Write a short description on the back 
• Totems: Hummingbird came during my Artist painting, and it reminded each flower (student) of their unique beauty, and can match pave by slowing, or speeding ahead.
• Notice if symbols on your cards find their way into the canvas
• Time Angels is another favorite card, I invite them to help keep on time
• Grace Elohim invites us to "Grace it and Move On!"
• Other cards you've made might include soul collage or journey cards, and their systems
• My friend, Color of Woman graduate Linda Allen included cards for the elements and reminders to Breathe and Dance in her deck - watch her slideshow here

What are some of your favorite cards, and ways you work with them? 

Share in the comments!  

    

 

Virtual classes

Many of this year's Color of Woman students needed to offer their 13 step class virtually, due to 2020 closures. The last two weekends, I've taken two of these with former students, Harvest Queen with Carol Fairbanks, and Princess Silver Hands, or the Handless Maiden, with Christy Cozby. Carol offered two sessions, a well apart, and Christy did hers in one. Both were lovely! 

Harvest Queen - first session

In addition to the general tips for preparing to teach your class, here are some considerations if you're offering it virtually:

E-mail or otherwise communicate with your beloveds before class with supply list and set up suggestions, plus an initial inquiry or, "be thinking about..." 

Sit with your 13, step prompt cards, and decide if you'll be combining/skipping some steps. What do you want to be sure and cover? How will you address journaling?

Your format is the same as in person: housekeeping, Red Thread circle early with your inquiry, then often pull out 3 words for Canvas. You can include the visioning with the inquiry, or have them paint colors for each of the words, and offer the story of visioning while the paint dries. 

While working virtually it's extra important to give clear instructions on what they are to do next. Demo clearly and concisely, field questions, then step back and let them paint!  When it seems time for the next step, "brushes in the water!" and have them watch. Try to allow time for journaling, and give your beloveds a prompt/inquiry for the time between sessions. 

Offer some tools for working with the critic/comparison diva, and remember to make and correct a mistake or two! Invite them to explore symbols, and make notes. If they get stuck with contrast, suggest they edit a photo to Grey scale! This is so helpful with in person classes - and more so remotely! 

If you can, it may help to have a second camera (phone works) suspended above your surface for demoing a step - but that's an extra! You can also play music through your computer speakers. It also helps to have a cohost for logistics - CoW graduate Linda Allen in my Red Thread Creatives FB group and is great at this!  She has a pro account, so I have her schedule my circles.

Harvest Queen - end of day 2

You may want to prepare some samples: I have eye examples painted on a canvas board, with different shapes and angles, and a few "what not to do." It's great to have simple faces that are less polished as examples! I have some demos from previous classes that are great examples of how theirs might look at the end of the session. 

You might also do a sample face with the first layer of lights and darks, and one that's been glazed. You could show these as screen share, or just hold up to the camera. If you have a compost canvas close by, you can demo something you don't want on your main canvas!

Shading example in my journal

Generally, you will want to glaze before the end of the first session / about 1/2 way through your class, and give them an inquiry to work with while she's behind the veil. Remind them to set her up 6' away, and chat with her.

For the second session, offer a brief check in, perhaps another reading, invite questions, then go on with your demos and flow. This is a good time to introduce symbols, and encourage them to journal periodically. Be sure to include a half hour for sharing, at the end! 

Princess Silver Hands - one session

Remember to share your contact information, and email then after the class for feedback, photos, etc. And remember your own self care after the class!! You worked hard!

Journalong and Reclaiming

As you travel through your CoW Quest, if you're like me, you likely have been filling journals with your process and progress! I use spiral bound art journals for sketches and Metacognative drawings, and covered and repurposed a bunch of composition books following Catt Geller's lead. 
I have a page on my blog with some tips on journaling, and recently wrote about continuing process journaling on their own for my students. I intend to print this and offer it as a handout, or email it as a PDF after the class.

Star codes

When I'm teaching, one of the things I find hardest to do is my own journaling during class! I give the prompt for my students, and may jot a few notes, but rarely do as much as I might on my own. I may also have done a trial painting on my theme before the class, to work out the kinks. It's helpful to leave some of these unfinished, and include them in the "Ladies" I bring as examples to the class. It is especially helpful for new painters and for those in shorter classes to see simpler work.

Soo... 

I try to take time after class to connect with my painting and journal. I also make notes on what came up for students, insights, sketch symbols, flesh out ideas for the next class, and ways to improve the teaching, set up, etc. When I co-facilitate classes, we try to meet for tea and debrief a few days later! 

Muse -2016 with Livestream

You may wish to dedicate a new journal for your class notes and insights, and include a section for messages from your demo paintings. This is a great place to record new class ideas, the journey and poem you plan to include, etc. Revisit it after the class, to add notes, sketches and do some journaling with your new muse.

A delightful suggestion from Shiloh on reclaiming that demo painting after class is to spray the canvas, run a swath of white paint along the top, spray again, then sit back with your journal as you watch the drips! What's going into the Fog? What came up during class you're ready to process/release? What new insights are emerging?

Same canvas, flipped for Muse 2018

This is a canvas I began supporting the Livestream for muse in 2016, when my friend Sepha was in CoW. I didn't really connect with it, and it sat for a couple of years ... 
I rarely gesso over a canvas, so I likely did a glaze or two, and I think used the white glaze tip, then flipped it and used it for the 2018 Muse. 

Soul Spark

Like Shiloh, I often have several canvases in process at one time, and use left over paint on different ones ... Soul Spark now has Star codes and I've been adding to her recently.

Do you have any favorite tips on journaling or your process work your demo painting? 
Share in the comments! 

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?