paint your heart out

Do you remember being a child so in love with the experience of painting and art that what it looked like didn't matter, you just loved the colours and the feeling of paint brush to paper? Do you remember having so much fun that as soon as you were finished one piece of paper you were ready for the next?

Most all of us start at this place. The point of pure creative abandonment. And then someone comes along, a parent, a teacher a grandmother maybe even another child who says, "what's that supposed to be?" And as you said, "well, it's a land with fairies and gnomes and a big tree where they all live together" the response is "That doesn't look like a fairy" And then it's over.

This is the moment where almost all of us got the message that we can't paint, we're not artists and we're not good enough. This is the moment for many where we begin to compare ourselves to others, judging our abilities and gifts in relation to those around us.

The other day I gave my children paint and paper with the only instruction, "do whatever you like and have fun" My son at first was frustrated because he couldn't "paint good" and I said, "just pick a colour you like and start putting it on the paper" Before he knew it, he was so immersed in his work that he asked for 3 more sheets of paper. My daughter who is 2, has not yet begun to compare herself to others and just painted her heart out.

I started a class called The Ruby Slipper Project in September. It is amazing to me what a success it has become and how freeing it is for women to come and paint, explore and give into their creative impulse without judgment or restrictions.

Would you like to come and paint your heart out? I'm holding a one day retreat March 21st from 9-4pm, just for you. Think you can't paint? Yes you can. Come, hold a paint brush and see where the paint takes you. You will amaze yourself.

here we go!

So The Ruby Slipper Project began two weeks ago and it is THE most fun I have had since I was in my 20's. We have 8 women in the group, all from different walks of life, all come together to make this such a rich experience for everyone. Most of the women in the group will tell you that they are not artists, but once they each picked up their paintbrushes, it was magical to see what could happen.

The beauty of the art group, is that it is not an art class that promises to teach you how to paint trees. This is an art group that offers the freedom to play with paint, explore the creative impulse in each of us, in a totally non-judgmental space. There is laughter, stories, challenging our own beliefs about ourselves as well as the pure ecstasy of being able to have a quiet space once a week to just indulge in the creative spirit.

One woman asked last night, "What is art?" Some said that a creative work could be titled as such when seen or appreciated by others. Some thought the work wasn't art until it was worth something and worthy of purchase. Here's what I think art is: "When the creative impulse meets the moment of manifestation."

What I mean by that is, we all have an impulse to be creative. Some of us do it through fine art, other through craft, still others through cooking, gardening, home making....the list goes on. There is an amazing woman in our group who has worked with art for almost 4 decades, yet she had never painted herself. The moment this woman put the paint to paper, I swear you could feel the electricity in the air. This was the moment that her creative impulse, that had been there forever, met the moment of manifestation on her paper. I'm telling you it was magic.

Just as the women in this group are learning about themselves, I too am learning about myself. This is such an amazing journey and I feel so remarkably blessed to be able to do this work. So, if you were hesitating before to come, hesitate no longer. I will be offering another group soon, this may be the most fun that you have had in a long time too!