Zen and the Art of Patience

We've been busy with a class on The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Joy and I are hosting the class at the Primo Art Spa. We found some creativity cards that go along with the book. After a lively discussion on the week's work, we draw a card. The first week I drew Empowerment. I loved Empowerment. I felt empowered by drawing the card Empowerment. During the week, I posted on our facebook page some thoughts and experiences with Empowerment. My hope was to get people thinking about what empowers them by finishing the sentence: 
I feel empowerment when_________.

I wrote: I feel empowerment when I put myself and my creative work on the schedule, AND follow through. I feel empowerment when I am invited to view and review plays.

This week, I pulled the card Patience. I thought, Ugh, I don't want this card. After journaling about it, and trying to settle down my racing heart that matched my speeding schedule, I realized that Patience is exactly what I need. I need Patience with myself to take the time to write. I need Patience with my family, knowing they're busy too and grow up way too fast, and that time with them is precious.  I need Patience to get through the day, to give myself grace for not getting everything done that needs doing, to take my time getting from here to there, and letting some things go.

Do you need any help with Patience?

One thing that helped me is creating Zen Tangles.

This is a fun and relaxing art form. You start with four dots on your paper, four corners, if you will. Connect them with four interesting lines. They don't have to be perfectly straight. In fact, nothing about this art is perfect or symmetrical. The point is you let your pencil move freely to create the areas, then fill them in with patterns. I made the lower one at a women's retreat. The art teacher had us make the patterns with black Sharpie markers, then we used water color paints over the patterns. At home, I made the above one using different colored pens. I'll use it as my bookmark for my Artist's Way book. You can google Zen Tangles and get many ideas, buy a book, or make up your own. It really is a meditative art activity. It helped me quiet my mind and slow down for a while. Plus, it is interesting and very non-threatening art. I love it.

We are open on Sunday, October 27, 2013, at 2:00 for an afternoon of pottery and Halloween cookie decorating. You could also help us fill treats bags for Halloween. We're giving out candy and temporary tattoos with our logo. What a hoot!

On Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, at 2:00, we're hosting a Master Class for Musicians. 

Join us for a Master Class for advanced student musicians and adults. You are invited to play any instrument or sing for the group. We will offer positive feedback to enhance your performance, ways to add color and emotion to your songs. Cost $10, includes refreshments. Please let us know if you'll need an accompanist.

Also, Primo Art Spa is donating a gift basket for the Heartland Symphony Orchestra's fundraising event next Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, at Craguns. Go to their website for more information.

The Artist's Way

Have you heard of the book, "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron?  It is a 12-week program for people wanting to discover and heal their inner artist. She has all kinds of useful information in the chapters, and then ends each chapter with tasks to do over the course of the week.  Over the years, I have read this book more times than I can remember.  The last time I went through it, I gathered a couple of my friends to join me.  It was a great experience to work together with others on this journey.  Having others there held me accountable to carry through on the tasks, provided more insights and perspectives, and a built-in support network.

With my background in psychology, years of teaching music, working through this system on my own, and currently taking Julia's ideas in my own direction through writing a journal on becoming more positive, I am offering to be a guide as others work their way through "The Artist's Way."  Together we will examine your beliefs on being an artist, and help to get you to a place where you can embrace your creative self.  We will use the book as a launching pad to get in touch with your inner artist, and living a more creative life.
                              -Joy Ciaffoni, co-founder of Primo Art Spa

This class will be offered on Thursdays from 11-12:30 (first meeting 10/17) Feel free to bring a sack lunch.
Cost for this 12-session class is $120 (book not included)
This class is offered through the Primo Art Spa in Brainerd, Mn.
Please e-mail Joy at: primoartspa@gmail.com to sign-up.