It's been a week of growing and stretching into new places. As most of you know I have recently moved from my home studio of 250 sq ft into a BIG YUMMY new space of about 1000. What you might not know is that in doing so, I am no longer a "solo-creative;" I have two new studio mates. OH BOY can you say growing edges, I have a little sticker on my car visor that says, "Does not play well with others," that might tell you something!
Two of us have been used to working alone for most of our lives and one of us is more tuned into the group-work environment. I never knew how good threes could be until you have some things to work out. With all the mooooving, I had, had no time to create. The first day I did this in the studio, one of my studio mates was there and I could NOT WORK! It's was crazy. I felt so exposed and vulnerable. Mind you, it's not like I haven't taken workshops and created in group environments, but this was different.
In expressive arts work, we tap into some pretty deep spaces and places. When alone, I am very comfortable accessing those shadow worlds and allowing what needs to present itself a place to be "seen." When there is someone in the room, this can be VERY challenging for me, as I truly go into a trance like state and allow the fertile soil to do it's magic.
Each week, my studio sisters and I meet and have dream meeting and have also created a time for discussion around studio issues. NOW I HAD TO TALK! HOLY you know what. CONFLICT and it was only week 2.5!!!! I actually brought a book one of my studio mates had given me a few years ago, called The Magic of Conflict, in case we need to read the index! So with quivering voice, I did it and you know what…I wasn't alone! Each of us was finding a way to create a private nest within the vast expanse and so we spent the rest of our meeting time creating just that!
That afternoon, my studio mates gave me a HUGE gift. The gift of being heard and reaching into those scary places and knowing I could trust them with my heart and feelings. So feisty readers, the moral of this story….TELL THE TRUTH even when it rattles your bones!
Above you see a background created that afternoon. This month I decided to take a couple of online classes to feed MY soul. This is for Misty Mawn's Painting with Layers, which is one HELL of a workshop! If your new to layers or an old pro, your creative well will be filled.
by Heart Light Digital
gorgeous!! I think it can stand alone as an abstract — i love it!
xoxo
Thank you so much Sheri, I am so grateful you are in the class.
I am not so sure how I would do with a studio mate, but like all things, I am sure with time it would feel more and more comfortable. I can imagine it would be a great way to energize your artistic nature even more. My studio can be pretty quiet some days & I would love to know someone else is in there creating, too… perhaps one day. so glad you worked out the issues. hope all is well!