Dreams do come true

My studio in Market Square is a dream come true. 

It came from keeping a promise . You see, in 2010, I made a commitment that I would do a retreat every year.  Something to feed my soul, to meet new people and to try new things.

I saw an ad on the internet for a retreat in California… in January. Being a Wyoming girl, this sounded great. It would be a break from below zero temps. It was a painting retreat ran by a gal named Chris Zydel. She advocates “process not product” at her studio and her retreats. It sounded interesting, so I called. I was even more intrigued so I signed up.

I spent an absolutely wonderful week painting my heart out and learning to be compassionate with my creative self.

 I thought to myself, “This is a beautiful thing. Why isn’t every one doing this?????”

I signed up for the teaching class as soon as I got home. I finally felt like I had found my calling. I wanted to bring this awesome, healing experience to Wyoming.

I spent 2011 traveling back and forth to California, painting, writing, doing homework and getting to know the amazing women in my class. Finally, graduation time came and I was ready to try my wings.

I found the perfect space for my new studio.

I Painted

Decorated

Supplied

And here it is. My dream come true. 

Are you ready to fulfill your dreams????

Children's Class at Just Paint and Paper

I have decided to give a children's class at the studio.  

It will be Wednesday afternoons from 4:30-6:30. As always, all supplies are provided. This an opportunity for your child to play, paint and create.

  Classes will be $20.00 each or you can buy a bundle of 4 classes for $75.00.

Since studio space is limited, preregistration is required.

It's time to paint, play and discover yourself at Just Paint and Paper.

Follow the Leader

I had a booth at the Casper Holistic Fair this past weekend. I am trying to get my name out there and find the people who are interested in the expressive arts experience. I set up my easel and was going to paint. The problem was, that I really didn't feel like painting. So I just started, I have been told many times to "trust the brush" and I know this is true.
So, I picked up some paint and began mixing colors.

Then I picked up some black and felt that I needed to paint a tree.  

 

Then it hit me suddenly, I knew that a purple eye was watching me. Not in a scary way, but it needed to appear on my painting.

 

It was followed by another eye, and a third, spiritual eye.

Then back to the tree, which had leaves of many colors and hearts hanging from the limbs.

 

I ended up with a picture of Mother Earth gazing at me and a tree full of love.

  

It never fails to amaze me at what appears when you follow the lead of your intuition. It a magical journey every time.

Creativity

"The Creator created us as creators. Most people are afraid of their creativity, because it is a profound opening of the heart and mind. We do not do creativity. It does us. It is a deep surrender that adds art, healing, beauty, and bonding to the world. Creativity is one of life's gifts that makes us profusely happy." 
- Chuck Spezzano - Psychologist
 

Expressive Art is a unique way to experience the deep core of your soul-self.  It is the freedom to create from your heart without the worry of judgment, technique or being “proper”.

It is a time to play, to heal and to see yourself in a new light. It is a time to be compassionate to yourself, to free that creative juice that lives in you, to let loose of fear, to play with colors and textures; to try something new.

Discover your authentic self. Dive in - the paint is fine.

Women Who Paint With Goats

I went to California for my training and we stayed at a wonderful place called Mountain Home Ranch by the little town of Calistoga. During the day, they let out their assorted livestock, and there our story begins.


It was hot in August, and the room we painted in was very hot, so the doors were propped open. We were process painting, being present in the moment, following the energy, and painting from our hearts. During this process, it is very quiet in the studio, everyone is deep into the right brain, and doing their thing.


Suddenly in strolled two visitors.

This caused some giggles and fun. We are all animal lovers so the goats enjoyed their time with us. Soon they were guided out, with just a little paint on them and a few scraps of paper they had stolen.

We all went back to painting. The point was that no one got upset, our visitors did not interrupt the flow of  energy, in fact they added to it. We all enjoyed the sense of fun. And it added to our art that day.


Our situations are what they are. The lesson is to take what we are presented and go with it. Let it be part of our creation. And I for one am proud to be, one of the few....... the splattered.......the women who paint with goats.

Expressive Art??? What????

When I say I am opening up an expressive art studio, I am met with a bunch of blank looks. Okay here is a Carolyn definition. Expressive art is a bold, no holds barred, exciting party with your intuition. Those gut feelings we ignore so often. It is a time to create without worrying about the end product, to just follow your feelings and impulses. It is easier, and harder, than you might think. It is returning to the emotions you felt as a child when creation was natural and a daily occurrence. It is abandoning the critic that lives in our heads and feeling free.

Come and try it out, you will amazed at the change in your heart. Classes coming in Oct.