Taking Time to Listen, New Newsletter and Current Workshop Dates .....

Zen teacher Susuki Roshi said, “We don’t need to learn how to let go. We need to recognize what’s already gone.” We tell stories so we can recognize what is gone. It takes time. My friends listen patiently. ~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Taking Time to Listen

It has been a while since I put out my last newsletter, which was in February.
I had decided to spend the month of March in artistic seclusion, and I have to say it was, for the most part, full of many joyous moments in solitude and creativity.  I must admit that I do relish my time alone.  I do realize that my happiness rests in having time to be quiet, time to really listen to that deeper place of knowing and in being alone.
That doesn't mean that I do not also enjoy finding balance in my life, by welcoming time with friends and family. So it was fantastic to begin again offering studio share times with warm and loving creative friends.  I have thoroughly enjoyed offering studio share over the last year, and in reflecting on this offering, I have found it has brought me tremendous joy over the last year, bringing companionship and creativity time with others, where I grow often...I have loved seeing creativity take part in many of these individual's lives.  Where it has filled them with joy, healing and direction.

I have also begun an Insight meditation program with Jill Davey, at her beautiful yurt in Fergus, and it has brought ebbs and flow of many more emotions. Questions and ponderings about life, some of which I am only getting to hear, they are like soft whispers, and I definitely do not have the answers, that may come, who knows.....  It is amazing how long it takes to just slow down enough to really hear our deeper self, our deeper knowing.  It has been four weeks and I still feel like I am on the edge of a beginning.  It is funny, as I know it is all about beginnings, and I also know when I do cross the threshold, it will change yet again...and I will still be at another beginning, and still won't know the answers to these questions that would have surfaced...So instead, I am working at understanding and really trying to just live in this current moment and time.  I am grateful for her sharing and teachings.
Life is truly too short to not stop and listen to this very moment.
 To really feel alive I need to hear what my heart is calling me to recognize, my own story; sometimes that means taking roads that might not always be easy.

I am setting this intention, to live in the moment, recognizing our stories, yours and mine, and heart's calling.  With much love and gratitude for stopping to hear and read my stories, and honouring my sharing, this bit at this moment with you.  In creativity and love, Supria!

Creativity Retreats at Supria’s Designs Studio

Encaustic Mixed Media and Altered Book Workshops

Day long or 3 – day summer retreat format

What is encaustic?

The word “encaustic” comes from the Greek, meaning “to burn in". 
Encaustic painting is the art of painting with pigmented, molten wax. In encaustic painting, a medium is created from a mixture of waxes and resins, melted and pigmented with oil paints.   Each layer of encaustic is fused with a heat source.

CLASS TOPICS & TECHNIQUES:

The Encaustic ‘Beginner’s’ (Level 1) is an introduction to encaustic, basic fusing techniques, safety issues, use of collage materials.   Sat. June 4th, 10 - 4 in Fergus

The Encaustic ‘Beyond Collage’ (Level 2) will cover the use of photocopy image transfers (black and white & colour), rub-ons, charcoal, oil & wax pastels, using metal leaf, use of oil sticks and hot tools.  Sat. May 7th 10-4 in Toronto OR Sat. June 25th, 10-4 in Fergus

The Encaustic ‘Texture Galore’ (Level 3) will cover masking off areas, building raised areas with encaustics, building texture using dry brushing, stencils, use of stamps, adding a crack technique, dry wall plaster, and other found objects.  Sat. May 14th, 10-4 in Fergus OR Sat. June 18th, 10- 4 in Fergus

The Encaustic ‘Pushing the boundaries’ (Level 4) will cover using alcohol inks, water colour, Indian inks, mica, glass and textiles and using drywall plaster into encaustics.  Sunday May 29th, 10- 4 in Fergus Or Sun. June 26th, 10- 4 in Fergus.

The Encaustic ‘Mono Printing’ (Level 5) will explore creating mono prints with encaustic medium on various Japanese papers, using a hot-box and then adding these mono-prints on wooden substrates to complete a two dimensional piece or to incorporate the encaustic papers into a book.  Mono-printing kit available for sale: includes an anodized aluminum plate (19 x 10 inches)& bamboo baren. Sun. June 12th, 10 - 4 in Fergus. 

The Encaustic ‘Wax Book’ - Beyond the Cover – beeswax meets mica in an altered book assemblage encaustic summer intensive play shop, a 3-day retreat in July. Register before April 30^th for savings.  

Session 1: Thurs. July 21st, 2 p.m. to Sunday July 24th, Noon

Session 2: Monday July 25th, 2 pm. to Thurs. July 28th, Noon

For more information on dates, cost and locations, or for a complete brochure to be mailed to you

E-mail: info@supriasdesigns.com
 or visit: www.supriasdesigns.com

"Poetic Whimsy", Encaustic Mixed Media, 18 x 34, 2011

"Challenge and Novelty are Key Elements to Happiness".....from the Happiness Project...

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.” 

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Months ago I saw a book on the shelves at Chapters that made me initially go....hmmm....interesting...I didn't pick it up...I hesitated....for a few reasons, but it did arouse my interest.  A few months later, when I was back at Chapters, it still caught my eye and heart,  so I decided I would pick it up this time and give it a shot......as I read the initial pages, I thought this might be an interesting challenge.   The book is "The Happiness Project", by Gretchen Rubin....I hadn't heard from anyone else that they were reading this book yet, even though it has been out since 2009 and has become a #1 International Best Seller...

http://www.happiness-project.com/

Since, I began reading it...and I have to admit I am LOVING IT...I have casually mentioned the book to a few people and a couple have said enthusiastically, "Yeah, I am reading that too..." and another has just sort of looked at me wondering what it might all be about...

Somehow, seeking 'happiness' can conjure up visions of being an unhappy person, but on the contrary...I think for me it is about as Gretchen said, getting to be  'happier'... to spending life with mindful attention on being as happy as you can be in every moment of your life...and by conscientiously thinking about it, acting happier, being happier, and in turn creating a happier atmosphere in your life and in turn impacting the lives of those in your circle.

Some of the nuggets that I am getting from the book at this moment, are:

"Challenge and novelty are key elements to happiness"....It reminds me to embrace challenging times; Gretchen writes "One reason that challenge brings happiness is that it allows you to expand your self-definition.  You become larger.  Suddenly you can do yoga or make homemade beer or speak a decent amount of Spanish.  Research shows that the more elements make up your identity, the less threatening it is when any one element is threatened.  Losing your job might be a blow to your self-esteem, but the fact that you lead your local alumni association gives you a comforting source of self-respect.  Also, a new identity brings you into contact with new people and new experiences, which are also powerful sources of happiness." pg. 78 March: Aim Higher

This resonated for me as a truth in my adulthood knowing...Recently I have embarked on Insight Meditation with Jill Davey,  this has been a challenge to myself, allowed me to stretch.  It has been a good thing for me, not only do I get to learn something new, I have been growing into being more insightful, mindful in my day to day moments of living, it has given me the opportunity to find a new circle of friends/community....it is evolving anyway...

Also, of significance to me, was when I read, "Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort.  It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.".....hmmmm....

But doing it anyway, challenging ourselves anyway for me is important...trying it even if it means failure...

Some of the ways I have chosen to expand the elements of my self-identity are: 

to reunite with some old friends, one from High School, another from my working days at Peel Health, and to spend time with them, or to nurture the reconnection...to maintain current friendships, and family times, going with my mum to "Canada Blooms" and spending time with her in something she loves, the gardening world, learning more about gardening myself, ....to try something new and challenging, like meditating..and working larger in my artistic practice...Working larger has been physically challenging and emotionally so too....but it created such joy for me when I completed the first large piece (for me anyway), called "Enigma" 38 x 38 (below)...and I am happy to report it felt or resonated joy for someone else too and it sold last week at my new art exhibit at Arts On King, in Toronto.....  Next, I am thinking I might enrol in taking some Italian language classes...as I really want to go to Italy for an artistic retreat.....

"Enigma", Encaustic Mixed Media, 38 x 38, 2011 

Greten's happiness formula is, "being happier requires you to thinking about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth.

To feel happy, it’s not enough to have fun with your friends, and not feel guilty about yelling all the time, and feel like you’re working in the right job; you also need to feel growth—a sense of learning, of betterment, of advancement, of contributing to the growth of others. " 

Opening reception at Figment, Flight and Fancy, brought many gifts.....

Rita Vindedzis and I at Figment, Flight & Fancy, Arts on King, Toronto

Back in 2008 I met Rita via the online world, first through Visual Arts Ontario business and then through the Inner Works collaborative , a round robin altered book project.  This project was a great meeting of creative hearts, three artists from the United States and three from Canada...Seth Apter (New York, Mixed Media artist),  Jill Zaheer (Mixed Media artist from New York also), Roxanne Evans - Stout ( Artist, writer and teacher from Oregon), Veronica Funk (Artist from Alberta), Rita Vindedzis (Artist from Toronto) and myself.  We all met online and embarked on a year long round robin altered book project...the process was delightful, the outcome of each page by each artist in our books was magnificent..to see a review of the year long project visit:  http://innerworkscollaborative.blogspot.com/.  I still treasure my book and Rita's pages in my book were delightful, they were full of texture, I could enjoy with my fingertips as Helen Keller would have.

To finally meet Rita after so long, in person, was such a gift...Thank you Rita for your visit ....Rita will be showing a new series of work in June at Arts on King herself.  Rita's work can also be visited online .  She has been represented by Arts on King and Arts on Queen for a long time now.

Here are some photos of my show,  Figment, Flight & Fancy,  an exhibit of encaustic works, which is still up for the rest of April..so if you didn't get out to see the show yet,...there is still a couple of weeks to view the works.  These two images are courtesy of Debra MacMillian, a dear friend of mine, from those lovely highschool days. Thanks Debra.

Studio Share Bliss....

"New Moon Offerings", Encaustic Mixed Media,  18 x 18 Framed

 "Nest Song", 6 x 6, Encaustic Mixed Media

Last week I shared a glorious day with friends, other fabulously creative womyn in the studio...

It started with a heart to heart connection over coffee with a dear friend and then a day long creative day in the studio with five other womyn....

Days like this feel full and magical, for all sorts of reasons...

As I reflect on the day together, the main reasons this was a truly blessed day, is because I am reminded that in these womyn friendships, there are layers of complexities....richness, and sometimes even challenges...however, when we embrace each other with our truth, genuine love, care and compassion,  magic is created with each other...this is what I feel in the presence of these wonderful womyn friends.  We share in each other our gifts of self and wisdom, we laugh, create, and commiserate
when needed ...
I am reminded that though I love my 'alone' time, I do find perspective and understanding about life in companionship with others...and my womyn friends are the best.....

Thank you for sharing the space with me...and sharing creativity and joy.....