Dear Creative Friends,

Do you listen to your art? One of the greatest gifts and benefits of intermodal expressive arts is the wisdom, expanding awareness, and healing that comes as a result of deep listening through the arts process. Moving from one modality to another is like opening up new channels of communication within ourselves that connect us to deeper knowing. We approach image making of all kinds with a sense of wonder as we move through different modalities to follow a pathway toward something new that is not quite yet known to us but might be calling. Creating images of all kinds gives us the exciting and often surprising insight we have been waiting for or needing. 

When we work intermodally, we build interoceptive skills of listening within. We become witnesses to our own process, keenly aware of what is happening deep within us, and bring it forward through the arts to be expressed. We notice subtle responses to colors, movements, sounds, and words as we listen to what the next creative impulse invites us to do. Maybe we start with the breath, then notice a color and make marks, then follow that into movement, then more marks on the page, then move to the image, then words from the image and movement. All the while, we listen and notice what is emerging and we find ways to give it a voice through the various modalities. 

This week, I (Tamara) noticed a pathway emerging with images that have been arriving for a few months - maybe longer - and I am listening deeply to see where they are leading me. This type of listening requires trust and belief in the process because of course a part of me wants to know now what my art is trying to say. However, I have grown to understand that I really can trust the process and myself as I engage with the arts and hold space for the answers. In fact, I can take my questions to my process and it will help me understand if I just listen to my art. I notice in my images that they seem related. There are similar elements and they tell a story somehow. I do not know yet what it is, but I am listening. 

In our next two courses (EAFI 110 & EAFI 230)we will share the power of intermodal process for deep listening and inquiry. With so much uncertainty in life, it is amazing to have the tools that expressive arts offers to ask questions and get answers! After decades of doing this work, it is still surprising sometimes that it really works, but it does and we are so grateful to share it. 

Maybe you would like to try it. Gather some art supplies and find some space to move around. Think of something you are wondering about, something that is bothering you, or you are trying to figure out. Focus on it in your mind, then notice how it feels in your body. Breathe and notice how your body responds to the wondering or question. Allow your body to move in whatever way it wants to. When you feel ready, choose some colors and create a visual image. Notice within what words arrive or if you feel the colors and image in your body. Move to your image, or express sounds that match the image. Be with the question through your image and then write down any words that arrive as the image speaks to you. Allow the message to emerge from the process. 

If you would like to share and be witnessed, we invite you to do that in the private Facebook group. 

Thank you for your presence. We hope to see you soon in the circle. 

With immense gratitude,

Tamara, Kathleen, and the Expressive Arts Florida Team

We still have a few spots available in our EAFI 110 Dive Into Expressive Arts course! This course is an excellent starting point for your expressive arts journey. It is a core course for our certificate stduents, and we are also offering it as a stand alone workshop for anyone interested in learning more about expressive arts but are not sure you are ready for the whole program.

What are you working on? Come to our private FB group to be witnessed and share.  If you are not a member, just answer the qualifying questions and agree to the group rules, and we will welcome you.

There are two new in-person workshops coming up, and one of them is an introduction to Playback Theater!

Bring something you're already working on or start something new! We begin with a guided meditation, and then the time is yours for whatever creative work you choose. We come back together for the last half hour for witnessing and sharing. 

Allow yourself to be guided through an expressive arts process in this 1.5 hour live online workshop! Register at the link below.

Join us for in person open studio! Bring something you are working on or start something new! In open studio, we gather together in community and create whatever we feel called to create.

All Self-Study Courses contain detailed, yet approachable instructions, videos, and meditations facilitated by Kathleen & Tamara. The imagery and guidance from this work can assist you, whether dipping your toes into expressive arts or seeking a deeper connection. 

*All courses come with lifetime access so you can refer back to them at any time!

*No previous art experience is necessary!

Embracing the Wisdom of Nature

The wisdom and lessons of the natural world are everywhere, and we are a part of that world. Our creativity brings us into alignment with that natural wisdom. 

In this self-study workshop, you will engage with the natural world, contemplative inquiry, art-making, movement, writing, and reflection. 

No art or expressive arts experience is necessary!

Interested in several self-study courses? Our self-study bundle includes the following 4 courses at a discounted rate! 

 Save 20% by purchasing all 4. 

NEW!! 

We have 2 brand new workshops coming up! 

We hope you'll join us!

Playback Theater Workshop: Immerse Your Story

Thursday, April 11, 2024

5:00 - 8:00pm edt

In Person

Sarasota, FL

Learn the benefits of Playback Theater in this 3 hour workshop led by Olga Sanachina, accredited trainer of Playback Theater!

In this workshop, you will be introduced to Playback Theater as a tool of social, psychological, and theatrical work. You'll also learn by participating in 1-2 playback theater forms that can be utilized in a professional setting.

Soul-Tending: A SoulCollage® Afternoon Gathering

Friday, May 17, 2024

2:00-5:00pm edt

In Person

Sarasota, FL

Immerse yourself in an oasis of images and discover your intuition and insight! Join us for a grace-filled afternoon of card-making and card-reading in a small community of kindred spirits. Find your own creative calm as your energy magically shifts away from the chaos of your thinking brain, into alignment with the clarity of your Soul's Essence.

Join us for in person open studio! Bring something you are working on or start something new! In open studio, we gather together in community and create whatever we feel called to create.

Looking to start your expressive arts training? 

 Our Certificate Training Program in Intermodal Expressive Arts is IEATA (International Expressive Arts Therapy) compliant and provides you with the 200 training hours necessary to pursue professional registration in expressive arts. It is a hybrid model and admissions are on a rolling basis.

Our next start date is April 2, 2024

*If you are interested in applying for our program, please fill out the "Intent to Apply" form below.

CREATIVE WISDOM: Introductory Online Training in Expressive Arts 

This is an 8-week introductory training into the field of expressive arts and the pre-requisite for our Certificate Training Program. You will learn a basic overview of expressive arts, what it is, theories, approaches, applications etc and how to apply this work into your personal and professional life. Each lesson includes both informational and experiential process.