PROCESSING

Every now and then the phrase "upside down and backwards" pops into my head, a phrase I repeated over and over as I loaded copy paper, one page at a time, into an old Xerox machine to make sure the second side was printed in the right direction. That was probably about forty years ago and I don't even remember who I was working for! Yet the words still surface. Over the years I think I have come to realize that "upside down and backwards" is how I often process things. While people in my earlier life may have made me feel that was a bad thing, I have come to appreciate the sometimes quirky way I think. That is, after all, creativity! When processing big, serious, heavy subjects, it really kicks in. I don't do well with heated arguments and quick responses. Tone says so much and I often don't like it! I like to take my time before I give my opinion. If you hear me saying "I don't know" I am not avoiding the conversation. I am most likely deeply immersed in the process of processing and don't want to give an answer with which I am unsure! I need silence and space. I so respect slow, deliberate thinkers. I like to consider the big, big, biggest perspective first before I go into details. And I like details! And if I have the chance to process without words, I am in! Since childhood, my art has always been about processing without words. It still is.

I think that is why I am so drawn to the Eco-Art Wellness model. The idea is that you have the opportunity to explore a subject first without words, using art and nature to gently yet powerfully tap into your own spirit and intuition. If that is "upside down and backwards", I am in!

The images above show how I am processing my interpretation of what Peace looks like in preparation for a new Eco-Art Wellness Mandala workshop I am calling "Expanding Peace". I love the evolution and clarity that is coming together! It is big picture. It is about what we all carry. It is about what we all might need to keep Peace.

For those of you wanting to process Peace in a creative, gentle, respectful way using intuition, art, and nature, consider this Wednesday's Eco-Art Wellness Mandala workshop at Blithewold Mansion and Arboretum in Bristol, Rhode Island. This workshop is NOT a political debate! It is about the big picture - considering what you and I and perhaps everyone on earth needs for Peace.

A few spots are still available. Register here. Or find links to all my current, public Eco-Art Wellness workshops here.