Archetypes in Arizona
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 01:49PM 
This is a drawing of my Teacher/Guide archetype -- heading off with mouth aflapping, riding down the path on a strange magical beast, covered with tattoos of vines, hoping to bear fruit. It was one of the workshop exercises -- the challenge of using an unfamiliar media or one that isn't in one's comfort zone. I had a great time just using black ink and wash, and think I should do more of this! Wonder how it would look printed on fabric?
Monday I facilitated a workshop (the first of two days) -- Calling all Archetypes -- in Green Valley, Arizona. Organized by my friend and sister ACN artist Susan Ettl, six of us took a path guided by exercises adapted from Julia Cameron, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Caroline Myss. Taking their written and meditative processes into visual form -- collage, drawings, cutout and art quilts, we explored the inner facets that drive our doing, organize our days, stop us in our tracks -- and with luck, keep us on our paths. Coincidentally, the goddess figures on Chris' table were by Austin artist Sharon Smith.
This is an on-the-road adaptation of the workshop I've hosted at El Cielo a couple of times -- and made me realize how much I depend on the safety of my own studio space for work such as this. Yes, it's going well. Thanks to the generous spirits and open heartedness of the five women who are on the journey. But my inner critic was pretty loud and demanding, judging and whining about what I'd forgotten, what was clunky, what went too slow, too fast, tootoo,
Reader Comments (3)
Wow! Love the drawing! Yes, you should do much more of this. It is beautiful and wonderful and engaging and magical. You tell that critic to go fly a kite! That's what you would tell me. The photo of the bowl of goddess figures...I want to know more. Where can I get some of these?
Jennifer
Sharon Smith. Her web-site is:
http://home.grandecom.net/~isabel21/about.htm