Creative Devotion: Art as a Practice of Offering

Fridays :: 11am PDT :: Six Weeks

April 12, 19, 26 + May 3, 10, 17

Live Online via Zoom (join from anywhere!)

Each class is 60-75 minutes long.

Recordings are available if you can't make it live.

Do you have a longing to immerse yourself in daily creative practice? Would you like to gather with others in a held creative container, to explore the nuance and beauty of creative practice + inspiration? Do you have a preexisting love of watercolors and want to bring them more into your life? Or do you have a longing to paint with them and rarely have? 

Do you seek to connect more deeply to a practice of offering and reciprocity with your guides and the world around you? Would you like to explore the expressive arts as a vehicle for offerings? Does it sound nourishing to focus devotional energy into your creative process, to deepen it, add meaning to it, and infuse it with intention?

Creative Devotion: Art as a Practice of Offering is a six week immersive creative container which celebrates the way that our creative practice can be a way of offering to the divine / the otherworld / our guides / ancestors / the earth / muses / ourselves / life itself. It is for experienced and beginning watercolor painters alike.

My approach to watercolors is one that is steeped in intuition, instinct and flow. When we paint, we tap into our subconscious and the realm of our soul. We are able to express through color, gesture and form what can't often be articulated through words. Painting is a voice of the Ancient Child within, who is a combination of our inner child and the eternal wisdom of our soul. And when we create while focusing our energy into a theme, such as this one, our work infuses with a deeper sense of purpose and mystery.

Creative Devotion will utilize the medium of watercolors, as well as some creative writing and intuitive movement. This class will also incorporate invitations to make physical offerings with earth materials inside/outside as part of the devotional practice of our explorations. I will also be incorporating music journeys as we paint, as well as live drumming from time to time as part of our painting mediations.

I love to weave community through these creative containers, as being in the creative field with others is a healing balm for the recent years of isolation and disconnection. Sharing space in creativity, even through Zoom, is a powerful way to tap into the archetypes and themes which weave through our lives. 

We will be meeting on Fridays, the day of Venus. Venus days are perfect days for tending to beauty and creative expression. We will be starting our container during the auspicious time of Navaratri, the nine nights of the Divine Mother in the Vedic tradition. Our container will also bring us through the Beltane portal, a time of fertility and devotional richness.

This class is for you if:

*You want to immerse in daily creative practice

*You want to connect/reconnect with watercolors or other art materials

*You want to be a part of a collective field of inspiration

*You want to explore the expressive arts and connect with your creative essence

*You want to invite the energy of Devotion, Connection, Offerings, Generosity, Presence + Magic into your life

*You want to connect with your inner child, the Ancient Child, curiosity, play and expression 

*You want to deepen your connection to that which guides you and evokes devotion from your heart 

Materials Needed (not included in class fee):

a set of watercolors 

a paintbrush (my go-to is a size 2 round watercolor brush - I love working in detail - and it can be nice to have a larger size, like 4, 8 or 10, to paint with bigger, wetter strokes)

a journal with paper that can accept watercolor (doesn't have to be watercolor paper per se) or sheets of watercolor paper if you don't want to use a journal

a pencil or pen

(specific brand suggestions available upon request) 

Class Includes:

*Six live Zoom meetings, 60-75 minutes each

*Group Telegram Thread for sharing your creations and connecting with other participants, asking questions etc.

*Weekly Inspiration Guides to enhance and inspire your creative expression with weekly themes and practices (via email)

*The endless creative potential of the creative field that will be held for the duration of our time together

*Two Bonus Videos! The Basics of Intuitive Painting with Watercolors (52 minutes) and Reflections on the Inner Critic + Creative Stream (29 minutes) which will be emailed to you within 24 hours of registering for this class. This way, if you like, you can even begin to explore some of the ways I share watercolor practice before we begin our container!

A few days before class starts, I will send out a preparation email with details about our first lesson. I will send out the Zoom link to our class the evening before our first class begins.

Recordings will be sent out after class ends on each Friday. Recordings will be live for 4 weeks so you have plenty of time to revisit them.

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Disclaimer: Please note that this class provides a fun and intuitive space for the exploration of art and creativity. Melissa is an artist and lover of sharing the joy of creativity. This class is not a substitute for professional therapeutic council. Please consult a Professional Therapist or Art Therapist for any such support. Also, all rights are reserved, and no portion of this course may be reproduced without express written consent of Melissa.

Due to the digital nature of this product, there are no refunds. All sales are final.