Six Breaths Retreat!

Lovely friends, I am going to an art retreat! I am so so so excited and blissed out about it. It's been awhile since I've taken time away for myself and my creative heart. It will be a really unique experience working with two completely opposite teachers on a farm in a tranquil setting, along with daily yoga and fresh local food. Heaven. Here's a peek at the instructors:

DANIELLE DONALDSON – whimsical, feminine

BLU SMITH  – bold abstract

 
It's happening June 12 – 14 at Sleeping Dog Farm in Victoria BC (Canada) and I'll be posting and tagging on Instagram as I go with #sixbreaths2015. Follow along to see all the goodness and fun that comes from it! And if you have any super recommendations of inspiring things to do while in Victoria please leave me a comment below or email me at ginger at redpearcreative dot com.

The retreat is hosted by Poppet Art Studio, a Victoria based creative studio run by the talented artist Andrea Soos, with lots and lots of classes for everyone. Check it out!

xo Ginger

Taking the time to retreat

Last month I spent a rejuvenating few days on a retreat with a close friend and professional ally. We turned over strategies and desires for the coming year—for our businesses and our personal lives. We talked about simplicity and minimalism, spacious days, feeling like sexy goddesses, parenting, finances, growth, marketing, brand… all the pieces of being artists, entrepreneurs and more.

To kick the retreat off we found ourselves at my favourite restaurant and found ourselves mesmerized by a gorgeous belly dance performance. 

 

We wandered the Granville Island markets and indulged in one of our favourite paper goods boutiques (of course I fantasized about getting my art products in stock there!).  

 

We did yoga, drank green smoothies, walked, read, wrote. I bought new running shoes and started my fifteen-minute runs ritual back up. 

We zentangle doodled, laughed, cried, cranked up the tunes. It was a memorable weekend. It was about friendship, business and all the pieces in between. And it was an important part of how I want to work and live. 

I’m grateful we took the time to retreat.

 
 

In Flow

Happy New Year friends. I'm a believer in documenting our journeys. Over the holidays my creative journey was in full swing – I was in flow. You know that magical amazing state of focus and fluidity. I'm sharing some shots...

 

xo

Solo Retreat

[ harmony, winter, surfacing — solo retreat 2013 ]

I've been doubting who I am lately. Feeling stuck in fear, and holding back. After a challenging stretch I decided to embark on a 3 day intensive solo retreat (thank you generous husband for making the space for me to do this). I didn't find all the answers, but I (re) learned that everything I need is within me. I journaled, read, and spent most of my time in the studio. I practiced following my art curiosities to see where they would take me, and worked on letting go of the rules and dialogues that keep me working only in the safe zone.

Here is some of the creativity that tumbled and bumped and poured out of me. I'm fragile, but my heart is open.

[ birds & harmony — solo retreat 2013 ] 

[ pair of birds — solo retreat 2013 ] 

[ winter – solo retreat 2013 ] 

[ surfacing - solo retreat 2013 ]

[ treasure boxes, crackle paint experiment — solo retreat 2013 ]

[ typpography paper experiment, using words from my bio ]

[ geli print-making experiment, using only found materials from around the house and my own hand-carved stamps to create textures ]

[ considering sketches from throughout the year, and pairing with backgrounds already in progress or making new backgrounds ]

[ using up my in-progress backgrounds – making room for fresh starts! ]

[ this is the card I drew on the first eve of my solo retreat. the universe answered my call ]

Fixated on the need to have something to show for our labors, we often deny our curiosities. Every time we do this, we are blocked.
—Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

with love,

p.s. New series Evolving Art starting soon – I'll share pictures of the evolution of paintings from beginning to end. These new pieces will be the first ones shown. I hope you'll come back to see.

Camping + Sketching + Carving

Camping at the lake has proven to be a favourite creative setting. Nature has a way of calming and igniting me at the same time. I sketched and carved my heart out. So many beautiful shapes and lines emerged. I'm simply in love with carving stamps.

 

xo