The Secret Language of Churches and Cathedrals
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“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it bearing within him the image of a Cathedral.”
- Antoine St. Exupery
I had the good fortune this year to spend Christmas in the Catholic center of Lisbon. The celebration of Christ’s birth, and the ancient rituals, stories, and traditions are different over there. I am not a particularly religious person. I was raised Episcopalian and studied in Shaker, Methodist, and Roman Catholic institutions of higher learning but as with the artworks I see in museums and galleries, I often feel I am missing out on the deeper meanings, the hidden undercurrents of the dialogue that went into the creation of these great churches and cathedrals.
I cannot help but feel a sense of awe when I enter a grand church or cathedral – particularly a Gothic one. The vast spaces and the height of the buildings draw you upwards so that even if you don’t believe in God, you are made aware of something much greater than you.
Nowadays, we visit places of worship as tourists interested solely in their value as magnificent works of architecture and repositories of painting and sculpture. Yet I am touched emotionally by these buildings in a way I would like to understand more fully.
Over time the exteriors and interiors of churches have changed as the needs and practices of the clergy and parishioners have changed. The paintings, frescoes, statuary, and stained glass initially created to educate early Christian spiritual practitioners now provide subsequent generations with a treasure trove of beauty and sublime art. What remains reveals the deliberate thought and design of the Catholic interior life and the Catholic way of seeing the world.
My religious education and my courses in Art History did not prepare me to understand the history, purpose, and significance of each detail of church architecture, furnishings, locations, and placements. So I hope my curiosity will help us both to know more and better appreciate our visits to these beautiful sacred buildings.
To the largely illiterate medieval congregations, the symbols and icons of churches and cathedrals encoded familiar teachings, stories, and meanings from the bible. For worshippers, these were places of religious education and an awe-inspiring visual feast that satisfied both the senses and the soul. Every element of a great cathedral was built to teach parishioners about God and to draw them even deeper into the worship of Him. Each physical element has both a practical and a theological purpose.
It will be impossible to cover all of the aspects of meaning in the structure, the faith, and the history of catholicism in one article. It is another conversation altogether to consider the morality of the church in its actions over history. Today, I am going to give you a few pointers to notice in your tour of these structures in the hope that you will be able to interpret the holy buildings you visit differently.
A church refers to a building in which Christians practice their religion. A cathedral is a church that serves as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. “The Church” is the body of Christians who worship together and it describes a group of people, a community as much as it does the place of worship itself.
The medieval mind saw everything as interrelated; it knew how parts and wholes relate. For all Christian traditions, the church building is the container for the holy spirit. The image and the church are the same. Mary housed Jesus in her womb, Mary is the personification of the Church. She was filled with grace by God, The church buildings are in the same way imbued with the holy spirit.
Let’s begin by looking for meaning from the outside in:
Looking up to God:
Steeples, spires, and domes advertise the church's presence reminding the faithful of where they should worship and their religious obligations.
In early times the church was usually the largest and its steeple was the tallest structure in the land. The large building cast the shadow of the church over the entire community. The shadow is one of protection, watching over the citizens, advertising the city's wealth, and its engineering prowess. The height and number of a city’s towers were a measure of its holiness, wealth, and strength, both morally and by implication, militarily.
A dome represents the vault of heaven coming down to earth. Spires are aspirational structures that draw our attention toward the heavens and so to God. Spires and towers can also carry symbolic elements such as a cross, a weathervane (God’s presence in all directions), or a clock. Another function is to contain bells to announce the times of service, celebrations, and personal or civic occasions of importance.
Doors:
The doors to a church are not just a physical entrance they also function spiritually as a part of the path toward redemption. The facade is a form of screen in front of the church and it prepares the worshipper for the message of the bible that will be experienced within. Bronze doors were favored for the impression of wealth and splendor.
Sculptural decorations vary in complexity, but regularly tell us about the church and especially its dedication as well as also hinting at the internal layout.
Facades frequently include images of the Last Judgment in which the faithful are shown entering the gates of paradise. A reminder not only to enter the church but to lead a righteous life when not there.
Some buildings have a transitional space between the secular world where business contracts could be made in the sight of God, notices given, and where the visual space is compressed before opening out into the light of God’s truth inside the building.
Walls and Windows:
A church interior can vary from intimate to overwhelming, from subdued to exuberant, and from dark into light. Each in its own way is a different expression of holiness and spirituality.
The purpose of walls is to enclose the church and support the roof. Early churches had thick walls. There is an inverse relationship between windows and walls. The larger the windows the smaller the space that is left between them. In early churches, windows tended to be small. One of the functions of the windows was to admit light to allow the congregation to see what was depicted on the walls.
By the thirteenth century, the development of flying buttresses meant that the walls gradually dissolved from Gothic churches and some, from the inside at least, appeared to be almost entirely constructed of glass, filling the interior with an astonishing richness of color as well as transforming the atmosphere.
Stained glass can also be used to tell stories and convey messages. The windows in churches were not designed for the view beyond. They do not inspire us to look out onto the world but to look in on ourselves, and light the walls they surround us with God’s message.
Light:
Jesus is called “The Light of the World”. One reason for the inclusion of gold leaf on icons and altarpieces was to reflect the light from the candles with which churches were illuminated. It makes the churches brighter but also plays on the symbolism as if heaven is aglow and the light of God is shining out of the paintings to enlighten the congregation. In much the same way the light streaming through stained glass windows helps the congregants to be enlightened by the messages the windows contain.
Splendor:
A golden altar expresses the splendor of heaven. Church altars are extravagantly glorious and take the viewer far beyond our mundane existence. The lavish application of gold leaf and brilliant illumination excite both the body and soul with a visual exuberance designed to raise the spirits and inspire confidence in the truth the Church was expounding.
I visited the church of Sao Francisco in Porto and was amazed to learn that over 300 kilos of gold were turned into the gold leaf that adorns every altar and corner of this fabulous church.
Stained Glass:
In the same way that Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Light of the World, and yet remains a virgin, light can pass through glass without altering the glass. When the glass is colored the symbolism deepens the light takes on the same color as the glass just as God had passed through Mary and took on her nature, humanity in the form of Jesus.
The technique of stained glass developed slowly. Small sections of different colored glass are held together with strips of lead, which give the familiar bold black outlines
Tracery:
As stained glass evolved so did the windows which contained it. Early churches tended to have single apertures whereas Gothic architecture allowed ever more complex forms. As the walls were pierced by ever larger holes a thin stone framework known as the tracery was inserted to hold the glass and to create patterns within the apertures.
Beneath Your Feet:
Even if the floor is not the first part of the church you will notice it frequently includes elements of relevance. The dead have long been buried in churches and so the floor often includes tomb markers or slabs which could be lifted to allow access to burial vaults beneath the church. A church floor might include inlaid depictions of stories from the Bible and elaborate geometric patterns for processions that were part of early services.
In Memoriam:
Tomb monuments have three purposes. Mark a place of burial, or commemoration. To act as a reminder of the deceased person and to remind us of our death and the ensuing eternity in heaven or hell after the Day of Judgment, thus encouraging us to lead a good and holy life.
The sense of the floor as a ground plan of the universe gives rise to the more metaphorical forms of mapping including a maze or labyrinth as at Chartres. The maze represents the twisting, turning journey through life with God at its center and is often done by Christians on their knees as an act of penance.
Vaults:
Like domes ceilings can represent the vault of heaven. The main weight of a vaulted stone ceiling is supported by ribs, which act in the same way that arches can support areas of the wall. Where diagonal ribs meet there is a boss, which is the structural equivalent of a keystone in an arch and it supports the ribs leaning against it.
Types of vaults are barrel, groin, rib, and fan. Byzantine engineers developed a system of brick vaulting using what were effectively hollow cylindrical tiles. Hollow meant lighter, thus reducing the load on the walls and allowing it to be covered in mosaic.
Sometimes the vaults are painted blue and decorated with gold stars. It is unusual for them to be flat or undecorated.
Nave:
The central passage of the church is called the nave. The word nave comes from the Latin navis, meaning ship, reminding us that the congregation is on a journey through life, during which the Church will protect and guide them in the same way that a ship protects its passengers on the stormy seas. Maritime associations run deep in Christianity. Jesus carried out much of his teaching around the Sea of Galilee and several apostles were fishermen.
Division of Space:
The most obvious way to divide the space in the church was with screens. Screens separate the chancel (sacred area) from the nave. Screens also separate various side chapels around the edge of the church. These chapels were often dedicated to specific saints or reserved for private devotion and were frequently separate from the nave.
Crypts:
The idea of having a crypt under a church derives from the practice of making holy sites by building churches on top of them. The body of a revered saint or their important relics were placed in a shrine in the crypt directly underneath the altar thus making the altar a holy site that had not previously existed. At the east end of the nave, there are often central steps going up to the pulpit and going down on either side into the crypt.
Like catacombs, crypts were deemed suitable as burial places because they were at a lower level. However, people came to favor entombment in a crypt because they liked to be buried near the bodies of saints. Since the saints were already in God’s presence they put the newly deceased closer to God.
Seating:
The elaborate patterning of the floors suggests that in early churches there would not have been any form of permanent seating. Congregants would process throughout the church and sit on the floor or benches against the wall.
After the Reformation pews for the congregation became standard. The new emphasis on the spoken word rather than ritual, most notably the semon, meant that seating would aid concentration. Pews were often boxed off and allocated to families according to their status and with the highest status closest to the pulpit. Rent was often charged on the box pews and because each pew belonged to a specific family it was possible to tell if anyone was not in church.
The Word of God:
Preaching is fundamental to Christianity. It was the basis of Jesus’ practice.
Pulpit: the sermon is preached from the pulpit, which is raised to provide the congregation with a better view. In a large church, the pulpit may be located halfway down the nave enabling more of the congregation to hear the preacher. Notice the symbolic figures echoing the importance of the words in this Pulpit in Notre Dame.
Lectern: a standing desk on which the bible is placed. Lecterns often include an eagle, the symbol of John the Evangelist whose gospel opens with an overt reference to Jesus and the Word of God. Lecterns are generally located near the altar and are commonly used in smaller gatherings.
Closer to God:
Access to the “holiest of holies” is limited in many religions, and the altar in a church has often been restricted to the priesthood or church elders. The sanctuary - the holy area around the altar is within the chancel or the presbytery; an area restricted behind a screen or lattice.
If the nave represents Earth, the chancel is an image of heaven and as such tends to be elaborate allowing a symbolic glimpse of heaven during our earthly existence. The sanctity of the chancel means that is physically higher and more frequently gilded and highly decorated.
The Basilica of Notre Dame in Montreal has a chancel made of wood closest to the ground and level by level rises, becoming lighter and more detailed and more gilded as it approaches the heavenly blue ceiling apse.
Inside the Chancel are the Sedilia - seats for the priest, the deacon, and the sub-deacon to use during mass and the Choir stalls - the choir would sit in the chancel and sing the services.
Sacred Music - singing has formed part of the tradition of Christian worship from the earliest days. Music is valued because it can so clearly express human emotion and also because the sung voice can communicate more clearly and easily than the spoken voice in certain acoustics. Most churches include an elaborate organ - usually close to the choir
Altar - Roman Catholic Churches have significantly more features than most other churches. Sometimes the altar is given greater prominence by being enclosed with a canopy of ciborium. For Roman Catholics the sacrificial nature of the mass is highly important, hence the term altar. To this day every Roman Catholic Altar is supposed to contain the relic of a saint.
(In Protestant churches where the sacrament is celebrated as holy communion or the Lord’s Supper, it takes place on a communion table, which may resemble any other table.)
The Host: Roman Catholics believe that the consecrated host (The bread or wafer used during the mass) is the actual body of Christ (Corpus Christi) and because this is often kept in the church or reserved even when there is no mass in progress, the faithful cross themselves with holy water and genuflect or kneel as signs of respect on entering the physical presence of God. The host is often reserved in a tabernacle or Monstrance on the High Altar with candles lit to emphasize its presence.
The Wine representing the blood of Christ is served in a chalice and the host is served on a plate called a Paten. Both are washed in a special basin called a piscina at the end of each service.
Displayed near the altar will be a Processional Cross - A cross is regularly carried in procession in front of the priest as well as a
censer - incense burner
Both Protestants and Roman Catholics share the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. While Protestants sometimes practice penance the practice of confession is Roman Catholic. Confessionals include an enclosed space for the priest and a more or less an external area on which the penitent kneels.
The Water of Life:
Font: Baptism represents entry into the life of the church. Purification of the soul and new beginning. Most baptismal fonts are located in a separate building or adjoining the main church as recent converts were not supposed to enter the church until they had been baptized. With the development of infant baptism from the ninth century, the growth in baptism by sprinkling, and fonts became smaller and were moved inside. Appearance can vary, though most are circular or octagonal representing the 8th day, the day after the endless cycle of seven-day weeks reaches its conclusion with the day of judgment.
When entering a Roman Catholic church it is traditional to cross yourself with water that has been blessed and for this purpose, there are normally holy water stoups just inside the doors. The vessels used during mass were ritually washed and this was done in a piscina, effectively a small basin near the altar.
Different Devotions:
The features thus far have been common to most Christian churches but by no means all.
Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends) are Christians but they do not believe in any sacraments or rituals, nor do they have any clergy because all people are considered equal and any person in a Quaker meeting can be moved to minister by the holy spirit. As a result, a Friends’ meeting house is a simple, calm, and uncluttered space with no signs of faith.
The Stations of the Cross. This phenomenon is a relatively recent one. In earlier times pilgrims would travel to the holy land to visit all of the places associated with Christ’s Passion. Gradually this journey took on a more set route with a specific number of sites to visit and became known as the Via Dolorosa or the Way of the Cross. By setting up symbolic references to each site, which can be paintings, sculptures, or simply crosses marked with a number inside a church, believers could make miniature pilgrimages as a sign of their devotion. The number and order of stations have varied over time and are now established as 14.
Jesus is condemned to death
Jesus is given the cross
Jesus falls for the first time
Jesus meets his mother
Simon of Cyrene is made to carry the Cross
Veronica wipes Jesus’s face
Jesus falls for the second time
He meets the women of Jerusalem
Jesus falls for the third time
Jesus is stripped of his garments
The Crucifixion
Jesus dies on the Cross
His body is taken down from the Cross
His body is laid out in the tomb
Veneration of Images:
Christianity is unlike the other two major monotheistic faiths, Judaism and Islam in that it has accepted visual representation in its places of worship. This is actually in contravention of the second commandment as recorded by Moses, which states “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything”. (Exodus 20:4)
The Roman Catholic Church has always justified the use of imagery, whether paintings, sculpture, or stained glass - because they can be understood even by the illiterate and are often described in church writings as “the Bible of the poor”. It was thought people would understand the stories far more clearly by seeing them than they would by listening to them being read. However, not all branches of Christianity agree with the use of visual representation and there has been more than one outbreak of iconoclasm (The destruction of images) notably in Byzantium and later as a result of the Protestant Reformation.
The church father John of Damascus argued: "God's taking on human form sanctified the human image, noting that the humanity of Christ formed an image of God; therefore, artists could use human images to depict the incarnate Word as well as human saints."[9]
It was important to the authors of the New Testament to show that Jesus was the awaited Messiah, whose coming was prophesied in the Old Testament. The stories told from the Old Testament in Christian churches are shown as a model for something in the New Testament. With even Adam and Eve giving us a start and Jesus and Mary giving us a second chance to get things right.
One God in Three Persons:
Christianity, like Judaism before it, is a monotheistic religion with one God. However, Christians believe that Jesus is not only the Messiah prophesied in Jewish scripture but also the son of God. According to a fundamental doctrine of Christianity, although there is one God he exists in three persons - the Holy Trinity - God is triune, God is the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. Generally, Jesus is shown as a bearded young man with a halo God as an older man with a beard, and the Holy Spirit is most often shown in the form of a dove flying over their heads.
Symbols for Jesus:
The Lamb, (the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29) The sheep became a model for the Christian soul in need of guidance and protection.
The Good Shepherd,
The Fish (The apostles Peter and Andrew were fishermen and the first two letters of Jesus' name spell out icthus, the Greek word for fish.)
The Vine: At the last supper Jesus took wine and gave it to the apostles saying “This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sin” (Matthew 26:28) The vine is like the Cross with Jesus, as the fruit of the vine hanging from it.
Chi/Ro The Chi Rho is a Christian symbol for “Christ” written by superimposing the two Greek letters “Chi (X)” and “Rho (P)” which are the first two letters in Greek of the name of “CHRist.” In the first hundred years of the faith, it was a secret sign for Christians to identify themselves to each other and was used in catacomb art from the c. 150’s through the 350’s AD.
Mary; Mother of God
The Virgin Mary, like Jesus, is depicted more often than God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Bible says relatively little about her other than that she came from Nazareth and was betrothed to Joseph. For Protestants, the little biblical evidence makes Mary worthy of respect but little more. Many Protestants consider the attitude of Roman and Orthodox Catholics toward Mary as tantamount to idolatry and images of the Virgin were particularly singled out for destruction during the Reformation.
Glorious images of the Virgin abound in every church and museum so I wanted to learn more about her story. To theologians, if Mary was accepted as the Mother of God then there would be double assurance that Jesus was God. It is as the Mother of God that Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics consider Mary to be due a higher form of reverence than the other saints. Being the Mother of God she is also seen as the mother of us all and is often depicted as the Madonna of Mercy protecting her people under her cloak.
Theologians realized that Mary had to have been free of sin even though this was not possible before the resurrection. Therefore she must have been cleansed of sin through a special dispensation of God, or was never sinful in the first place. Their metaphor was that Mary was like the beautiful glass windows where the light of God pours through leaving the glass clear, pure, and unchanged. Two particular concepts emerged from this idea. Mary was conceived with sin but was freed of it in her mother’s womb, and Mary was conceived without a stain or mark of sin, (The Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception). The doctrine of Immaculate Conception became church dogma, (meaning it is not open to question) Other ideas followed, If Mary was free of original sin, she would not have grown old and she should still be alive. Non-biblical texts tell us that initially Mary’s soul was taken up to heaven by Jesus and Mary, alive but with no soul, effectively went to sleep. When depicted this is called the Dormition of the Virgin, The apostles then decided to bury Mary’s body, which was subsequently carried up to heaven by the angels (The Assumption of the Virgin) where it was reunited with her soul before her coronation as the Queen of Heaven.
Prophets:
The Prophets are biblical in origin - all of them are contained in the Old Testament except John the Baptist who baptized people in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. There are four major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and twelve minor ones whose writings make up the last twelve books of the Old Testament. These characters are depicted in ways that emphasize their relevance to Christ and Christian belief. They can be identified by their appearance and the symbols or attributes which accompany them.
Saints:
The word saint means “holy”. It is understood that saints can intercede for both the living and the dead, thus prayers are offered to them and pilgrimages were and are undertaken to where their remains are housed. The early disciples were all considered saints as a result of their first-hand experience of Christ. Anyone dying as a result of their belief in God - a martyr - is considered to have immediately entered heaven and therefore automatically becomes a saint. The number of saints represented in religious art is enormous and they can be recognized either by their dress or by specific symbols or attributes which are associated with them. The number of saints is not fixed. The Church does not make saints it recognizes them.
Angels and Demons:
Angels and demons are god’s agents and messengers, existing in a state of grace. Unlike mankind, they were not subject to temptation and have not fallen. Lucifer said to be the most beautiful of the angels was the exception; because of his ambition, he was thrown out of heaven. Archangels are the prime messengers of God, and they are the most familiar. Only three have a definable character. St Michael is depicted vanquishing the devil and he chases Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. He also has a pair of scales to weigh souls at the last Judgment. Gabriel is God’s most important messenger. He is shown with a staff of office which in the Annunciation was transformed into a lily, as a sign of Mary’s purity. The third is Raphael, who is associated with healing. Raphael is usually depicted walking alongside Tobias, a man he healed, who is carrying a fish.
Devils, demons and gargoyles serve as reminders that the devil is everywhere, waiting to trip us up and tempt us to sin.
Sacred Geometry:
One of the aims of artists and architects was to re-create the perfection God intended and one way of doing this was through the perfection of geometry and the power of mathematics. Musical harmony is created by a certain combination of numbers. If a string on a musical instrument plays one note, a string of half the length will play the same note, but an octave higher. Architects loved to use these mathematical ratios to create a sense of harmony in their churches.
One of the most frequent harmonies was the number seven broken into 3 and 4 corresponding to the Holy Trinity and the Four Gospels, the seven days of the week, etc.
Pattern - represents the fundamental templates for life in this universe. Various geometric shapes, patterns, and proportions have been deemed sacred, thought to hold evidence of the divine creator of the universe as unity, balance, interconnection, prosperity, and eternity. Notice the many places where a pattern is used for its symbolic meaning.
The circle continues without break or angle so is considered to be perfect, and therefore a symbol of eternity and heaven. The circle can be used to represent Mary’s purity and unbroken virginity. The circle represents eternity and that death is endless.
Another common shape for baptisteries or the baptismal fonts is the octagon, An octagon represents the eighth day, the first day after the repeating cycle of seven; a day that will go on forever in heaven. It is also a transitional form between a square (earth) and a circle (eternity). If a circle represents heaven and the square represents earth, domes on square bases can be seen as images of heaven on earth.
I hope these insights will enhance your enjoyment of the churches you visit in your travels. I found it helpful to understand more about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Roman Catholic churches I visited last month. I hope you will also have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage where you can appreciate them with new eyes.
My mentorship, guidance, and advice are available to you for creating new possibilities for your art in 2024. I am happy to share my insights and my knowledge with you.
I welcome the opportunity for conversation, cooperation, collaboration, and commissions.
With Light and Delight
Susan
Nourish Your Soul and Feed Your Creativity
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The year-end holidays can leave me feeling uplifted and joyous or just as easily overwhelmed and burdened. If your life has been reminding you more of a frustrating battle that won’t end, one that has you pushing and pushing but gaining no traction, maybe it’s time to put down the fight for a minute—not in surrender, but in the knowledge that a brief retreat will bring you back with more strength and a wider perspective than when you left.
When you’re in the thick of battle and simply trying to survive each day, it can be hard to see the bigger picture, to breathe, to summon your strongest heart, and to remember what it is you are fighting for. You and I know the fatigue of a career, the exhaustion of raising children, the disappointment of daily life, the heartbreak of grief and loss. To persevere in the battle—to truly be warriors of courage and compassion—we have to retreat sometimes. Rest is not a luxury; it is essential to nourish your soul and feed your creativity.
A retreat is not a vacation.
A retreat is different from a vacation. Vacations can be just as stressful as your daily life. Vacations are often boozy, jam-packed itineraries that deplete your adrenals, liver, and your bank account. A retreat is an intentional getaway that allows you to immerse yourself in a new environment, dig deeper into your personal growth, detox, heal, and reflect. By stepping away from your familiar environment and going on a retreat, you can find much-needed clarity in your life.
Retreats have been around for thousands of years, but until recently, they were mostly designed to serve religious purposes — involving prayer, fasting, abstinence, and other religious modalities. However, in recent years, retreats have taken on many new forms covering everything from tribal and shamanistic rituals to luxurious resorts offering specialized diets, exercise, spas, and other wellness activities. These days, there is a retreat for pretty much everyone, and the list of options continues to grow.
You can create your own retreat or join a pre-planned program lasting anywhere from a day or weekend to a months-long journey. To create a mini-retreat at home find a spot that inspires you, bring coffee, and spend a bit of time observing your surroundings, noticing, and creating. There are parks and beaches around my city, and even my garden where I love to draw and paint. Your art retreat could be a lunch hour, it could be an afternoon on a weekend where you can sit and create. It could be a class you enroll in at a local university or an art club. The hardest part of an at home art retreat is giving myself the time, space, and permission to create. Knowing it takes 30-40 days to form a new habit, I think getting away for longer is better!
This month I returned from a weeklong retreat in Orlando of advanced meditation with Dr. Joe Dispenza (photo above) and 2,000 attendees which left me feeling uplifted, energized, inspired, hopeful, and happy. In October I attended Karen Knutson’s painting workshop with the Miami Watercolor Society. I regularly sign up for yoga retreats and art workshops to master new skills, make new friends, indulge my curiosity, and stretch myself outside my comfort zone. There are so many choices for where to go and what to experience that it can be stressful to choose. Here are a few of my thoughts on how to get the most from an Art Retreat.
Art Retreats and Workshops:
Art workshops are taught across the world, in every medium, by instructors ranging from relatively unknown artists to internationally acclaimed masters. Before you begin your search, determine what you want to learn and what you would like to experience. Be as specific as possible—it will help you avoid the trap of taking a workshop with someone simply because you like their art, or because a friend is also attending.
As a painter, art classes are where you learn about brushes, paints, mediums, and strokes, how to prepare your surface, how to paint, and how to take care of your tools. A workshop, on the other hand, is where you learn a particular artist's methods. Attending a workshop may help you further your talents and elevate your art, whether you're a novice or an established artist. The artist teaching the workshop assumes you come already knowing how to handle your medium.
Regardless of whether you want to travel abroad for a short-term workshop or commit to a recurring local class, choosing the right retreat has more to do with you than with the location or the teacher.
Benefits of Art Retreats/Workshops:
Flexible Time:
Creatives of all stripes hunger for time to immerse into their own projects, unfettered by the day’s distractions and obligations. We know the desire, but committing to shaping our own time at home or even in our own studios sometimes eludes the best of us. Finding the time to create art at home is a challenge for me and probably for you too. It’s amazing what can be created in 90 supported minutes versus three unsupported hours.
An art retreat is a great way to slow down and embrace the creative process. By leaving the hustle and bustle and stepping into a calm and quiet atmosphere, you can truly focus on your creativity and your relaxation. This is one of the main advantages of choosing a retreat as your next vacation, hands down. Taking the time to slow down, rest, forget about obligations, and observe the world around you replenishes your artistic energy tank. I promise you’ll find out things about yourself and improve your art skills in so many ways!
One of the things I look for in an art retreat/workshop is time and space to create in deep solitude and together. As much as I enjoy community, like most creatives I need to periodically withdraw from the group and retreat from active art-making. Flexibly designed time and safe space gives our minds permission to explore, take creative risks, and simply “collect data” when things don’t work out.
A healthy group retreat creates a flexible structure and a safe space for creatives to experiment together yet alone. We thrive in the safety of knowing we won’t be interrupted and our work will be seen and appreciated by people who understand what we are doing. When on retreat, you can permit yourself to lay on your back in the afternoon, daydream, read, saunter, wander on a path or in your mind. I think booking a few days at the end of a retreat is a great way to transition back to your responsibilities and daily life.
Perhaps you want to loosen up your style or learn a new medium or technique. Or maybe you want to try out plein air painting or sculpting in clay. Identifying what will help you most in your creative pursuits, before you begin looking for a retreat or a workshop, can be instrumental in narrowing down the vast art offerings out there. In other words, if a workshop doesn’t address your goals, don’t sign up
Location Matters:
While there are effective ways to tap into peace within our own homes and offices, nothing awakens our souls the way a new physical place does. In short, physical location matters. Aesthetics and ambiance have a way of stirring us to life again, giving us new eyes to see beauty. Plus, a new location often opens us up to new perspectives and ideas. When we shed our old walls for a bit, we often shed our old biases and limits, as well.
Two years ago I took myself on a weeklong retreat in St. Croix. Every morning I would start my day with yoga and meditation. Spending time outside under the huge trees connecting with nature made me aware of how rushed my life had become. I slept well, ate well, took time for painting and visiting galleries. I also went down to the beach, swam in the waves, collected rocks, took photos, and found inspiration in slowing down.
Beautiful locations offer peace, serenity, and space to create something new and meaningful. Nothing grounds the body and soul quite like nature! Nature settings are relaxing and rejuvenating. The air is clean and the pace is slower. Nature has a long list of physical, mental, and emotional benefits for the body. This includes reducing stress and cortisol levels as well as improving attention spans and clarity. Here’s a scientific study evidencing how nature affects mental and physical health.
From tropical rainforests to high deserts, picturesque villages, or rustic mountain destinations, most retreats are held in scenic nature areas. It is easier to be intentional away from your daily distractions. Picture yourself painting a field of lavender in a small village in Europe, or sitting under a swaying palm tree drawing the fishing boats and children playing in the turquoise surf. By giving yourself permission to pause, reflect, and work on your creativity you will learn new practices, make new friends, and gain clarity on what you want in your art and your life. Placing yourself amid natural beauty with time for nourishing reflection has a remarkable way of opening the heart and the mind.
Adventure/Exploration:
Workshops are a terrific place to break out of your habitual way of doing things, push yourself and explore new ideas. There is immense growth to be found in participating in the new, in that which ignites our hearts and invites us to step out in adventure and celebration of life. One of the great gifts of attending a retreat is getting reacquainted with your own wild and precious mind at work and renewing your vows to your muse. When you discover again how important your art is to your well being you can create lasting changes in the way you approach your work and your life. You might even be a better partner when you come home refreshed and recharged.
Connection/Friendship:
To me, the best part of an organized art retreat is connecting and making new friends. We do not retreat alone; we do so together, alongside open-hearted peers also seeking wisdom and vibrancy. It’s easy to find your tribe in an environment that attracts people with similar passions and interests. I really enjoy establishing stronger friendships, spending time together, and not feeling as alone in the artistic process. Better yet – sometimes older people in the group have already overcome similar challenges to mine, which can be super helpful. Even if the group isn’t facing the same challenges as me, we are often moving in the same direction with similar goals.
Retreats remind us that we aren’t alone. They provide us with the opportunity to bounce off ideas with other people and ultimately help us grow together. Many of these friendships last a lifetime. Sharing our work and seeing what others do brings so much connection and inspiration. The emotional bonding that occurs on retreats is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced.
Skills and Techniques:
Art Workshops offer a unique opportunity to learn new techniques and skills from experienced artists. Most workshop instructors spend time expanding on basic concepts like color theory, composition, and perspective in ways that enhance your understanding. They provide you with a safe space to push beyond your perceived limits. Most workshops are organized around a limited group of workable, flexible, repeatable processes and tools.
You can select whatever it is you would like to try to improve as an artist while exploring new artistic media, techniques, and methods outside of your comfort zone. This might even broaden your skill set and assist you in creating your own distinctive style. I find the structure and direction of a workshop to be a welcome break from staring at a blank page and thinking “Now what?”
Networking/Strategies:
Workshops offer a chance to network with other creatives, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects together. I find it tremendously motivating to be surrounded by other artists and to view their working process. Just seeing a different perspective and solution to a problem I’ve been grappling with helps me improve my skills. These contacts can also be extremely helpful for developing your artistic career, discovering new prospects, and working together on projects. Discussions about marketing and selling your art are frequently included in workshops. This may assist you in creating a new business avenue, learning how to set a price for your service, and discovering fresh strategies for marketing your work.
Critique:
You will get valuable comments on your work from teachers and other artists during workshops. I find constructive criticism from people I respect helps me to develop as an artist and improve my work. Remember…critiques aren’t meant to be critical—they’re designed to help your work evolve and it always helps to have extra “eyes” on your work. Getting intentional, clear feedback from fellow creatives gives me perspective, and pinpoints problem areas in a way that generates more advanced techniques.
Below are some links to retreats to investigate if you do not already have a retreat or workshop in mind:
https://goldcoastwatercolorsociety.com/workshops/
Here are Ten Tips for making the most of any Art Retreat or Workshop:
One. Make sure you have the right materials
After enrolling in your class, study the supply list that your instructor provides. Rather than waiting until the last minute—and risking not having the right materials at your first class—determine what you need to buy early on, and start shopping as soon as possible. If you’re considering substituting materials on the list, get in touch with the instructor first. They’ve put together a list designed to align with what they’re teaching; tinkering with it could make your experience in the class more difficult.
You should also examine any tools you already own that you’re planning to use to ensure that they’re in good condition. If you’re attending a painting workshop, for example, you’ll have more success with paint that is still juicy than with dried-up or leaky tubes and jars.
Two. Prepare mentally
Before you begin a class or workshop, prime yourself to be open, curious, and adventurous. Leave your own rules about how to make art at home, and plan to accept new methods and ideas, without judgment.
Workshops are an important opportunity to continue to grow as an artist. Growth may be accompanied by discomfort or pain.
One helpful mental exercise is to remember how you felt when you first started making your art. You are likely to be trying a new method or style of painting and may be using tools you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced with. You will likely feel as if you are struggling. That's because you are.
It's important to maintain an open mind and push on with this new approach. As tempting as it may be, it is important to push beyond the struggle rather than succumbing and resuming old practices that are comfortable, familiar, and can be counted on to produce desired results. Old habits may have to be broken, or at least put aside.
Try to become engrossed in the process and take pleasure in handling the materials. Workshops are not where you are likely to turn out your next masterpiece. Prepare yourself for either outcome and remember that the end products are not the point—take advantage of the opportunity to hone your skills and learn new processes.
Three. Get to class early
Something as simple as arriving at your class before the studio fills up can make a difference. You’ll have time to find a good spot, set up your workspace, and meet the instructor. A calm start also means that you’re able to focus on the introductory instructions and absorb more than if you arrive flustered. Just remember that your teacher has also likely arrived early to set up without haste, so give them the space to do so.
Four. Keep notes
Your notes will be gold in the months ahead, when you’re alone in your studio and trying to remember the methods you learned and advice you received. Take the time to jot down step-by-step instructions, and snap some pictures, too.
Five. Keep your ears open
During class, try to find a balance between focusing on your work and listening to your teacher’s instructions and feedback. This includes conversations happening with your classmates—it can be extra learning for you. If you hear your teacher offering a piece of advice over and over again, make a note. It could be a key concept that may help you with solving a problem in your work.
Six. Ask questions
Get involved in your learning by speaking up when something is unclear. If you’re struggling with a technique, someone else is likely, as well. Remember, though, that your instructor has to address everyone’s questions, so be patient and aware of the other students in the room.
Seven. Take risks
Cautious, timid, and anxious efforts will result in cautious, timid, and anxious art. Decide to be fearless; the only things at stake are some art supplies. Remind yourself to focus on the process, not the end product, and take a bold approach to creating. You’ll learn much more by diving deep into new methods and materials than you will by cautiously dipping a toe.
Eight. Expect an emotional roller coaster
Prepare yourself for some ups and downs as you learn. You might be excited at the start, as you begin working with new techniques, then frustrated when things don’t go smoothly. You might feel anxious about grasping a new method, and possibly even envious of your classmates’ success. Don’t let ego become a part of the equation; instead, embrace the feelings that you’re having. Uncomfortable scenarios can shake you out of your old habits and help you grow as an artist.
Nine. Be productive beyond the studio
Whether you’re taking a short workshop or a long-term class, get to know the other students. You have a rare opportunity to spend time with like-minded peers and fellow artists. Join them for dinner and make new friends.
The evenings during a workshop, or the days between classes, are also time to review what you learned. Reread your notes, and think about what you created. What went well? What didn’t? What questions do you have? What should you focus on in the next class? And, importantly, are you learning the thing that you came for? These review sessions will give you clarity and purpose for your next learning day.
Ten. Bring what you learned back to your studio
After finishing a class or workshop, resist the urge to immediately launch into a major project. Instead, take time to process your experience. Reread your notes and expand on them while the information is fresh; look at the work that you made for clues as to what you’d like to explore more deeply. If you learned about color, for example, you might ease back into your work by making color charts or doing small, simple color studies. After so much activity and risk-taking, it’s important to give yourself time for reflection and consolidation.
With preparation and the right frame of mind, you’ll be able to reap the full benefits of taking a class, and it will continue to unfold in your mind and work for months to come.
One of the most challenging things about an art retreat is not being distracted by all the other fun things to do in addition to creating art! I find it difficult to choose between wanting to be outside enjoying nature and spending time in the studio. I think I will probably book extra time before or after my next art retreat to give myself more balance between fun, sunshine, community, and creative time!
A retreat is an investment in your well-being, your personal and professional growth, and your community. The learning starts on the day you commit to it. Stretch yourself in every way you can, including financially. In 2019 I decided to attend a yoga retreat in India and I had no idea how I was going to pay for it when I signed up six months in advance. Fortunately, the retreat leader allowed me to make five monthly payments and miraculously, every month the money I needed was there in my bank account to pay my share. Sometimes it is an expansion of your faith to trust the universe to provide for you when you commit to your growth.
Because art retreats require a substantial commitment of time and money you may find these twelve tips for economizing to be helpful:
One. Begin your homework as early as possible and before committing.
Ask your host for all of the information she has that will potentially save you money in all categories: rooms, transportation, meals, shopping, and sightseeing.
Do online research about travel, accommodations, meals, shopping, etc., at your event destination.
Two. Preset a budget for your entire travel experience.
Consider travel insurance for airfare, lodging, etc.
Have a separate bank account or credit card for travel with unlimited ATM withdrawals and low foreign transaction fees.) A separate account makes it easier to stick fast to a predetermined budget. You can see with each purchase exactly how much of your budget you spent. And it will also help you keep your promise to yourself: When the budgeted money is gone ... it is gone!
Three. Attend workshops and events in the off-season for travel/hotel discounts and in cities that are not expensive tourist destinations,
Four. Book activities outside of those planned with the event ahead of time, allowing the opportunity to take advantage of discounts for special days or times.
Five. Travel during off-peak times and days.
If you are flying to the event check to see if staying longer or arriving earlier will allow you to save money.
Be sure to compare flight savings to additional costs for meals or hotel rooms
Six. Plan your packing carefully.
If you are flying do not take more or less clothing than you will need.
Make certain to check the Supply List for your event. (some supplies can be shared with one or more attendees—but this must be arranged ahead of time).
Take as little of everything as you can. Pack mix-and-match clothing and layered outfits
Plan your wardrobe to include as few pairs of different shoes as possible and make certain that you include comfortable shoes for the event and for walking.
Seven. Bring medications or other emergency items you may need.
Eight. Double-check event accommodations, which are usually the most expensive part of the trip.
Can you split the room price in half if you share a room?
Consider whether an Airbnb might be less expensive both because of the rental fees and because you can prepare your own meals.
In an Airbnb, you can usually divide the rental fees into even smaller amounts when more attendees stay together.
Make certain your Airbnb is sponsored by a well-known organization and has the highest rating.
Nine. Research which meals are included in the price of your event.
Locate the nearest supermarket and buy bottles of water, juice, soft drinks, breakfast foods, snacks, and items for lunches and dinners that are not part of the event
Talk to and make friends with locals who live close to your event or where you are staying. They love to share the best places to visit, eat, shop, and avoid because the prices are higher for tourists.
Remember expensive restaurants do not always equal exceptional food. Research and ask other travelers and locals when you arrive what their favorite restaurants and bars are.
Find out the specialty dish of the area you visit because local favorites are usually less expensive.
Share a meal with a friend. It is better for your digestion and leaves room for cocktails and/or dessert.
Eat larger breakfasts and lunches, which are usually less expensive than ordering larger dinners.
Ten. Transfer/Transport:
Take the time to decide which means of transport is better, less expensive, and best suited for your venue.
Will you need a rental car? Can you share a car rental with other attendees? Remember that renting a car also includes insurance, gas, and parking fees.
Can you take advantage of other means of transportation? Trains, buses, Uber or cab (include calculations for tips),
Walk whenever possible.
Eleven. Souvenirs
Take more pictures.
Don’t buy the first thing you see.
Shop around.
Wait at least an hour to buy something you really want to purchase or, better yet, wait until the next day to purchase the item. When we give ourselves time, we usually decide that we do not need it or love it as much as we thought we did. There will be less buyer’s remorse, more money saved, and no additional baggage fees.
Purchase smaller items you can carry home in your suitcase.
Sometimes taking a second empty suitcase for completed workshop projects and souvenirs is less expensive than shipping them home.
Twelve. Select an International long-distance calling plan.
Many travelers do not realize how much their mobile phone companies charge for overseas calls, Bluetooth, SIM cards, or using a personal Wi-Fi hotspot can be better options.
Whether you're a novice or a seasoned artist, I hope I have inspired you to consider the importance of a brief retreat to bring you back to your daily reality rejuvenated and with a wider perspective than when you left. Retreats and workshops hone your skills, offer new tricks, and the opportunity to network with other creatives. They are a great way to advance your artistic objectives and improve your work.
What more unusual and special gift could you give yourself than protected time to create; a time where you are free from the concerns of everyday living? Imagine a place where phones don't ring, laundry doesn't have to be done, meals don't have to be prepared, bills don't have to be paid. You can set aside time to nourish and replenish your creative spirit and protect it on your calendar. You might even be motivated to produce fresh and exciting new work or be a happier, more compassionate human being when you return.
If you’d like to give yourself a special gift this year I offer private retreats in my home studio in Fort Lauderdale. Paint in my spacious, well-equipped studio alone or with friends. I will pick you up at your hotel and bring you back at the end of the day. We will spend the day(s) creating an art project together tailored specifically to your needs, interests, and experience level. If weather permits we can paint outside at my home or at one of the magnificent stately homes or parks in the area.
My gift to you this holiday season is permission to rest, to nourish your creativity, and to follow your heart for a happier you in 2024. My mentorship, guidance, and advice are available to you for creating new possibilities for your art in 2024. I am happy to share my insights and my knowledge with you.
I welcome the opportunity for conversation, cooperation, collaboration, and commissions.
With Light and Delight
Susan
My resources for this month's newsletter were:
Creating Space for a Happier Life
If you'd like to read this newsletter in its original form with all the illustrations please follow this link: https://conta.cc/46ZXIag
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“If you do not take control over your time
and your life, other people will gobble it up.
If you do not prioritize yourself
you start falling lower and lower on your list.”
- Michelle Obama
Is happiness growing abundantly in the garden of your life? What weeds encroached on the projects, plans, and goals you planted as seeds last year? Are you harvesting contentment and abundance this November?
Did some of the seeds you sprouted in 2023 bear more fruit than you anticipated? Which of your ideas and plans failed to thrive? Which habits, routines, and practices worked well for you this year? Which realities and obstacles got in your way?
As this year winds to a close this is a great time to weed out what isn’t working and create space for joy and fulfillment to flourish in 2024.
At this time last year, I envisioned myself having fun teaching and traveling... feeling ease and flow... having enough time to explore and experiment with new ideas. I saw myself enjoying my tribe and painting regularly. I imagined myself earning enough money to cover all my expenses. I anticipated reaching 400 people with this newsletter and I am pleased that my subscriber list increased to well over 300. The seeds that failed to thrive were my plans to teach workshops in Portugal and around the state and I spent more time volunteering for organizations I love than was good for me.
To create space for everything we’re inviting in 2024 let’s begin by pruning back the activities, relationships, habits, beliefs, and routines that no longer serve us. As creative people, we need to monitor and manage our energy. We have to deliberately create space for focus, reflection, rumination, and routine. We need silence to hear the inner voice.
Please join me in a "Marie Kondo" style evaluation of every aspect of our lives to decide what we want to flourish and what will be designated a weed. After all, weeds are not bad things, they're just plants growing where you don't want them to be. In 2024 let's give ourselves the gift of enough space for a happier life to grow abundantly.
For 2024 I am calling in more fun, more joy, more artistic freedom, more travel, and deeper connections. I am creating a special garden for serendipity and laughter. I am weeding out thoughts, habits, and beliefs that keep me playing small. Shoulds, coulds, and time sinks need to move into the compost pile. I am going to build stronger fences around my painting practice, my yoga practice, and getting enough rest.
I believe it is possible to craft the life of our dreams if we envision it, pursue it, and believe in it. As creatives, we are better prepared than most to imagine different realities than whatever we currently experience. We don’t need a cookbook or blueprints, or to be involved in film-making, publishing, or any industry to engage in designing a better future for ourselves and others. Creating peace and harmony in our own small life victory garden will encourage others to do the same.
Most of us are missing out on things we want to do because we’ve been too busy saying yes to people and things that do not enhance our lives. Saying yes when we should say no leaves us stuck in frustrating patterns. Saying yes when you want to say no is essentially fooling and manipulating the people you are trying so hard not to disappoint.
I often feel obligated to go along with requests to feel socially included and accepted. But, being nice, being overly accommodating isn’t good for me, or you, and I am not blameless. When I do things from a place of guilt or obligation, it is guaranteed to lead to resentment, frustration, and overwhelm.
Asking yourself “What do I want” “What do I prefer”, and “What don’t I want?” will help you to become more aware and more connected with your inner guidance.
Make note of which things you do already align with your values and make you feel good and examine closely those things you do that create resentment, disconnection, or anxiety.
We are social creatures, with more synapses in our brain devoted to connection than almost anything else. We want to be part of the herd, we want to preserve our relationships, to be liked and admired and so we often take on too much responsibility, too much work, and too much stress.
Most of us recognize when we are in a state of overwhelm, frustration, and anxiety but we are not sure how to get out of it. Burnout is a badge of honor in our society. We are so ingrained in the busy hustle of our culture that we think we are not doing enough even when we are damaging our mental health and diminishing our inner light.
We need our creative power to broadcast our inner light. Our well-being is even more important and contagious than the hate and fear coming over the airwaves.
Consider how you might use your brilliance to create more beauty, more communication, more peace, more collaboration, and more love in 2024. Start to notice where you can begin to step away from what you have been given as cultural norms in movies, video games, books, and religion in favor of your inner truth.
Start by being intentional with your yes. Notice the kinds of requests that align with your values and make you feel good. Could you say yes only to activities that give you a “full body yes”? Is your art practice a "full-body- yes" you want to grow? How can you create more space for your art to flourish in 2024?
If your blood pressure spikes whenever you’re asked to participate in an activity you don’t have time for, pay attention to that. It becomes easier to say no when you know what you want more of and what you are crowding out.
As you inventory your beliefs, relationships, habits, art projects, health, time, and self-care make a list of what you will add, what you will nourish, and what you will move to the compost pile. Go through each area just as Marie Kondo would an overfilled closet. Make room for what you want to flow effortlessly in.
Over the past few years, I released many relationships that left me feeling drained and depleted. Others I have transformed by being more forthright about my needs and expectations from the relationship. It was a huge revelation for me this year that adults can handle being disappointed when I choose my needs over theirs and some even patted me on the back to thank me for modeling self-care for them! Instead of losing friends, I deepened the circle of respect.
Next year, I want to expand in this area and be even more clear about the way I would like to feel seen, heard, and appreciated in my close relationships.
Are there people in your life who sap your energy? Is there room for you to extricate yourself from difficult relationships or transform them into something more comfortable?
Elizabeth Gilbert tells a story about the way habits interfere with our art. It made me laugh… What tends to happen is that when you reach adolescence, you discover all of the other really faster, hotwired ways to feel good, which usually involves sex or substance or spending money. A friend of mine who’s in recovery says, “If it’s not a martini, it’s a man. If it’s not a man, it’s a MasterCard, if it’s not a MasterCard, it’s a muffin.” …So, a lot of people put down the creativity when they find the man, the MasterCard, the martini, and the muffin. The math — whatever it is, the workaholism. Whatever it is that you’re using to numb yourself so that you don’t have to feel. The creativity is a slower, gentler way to do that. So when you find the shortcut, you take it. And a lot of people can point to the place in their life where they stopped creating because it’s when they found all that other stuff. But I never put [writing] down.
So, for some reason, I was lucky enough to have the good sense in a life that has been filled with a lot of bad sense, and a lot of nonsense. I had the good sense to hold onto [my art], and to notice, and realize that it’s something that made me happy in a way that didn’t come with a great price tag that comes with those cheap, hotwired ways to make yourself happy. There’s always a hangover and a consequence from those ways, but with writing there isn’t. It really was my place of stillness. And I think in a weird way it was the beginning of my spiritual practice. I just didn’t know that it was, I didn’t have that language for it. I just knew that it felt good.
There are habits about my health, time, and self-care that I intend to transform this year. Let’s see if I can find the strength to give up my muffins… In 2023 some of the habits I added were more time in the sun and more rest to my self-care routine. I bought a red light the size of my body and used it daily to improve my skin, strength, and vitality.
In 2024 I would like to make kindness to myself and lightheartedness a habit. I will create rituals that guard my need for rest and reflection more carefully and add a new daily exercise to my routine.
How can you care for your body more kindly? Are there small changes you can make in your daily life that might have an outsized payoff in well-being for you?
A belief I released this year was “not enough”. It has taken me years to dig that one out of the soil of my family history. When I believe I am not enough or don’t have enough to handle the barrage of events life throws at me I am unable to act powerfully, I become anxious and want to hide out. When I believe I always have everything I need, people step up to help me, and guidance drops from above. I am then much more effective, creative, and patient with my obstacles and challenges.
My fear and anxiety about the state of the world is another belief I manage by dramatically reducing the inputs I allow into my personal space. I surround myself with voices who amplify my trust that we have the light, the creativity, and the power to transform chaos and darkness into a better world for our children and grandchildren.
Are there beliefs that diminish your light and your capacity to handle life from a position of power? Are there beliefs that you could internalize that would give you more confidence and trust in yourself?
This year I committed to changing my watercolor art style to one that is loose and free. I haven’t lived into my word of daily practice the way I intended so for 2024 I want to continue to reinforce that intention - maybe by doing several 30-day commitments. My goal is to make painting a daily action and for my art to be a source of joy and light that I look forward to with anticipation. Is there something you can add, take away, or transform in your creative practice that will bring you more joy and pleasure?
When you know where your focus is, it is easier to say no. When you create your goals and priorities from choice, it is much easier to build strong boundaries around them to protect your happiness as it grows.
Boundaries are limits you identify for yourself and apply through action and communication. Since the only one you have power over is yourself boundaries are the fences you build around your future happiness. Assess every potential project, opportunity, relationship, habit, or activity for alignment with your core values, beliefs, and current goals.
Setting boundaries and checking fences as a daily practice keeps your priorities front and center and empowers you to create the life you desire.
“No” is a word with just two letters, and yet saying no can feel complicated or wrong. Saying no can be particularly difficult if, like me, you tend to be a people-pleaser and regularly put others ahead of your own needs. The roles we engaged in as children may have gained us attention and affection as children but as adults, they interfere with us becoming our true selves.
Many people hesitate to say no, even when they are overstressed, overbooked, and just too busy to take on anything else. If you struggle with this, then you are not alone. It's important to learn how to say no to people and their requests.
This year I said yes, to something I knew I shouldn’t have. I said yes to being treasurer of the Florida Watercolor Society. They needed my skill and enthusiasm and I wanted to expand my circle of artist friends even wider around the state. However, as I got more involved in learning my new role I began to feel how big a job I had taken on. It felt like work. The weight of the time commitment and the constraints of my responsibilities to FWS began to give me sleepless nights, anxiety, and distress.
In the past, I would have overridden my body’s response so I could live up to my word. I would have kept doing something that didn’t bring me joy to avoid disappointing the board. I would have ended up disappointing them anyway because I am not passionate about being treasurer and we would have all suffered for a year or two. Instead, I broke with my old patterns and voiced my concerns and feelings. A great thing happened! The president, the board and I all agreed that I should not take on the treasurer job and that there would be no hard feelings. This was huge for me. I was able to say no and there was no drama! The job will be reconfigured to be less burdensome on the next treasurer and I can go back to creating more joy for myself in another form. If this is something that might interest you, please reach out to Jackii or Nina.
Before you say no, figure out what it is you truly want. Is it a “full body no”, a “not now”, or a “maybe later”? Take all the time you need to think about it.
Elizabeth Gilbert says, “Culture and civilization have overwritten the software system of the body so much and told you not to trust what you know, instead, what you trust are the rules and the mores of the fear-based, scarcity-based grasping… this is how you have to act, this who you have to be to be safe”.
Your body is very wise. It is tempting to overrule your innate wisdom with a litany of shoulds and expectations. As creative people, we need silence to hear our inner voice. We have to create space for focus, reflection, rumination, and routine. Quiet allows us to monitor and manage our energy and to get clear on what it is that is trying to come through us into the world.
When I first started listening to my inner voice I found it helpful to practice asking my body for insight. I get a somatic vibration in my lower belly that gives me a clear response to almost any situation. You might feel it somewhere else. I get a clear “eew”, “aaah”, “run-away” or “more of this”. My body instinctively knows what is and is not right for me. Your own body will share with you where to set your boundaries around everything that matters to you. Start by finding how and where the “full body yes” and the “full body no” manifest for you
As each request for your time and attention arises take the time to ask yourself if saying yes will make you even more tired, anxious, or burnt out, or if it will bring you joy and expansion. Does saying yes support your goals and values? Will saying yes prevent you from doing something else that is more important to you?
Saying no will never be easy. Saying no is not simple and the closer you are to the people you are saying no to the harder it will be. The paradox is that the people you love the most are the ones you should be able to be most honest with but in fact, those are the people you want to hurt the least. I had to practice several times before finally telling my family I wanted to spend Christmas away from home this year.
When it comes time to say "no" be firm - not defensive or overly apologetic - and polite. Always begin by expressing your gratitude and honor.
“Thank you” (no but) “and no”.
“Thank you for thinking of me and no I’m not available”.
“I greatly appreciate you asking me and no I can’t do it”.
This signals that you are sympathetic but will not easily change your mind if pressured. Be clear. If you lead people to believe you’ll say yes later, they’ll be more disappointed with a later no. Skip excuses. If asked for an explanation remember you don’t owe anyone one. If the other person is a manipulator they will manipulate anything you offer. You don’t have to do the dance.
If you have the time, desire, and connections, offer an alternative person or resource for them to investigate.
Saying no can be empowering and liberating. It may take practice. Remember your needs are important and your decisions and choices are how you build the future you desire. Being transparent about your feelings, needs, and limits leads to healthier, more authentic relationships. It models for others how they can protect their priorities, too. Saying no can help you feel better about yourself, and your overall experience of the world.
In this crazy world around us, we are going to need to harness every bit of our creative resources to become the visionaries, creative thinkers, artists, and builders our planet needs. We will need our collaborative strength to embrace the idea that life on this planet isn’t about to end any second now. We can plant an audacious garden of hope, apply our creativity to address our problems, and get busy growing a new future that is healthier for the whole globe. It is possible to envision a better reality that we can call into existence: one where there is abundance, fairness, freedom, health, peace, equity, safety, and joy for all! Please join me in that new possibility for ourselves and the world in 2024.
I hope I have given you some food for thought and a new way to create a garden of space for a happier you in 2024. I would like to offer my mentorship, guidance, and advice in creating new possibilities for your art in 2024. I am happy to share my insights and my knowledge with you.
I welcome the opportunity for conversation, cooperation, collaboration, and commissions.
With Light and Delight
Susan
