The fabulous wishstudio hostess, Mindy Tsonas, has dreamed up a yummy event full of art, connection, and inspiration. The first ever wish*full virtual art retreat takes place April 30th-May 2nd. Join like-minded souls from around the world for a refreshing, creative weekend, all from the comfort of your own home!
Online workshops will be led by fourteen artists/teachers including: Kimberly Wilson, Christine Mason Miller, Leah Piken Kolidas, Susannah Conway, Hope Wallace, and me. Course descriptions are now up and early registration is open. Would love to see you there!
In the fall, Lisa Sonora Beam, Kimberly Wilson, Britt Bravo, and I asked you to tell us what your ideal creative women entrepreneur gathering would look like by completing a survey. We were thrilled that 300+ of you shared your ideas with us! Thank you!
Here are some highlights of what you said:
- Your preferred formats would be a retreat, or an online event
- You are in the beginning stages of starting your businesses
- You would like both early stage and established entrepreneurs to be a part of the gathering
- You want to clarify your vision, network, and learn hard skills (i.e. social media, finance, licensing)
Based on your input, we’re thinking about holding an in-person retreat and an online event in Fall 2010. We’ll keep you posted as things evolve. In the meantime, if you have favorite retreat locations you’d like to recommend, let us know! We’re continuing to vision and plan a fabulous experience for you and we can’t wait to connect with all of you vibrant and inspiring creative women entrepreneurs.
And congratulations to the winners of our raffle (you should each have been notified already via e-mail by your awardee):
I had a blast on Sunday at my the Right-Brain Business Plan workshop. Here are Britt Bravo and Gretchen Wegner collaging up a storm! Throughout the day, we had fun shaking, howling, and twisting with our MuseCube moments. Gretchen’s MuseCubes are such a great way to connect back with the intuitive wisdom of your body.
In-person gatherings are great for building off of each other’s creative energy, getting fresh perspectives, developing relationships, brainstorming ideas, and knowing that you don’t have to go it alone as a solo-preneur.
Each participant’s visual plan and business truly reflected their own values, vision, and special gifts. I loved seeing what amazing things these ladies are up to in their work.
You can read a little bit more the day and see additional pictures on the Right-Brain Business Plan blog. While you’re there, check out the latest featured business plan and interview with Sara Ortiz. Her colorful visual plan and business are bursting with creative goodness!
Earlier today, workers pounded away at the side of our house. The jarring sounds of demolition echoed through our living room as men hammered at the stucco. We had some water damage that got worse from the last rain storm and it was time for some repairs. I couldn’t stand all the racket, so Brian and I went out for a lovely lunch.
The theme of destruction showed up several times this week. On a call with my coach, I explored parts of myself that I have trouble being with. That side of me that can get really angry and cusses like a sailor. That side that feels like it could get out of control and could decimate what is peaceful and serene. I know, though, that this part is very powerful and it actually helps me honor my boundaries and helps me stand up for myself. When I consciously connect with that energy, I can actually take better care of myself. It’s part of fully owning all of me.
In painting class, Goddess Kali emerged with her unruly hair and blood-thirsty boldness. I was completely engrossed adding all of the gory details in this focused section of my latest large wall-sized painting. Allowing myself to just let the images of destruction flow on the page helped me to claim that shadow part. Before I was ready to move on to another section, I felt compelled to include a wolf, too. I looked it up later and the wolf can symbolize our shadow. I love how the intuition works in mysterious ways!
Following class, I had a coaching call where a client and I screamed together and cursed into our hands to help her move through some anger. We both felt so alive and lighter afterward. I highly recommend it! Connecting earlier with Kali helped me to call on her energy in a productive way.
The act of destruction can be quite empowering. I know that this summer, I had a blast wrecking my journal! That exercise really helped me to have fun with the process.
And with destruction comes rebuilding. The workers will be back at the house tomorrow (I’ll have my earplugs handy!). Now that the rotting wood is exposed at the side of our house, they can replace it with strong, new wood. As Keri Smith says in Wreck This Journal, “To create is to destroy.” And to destroy is to create!
How does destruction and creation show up for you in your life? What pieces of yourself do you need to fully own?
P.S. – If you’re interested in experiencing intuitive painting for yourself, my mentor Chris Zydel is leading a week-long retreat in January in Northern California.
Kimberly Wilson, Lisa Sonora Beam, Britt Bravo and I were on a call the other day talking about how fun it would be to put together an event for creative women entrepreneurs to connect, create, and learn together. We came up with our own description of what an event like that would look like, but we want to hear your thoughts and opinions, too.
We put together a six-question survey to find out what your ideal creative women entrepreneur event would look like. By providing your feedback, you can enter in a raffle to be one of four winners to receive either a half hour social media consulting with Britt, a copy of the Right Brain Business Plan e-Book by Jennifer, a copy of Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa, or a copy of Hip Tranquil Chick by Kimberly.
Click here to take the survey by November 16th.
Thank you very much for your input! We’ll be designing an experience that caters to you and is what we wish we had along our journeys. That’s why we’re excited to create it!
