Creativity is Blooming at GG’s Down to Earth Studio
Offering HeART and SoulCollage(r) Classes to inspire your creative spirit. Spring flowers, Summer Solstice, and 3-day Breaking and Mending and Retreat.
Top 10 Highlights of the Epic Year 2020
In January the astrologers warned us that 2020 would be a wild ride. If you are skeptical about astrological predictions, here is one summary from astrologist Gray Crawford that might turn you into a believer:
“2020 is the beginning of not only a new decade, but a new astrological era. As with any birthing process, the year will involve enduring labor pains in order to introduce a new life. The year 2020 is a threshold to cross, a pause between the way it has been and the way it will be, necessitating a confrontation with all the difficult challenges in need of a remedy within civilization. There is nothing easy about the transits of 2020, yet they also contain a potent force within the dissolution and volatility they will incite.” Read more.
Are you noticing the miracles around you?
With everything that’s going on right now finding small miracles in my life seems more precious than ever. Here is a story of one of those miracles — one that pulled me out of brokenheartedness and reminded me that there are still many wonders out there in the world just waiting for us to find them. I hope my story will inspire you to watch for the miracles that might be waiting in your life, too. 🙂
The Messengers
The scalloped edges of rich green oak trees lined the rolling hills of Basket Slough Wildlife Refuge. Behind the oaks, billowing white clouds mimicked the curved arboreal flow of the trees. Stretched out in front of the oaks was a gold and brown field of dried Queen Anne’s Lace. I stopped on the path, took a deep breath, and let my eyes receive the landscape: honey gold, nutmeg brown, olive green, and dove white, all opening under a mantle of blue.
It was a joy I’d taken for granted – clear views and breathing clean, fresh air. Wildfires had raged in Oregon over the past week and burned many of my favorite mountain hiking trails in the Santiam wilderness, and the loss was heartbreaking. Each day brought tragic news of burned out forests and lost homes. READ more.
A Bit of Happy News from GG’s Down to Earth Studio
We are in the aftermath of emotional turmoil and great losses from the wildfires that raged here in the Pacific Northwest over the last several days. I thought something upbeat might be welcomed. So, here it is, a bit of happy news to share with you from my Down to Earth Studio. Maybe this newsletter will somehow help you keep your heart open to possibility. Read more…
Deep Adaptation in a Rapidly Changing World
“Are we there yet? How much longer?” Who doesn’t recognize these questions from impatient children in the backseat of the car when the journey is long and tedious. That’s how I’m feeling five months into The Big P. How about you?I have my routines and not all of it is unpleasant, quite the contrary in fact. I feel blessed and fortunate in so many ways. But, I also feel deeply nostalgic for the good old days of gathering together and creating art, leading retreats at Breitenbush, and long, close hugs from friends. I wonder how much longer it will be before we can feel comfortable together in person again? read more...
The Great Pause Art & Poetry Show at GG’s Virtual Down to Earth Studio
I’ve always loved my home, but lately I appreciate her even more because of The Great Pause (the pandemic). I have stayed home more in the last few months than ever before in all the sixty-eight years of my life. Being home has deepened my gratitude for my humble abode. And the pièce de résistance, down in the basement of my house, is the santuary where I spend hours creating art and crafts — GG’s Down to Earth Studio.
Your response to the May newsletter invitation to send me your art tells me many of you have been busy creating, too. I miss having you here with me in the studio, but love that you have sent me your creations for this months’ newsletter. So, without any further ado, it is will great pleasure that I announce…(ta-ta-da-daaaa!)… read more
Corona 2020, Isolation and Inspiration
First of all, thank you to all my friends and family members who have been reaching out and checking on me. I feel your love and I am grateful.
Second, I miss you! Since I’m not offering any classes right now I miss having my tribe of creatives here in the studio. I look forward to when I can greet you again — maybe even give you a hug. Imagine that…a hug! You are my peeps and my heart overflows with love and appreciation for you. In the meantime, I’m reaching out to stay connected with you and share some of the art that I’ve been creating during this time.
Yes, we are definitely all in this together. Even the rugged individualists who resisted the idea can’t deny it now. We always knew it was true, but perhaps never more than now, as we live through the epic story of Corona 2020. Click here to read more: https://conta.cc/39n5oF1
My Shattering Year
Last year something extraordinary happened. During a shamanic ceremony I received what I can only describe as a calling — a clear message from an entity greater than myself beckoning me to set aside fear and uncertainty and step up my game. Read more
Top 10 Highlights of 2019
It’s become an annual tradition for me to reflect back over the past year before launching into the next one. I enjoy looking back to see how the events and experiences that occurred through year fit into the bigger story of my life.
What are your highlights from this past year? What memories do you want to hold onto? I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my top 10 highlights or 2019. I’d love to hear about yours, too!
Connecting With You Through Art
Art is always a source of joy for me and I spend lots of time creating alone in The Down to Earth Studio. But bringing people together to create art and SoulCollage(r) in community and witnessing the unfolding of your personal creativity makes my heart dance. It’s what I do! It’s why I call myself an Art Doula. Thank you for coming to my workshops and gatherings this past year. I truly believe we make the world a better place by creating art and SoulCollage(r), especially when we do it together!
Kintsugi Bowl Breaking and Mending Workshops (A tribute to Tammy)
In January I worked with Tammy Morley Jamieson to plan a series of Kintsugi workshops we would co-facilitate together in 2019. Tammy hand-built 60 ceramic bowls for these ceremonies — all made with loving care. Then, she unexpectedly experienced some heart problems and had to opt out of facilitating, but I used her beautiful bowls for the workshop anyway. Tammy transitioned from her body back to Spirit just a few weeks ago. Future Kintsugi ceremonies will be ongoing reminders of her vibrant loving nature. I plan to continue facilitating these powerful gatherings in 2020 and will think of Tammy every time. Rest in Peace Dear One.
Connecting to Spirit
Over this last year I was honored to participate in two sacred ceremonies facilitated by a Shamanic guide.These powerful experiences expanded my vision of the spirituality of the natural world and my place in it. Crouched in a rainy Doug Fir forest, I stepped into a river of grief that runs just under the surface of life, and was held there by the Grandmother. She invited me to stay close to my broken heart, let it guide and nurture me. I felt affirmed, inspired, uplifted, and ready to expand my Kintsugi breaking and mending work in 2020.
Vision Questing in the Inyo National Forest
Questing is one of my highlights every year, and 2019 was no exception. I fasted and prayed in the company of hawks, coyote, deer, owls, obsidian and old growth Jeffrey Pines. This beautiful group of human beings, my questing sisters, held me close, listened to my stories, and celebrated my art. Thank you my beloved questing sisters! Thank you Mother Nature for your never-ending love and support.
Women’s Circles
And while I’m on the subject of sisters, one of my highlights of 2019 is the various women’s groups who support and encourage me to be bold and live life more fully. These women are the wind beneath my wings. We witness one another’s stories with compassion and curiosity. I am grateful to share the planet with extraordinary beings such as these, and feel lucky that our paths crossed in this lifetime.
Wild Hearts Circle in Ashland, Journal Writing Circle Sisters, Skyline Writers Support and Critique Group, PNW SoulCollage® Facilitator Gatherings,The Elder Council with Naomi Kahn, and the Blackbird Studio for Writers in Portland. Deep gratitude to all of you.
Greta Thunberg
I am so inspired by this young lady and her courage and commitment. She inspired the youth of our country to protest and declare their concerns about the climate crisis and has become an icon in the climate change movement. She brought me to tears with her words to world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit, “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. How dare you.” Thank you Greta. You make me want to be a better earthling.
99th Birthday Celebration
In April my mom, Dodie Hamilton Brandon, celebrated her 99th birthday. Last spring we moved Dodie in with my sister in Northern California and it’s a huge relief to know she is with family and being well taken care of. I’m grateful. We’re already planning mom’s 100th birthday party.
Vacation Time With Family
Five generations of our family are alive right now. Amazing, right? This summer I had the pleasure of spending time with my oldest granddaughter, Megan Schweitzer, and her beautiful family: husband Jack, son Jack, and daughters, Nora and Caroline. I traveled to their home in Maryland, then we flew up to Maine where we met up with my daughter, Susie, and her family at a cottage on the Atlantic seashore. We hiked, played on the beach, kayaked, mushroom hunted, ate, drank and made merry. I had a blast with the family.
Solstice Soul Renewal at Breitenbush Hot Springs
I feel so fortunate to be able to offer workshops at Breitenbush. This last June was my fifth year facilitating the Solstice Soul Renewal retreat. The magical combination of old growth forest, scrumptious vegetarian meals, natural mineral hot springs, SoulCollage(r), and a community of kindred spirits makes this an epic experience.
Growing My Book
I feel great about the progress I’ve made on my book this year. But I never knew writing a book would be so enlightening, or take so long. Writing about my vision quest stories has inspired me to go deeper into my questing experiences and insights and relive my time out on the land, which has been wonderful. I’ll be excited to share these stories with you when the book is finally finished. 2020? Maybe. When friends and family ask about my book, I say, “Well, it’s one thing to try to write a book; it’s quite another thing to try to write a good book.” Time will tell. I’ll say this, I’m sure giving it my best shot.
How about you? Here are some questions to get you started on your top 10 highlights for 2019.
What happened in 2019?
What surprised and delighted you?
What were your biggest challenges this year?
How were you changed or transformed?
What was your most significant lesson this year?
Happy New Year My Dears. May 2020 be a year of growth and enlightenment for all of us.