Category Archives: Workshops

August 21, 2013

Workshop with Alexandra Franzen

Oh my.

This past weekend was INCREDIBLE. I hopped on a train down to Portland to attend a writing workshop led by Alexandra Franzen. Now, I’ve been super inspired by her work for a while now and knew that the workshop would be useful to attend…but it really was so much more than just useful.

I feel like I have more confidence as a writer.

That I have permission to find places of ease with writing.

That I can stand more boldly in my words in places like my about page, or a bio.

That I can let more of my personality and quirkiness out in my words.

Oh, and that I definitely need to write a manifesto.

It was also a really incredible collection of people at the workshop. Women who are just starting out in their creative or business adventures, lots of established business gals, life coaches, artists and more. There was so much giving and support even on the first day that we all met. It was hosted at Kelly Rae Robert’s gorgeous Soul Shine Studio and Kelly Rae and I were in awe of how much the weekend felt like one big radiate session where as one person spoke, the others focused in on them with encouragement, support and ideas.

Oh my…and Alexandra is SO skilled at that by the way. She has a way of taking your own words and saying them back to you in a way that invites you to stand a bit taller in them, let yourself shine a bit more (and has you scrambling for your pen to jot down what she just transformed your own words into). If you have a chance to go to one of her workshops at some point, I highly recommend saying YES!

Here are a few more glimpses of our lovely weekend (and of Soul Shine Studio).

P.S.

I’m super excited about some upcoming events this fall, one of which Kelly Rae & I are both teaching at…the awesome Soul Sisters event. You can register here or find out more here (and if you sign up through the website, tell them I sent ya)! There is truly an incredible line-up of teachers and going to events like these is truly transformative. I hope I’ll get to meet you there!

May 16, 2013

Feeling the Fear (and doing it anyways)!

On Monday I had the opportunity to do a creativity workshop for the participants of this amazing program: The Self-Care Project.

I immediately said YES when Olive (amazing coach and one of the facilitators) asked me, because as you can probably imagine, that project is so up my alley. I’ve been craving to do more in person workshops so this was a great opportunity to do just that and to talk about self-portraiture as self-care to a group of awesome folks. There have been a few in person teaching opportunities coming my way locally, which has felt really incredible….because this work I’ve been doing for years has been SO online based. For it to cross over to locally AND in-person, not just from me making it happen, but from opportunities coming up is really making me happy.

So back to the workshop…

The day of the event came and along with it MEGA nerves. Now, I’m an introvert but an introvert who loves teaching (maybe its the introverted Leo thing) and feels drawn to do it in person.

It reminded me of when I first started teaching e-courses and how vulnerable it was to put it out into the world. I’m remembering those days and how while it isn’t easy-peasy these days to launch a new class, there isn’t that mega fear there was when I first started.

Here’s the thing I need to remember about that fear. That it is a sign that we are venturing outside our comfort zone, and that is a good thing!

Just like when I’m asking participants in Be Your Own Beloved to come face to face with their inner critic and to tell it:

“I’ve got this. Thanks for trying to alert me to something new and that I’m going outside my comfort zone, but I believe I can handle this, so inner critic…buzz off”

Within the many hours of the day 0f the workshop where I had to say this to my inner critic again and again I realized how much this is a place where there is room to grow, to really show up for myself and I plan to get brave and do it more.

The workshop felt awesome and I loved seeing how once I started, the nerves disappeared and made way for a lovely evening.

I’ve been dreaming of doing some more local Be Your Own Beloved workshops and this class was the spark I needed (yes even with the nerves) to get going on planning it. I’m even dreaming of bringing it to some other Canadian cities and then at some point bring it to the US too.

If you think your city would be one for me to add to the list as I dream up bringing these in person workshops on the road someday, spill the beans!

August 21, 2012

You are Your Own Muse Whistler ~ Part Two

This weekend in Whistler was:

Waking up early, full of nervous energy about the day ahead, calming myself by strolling around the village in the blissful quiet of the morning.
Playful fun photo wanderings to parks, forests, the farmers market, the lake and around the village as part of the workshop.
Daily gelato (it was so hot, it was a must).
A lovely gathering of students who’s joyful energy and openness to my quirky way of teaching was a total treat.
A sense of awe of the mountains and how beautiful this province I live in.
Incredible gluten free food.
Wandering to the lake each day after my workshop, for a swim.
Taking pictures of the gorgeous flowers on the pathway home from the lake.
A beautiful balance of my days being full of connection and creation and my evenings being all about solo wanderings and photo taking.

It was really an honour to be asked to do this workshop and I’m so grateful for the collection of folks who ended up coming. It was a small group but we all agreed it must have been meant to be as we really enjoyed having time to connect and for there to be much more one on one support than would be possible with a larger group.

Thanks to the fabulous and helpful Whistler Arts Council for having me be a part of their Workshops on the Lake Series (there are a few more workshops running this summer if you are craving a spontaneous trip to Whistler this month).

Here are a few Instagram shots from the weekend:

August 20, 2012

You are Your Own Muse Whistler Workshop ~ Part One

May 9, 2012

Double Exposure Day

On Saturday I had the chance to do a free demo at a very cool Art Store called Opus, located in downtown Vancouver.

I had all sorts of gear ready for us to play with and was grateful for the small but totally excited and engaged group of participants who gathered. I had brought some of my own supply of Polaroid film for us to play around with. We had so much fun chatting about creating Double Exposures via film, digital and some digital options too. I loved seeing their excitement as they experimented with doing double exposures via the Polaroid Spectras as well as the Polaroid Land Cameras that take pack film.

Two of the participants, Leliania and Carol, already blogged about their experience at the workshop so you can check out the posts about their experience and see some of the images they created.

Thanks to Opus for having me! There is mention of me doing another one in the fall which would be incredible (and if you vancouver folks have a subject you’d love me to do a mini-workshop on…do tell…I’d love to hear what you are hungry for).