The "Unblocking Class" is twelve-week program that explores creativity, using The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The class is designed to help you “get touch with your creative inner self, your God, your gifts, and your community.”
The Unblocking Class (scroll down to learn more about it!)
Quick facts:
- · Begins Sunday, January 15th at 6 o’clock (time may change, as suits the class members).
- · Meets at the church. Each class lasts 2 – 3 hours
- · Twelve-week course
- · Follows the steps of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
- · Led by artist Ellen Phillips; facilitated by Susan Harlan & Cindy Bell
- · For all ages, whether you consider yourself creative or not! more below…
The class will help its community members unlock their right-side brains. One of the course principles states, “#7: When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God.” Formatted after traditional 12-step programs, the experience has been taught in hospitals, prisons, churches, creative groups, and business settings around the world to get people to “recover a part of their brains they have lost the ability to access.” The idea is that as God has given gifts to us, it is our responsibility to find them and use them. In finding our creative selves, we find an avenue to God.“It is the creative potential itself in human beings that is the image of God.” – Mary Daly
Who Is It Designed For?
From CEOs who want new ways to problem-solve, to grandmothers who want to start cross-stitching again, the program is designed for anyone who is curious about whats keeping them from doing what they long to do. People who have benefitted from it include cancer survivors who want to expand their life, retirees who wonder “What’s next?”, students who feel like there is something beyond traditional education, the unchurched who still long for a connection with the holy, writers who are blocked, artists who seek inspiration, worshippers who want new ways to express themselves, people whose “inner child” is longing to play, and people who say, “I’m not an artist or creative, I’m just interested.”
“Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers,“’Grow, grow.’”
For this NSDBC Unblocked class in particular, its community will be made up of 12 people, old enough to read the book and respond, willing to try new things, and committed to twelve weeks of study. They do not need to consider themselves “artists” or “creative!”
“The experience will make you excited, depressed, angry, afraid, joyous, hopeful, and, ultimately, more free.” (p. 7)Who Is Offering the Class?
Facilitated by Cindy Bell and Susan Harlan, with leadership from Ellen Phillips. Ellen is a local sculptor, specializes in liturgical art, teaches courses at Columbia, and has offered many years of classes on The Artist’s Way. A little more about her at: ellenphillipsart.com
Facilitated by Cindy Bell and Susan Harlan, with leadership from Ellen Phillips. Ellen is a local sculptor, specializes in liturgical art, teaches courses at Columbia, and has offered many years of classes on The Artist’s Way. A little more about her at: ellenphillipsart.com
How Does the Class Work?
Members will read a chapter a week, and perform the activities suggested for that week, to the best of their abilities.
Convening time is set right now at Sundays between 6 – 9 pm (but participants may decide to alter it, based on what’s most convenient for the majority).
Members would need to make a commitment to all twelve sessions. Of course, there are unforeseen emergencies or planned, unchangeable events that you may have to miss a class for, but otherwise you commit to making it each week (whether you’ve done your “homework” or not!).
The first part each week will be discussion of that week’s chapter and how members responded to it. The second half will be physically performing together a creative activity led by the facilitators and guest leaders.The cost of the class is $250, which includes most all materials for activities, as well as for Ellen and her travel. (That may seem like a lot for one course, but it’s the least expensive Artist Way course in the area!!) You’ll also need to get a copy of The Artist’s Way, but don’t need all the workbooks or other collateral for sale out there. You can find it for as little as $4 at half.com or Amazon’s used books. Complete title: The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron (1992).
Start date is Sunday, January 8th. Ideally, the class roster would be locked down by December 18th and class members would have gotten The Artist’s Way and read the first section before the first class.
Learn more or join by contacting Susan or Cindy at their gmail addresses: cindyabell or susansharlan
or give them a call. Susan:(7) 377.3869 Cindy: (4) 693.2201
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