News September 2023
Below you will find:
September Workshop Highlight: "New Encounters"
Art and soul
Rebekah Lowrie is moving on - Fair well
Spotlight: The good enough studio
Teaser of our September Blog Post: In Conversation with Susan Wirth
Dear Creative C Community,
Welcome to September! As we transition into this brisk yet lively month, we are thrilled to unveil our current line-up of workshops and interesting happenings, designed specifically to ignite your artistic passion.
At The Creative C, each offering is crafted to guide you further into your artistic and therapeutic journey and to foster connections with fellow creatives in our warm and welcoming community.
Stay tuned for regular updates and don't miss our Blog for inspiration during the early days of Spring : )
With warmth and inspiration,
The Creative C Team.
September Workshop Highlight:
"New Encounters"
NEW ENCOUNTERS- A deep dive exploration into new materials, opening up possibilities in the creative process in the company of other adventurers!
Discover your own visual and perceptual rhythms through a series of drawing techniques to assist in activating the imagination and waking up the inner creative voice.
With the introduction of different materials and mediums to this process you will learn to expand the potential of art making through this mindful making process. Based on the principles of ‘flow’ theory ( Csikszentmihalyi 1975) we will embrace spontaneous, intuitive responses to new materials, learn to embrace our inner critic, cast aside doubts and focus on our innate creativity.
Guided drawing techniques include drawing with the breath and blind contour drawing.
Mediums include- personal choice, maybe something new and untried.
A workshop based on the values of kindness, compassion, mutual support and respect.
When: Saturday 23rd Sept, 10.00am- 1.00pm
Duration: 3 hour session
Investment $150
Maximum 6-8
Where: The Creative Continuum Upstairs, 2/2 Colin Ave Warrandyte
Enquiries and Bookings: Susan Wirth susan.wirth67@gmail.com
Find out more bout Susan https://www.susanwirth.com.au/
Workshop:
ART & SOUL FORTNIGHTLY SESSIONS
Dates for this month are: 2nd September, 16 September, 30 September
Carving out time and space to connect with your heart & soul through art on a regular basis can have profound benefits in all aspects of your life.
For those of you who are yet to experience this soulful time on a Saturday morning we highly recommend giving yourself this time to just be, no pressure, time to relax, listen to soft music and create whatever is in your heart and soul in the moment.
Explore different mediums such as watercolour, pastels, acrylics, clay, ink, collage, natural fibres and other craft materials.
Session includes a simple prompt, creative zone time listening to music without chit chat, optional group sharing/witnessing at the end with a cuppa & snack.
Amazing for creative expression and no experience necessary.
Small group, supportive & carefree environment.
Whilst this creative time could be done in your own homes there's something about being in the creative studio alongside others which makes the Art and Soul time beautiful.
Come to one or come to all!
We offer fortnightly sessions so that if your heart desires after coming along to a session you have the opportunity to cultivate and commit to a regular practise.
When: Every Second Saturday 10am – 12pm
Upcoming Dates: 2nd September, 16 September, 30 September
Where: Upstairs The Creative C, Suit 2B/ 2 Colin Ave Warrandyte 3113
Investment: $25 per session
Booking is required to guarantee your spot as space is limited.
Contact: Beth - bethx77@hotmail.com PH: 0422 270 437
Rebekah Lowrie
We bid farewell to Rebekah Lowrie
It is with warm hearts and joyous wishes that we announce Rebekah Lowrie's departure from The Creative Continuum this September as she embarks on the incredibly special journey of becoming a Mum. Over her time here, Rebekah has been a wonderful part of The Creative Continuum with her dedicated Art Therapy practice, Create Space Art Therapy.
With over 7 years of experience and a Master’s in Art Therapy, Rebekah has shown unwavering dedication to supporting our community members. Her specialised work with adolescents and children, particularly those confronting challenges like mental health issues, trauma, self-esteem battles and more, has been truly valued and this will no doubt follow on wherever her next chapter takes her.
As Rebekah prepares to welcome a new life into the world, we send our heartfelt wishes, abundant blessings and endless gratitude for the indelible mark she has left on The Creative C.
Warm wishes, The Creative C Team.
Spotlight: The Good Enough Studio
We are thrilled to introduce you to an inspiring Blog, 'The Good Enough Studio,' which promises to shine a light on the magical intersection of space, matter and action.
Nona Orbach, the passionate force behind this blog, dons multiple hats. She’s an accomplished art therapist, art educator and an artist in her own right. Nona’s diverse experiences from her Mediterranean and Israeli roots, coupled with her teachings in Japan and Italy, offer a rich tapestry of global insights, textures and mediums. At the heart of her work lies a deep fascination with how mediums can resonate with our spiritual and emotional essences, creating profound shifts in therapeutic or educational processes. We love seeing how other practitioners find unique ways to help people.
Nona Orbach
So what makes 'The Good Enough Studio' truly special for our Creative C community?
Well, Nona has meticulously crafted educational and therapeutic methods that can ignite authentic creativity in anyone attempting to express their inner world. If you take the time, her blog can reveal these transformative tools and techniques, opening doors to new realms of artistic exploration and therapeutic outcomes.
And for those art teachers, therapists, or artists who've felt a disconnect, or fragmentation in their work, this blog can become a bridge to reconnection. Nona aims to knit together scattered knowledge, facilitating smoother and more holistic practices. Interestingly, she is also drawing from the Reggio Emilia educational approach and this can offer a fresh perspective too, especially for art therapists and educators looking to communicate more effectively using diverse artistic languages.
In the video below, as an example of Nonas’ knowledge, she explores the therapeutic and spiritual significance of the delicate Aquarelle art form. Aquarelle is more than just a painting technique, it’s a slow meditative journey that has been embraced for centuries as a pathway to inner peace and self-reflection. We love the world of watercolours, they’re just beautiful and this video offers a deeper understanding of the transformative power that Aquarelle watercolour holds.
If allowed, perhaps it can bridge the tangible with the ethereal, or the seen with the felt, but we think it can certainly open up new perspectives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaIizjJzmP8
We hope you enjoy exploring art therapy through this unique lens.
In Conversation with Susan Wirth
We are pleased to share a little teaser of our next Blog post coming later this month where Tania Virgona interviews Susan Wirth. This discussion promises to unravel the layers of Susan's expertise, journey and the wisdom she brings to the Creative C community. It's a beautiful chat, highlighting the depth and diversity of our talented practitioners.
Tania: Hi Susan! It's great to have you here with us on the Creative Continuum's "In Conversation" series. Before we delve into your upcoming workshop, "New Encounters", could you share a bit about your background with our Creative C community?
Susan: Sure, I’m an artist and art therapist living and working in the northern suburbs of Naarm/Melbourne. I grew up in Gadigal country / Sydney in the bushy, suburban outskirts of the city. My formal art education began in Darwin, continued in Melbourne where I completed a BFA from Victorian College of the Arts and a bit later a Grad Dip in Art therapy at Latrobe University.
I work with people to discover and explore their creativity through art making techniques, materials and methods in a range of community settings. Currently I work with older adults in aged care homes and support individuals through their NDIS plans.
My own art practice can be found on my websites:
www.susanwirth.com
www.paradoxacollective.net
Tania: Thank you, it’s always interesting to hear where people found their start. So, what led you to create your New Encounters workshop?
Susan: When I was a child I loved to make things. I crocheted, knitted, embroidered, tapestried, macraméd, and sewed. These activities gave me precious time and space. It was a private world away from the ups and downs of family life. A world filled with a sense of discovery, risk taking and possibility. I experienced the deep calm that came when I focussed my hands on making; also the exasperation, frustration, problem solving, satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a result, the learning of techniques and development of skills. I was discovering my own creativity and the possibilities of art making. Meanwhile most subjects at school fell by the wayside, except for school projects which I would spend inordinate amounts of time and energy! And sport but that’s another story………
Stay tuned for the full interview later this month.
The Creative C Team.
Thanks for reading :)
