I just got out of class where I'm working in a group on what will be my final project of the semester. Oh group projects...🫠
As the oldest person in mine and the one with very specific skills for building consensus, I assumed the role of getting us to decisions that honor everyone's ideas.
My contribution in the end will likely end up being less arty and more cat wrangly, but I'm cool with that because I recognize there's an art to the skills I'll be lending:
- There's an art to facilitation.
- There's an art to consensus-building.
- There's an art to production.
- There's an art to strategy.
It all leads to a finished creation that didn't exist before.
Being old in art school is revealing ways I've always been an artist.
My life and career are feeding my art.
My art is feeding my life and career.
Your art may or may not be obvious to you right now, but it is guiding you.
Last February I conceptualized a product for my business that's going to help gentle, sensitive entrepreneurs in our businesses.
It's the practical stuff you need to know coupled with fluid ways of thinking and being.
It's anti-Biz Bro — the foundation and guiding light for me. ✨
My product idea led to the thought, "What if I went to art school?" because I was thinking about the design and wanting to do it, or at least have a major hand in it with a designer.
What I understand is how my work for the last 26 years, concepts I come up with, projects and ideas that bubble up ... they're all art.
This is part of "my why" behind The Emerging Artist Retreat in New Mexico — a retreat for people who don't necessarily think of themselves as artists but have creative ideas bubbling inside.
A product.
A book.
A series of drawings.
A piece of music.
A poem.
What's bubbling inside of you?
The world needs your art. You have no idea how powerful it will be on your life until you embrace it, believe me.
And, if you want to come to my retreat...
I guarantee you will make meaningful progress on your creative project or idea in the most gentle yet practical kind of way. 😌
Here's what's included:
- Everything but your airfare.
- Ground transportation to/from airport
- Delicious chef-prepared meals & snacks
- Gorgeous accommodations & housekeeping
- Welcome gift filled with personal touches to support you and your idea/project
- Time in nature
- 1:1 time with me
- Your preferences, needs and requests handled with care weeks before you arrive
- Relationship-building with others who can change your life in unexpected ways
- Optional experiences to support your growth — sometimes we just want to stay in our room and focus
I received feedback that compelled me to lower the price and add an additional payment plan.
Retreat details here.
Register for one of the remaining spots.
If you need a more spread out payment plan, register and then email me. I'll joyfully customize one for you.
If the price is totally prohibitive let me know why you want to come to this retreat, so if a partial scholarship becomes available you'll be one of the first to know.
Here's where you'll stay:
From one artist to another...
Whatever you do, make your art.
Sending you lots of love,
Annie
p.s. I recently hosted a Q&A about the retreat, watch it or email me if you have questions.
p.p.s. My husband released a single last week called We Can Levitate. It's a spiritual dance song that came to him a few years back. It feels very make-your-art-in-community to me. Nothing matters and everything matters.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think.
"If we lift each other up, we can levitate." ~ Matt Kollock