Sacred Garden Art Journaling Summer Workshop Series 2023

Tuesdays from 10:00 am-noon

In the shady outdoor setting of my backyard

New journal prompt every week

Group sharing

Monthly excursions/field trips

$30 Drop-in

$250 for 10-week immersion

Course Description

I will be your guide in this face-to-face weekly art journaling course through a series of thematic prompts.

Prompts are focused around garden metaphors, with an emphasis on flowers.

Themes are designed to assist you with:

• letting go of creative constraints
• tapping into underlying intuition
• finding your courageous voice

Classes will be held in my backyard with three guided field trip excursions.

You will provide your own supplies; however supply kits will be available for purchase.

Summer reading recommendation:

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Calendar of Themes

June 13: Beauty in the Mess

Creating messy pages, finding the hidden gems

June 20: Garden of Your Dreams

Creating symbols to represent your dreams

June 27: Field Trip to the Farm

‘Among the Wildflowers’

Realistic botanical painting in a tranquil setting

July 11: Secret Gardens, Hidden Pockets

Creating a mini-deck to ignite your own spark

July 18: I Collect …

Mixed-media collage exploring what you collect

July 25: Field Trip to Grouse Creek Falls

Bring your journal, immerse yourself in nature

August 1: Unfurled Blooms, Radiant Witnessing

Become enchanted with color, brushstrokes, and flowers

August 8: Exploring the Wilderness of Your Intuition

Let yourself NOT KNOW where you are going

August 15: Color Medicine

Indulge in exploring the colors that delight you

August 22: Field Trip to the Farm

Summer’s Divine Gold

Poetry and painting, blended journaling, and poetry circle

REGISTER: Sacred Garden Art Journaling Summer Workshop Series 2023

Weekly drop-in Pay as you go Reserving your spot is not required You can also just show up and pay in cash

$30.00

REGISTER: Sacred Garden Art Journaling Summer Workshop Series 2023

Beginning June 13 Ending August 22 Ten-Session Summer Pass

$250.00

Meadow Painting Summer 2022

Join artist Holly Walker this summer for a monthly painting class focused on flowers in tranquil the setting of the Walker Family Farm.

Reserve your spot for individual classes below. You will be emailed with further details about location upon registration. *Limited class size.

REGISTER: Sacred Garden Art Journaling Summer Series 2023

Weekly Drop-In Pay as you go Reserving your spot is not required You can also just show up and pay in cash

$30.00

REGISTER: Coneflowers and Hummingbird Splash

Thursday, July 14 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mixed-media Watercolor Illustration

$35.00

Abstract Flower Sampler

Thursday, August 4 5:30-7:30 p.m. Watercolor Illustration

$35.00

Zinnias, Dahlias and Painted Petals

Thursday, Sept 8 5:30-7:30 p.m. Watercolor Painting

$35.00

View of the meadow

Garden of Dreams Painted Illustration Live Online Class

Here is a sneak peek into next weeks live online class

 

Thursday, May 28 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

 

Register

Garden of Dreams Painted Illustration

Live online art class using step-by-step teachniques to create a painted illustration of the Garden of your Dreams

$12.00

If you prefer to pay via Venmo, my handle is @Holland-Walker-2.

To complete your registration for this class, please leave your name and the email associated with your Zoom acccount. If you have not yet downloaded Zoom, you will need to do so before the class.

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Brainstorming Exercise

If you would like to prepare for the upcoming class, start dreaming about what kind of metaphoric seeds you would like to plant in your garden. Write down a few things that you are dreaming of planting in your garden. Doodle some symbols to represent these seeds. Below I created a sketch of some of the seeds that I’ve been planting during this time. Hint: It will be helpful to have these seed symbols handy during our live class on Thursday.

You might also find it helpful to journal about the garden of your dreams ahead of time.

If you are working in an art journal, you can use a permanent fine line pen such as an ultrafine tip Sharpie or Copic liner to write about the garden of your dreams. Later we will paint over these words and they will create a sublte texture in the background of your artpiece. If writing is an important part of your practice, I encourage you to add this depth to your work.

I am looking forward to painting with you!

Hummingbird Dogwood Watercolor Class Live Online

Here is a sneak peek into my upcoming live class Thursday, May 14 from 4:00-5:30 pm.

These are the supplies you will need for this project:

• Watercolor paints and brushes
• Watercolor paper in sketchbook or taped onto board
• Pencil (graphite and/or water soluble) eraser, pencil sharpener
• Optional: watercolor pencils, sharpies
• Photograph or print of a flower of your choice for inspiration

Sterilized supply kits available for local residents to borrow for pickup

REGISTRATION:

Hummingbird Dogwood Live Painting Class

Thursday, May 14th 4:00-5:30 p.m. Live demo class. You will be guided step-by-step through the process of creating a hummingbird watercolor painting.

$12.00

If you would prefer to pay via Venmo, my handle is @Holland-Walker-2

 

Please message me with any questions about this class

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Spring Renewal: Stepping into the Flow

The focus of my art workshop at last weekend’s Spring Renewal annual Women’s Retreat was on exploring how four ancient archetypes live, work, and play through us. These are the archetypes that we focused on:

• The Queen of Nourishment
• The Midwife of Transformation
• The Divine Warrior
• The Sacred Lover

We collaged intuition cards to use as tools in our daily lives to call upon these powerful energies as needed.

As we dove into the process, a beautiful silence swept through the Eureka Retreat Center.

Part of my work is to create experiences and atmospheres that are conducive to FLOW STATE experiences. This magical space of timelessness allows artists to peel away layers up pent-up creative energy and tap into the quite calling of their intuitive inner voice.

My amazing friend and colleague in collaboration Brietta Leader, participants we led through dance integrations that were seamlessly woven into the theme. Brietta’s focus is on embodying healing through movement.

Infini: A Journey in Collective Creativity

Since January, I’ve been teaching one  ‘Sip and Paint’ class a month (typically on the first Thursday) at a new studio gallery downtown Sandpoint called Infini, run by artist Kris Dills. The classes have turned out to be both invigorating as a teacher and inspiring as an artist.

I’ve learned to condense lessons into concise two-hour workshops with a focus not only on technique, but on specific themes as well. I look forward to seeing my fellow artists each month as we catch up over a glass of wine and a palette of paint. I’ve witnessed my students master painting skills and come away with a sense of community that simply can’t be found on YouTube in a how-to video. Although it is true that one can learn just about anything they desire from the internet these days, it just isn’t the same as being part of a human collective and sharing together in beautiful and unexpected ways. I look forward to the next six months of Sip and Paints, and I hope to see you there!

NW Yogafest 2014: Shakti Awakened

Our earth altar at Alexandra’s Tree. Sticks and pinecones formed a first chakra four-petaled lotus around the base of the tree.

When it comes to summer festivals, I gravitate towards intimate and connected experiences, rooted in spirit and nature to feed my thirsty soul. I need to feel the earth under my toes, witness the stars falling, and take time to notice the subtle differences in the way light plays in people’s eyes.

Rob revealing his sparkle.

I also crave time away from my technology obsession, my fancy for wine, and my affinity towards slow-smoked meats. With a full power and water outage due to a freak summer storm, as well as the gift of a ‘food ceremonialist’ as our vegan chef (Kariann Neal), I was in position for a mid-summer full body/mind/spirit reset. The NW Yogafest successfully awakened my shakti, and I returned filled with a sense of gratitude, aliveness, love, and inspiration. Upon reflection, I realize that my greatest joy came from the heartfelt connections I savored and fostered throughout the weekend.

Here I am with my new friend, Krishna. I’m pretending to be Radha..

One of the highlights of my weekend was reconnecting with my friend Jennifer Isaacson who has been wanderlusting around the world for the past year leading retreats in succulent places like Bali and Sayulita. Her unique style of yoga is a blend of spirit-channeled wisdom that can only come from thousands of hours of devotion, with a splash of humor that sets everyone at ease.

Jennifer assists with an adjustment while light pours through the Garden House windows.

Another Yogafest blessing, was having the opportunity to work alongside shaman Shakti goddess Cosetta Romani creating sacred altars, and witnessing her ability to create magical spaces and transformational experiences.

First chakra human mandala ceremony, guided by Cosetta Romani.

Sharing my own gifts during the ‘Intuitive Painting Playshop’ was a soothing experience that brought my group spontaneously to the beach, where we set up an outdoor studio in the grassy shade. We stepped outside of time to create colorful abstract scenes embedded with ancient symbols. This experience reminded me how important it is to be connected with nature in the process that I’m developing, and I made sure to reserve a time slot at the beach for next year’s workshop.

Intuitive Painting Playshop participants dive in to water and watercolor at Garfield Bay.

Sunday afternoon brought another opportunity for creative integration with a timeless rock painting session along the quiet and peaceful shores of Green Bay.

Rock painting decompression session Sunday afternoon at Green Bay with the crew.

Dancing with my Gypsy Diva sisters as an opening ceremony to Cosetta’s (amazing) trance dance was the personal highlight of my weekend. Our dancing group was founded over 7 years ago by Brietta Leader, best friend and soul sister. We’ve performed to a variety of genres from Bollywood, belly dance fusion, yoga fusion, tango, flamenco, even Burlesque. This particular dance was choreographed by Hallie Owen. As we stood before the beautiful crowd of glowing, radiant yogis, we felt held by a group of witnesses that transported us to an earthy, ancient realm from which we emerged. The dance itself felt like a dream amidst the backdrop of Alexandra’s Tree.

Gypsy Divas setting the tone for the trance dance.

Hallie Owen, Brietta Leader, Holly Walker, Julie, Lili Waldrup

Now it is over. My goddess costume has been put back in the closet. The altars have been dismantled. The earth has begun to reclaim her temporary sculptures. I am left with a deep sense of aliveness. In the book I’m reading, Awakening Shakti, Sally Kempton speaks about shakti as a creative life force energy fueled from within, and sparked by the essence of ancient deities as they come to play in our lives. NW Yogafest was abundant with opportunities for such encounters. So much gratitude.

~Namaste~

P.S. I am grateful to Steve and Yvette for cultivating such a beautiful piece of land, and having the ability to work together side-by-side, even through many life-altering changes.

 

 

 

 

Reserve your sacred spot in next year’s Yogafest July 24-26, 2015.

 

Northwest Yogafest: Dream Catchers and Chakra Painting

The fast blast of summer in Sandpoint seems to fill up before it arrives, but I have no reservations in saving the weekend of July 25-27 for my fourth annual retreat at the Northwest Yogafest. I long to soak up the beauty and stillness of the Eureka Center, dive into an array of yoga practices, sing and dance under the moonlight, surround myself with inspiring people, and to share gifts of creativity with my tribe.

Each participant wrote their dreams onto feathers that they attached onto our collective dream catcher.

Larger-than-life dream catcher collective installation from Yogafest 2013

I feel so much gratitude to have found a niche to share my creative teachings at the Yogafest. Last year’s art workshop was focused on the chakras, and it was a powerful experience for all involved.

Paintings created by 2013 Yogafest participants

 

There is something magical about unleashing the creative flow in an open-air studio space, with a group of people who are devoted to bringing peace and clarity into their lives. The sweetness of life becomes tangible.

 

Painting the flower-of-life mandala for the yogafest

I look forward to this year’s event, and the opportunity to bring creative juices to the community in new ways. There are only 100 spots for this special retreat, and I can’t wait to see who makes it their priority.

To reserve your spot at this year’s event, click here. When you register, let them know that I sent you, so that the circle of connection continues.

~Namaste~

Heart chakra painting inspired from last year’s Yogafest chakra workshop

 

 

Sun Fire-Soul Fire

I recently took a one-year hiatus from dancing with the Gypsy Diva’s, a local dance performance group that I’ve been dancing with for five years. I needed to regroup and reorganize my time-structure. It was important for me to step back from the demands of rehearsal and witness the beauty of the group from a new perspective: audience member.

However, the time has come for me to dance again! I’ve been feeling the joy of rehearsal with a new and invigorated sense. Our performance will be Sunday, Dec. 15, at 4:00 p.m. at the Sandpoint Event Center. I hope to see you there.

I consider myself something of a Renaissance woman, and living an artful life means finding joy and beauty in the many facets of creativity. I don’t believe that there is just one! But I do believe that it is important to give ourselves the breaks that we are called to honor. A good artist knows the gift of shifting ones perspective.

I am so excited to be performing with this dynamic group of amazing women once again! I’ve been creating costumes in my studio as well as painting the design shown here that will embellish commemorative t-shirts. You can order your t-shirt for $15.00 here.