Art on Park Award Exhibition Schedule

Information on the Art on Park award exhibitions at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota are now available.  My exhibition will be the last of three.

Jeannie E. Roberts  |  Rocks and Trees: Acrylics on Canvas Opening Reception: February 10, 4–7pm Living in the woodlands of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, I am inspired by the trees which surround me. My tree imagery depicts the Norway pines that border our front yard. My rock imagery was inspired by the man-made stone landmark or cairn called an inuksuk (plural inuksuit) used by the Inuit and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America for communication and directional aids. As an artist, I am intrigued by the organic forms that comprise our natural landscape. And rocks and trees represent the best of these forms. They are not only beautiful and strong shapes but are important culturally to the advancement of the human race. Through my rock and tree paintings, I wish to honor their beauty, strength and cultural significance. Jeannie E. Roberts is a trained artist and arts administrator with a Bachelor of Science degree in broad area art and education, and a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from Saint Mary’s University. She has also completed course work at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Roberts is an award-winning and published poet, and the owner of JR Creative Studios (www.jrcreative.biz), an advertising, marketing, art, and design firm. Kathryn Mussack  |  Minnesota Seasons: Oil on Canvas or Board Opening Reception: June 10, 4–7pm The work in this show evoke the wide range of outdoor scenes we are blessed with here in Minnesota. With four full and varied seasons, I enjoy painting nature at any time of the year. I have tried to express each of the seasons: the angular, sharply delineated shadows of the spring, the warmth of the summer, the fuzzy lighting of the fall, the crisp chill of the winter. Water plays an important role in our outdoor life. Many of my paintings were done near a river, on a beach, overlooking a lake. My collection consists of scenes from Minnesota, mostly from the Twin Cities area. The smaller pieces were done plein air, outdoors in one session. Larger works were done in the studio from outdoor sketches, photos, and memory. My early childhood was in Michigan. At 12 my family moved to California, but I always missed the Midwest. With marriage and kids I moved a few more times, picking up my BFA from Loretto Heights College in Denver. I spent time in Texas and Wisconsin, attending to my art in my spare time. I dappled in a variety of styles and media: portraits, still life, landscapes, oils, watercolors, charcoal, pastels. A little over three years ago I moved with my husband and kids to Minnesota. I soon found a group of like-minded artists who reveled in the art of plein air painting. Whether knee deep in snow or swatting mosquitoes, we meet throughout the year to enjoy the outdoors as well as each other’s company. As the kids have grown I can spend more time with my passion. From my family I have learned to enjoy the process as much as the finished work. I am always learning, finding new ways to express myself, discovering new techniques to capture on canvas and board what I experience. I hope you enjoy my show. Sheila McNellis Asato  |  Pausing at Midlife: Embodying Dreams Opening Reception: October 7, 4–7pm What kind of books are capable of holding dreams, memories and waking life reflections together in a way that is true to their original nature? How does the structure of a book affect the content within? Is it possible to embody images from dreams and memories in the book arts? These are just some of the questions I have focused on since I graduated from the human development program at St. Mary’s University of MN. For this exhibition, I will be pausing at midlife to reflect upon the journey thus far and create a new body of work which integrates my dreams, memories and reflections into a series of mixed media and altered books. Sheila Asato, M.A., EIC, is the founder of Monkey Bridge Arts, a center dedicated to the growth, transformation and healing of individuals and the community through art, dreaming and creative spirituality. Sheila has just completed a three year training course with Robert Bosnak to become a certified Embodied Imagination Coach. In addition to her work at Monkey Bridge, Sheila also teaches at Abbott Hospital Institute for Health and Healing, provides customized cross-cultural training for Shepell-FGI and leads workshops internationally on the relationship between art, dreaming and healing. Sheila currently serves as a regional representative for the International Association for the Study of Dreams and has just finished her term as an IASD board member.

Useful Site For Sticking Things Together

I just came across this very useful site called “This to That”.  It’s a very simple, useful site for figuring out how to stick any two things together.

Now that I am knee-deep in preparing for my upcoming exhibition of handmade and altered books, I am always looking for good ways to stick things together that are non-toxic.  I found lots of good suggestions for products that are new to me as well as some interesting trivia, such as:

Did you know that the famous cow on Elmer’s glue products actually has a name?  She is Elsie, the spouse of Elmer the bull who the company is named after.

Elsie was an interesting cow in her own right.  Initially she was the inspiration for a cartoon of a laughing cow.  Her fame increased significantly after her appearance at the 1939 New York World’s Fair which resulted in her image being used on many familiar products, including Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and Borden Cheese products.

Beeswax has also been used as a reliable, waterproof adhesive since Roman times.  Traditionally it was mixed together with pine wood tar and was strong enough for us in shipbuilding.

In ancient times, the gold leaf used in decorative gilding was made by placing gold nuggets between the outside membrane of the large intestine of an Ox and then hammering them flat.  This gold leaf was then attached to paper or plaster with egg whites – the same adhesive that is still used today!

In closing, I can think of no better way to kick-start the creative process then by laughing.  Enjoy this clip from YouTube.

Art on Park Award

I have great news to share with all of you!  I am pleased to announce that I have been chosen as one of the recipients of the Art on Park award from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.

To celebrate the new library at the Twin Cities campus of SMU three artists were selected to hold solo exhibitions next year.  I will be exhibiting a variety of handmade and altered books for my exhibition.  This project coincides nicely with my graduation from the embodied imagination training program I have been in with Robert Bosnak and Jill fischer over the past several years.

Throughout my graduate work and embodied imagination training, I have become very interested in the relationship between dreams, poetry and the book arts.  I have been asking myself what kind of books are capable of carrying dreams, memories and waking life reflections into waking life in a way that retains a sense of their original nature.  I wonder how the structure of a book can affect it’s content.  What new possibilities do the book arts offer for embodying dreams, memories, art and poetry?

These are just a few of the questions that I have been pondering since I completed my master’s degree at St. Mary’s.  Over the coming months I will be taking this opportunity to pause at midlife and reflect on the journey thus far.  The book arts offer tremendous possibilities for the creative integration of my dreams, poetry and art into a new body of work.  I am very excited for this new opportunity.  I hope you will share this journey with me over the coming year through this blog and then at the exhibition itself.

Sweet dreams!  Sheila

What a Difference Sunshine Makes!

October was an unusually gloomy month in Minnesota.  Yesterday, we finally had some sunshine again and the sky was magnificent.  I can’t believe what a positive effect a beautiful sky and clear light have on my spirit and energy level!

Where Does Your Creative Path Lead?

A new round of classes will begin next week on Tuesday Nov. 3 at Monkey Bridge Arts.  I hope your creative path will be leading you over to Monkey Bridge Arts!

• Colored Pencil – Color Relationships
  
  • Tuesdays, 9:30AM – 12:30PM
  • Nov. 3 – Dec. 22 (No class Nov.10)
  • Cost: $160 (7 Weeks)

• Drawing – Portraits – Profiles & 3/4 View
  • Wednesdays, 9:30AM – 12:30PM
  • Nov. 4 – Dec. 23 (No class Nov. 11)
  • Cost: $160 (7 weeks)

• Embodied Imagination Circle
  • Fridays, 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
  • Nov. 13 – Dec. 18 (No class Nov. 27)
  • Cost: $125 (5 weeks)

Creative Mentoring & Embodied Imagination Sessions
I currently have 2 openings for creative mentoring and/or embodied imagination clients.  If you are interested in doing one-on-one work with me, please call 952-412-4786 to set up an appointment.

Upcoming Dream Presentations at Abbott’s Institute for Health & Healing

• Pain and Dreaming
• Tuesday Nov. 10

• Dreaming for Creativity & Health
• Monday Nov. 30

For more information and registration: 952-412-4786 or e-mail me at SheilaAsato@comcast.net

The Dreams of Hans Christian Andersen

Patricia Garfield

Dream Salon

The Dreams of Hans Christian Andersen

In this month’s dream salon, I will be showing a video of Patricia Garfield speaking about The Dreams of Hans Christian Andersen.  His dreams have striking parallels with universal dream themes, as well as many personal connections with his own life. Learn more about this remarkable man and how he incorporated his dream material into his tales in a way that was not only creative but also healing.  If you weren’t able to see her in person at the 2004 IASD conference in Denmark, this is a good chance to hear her wonderful presentation once again.

Patricia Garfield, Ph.D., a leading dream expert with a doctorate in clinical psychology, has written nine books on dreams and cofounded the Association for the Study of Dreams (President 1998-99). Her Creative Dreaming, a best-seller in print since 1974, appears in fourteen languages. Her work for teens, The Dream Book, won two prestigious awards.

When and Where

Date: Friday September 25, 2009

Place: Monkey Bridge Arts

Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Cost: Free, donations accepted

RSVP: E-mail Sheila Asato or telephone 952-412-4786

Filling the Creative Well – Walking and Art

六十余州名所図絵　甲斐　さるはし

Monkey Bridge from the series Famous Places in Sixty-odd Provinces of Japan

Nothing replenishes my creative spirit more than a good walk.  The older I get, the more I find walking is essential not only to my physical health, but also to my creative process.  I learn so much from watching how nature moves from one season into the next with such grace and beauty.  There is no better teacher of color than nature herself.  As I watch her move from the intense greens and blues of summer into the golden yellows, browns and brilliant reds, I am awestruck.

Taking a daily walk is also an incredible source of pleasure for me, as it has been for many artists before me.  One of the things I love about Japan is the tradition of sketching and writing poetry while walking through the countryside.  This woodblock is an example from of one of my favorite Japanese artists -Utagawa Hiroshige.

This year in particular, the imminent arrival of fall with it’s shorter days reminds to me to slow down and savor the fruits of the harvest as I enter the next stage of my life.  Having just finished menopause, I am now looking forward to beginning a review of the creative work I have done so far. Through this process, I hope to have a better idea of where my creative work wants to go in the next half of my life.

While I was in Japan this past spring, I noticed so many books about walking and sketching or writing poetry.  With the most rapidly aging population on earth, as well as the longest life span, I think that the Japanese are on to something here.  As we age, taking time to connect with nature on a regular basis by walking while expressing ourselves in art and poetry seems to be a wonderful way to connect more deeply with ourselves while replenishing the creative well within.

The Joy of Bubbles

This past week, as my son and I have been out walking by the light of the full moon, I have been amazed by how much the same terrain is transformed when bathed in mo0nlight.  Walking together has become a special time for us.  While we are out, he loves to recite his favorite cartoon dialogues for me, blow bubbles and dance in the streets with our dog.  As the mother of a child on the autistic spectrum, I have often found it difficult to share the kind of interactions that are more common for other families, like a conversation with eye contact.  To be honest, this used to make me feel very sad and left out.  Last night, however, as I watched his beautiful bubbles floating in the moonlight and listened to him joyfully hum bars from his favorite cartoon, I was filled with such gratitude.  Our lives may be atypical, but they are also filled with so much beauty and joy, if I only remember to slow down and savor this walk through life.

2009 Pedometer Challenge – 88 Temples in Japan

Stone Figures - Kamakura

Please join me for a virtual pilgrimage to the temples of Shikoku, Japan. All you need is a pedometer and a good imagination!

Click on this link to learn more about the 2009 Fall Walking Challenge to 88 Temples. Once you get to the website, download the spread sheet to record your daily walks. It will automatically calculate how far you have gone each day on your virtual pilgrimage.

As you record the number of steps you walk each day, be sure to check out the photos of the temples that you would have visited along the way if you were actually walking in Japan.   Remember that Japan is a mountainous country, so don’t forget to throw a few hills into your daily walk to help yourself imagine you are really walking in Japan!

Fall Session Starts September 8

A new round of classes will begin on Sept. 8 at Monkey Bridge.  I will be offering the following classes at Monkey Bridge this fall.  To register call 952-412-4786 or e-mail me at SheilaAsato@comcast.net

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Colored Pencil – Focus on Color Harmony

• Tuesdays, 9:30AM – 12:30PM
• Sept. 8 – Oct. 27
• Cost: $180

Drawing – Introduction to Portraits

• Wednesdays, 9:30AM – 12:30PM
• Sept. 9 – Oct. 28
• Cost: $180

Embodied Dreamwork Circle

• Wednesdays, 1:30PM – 4:00PM
• Sept. 9 – Oct. 28
• Cost: $150

Design Basics for Photographers – 2 Day Intensive Workshop

• Thursday Oct. 15 & Friday Oct. 16
• 10 AM – 4:00 PM
• Cost: $110 for two days

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Creative Mentoring & Embodied Imagination Sessions

I currently have 3 openings for creative mentoring and/or embodied imagination clients.  If interested in doing one-on-one work with your dreams or creative development, contact me for more information.

___________________________________________________________________

Upcoming Dream Presentations at Abbott’s Institute for Health & Healing

Embodied Imagination

• Thursday Oct. 22

Pain and Dreaming

• Tuesday Nov. 10

Dreaming for Creativity & Health

• Monday Nov. 30

Embodied Intelligence in Dreaming, Memory, and Creative Imagination

A Lecture and Workshop with Robert Bosnak, PsyA

I am pleased to announce that I will be co-hosting a lecture and workshop with Robert Bosnak in MN this fall together with the MN Jung Association. I hope to see many of you there.  Sheila

Robert Bosnak

Lecture

Date: Friday, October 2, 2009

Time:  7:30 to 9:30 PM
Location:   Northwestern Auditorium, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN
Cost:  MJA Members $15; Non-Members $20

Workshop

Date:  Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time:  9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location:   Stub Hall Lounge, Luther Seminary, St Paul, MN
Cost: MJA Members $75; Non-Members $90

Registration:  Send a check to the Minnesota Jung Association, PO Box 14726, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Please include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address with your registration.  Space is limited, so be sure to register early to guarantee a space.

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Lecture and Workshop Description

Embodied Intelligence in Dreaming, Memory, and Creative Imagination
A Lecture & Workshop with Robert Bosnak
October 2-3, 2009
St. Paul, Minnesota

Building on his recent book Embodiment: Creative Imagination in Medicine, Art and Travel, Robert Bosnak will explore the ways in which images in dreams and flashback memories present themselves as quasi-physical environments in which we unexpectedly find ourselves. These dreamed environments and their inhabitants behave in an apparently intelligent fashion.

The craft of embodied imagination is to create an interaction between waking intelligence and the embodied intelligences encountering us in the creative imagination of dreaming, memory, and art. Using the innovative techniques developed by the practitioners of embodied imagination, participants will be given demonstrations of the work and practical exercises to learn for themselves.

A presentation of theory ranging from phenomenology, alchemy, neuroscience of memory, and complexity theory to the works of C.G. Jung, Henry Corbin, and sense memory techniques in theater, will be woven in throughout.

Participants will learn to use the hypnagogic state of consciousness to facilitate flashbacks giving direct access to dreaming and memory.
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Robert Bosnak Biography

Robert Bosnak, PsyA, is a Jungian psychoanalyst who left his native Holland in 1971to study in Zurich at the C.G. Jung Institute.Robert trains therapists, actors and other artists worldwide in the embodied imagination method he developed, which is based on the work of Jung, Hillman, Corbin, and Stanislavski.

In 2006 the International Society for Embodied Imagination was founded in Guangzhou, China. It now governs training programs in Los Angeles, Shanghai, Sydney, and Online.

Robert’s methods have been used as a rehearsal technique by many theater companies, including the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. In 1977 he co-founded cyberdreamwork.com, the first interactive site for real-time voice and video work with imagery.

He co-organized, with Pacifica Graduate Institute, the 2007 conference on Imagination and Medicine, which was aimed towards the establishment of an integrative medical healing sanctuary in Santa Barbara. Proceedings from the conference were recently published by Spring Journal Books as Imagination & Medicine: The Future of Healing in an Age of Neuroscience. His latest book, Embodiment: Creative Imagination in Medicine, Art and Travel was published by Routledge in 2007.  He is the past-president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.