Hello Creative Friend,

Travel is on my mind as I write to you this morning. Tamara is on vacation and traveling this week, and I (Kathleen) recently returned from 6 weeks  in Europe - a dream trip for sure!. As I continue to work in my travel journal, and receive the gifts of that magical time, I am thinking about planning and spontaneity, and the balance, or tension, between the two. Prior to a trip, how much do I plan, and how much space do I leave for spontaneous choices and unplanned encounters?  What kind of a structure do I set, so that I feel safe and secure? And how much openness do I leave for flexibility, and for mystery to enter? And what are the gifts that mystery brings?  This got me thinking about expressive arts, too.  (Of course, most things lead back to expressive arts, for me!)

When I travel to unknown places, I do a little research, look at maps, and pre-book what I need to feel secure and do my best to ensure a level of comfort. Airline tickets, accommodation (at least for the beginning of the trip), and bus tickets might fall into this category. I pack my travel documents, and suitable clothing and supplies. I feel prepared for the magic to unfold, as this unknown magic is a significant part of what draws me to travel. All the planning in the world could never prepare me for those moments - like being surprised by the cow that walks out of the cave, or the almost-too-full feeling in my heart as I take in the endless blue of the Aegean Sea. Yet without the planning, those moments would likely not happen.

When we plan an expressive arts workshop or session we create an outline, a structure, or a map. We have a purpose, and we make sure we have the space, time, and supplies to meet our intention. We create ground rules and guidelines, and ask our participants to uphold them. We have processes and timelines planned. And we leave space, in both our schedule and in our hearts, for the surprises, for 'the third' that arrives in the space when the conditions are created. We invite, trust, and follow the 'aha' moments, the shifts from the plan that just seem to enter the room and ask to be followed.

Travel can be like that. If I confine myself with too much structure and planning, I miss the interaction with the old man we meet on the unmarked trail or the spirit-filled hush in the ancient monastery.  Expressive Arts can be like that, too. If I am a prisoner to my outline, that miraculous moment of our voices rising up through the ceiling or of each image brought to the circle somehow adding to the story of the one brought before. Those are the moments of transformation. The moments that  expand us, or heal us, or connect us.  All of those things, and more.

Since the beginning of our certificate training program in 2011, our basic structure has stayed the same, and the countless moments of mystery, magic, and transformation that have occurred sometimes take our breath away. At the recent IEATA conference, witnessing our alumni and the magnitude and variety of their visions manifested in the world is both humbling and awe-inspiring. 

As many of you know, we are currently re-shaping the structure that holds our training programs, to meet the changes in our own lives and in the evolving life of the expressive arts field. Approached intentionally, and making room for both the mystery and the planning takes time and careful tending. Our images are as valuable as our planning sessions in re-creating our structure. Maybe more so. A new form is emerging, and we expect to be able to share it with you soon. 

• Here are some questions you might like to ponder this week:
  In your life and your art, how do you navigate the intersection of structure and spontaneity?
  How do you create the conditions for both safety and the invitation of mystery and magic?

If, when we work, we can look once a day upon the face of mystery, then our labor satisfies.”

- Lewis Hyde, The Gift: How the Creative spirit Transforms the World

We’re just over a week into the brand new Mindful Art Play Members Club, and already, the creativity and play pouring out of this space has been so fun to witness.

One of our founding members shared this reflection after completing the bonus accordion book lesson:

“Tamara’s gentle guidance is at the heart of this experience. Each week brings a new morsel of joy to digest and explore. The lessons are small, manageable, and deeply nourishing. Creating through the Mindful Art Play Membership helped me reconnect with myself in such a freeing way. I felt invited to play, to listen inward, and to let the materials guide me. No pressure. Just presence. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking to slow down, create art mindfully, and rediscover the joy of simply being playfully creative.” - Heidi

This is what it looks like to slow down, make space for your inner world and have fun in the process.

Each month inside the membership, we explore a new expressive theme through video tutorials, creative prompts, a live session, and simple practices that meet you exactly where you are.

No art experience needed. Just your presence. 💛
 

If you’ve been feeling the pull to return to your creativity… this space was made for you.

✨ And don’t forget—the LIVE session is Monday, July 28th from 1-2:30pm ET.

Some other opportunities to create with us include: 

Our next Expressive Arts Discovery workshop, on Monday, July 21st. Access your intuition through guided meditation, artmaking and writing in this 90 minute guided online workshop. 

Our next in person event is In Person Open Studio on Friday, July 25th! Come join us in person and work on a creative project. We will have supplies and light refreshments available.

We have decided to reschedule Sand, Soul and Metaphor: An Expressive Arts Therapy Journey and offer it as a single day training. We are looking at dates now so stay tuned!

If you would like to share any part of your creative practice, we invite you to do so in our private Facebook group.

To see a schedule of all upcoming events, courses and workshops visit our calendar of events here.

Therapy Services

Tamara is accepting new clients in Florida seeking therapy services and support using expressive arts to heal and grow. Using her years of creative practice and a compassionate approach, she is able to help clients access their inner strengths and create the change they most want in their lives. To inquire about services, you can go HERE, call/text 941-444-9585 

or email tknappcounseling@gmail.com

Tamara Teeter Knapp

MA, NCC, LMHC, REACE®

Kathleen Horne

MA, LMHC(S), REACE®, REAT®

www.expressiveartsflorida.com