Hello Creative Friend,

Gardening is a new creative endeavor for me (Tamara). I want to share with you what I am learning because it has been inspiring me so much and I think you will "get it". 

When seeds get planted in a pot, then watered and nurtured, they sprout and grow, intermingle their roots for support and continue until they really can’t fit in the pot anymore. Then they are ready to be transplanted into a bigger pot or a garden bed because they have run out of room to grow. They need more soil and space to sustain them and let their roots branch out and get bigger. I watched a video that showed a few plants from a small square plastic pot being repotted. The woman took the whole square of soil with the plants out of the pot and held it up. The whole block of soil was covered with these delightful white lines intertwined all around it. The plants were “rootbound”. Before she put them in their new, larger pot she said it is important to separate them. I thought, “take them apart?” Then I realized something.

In that moment I saw plants that have grown from all the little seeds that EAFI has planted over eighteen years. I saw how much the training program has grown, how much our community workshops have grown, how my newer therapy practice has grown, how each of these were but tiny seeds at one time and now they are lively plants! Then I felt a wave of excitement. 

We are at a growth point. A time to “repot some plants”. That is the process we are in at the moment. I love how Nature teaches me. 

Last weekend, a friend came over to help me learn how to take care of my flower beds. I had removed some invasive plants, given my beautiful oak trees some room to breathe, cleared out debris and thought I was ready to plant some new things. She said, “if I were you, I would dig the soil first. Give it some air, get out these old little roots (from the plants that are no longer there) and break it up a bit.” Hmmm. That sounded like a lot of work. Then she added, “people do this all the time. They plant new plants in beds that have not been prepared and so the plants die. Their little roots don’t have room to spread out and grow. The ground is too hard for them to move into.” For those of you who are gardeners, you may think this is so obvious, but I was stunned. I heard her. Deeply. My inner voice said, “I have to turn the soil!” (not just of my flower beds, but I was doing that metaphorically by dreaming of new ways to share expressive arts in the world too). 

So, this week I have been digging. I still do not have plants in my flower beds. I am still imagining what comes next. But, knowing that the effort I put into turning the soil will give new life to the seeds we have planted and to the plants that are growing and need to expand just exhilarates me. I even had fun getting my shovels out and digging! Here is my image of the soil beneath the new plants I imagine in my garden along with a few things that are already there to provide canopy for them. 

What soil are you turning in your life? Do you have seeds to plant or sprouted seedlings? Mature plants that want more room to grow? What do you imagine is in the soil beneath that will nurture what you dream of planting? 

If you would like to share, you can do that in our private Facebook group.

Art-making of any kind is its own wellness practice. We invite you to take a moment to check out the all new Art Bundles for Good #9 that are here for only 1 more day!  It is exciting to see how many different ways there are to get creative. Maybe they will "turn the soil" in your creative practice to bring new life to it, or maybe you will discover new "plants" to put in your creative garden. 

This year is our first time participating in the Art Bundles for Good; we are trying something new. It is fun to explore new techniques and approaches in the arts and it is important to us to continue to develop our own exposure to new art practices, materials, and modalities. 

There are over $4000 worth of courses and resources on on topics like watercolor painting, art journaling, sketching, mixed media, drawing, abstract art, acrylic painting, collage, pastel pencils, and much more all bundled together for one low price. There are over 90 classes this year, including our Self-Study Bundle which contains four online expressive arts workshops (Emerge, Cultivating Self-Compassion, Embracing the Wisdom of Nature & Hands of Light)!

The sale ends tomorrow (Monday, May 5th) at midnight, Eastern Time, so don’t miss out!

In other news, we have a few events coming and we'd love for you to join us!

This Friday (May 9th) we will have In Person Open Studio from 10am-1pm here in Sarasota. We love having this time set aside to gather in person and make art. Whether you're a regular or coming for your first time, we'd love to see you!

Our next SoulCollage® workshop; SoulCollage® and the Summer Solstice led by Diane Lampitt, will be on Friday, June 6th following In Person Open Studio. As the days grow longer and the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, the Summer Solstice invites us into a powerful moment of stillness and possibility. In this workshop, we'll pause and reflect on what no longer serves us and plant seeds of renewal and new life that are best aligned with our inner truth. Enjoy just one or give yourself the gift of a full day of creative expression!

And lastly, our next Expressive Arts Discovery is on Monday, May 12th. This workshop will be live online, and is a wonderful time to take a creative pause, connect within and gather with other creatives in a safe and supportive community. All Expressive Arts Discovery workshops have now been scheduled through the end of the summer!

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