Dear Creative Friend,

There is a question from Connie Zweig that is working within me.

What is possible in late life? Not what is possible despite aging—what is possible because of it?
—from The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul

It’s a subtle but profound turning. Rather than seeing aging as something to resist, or just put up with, this question invites us to consider it as a condition of possibility.

What becomes available because of the years we have lived?

In the recent work with The Heart of the Elder in expressive arts, I (Kathleen) see something ripening that cannot be rushed. Roles loosen. The need to perform softens. There can be a deeper listening—an openness to ambiguity and the imaginal.

This is not to idealize aging. Not at all. Loss and change are real companions. And yet there can also be a widening—a capacity to hold grief and gratitude, endings and beginnings, at once.

Expressive arts offers a way to meet this threshold through creative engagement. We begin to sense what is emerging—not something to force, but something already forming.

The “heart of the elder” is not defined by age alone. It is a quality of presence—a way of being in relationship to time and the unknown. It asks less, Who have I been? and more, What is asking to live through me now?

Over the past four months, I have created and facilitated seven Heart of the Elder workshops —four online and three in person. The response has been deeply affirming, pointing clearly to the need for this work. I am now gathering feedback from participants to help shape the next phase of this offering.

If you would like to be notified as it emerges, you are warmly invited to join the list here.

You are also welcome to follow Image as Wisdom Path, my ongoing self-inquiry on Substack, where my personal expressive arts practice continues to guide me as I navigate my own elder years. 

Intuitive Navigation

Image in progress

A simple practice (no matter what your age):

Set aside 10–15 minutes. Sit with a blank page or take a contemplative walk.

Ask yourself:

What is possible in my life now—because of my years, not in spite of them?

Respond with words, image, gesture, or color. Let it be enough.

If it feels right, also ask:

What wants to be expressed now, from the heart of my experience?

Stay with what arises, even if it is quiet uncertain, or incomplete.

This is how the path reveals itself—not all at once, but in moments of listening, responding, and creating. And perhaps, over time, we begin to discover that aging is not only a passage of loss, but also an initiation into a different kind of presence—one that carries its own wisdom, its own creativity, and its own generative power.

If you would like to be witnessed, you can share in our private FB group, here. 

In case you missed the announcement on social media last week, we have teamed up with Art Bundles for Good again and the giveaway is now open! Click the link below and signup for your chance to win over $5000 in art courses. The sale will start Thursday!

NEW!!! Save the Date for the following events!

Take a look at what's coming up for the rest of 2026! Registration will open soon for these training workshops.

Featured Self-Study Course

Art as a Healing Practice

 All self-study courses contain detailed, yet approachable instructions, videos, and meditations facilitated by Kathleen & Tamara. The imagery and guidance from this work can assist you, whether dipping your toes into expressive arts or seeking a deeper connection. 

*All courses come with lifetime access so you can refer back to them at any time!

*No previous art experience is necessary!