Several months ago I had an idea for a new course. I kept poking at it, but it wouldn’t come together. From time to time I’d check in on it to see if it felt sparky yet, or to create some graphics for it, but I could tell it {I} wasn’t ready.

This is typical of the creative process, as you’ll no doubt know.

Sometimes ideas come long before the moment is right to execute them. They need to percolate, or you need to grow into them, or the time hasn’t yet come when they’d make the most impact, or all of the above.

And then one morning I woke up and knew: it’s time.

The name of the course is Into Nature – a play on words because this is me – and the idea is:

• a low key, no pressure way to to stay creative when you’re in the ‘Afterslump’ {my term for the flat-feeling lull between projects or paintings when rest would probably be a good idea, but it feels too uncomfortable to ‘do nothing’}
• a way to slow down and reconnect with nature in simple, accessible ways through your art
• a way to find restoration, pleasure, and ease during difficult times {hi, 2020}

I’m thinking of it as an adventure, or a series of small adventures, into the the world outside your door, that perhaps you haven’t yet seen in its full glory.

An adventure doesn’t have to be a big or expensive thing. You can have adventures on your doorstep, amongst what you already have around you.

It’s all to do with how you look at things, and art is about looking in new ways at things we think we already know.

Initially I had some concerns that I don’t ‘know enough’ about nature to be able to offer anything of real value on the topic.

I’ve been a city girl most of my life, only recently stopped routinely killing pot plants {and it does still happen sometimes!}, and got my first garden with actual grass and beds last year.

This ‘not good enough yet’ thought is a classic New Idea demon.

I have this thought about every idea I bring to life, even with all the proof I have that I don’t in fact need to know everything in order to be able to support you on your artist path, and that that tends to actually be an advantage given my ‘learning alongside you’ approach to teaching.

I’m telling you about all this because I think it’s helpful to know that this is normal – doubts are part of the creative process whether it’s a small or large project, whether you’ve done it twice or a hundred times.

I like to think of them as a nudge to make sure I’ve created whatever it is with the most integrity and usefulness I can.

Anyway, back to the course!

UPDATE:

The course is now ready and available for you to start whenever you’re ready HERE!