by Kirby Lindsay Laney, 18 April 2016
This spring/summer the Seattle Artist’s Way Center offers an opportunity for personal creative growth with an easily accessible, 12-week course offered at the Windows Art Gallery, at 4131 Woodland Park Ave N.
Led by Kate Gavigan, these informative classes bring to life the lessons of, ‘The Artist’s Way,’ the internationally best-selling book by Julia Cameron. Most people already have the book in their bookcase, but few ever take the time, and energy, to walk alone through its valuable exercises and practices. Gavigan offers everyone looking to awaken, or refresh, their creative inclinations an opportunity to access more of their artistic self through 12 classes, beginning the first week in May.
‘More Fun, More Joy’
“I could spend hours – days – detailing the gifts,” brought to her students, and herself, from their experience of ‘The Artist’s Way,’ Gavigan recently explained, “they report more fully and genuinely knowing themselves. They discover, or rediscover, their gifts and talents. They report having more fun, more joy, in their lives…”
Gavigan changed her own life, by uncovering her passion for the arts, through an ‘Artist’s Way’ class. She has been teaching the course for several years, but she has also recently begun giving a 90-minute talk (and workshop) sharing ‘The Gifts of The Artist’s Way’.
“Julia is such a fan of doing the small steps,” Gavigan said of ‘The Artist’s Way’ author, “not taking a leap.” The lessons in the book aren’t earthshattering or extreme, and in her 90-minute talk Gavigan gives attendees a chance to try one and see how it helps them address their lives in new ways.
Yet, Gavigan has seen people take these small steps, and redirect their lives. One of her most compelling, and recent, examples is her own. She began her talks after using what Cameron refers to as ‘The Jealousy Map.’ It encourages users to identify and acknowledge any feelings of jealousy – Gavigan felt it after hearing of a friend traveling around, giving talks on their specialty – and use an ‘Action Antidote.’ Instead of pushing away the feeling, Gavigan explained, “the jealousy is a map to see what you want for yourself.” She identified that she wanted to give her own talks, and shortly after this she actually received a request from the King County Library System for talks on creativity.
“Doors open in ways I never could have imagined,” Gavigan said of ‘The Artist’s Way.’ It isn’t just about figuring out your own desires and aspirations, but the lessons also help position practitioners to be able to take opportunities when they present themselves. “It’s the synchronicity,” Gavigan explained, “as a result of using the tools. Synchronicity shows up in peoples’ lives.” She’s also heard it referred to as ‘answered prayers,’ and had students ask ‘where did that come from?’ As Gavigan observed, “the lessons open us up in ways we never expected.”
A One-Two ‘Artist’s Way’ Mini-Lesson
When asked for examples of ‘The Artist’s Way’ lessons, Gavigan chose two that can really help combat “the thoughts that loop around, the whiney, petty, angry stuff, that can block us from our creative process.”
- The Artist Date: “It might be going to a museum, or a children’s play at the park, or picking out new CDs at the library,” Gavigan suggested. The Artist Date is a promise to spend time, “opening yourself up to new things,” she said, “Your imagination is a muscle. The stronger it gets, the more it can be used.” The Artist Date can be about “filling our well with images,” as Gavigan explained, or simply taking time from the routine – and the usual noise – to give inspiration a chance to find us. “It’s about going to places that tickle you,” she mused. Artist Dates are intended to be solitary experiences, and experiments, that challenge us to step out of ruts and into creative paths. Gavigan acknowledged that her students often struggle with finding ways to use this time, but in class she – and other students – have hundreds of suggestions.
- Morning Pages: Gavigan hears from students about the difficulty in setting time for the daily pages, but she has also seen the incredible impact this simple exercise brings. She doesn’t read the pages of her students, “Privacy allows for the process to happen,” she acknowledged, but they can talk about them at the start of classes. “They allow you to notify yourself of your dreams, dissatisfaction, hopes…” she said. For instance, it was during her own Morning Pages that Gavigan identified her Jealousy Map, and her desire to be a public speaker.
‘Walking In The Door’
“There is a little element of risk,” Gavigan acknowledged about registering for a class, but “it doesn’t have to be a big risk. We’re stretching ourselves, a little bit.”
On the Seattle Artist’s Way website, they offer testimonials from dozens of students who have taken the course, once, twice or more. “We see the benefit of going through the material with someone else,” Gavigan said, since most students know of the book long before then step inside a class. “We joke and call the class ‘The-Book-You-Have-On-Your-Shelf,” she said, yet, “there is something very special of bringing people together, who don’t know each other. The way they encourage, support, expose us to new ideas…”
“You may end up in a new career,” Gavigan said of the 12-class series, “or you may just live more creativity.” She offers the class three times a year, in Spring (May – Aug,) Winter (Jan – Apr,) and Fall (Sep – Dec.) Perhaps now isn’t the best time, especially if you might have to miss more than three scheduled classes in this series. However, for those who miss one or two, Gavigan does have notes and assistance to allow them to catch up.
“Walking in the door is a big, huge deal,” Gavigan acknowledged. If it is time to find out more about yourself, and where you want your life to go from here – or just want to see what creativity you can tap into in to – register now for ‘The Artist’s Way,’ and join Gavigan and 10 other students in the spring/summer session. Registration continues until classes start on May 2nd, Mondays at 6:30p, or May 6th, Fridays at 10:30a. Registration can be done right up to the day before class, although Gavigan suggests registering soon. “I’d hate for people to show up, and have the class be full.”
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©2016 Kirby Laney. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.