Happy Tuesday!
Oh my gosh - have been dying to tell you about my yoga/painting workshop.
The workshop was put on by a wonderful lady named Donna Mulholland. You can see her wonderful blog and work here.
I knew Donna when she was a civil servant like me. She was always so smart and had such a joyful personality. One day, she just left her job (sound familiar?) and followed her dreams, which in her case involved teaching yoga and painting. She is good at both!
My friend Ger told me about this day long course and I signed up.
Here is the description:
I have taken one watercolour painting course. My yoga is done at home to DVD. Was I nervous? Yes!!!!
Oh my gosh - have been dying to tell you about my yoga/painting workshop.
The workshop was put on by a wonderful lady named Donna Mulholland. You can see her wonderful blog and work here.
I knew Donna when she was a civil servant like me. She was always so smart and had such a joyful personality. One day, she just left her job (sound familiar?) and followed her dreams, which in her case involved teaching yoga and painting. She is good at both!
My friend Ger told me about this day long course and I signed up.
Here is the description:
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The day, thanks to the instructor, was joyful. We did a lot of gentle yoga, a lot of guided imagery and meditation. I never felt intimidated once.
There were 7 women in the class and I knew two of them. The rest were lovely and friendly and my friend Ger and I had lunch with two of them.
We learned to paint with acrylics, and how to build up acrylic on canvas. So much fun! The point was not to come out with a great work of art, but to come out with something that was symbolic of where we were. I chose a butterfly - it was symbolic of both shedding old skin and the fact that I am feeling more beautiful as I age! It was interesting; each time before we did a layer, we would take a moment and center ourselves and identify our intention. Such a great way to paint and one I will definitely replicate!
My work of art at the end of the day:
NO piece de resistance, but considering there are 4 layers of paint, quite fun!!!
Me this am in an old Joe Fresh dress and my panama scarf. I actually took some time to "sort of" straighten my hair, but my daughter was horrified when heI came home and did it properly! it is such a bother to do, but fun!
So my lesson from my workshop is this: try new things, don't be shy, don't judge anything! My word for the day yesterday was "open" - I wanted to be open to everything. And I was!
What are you up to these days??? I'd love to know!
Stay safe out there!!!
Me this am in an old Joe Fresh dress and my panama scarf. I actually took some time to "sort of" straighten my hair, but my daughter was horrified when heI came home and did it properly! it is such a bother to do, but fun!
So my lesson from my workshop is this: try new things, don't be shy, don't judge anything! My word for the day yesterday was "open" - I wanted to be open to everything. And I was!
What are you up to these days??? I'd love to know!
Stay safe out there!!!
Love the brushwork and layers of colors on your painting! I like how you always look so happy :)
ReplyDeleteCSW - I am generally pretty happy - though I must say, I can have my moods!!!
DeleteNow I want to do some practising with acrylics and other paints - I did a little painting earlier this year, but not much, but now I have the bug again!
Lovely butterfly! The day sounds fantastic! One day, when we grow a money tree, I will throw in my job and teach yoga.... I was contemplating becoming a yoga teacher when I got pregnant with my oldest child. We were in India, but put all of that on hold to do the parent thing.
ReplyDeleteOne day I'll go back to it!
Ps, love the pic of you on her blog! You look so joyful!
DeleteHI Ruth!
DeleteThanks! I had never taken a yoga class, but now I think I will, as I think it is much nicer to do it "ensemble" than alone! Even if I only do it once a week, would be fun! I bet you would be an amazing yoga teacher!
ruth, I would come to your class! Few I have tried in city are pretty intimidating for very non-Gumby me but WMM is right instructor makes hug difference.
DeleteOh thank you Wendy and GF! I'm just back from a 2 hour yoga class and feel so calm. Yoga is SUCH an important part of my life that I would love to teach it one day.
DeleteFinger crossed for a money tree!....
BUTTERFLY EFFECT (chaos theory version, not Ashton flick). WMM I am with ruth, clapping hands at that group shot of you in pink with your butterfly. All the paintings are incredible for a part-day's work. Pat yourself on back, no stretch now you've done yoga, right.
ReplyDeleteLoving the photo of your white dress, destination collection scarf and the change-up hair! Tell DD full marks, I know about this straightening labour.
Curious if you take up more painting again how that will be with the writing? Betting they will have a positive impact on each other or at least the thought process, zone, idea juice iykwim. Happy Tuesday to ya.
Morning GF! I thought everyone's painting were so good! But mostly it was just fun to be in a safe place to play - we do so little of that! now i need to go to the local art supply shop and get some acrylics as I would like to paint some more!
DeleteWow, great post, Wendy. Thanks so much for the kind comments about the workshop. Keep stretching and playing! xx
ReplyDeletethanks Donna - it was amazing and you were so inspiring!
DeleteHow expressive your painting is! And blue... a well known WMM colour.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a wonderful day and a gentle yoga class would be a weekly treat. Competitive yoga is not my thing (and depending on the people attending/instructor it can go that way) but your teacher sounds perfect, does she offer a class in your area?
All of this is making me want to move to your city!
You look radiant in your dress and scarf.
SHe does teach locally and I think I will try to get in at least once a week!
DeleteOh move to my city! Somehow, though, think Mr. BP would find it hard to leave his work, his family and oh well, everything! ;-)
I go to yoga class twice a week. I have a 65+ Jewish teacher. Her energy motivates me to get off my butt & go to class. I want to be as youthful & healthy as her at that age. You look smashing in your sheath with scarf. Straight hair with side swept banks suits you.
ReplyDeletethanks Marie! I can't do the hair every day, plus not sure straightener is good for your hair? but it is fun when I do it! I have picked out a hairstyle on pinterest, but would require straightening constantly and my face might be a little too "full" for it!
DeleteIt is amazing how peace, love, and contentment can make you radiate. You look great in your dress and scarf but I think you would glow just as bright in a wife beater and overalls, just leave the dip out of you lip. It is fun not to be judged.
ReplyDeleteWife beater and overalls - THAT is funny!!!!
DeleteAnd you are right - not judging or being judged (or caring if you are) is the key to a happy life!
WMM, you hav such a lovely soul your really do, Barry is very lucky to have you!
ReplyDeleteI think you look stunning in that pic, the outfit is lovely and I really like your hair like that, mine has been in ye "topknot of ugliness" for two days, sometimes all that drying/styling seems like such a chore.
I think you have lots more than me, Tabs - I have lots of hair but it is baby fine and now in a bunch of layers, so it goes quite quickly. Even so, I did the hair in the picture above in 10 minutes and then daughter took 20 minutes to do it "right" - it is poker straight now and even a little spiky, which is fun!!!
DeleteYou are brave to do this; I would be shy to paint even in such a non-threatening environment!
ReplyDeleteI like your hair both ways. So humid I have resorted to my long braid as I can't face styling most of the time.
That white dress has brought my core temp down just to look at it.
Is it still hot there today? It is brutal here! We just had about 10 minutes of rain, but now it is sunny again! Rumour has it it will rain tomorrow which is fab as we have 30 people coming over...
DeleteBrutal-- very humid. Impressive thunderstorms expected in the late day, yes. 30 people! Are you doing drinks or buffet?
DeleteBring your own BBQ and drinks - very NB! Too many people to feed and this is Barry's shindig so he threw himself on mercy of all my female friends...
DeleteAcrylics are great fun, because unlike oils, they dry quickly enough to keep layering that same day. The butterfly has a lot of life to it - well done. I go on and off of yoga - very competitive in LA, so much hardcore power yoga with everyone going from down dog straight up into a handstand! Every time I find a gentler class, it gets replaced by more power yoga it seems.
ReplyDeleteLove your white dress and still cold in LA!
Still cold Kathy? Wow!
Deletecompetitive yoga! Yikes - not for me. This felt like taking a nice warm both, only sometimes you felt very STRETCHED...
DeleteWendy you look beautiful in the pic- very radiant!
ReplyDeleteThe straight hair suits you very much.
Even though i dont do yoga(i kickbox),after workout i feel super relaxt and happy.That is the best!!!
you gotta love those endorphins!!!
DeleteI like the straight hair on you!
ReplyDeleteIt is fun! Is still straight today, but with all the humidity, will be curling up soon!
DeleteI'm a bit grouchy these days and would probably be thrown out of the yoga/painting place. Love that white dress & scarf on you, and the hair too. And I really like your butterfly painting!
ReplyDeleteoh thanks Cate - is it the pre-summer vacay thing..
DeleteYou look fabulous in that dress and scarf, tres chic and very Capri Island and love that dress has pockets too. Good on you for trying new things - or rather things out in public. LOVE the straight hair on you - I did not recognise you at first!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!! You tell the Chronicle to read your blog - you are the next Anna Quindlan!
DeleteJoe Fresh is the best, that dress is amazing on you. I am not a,yoga person at all (like ina I prefer less contemplative exercising) but I like the inspiration behind your butterfly. Are you going to hang it somewhere in the house?
ReplyDeleteOh and yesterday I forgot to say that I don't get Channing Tatum AT ALL. When he was named sexiest man alive by People magazine last year I was under shock.
Ema - you made me laugh about Channing!
DeleteI like a mixture of contemplation of sweat!! SO I get you!