PERHAPS…..IN THE QUIET AND SECLUSION OF MORE THAN TWENTY-SIX-MONTHS OF COVID-REGULATIONS AND PANDEMIC CULTURE, YOU’VE DISCOVERED A DEEP PLACE WITHIN YOU, MAYBE AN EMPTINESS OR A LONGING, BUT IT IS ONE THAT LONGS FOR SELF-AWARENESS, CLEARER SELF-MANAGEMENT, AND A MORE GENTLE MODE OF HONORING SELF WHILE NAVIGATING WITH OTHERS.

PERHAPS ….YOU ARE LONGING FOR MORE OF A MEDITATIVE PRACTICE IN SOMETHING HAVING TO DO WITH CREATING, ….A PERSONAL CREATIVE PROCESS; ONE THAT IS DIRECTLY REFLECTIVE OF WHO YOU ARE. MAYBE, IT IS AS SIMPLE AS KNOWING YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO PAINT.

IT MIGHT BE FACING A FEAR BASED HUNCH THAT YOU CANNOT PAINT….OTHERS CAN, BUT NOT YOU.

AS I’VE WORKED WITH WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN AN ART STUDIO, AND IN THERAPEUTIC AND SCHOOL SETTINGS, I’VE BEEN CAREFUL TO LISTEN TO THE STORIES THAT COME TO THE WORKTABLE AS WE PAINT TOGETHER. MANY OF THE THEMES ARE SIMILAR: FEAR OF TRYING & FAILING, PERFECTIONISM SHUTTING DOWN EVERY ATTEMPT, CLASSROOM-ART SHAMING AND EMBARRASSMENT, AND SOMETIMES SOMETHING AS TEDIOUS AS ‘NO SUPPLIES’ BECAUSE 0F THE MESS IT MIGHT CREATE. AS I WORK TO WALK THRU THESE PITS WITH STUDENTS, KNOWING A FEW OF THE REASONS INTIMATELY - I’VE SEEN YOUNG-ARTISTS OF ALL AGES OVERCOME THEIR HESITATIONS & FEARS.

ANYONE, ANY PERSON WHO CAN HOLD A PENCIL OR A PAINTBRUSH - CAN TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN. WITH EYES, AND THE MARVELOUS MESSAGING OF OUR BRAINS TO OUR HANDS, WE CAN BEGIN TO RENDER LINES AND SHAPES AND SHADOWS OF OBJECTS WE SEE BEFORE US AND OF IDEAS WE HOLD IN OUR MINDS.

I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH …. THIS TRANSFORMATIVE-GIFT THAT A DAILY PAINTING PRACTICE HAS BEEN FOR ME FOR JUST OVER A DECADE…AFFORDED MY MIND, MY SOUL, MY PHYSICAL BODY, AND MY OVER-ALL SENSE OF WELLBEING. THERE ARE 10-YEARS OF INSTAGRAM POSTS @CONGRUITY THAT YOU MIGHT SKIM THROUGH. THEY WILL GIVE A DEEPER SENSE OF REALITY TO THE WAYS AND MEANS OF A SIMPLE, DAILY PRACTICE OF PAINTING EACH DAY BECOMING A TOOL FOR PROCESS AND HEALING THAT HAS BEEN UNFOLDING & BECOMING SOMETHING AS INTIMATE TO MY PSYCHE AS THE WAY I MOVE MY HANDS WHEN I SPEAK, THE PERFUME I’VE CHOSE FOR FORTY YEARS, OR THE DECISION TO ALWAYS ‘SKIP’ RANCH DRESSING. THIS PROCESS HAS BECOME THE SOLID GROUND OF MY WELLBEING; I PLAN TO BASE THE REST OF MY LIFE U P O N THIS WORK….AND TO PAINT DAILY.

IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO DESIRES THREE-PRIVATE, ONE-HOUR SESSIONS IN MY ART STUDIO TO HELP YOU BEGIN THIS DAILY PRACTICE IN YOUR OWN LIFE, I’VE DESIGNED A “LET’S BEGIN- PACKAGE”.

COST: $165

ALL PRIVATE SESSIONS HAPPEN ON MONDAYS, SEPTEMBER THRU MAY.

THERE ARE TWO ONE-HOUR SLOTS IN THE MORNING AT 10:00 AND 11:15.

TWO IN THE AFTERNOON AT 2:00 AND 3:15.

SOMETIMES, ALL FOUR SLOTS ARE TAKEN, BUT ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO CONTACT ME AND SIGN-UP ON MY WAITING LIST.

WHEN WE MEET FOR THE THREE SESSIONS, I WILL GIVE YOU MANY ‘TOOLS’ TO WORK WITH WHILE YOU ARE DRAWING AND PAINTING ON YOUR OWN, BECAUSE I AM CONVINCED THAT IT’S THE PATTERN OF SITTING DOWN AND PAINTING DAILY THAT WILL TRULY ENHANCE YOUR ABILITY, AND YOUR DELIGHT. YOU CAN RETURN TO THE STUDIO FOR ANOTHER THREE WEEKS AT ANY TIME YOU’RE READY FOR MORE HELP.

IN THE PAST, I’VE OFFERED FOUR AND SIX-WEEK CLASSES TO A GROUP OF WOMEN, BUT AS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A PANDEMIC DURING THESE YEARS OF 2020 & 2021, I’VE NOTED HOW “THE PRIVATE SESSION” IS SUCH A SAFE AND SECURING WAY FOR MANY OF US TO BEGIN. THE CERTAINTY THAT WE CAN GAIN AS WE LEARN TO LISTEN TO OUR OWN PERCEPTIONS IS MUCH MORE AVAILABLE AS WE WORK TOGETHER, ONE ON ONE.

THE PACKAGE IS A BUNDLE OF INSPIRATION—— RESTORATIVE - PROMPTS, BOOK LISTS, POETRY THAT MIGHT TOUCH YOUR SOUL…HELPING YOU TO MOVE MORE EASILY INTO THE PLACES OF YOUR ARTIST-SELF; WORKING WITH QUIET…AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE OF DAILY LIFE.

I’LL SHARE THE WAYS THAT SO MANY OTHER ARTISTS HAVE LEARNED IN SETTING THE CREATIVE TIME ASIDE AS A TOP PRIORITY. ALSO….THE REALITIES OF CREATING A SPACE WHERE YOU KNOW YOU CAN WORK EACH DAY, AND THEN L E A V E YOUR WORK ON THE TABLE, READY FOR THE NECT TIME YOU CAN SIT DOWN AGAIN TO PAINT.

I’VE A LOVELY LIST OF SUPPLIES (TOOLS) THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE SO-TRUE IN THE 10-YEARS OF GATHERING PIGMENTS/PAINTS THAT WORK BEAUTIFULLY…AND PIGMENTS THAT DISCOURAGE….BRUSHES THAT DELIGHT! AND BRUSHES THAT DETER ANY HUMAN FROM STAYING MORE THAN 5-MINUTES IN A WORK SPACE. THE WAYS AND MEANS OF PAPER….FINE QUALITY, RECYCLED, GLITZY, AND THE STUFF TO STAY-AWAY-FROM. TECHNIQUES—— INTRODUCED WITH THE IDEA THAT TIME AND PRACTICE WILL BRING THE SKILL- —-WILL BE OFFERED AT EACH OF THE LESSONS. MY HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN PICK & CHOOSE THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW YOU LIKE, AND MIGHT INSPIRE A DESIRE TO EXPERIMENT WITH SOME MORE.

ALL OF THIS IS AN INVITATION….AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN IF YOU DESIRE THE BEGINNING OF A PRACTICE SUCH AS THIS. AND——-AS THIS IS ALREADY JANUARY OF 2022….AFTER TWO OF THE MOST-UNSETTLING YEARS IN RECENT DECADES….I AM DETERMINED TO HOLD THIS PRIVATE-LESSON PRACTICE THROUGH 2023….STAYING STEADY, COME WHAT MAY.

IF THIS SOUNDS APPEALING, CONTACT ME PRIVATELY….ON MY E-MAIL: danaross48@gmail.com

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM, AND WORKING WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO DECIDE TO BEGIN!

WARMLY, DANA ROSS