The Creative Soul Sisterhood of the Traveling Paisley Velvet Pants & Sparkling Skirt

Mabel's at Sunset
photo by Liz Fautch

I’m sharing a few photos and remembrances from my recent trip to Taos, New Mexico partially because I want to keep the luscious memories alive, and partially because I love living vicariously through other people's travelogues and hoped you might too.

The mere fact that I finally went to Taos ranks pretty high on my “hot-damn-this-is-cool-o-meter.” That I went to attend, perform and participate in a Creative Retreat and Salon hosted by Jill Badonsky amped things up to the “has-the-potential-to-be-one-of-the-coolest-trips-ever” status. But what shot the whole eye-opening, breath-taking, awe-inspiring, first-time Taos trip over the desert moon was traveling with my creative soul sister Jane Baldwin. (Pranasalara & The Double J Hacienda & Art Ranch)

Soul Sisters

No matter where we go, time shared tends to be part therapy session, part slumber party, part creative retreat – usually with a dash of wine, delicious food and chocolate sprinkled in for good measure. And so it was this January when we headed for New Mexico – me the Taos/Santa Fe/Chimayo virgin and Jane the enthusiastic, free-spirited, well-versed guide who knew the lay of the land and even came equipped with the CD from “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” which made for the ideal soundtrack for our drive from Albuquerque to Taos.

Thank the travel gods, the night before we left we decided to rent a car rather than take a shuttle. This gave us the sacred space of a car interior on a long stretch of desert highway to catch up, and dream, and share stories from our pasts and plans for our future.  It also granted us the freedom to stop whenever and wherever we wanted. (I LOVE road trips with people who don’t mind that I drink gallons of water and need to pull over at every third gas station.)

Jill at Santuario de Chimayo
photo by Jane Baldwin

Jane suggested we stop to visit El Santuario de Chimayo – a famous holy site nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  I was especially delighted to visit since Doug and I own a wonderful painting by our friend Tori Pendergrass that features the church.

By Tori Webb Pendergrass

After paying our respects, we made a beeline for the Ranchero de Chimayo so Jane could get her red-chili sauce on in proper New Mexico fashion.  Once we'd refueled with a delicious lunch we stopped at the Ranchos de Taos to visit yet another iconic church.

Feeling Blessed at Rancho de Taos

Things turned slightly less holy when stopped at Walgreens for the essentials (bottled water, dark chocolate and wine) before heading to the Mable Dodge Luhan Lodge for the retreat.

The two Jills sing the praises of Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching

Chilling wine the Taos way

Paisley Pants

Sparkly Skirt

It would take more space than I have here to share all of the wonderful experiences and inspiring people that infused the next three days. So I’ll share a poem and a few photos and offer this gentle reminder:

Set Free
photo by Laurel Aston

If you’re given the chance to step outside your comfort zone, visit some place new, try on crazy ideas (or clothes), and dance wildly like a whirling dervish with people you’ve never met before – DO IT! I promise your life will be better for it. 

Mabel’s Ghosts

by Jill Allison Bryan

Spirits speak through these old adobe walls

In the pops and crackles of the wood burning the fireplace

In the creaking of the floorboards

In the ghostly black and white photographs from another time

“Feel creativity in your bones” they say

“Make creativity your comfort zone” they say

“Go ahead – pretend like you live here – we don’t mind” they say

“Sink into your creative process like the cushions of this well-worn couch” they say

“Give yourself permission to see aliens, awaken sleeping dragons, make crop circles in your mind, and play all day – it’s okay” they say

So I do

All the best from my creative oasis to yours,

Jill

P.S. – Jane and I are hosting a retreat of our own – “Embracing Creative Momentum” –  this summer June 10-12, 2011 at the fabulous Double J Hacienda and Art Ranch. Stay tuned…

My Creative Oasis Looks Like This (What About Yours?)

My Creative Oasis™Mandala

The mandala above visually represents my own personal creative oasis. It encompasses all the things I strive to experience and share through my creativity coaching and my music. It also illustrates the central role that creativity plays in all aspects of my life. I truly believe everyone deserves to experience creative fulfillment, and whether or not you consider yourself to be particularly creative, you can easily make the time to discover your own Creative Oasis™ and lead a more joy-filled and satisfying existence. 

That's why I'm so happy to offer another round of my unique group creativity classes:

Welcome To Your Creative Oasis™ – 

7 Weeks Dedicated to Gently Lifting Creativity 
to the Top of Your To-Do List 

Whether it’s cooking, writing, painting, making music, scrap-booking, creating collages, blogging, dancing, gardening, performing – whatever it is that your heart longs to do – that’s your Creative Oasis™.  So often we let procrastination, perfectionism, and a general feeling of being overwhelmed by our busy lives stop us from making the time for the things that energize and delight us.  It doesn’t have to be that way. As a certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach, I provide a treasure chest of easy-to-use tools and techniques that can help you consistently enjoy creative satisfaction. (The very same ones that changed my life, opening the doors to my creative coaching career and my lifelong musical dream come true!)


If you live in the DFW area, I hope that you'll join me for this transformative 7 week experience. (The enthusiastic participants from last fall's session suggested that I add one more week to the course and I agreed!) The group meetings provide camaraderie, support and gentle accountability and are a really fun way to jumpstart the creative process. Here's the low-down:

What:

“Welcome To Your Creative Oasis™ – a 7-week course dedicated to gently lifting your creative dreams to the top of your to-do list!”

When:

Class offered either Tuesday mornings 10:30am to Noon (2/15/11 – 3/29/11)

Or Thursday evenings 7pm to 8:30pm (2/17/11 – 3/31/11)

(No classes will be held the week of March 14, 2011)


Price:

$275 includes materials and e-mail follow-ups

Register by 2/1/11 or with a friend for just $250

(Discount price applies to all past and present clients as well.)

To register contact me at creativeoasiscoach@me.com.

Where:

Pigment School of the Arts

4605 West Lovers Lane  

Dallas, TX  75209-3133

(214) 352-2787

Are you ready to discover how your Creative Oasis looks?

Please feel free to contact me here if you have any questions or are ready to register today! All the best from my creative oasis to yours, Jill