Thank you to those who have offered to be sponsors.  I'll get the secret password page up within the week with the first selection of offerings and a sneak peek at the new series.  I feel so supported!  Joanne

Joanne Thomson’s April 2014 Newsletter
 
'Tis the season for changing pace!  Weekly classes are finished and I am now creating illustrations for the Hospice Palliative Care Textbook and creating new paintings in the “Transforming Pain” series.  I think the two inform each other in many ways… I am trying to sneak time every day to enjoy the wonderful Spring blossoms. The fawn lilies are abundant on Christmas Hill. I hope you can find time to visit them!  
Last month a labyrinth was created at the Coast Collective and is wonderful thanks to an enthusiastic group of stomping women (have a look at the photographs on my blog page). It is open to anyone wanting to walk the path. Kate Cino fromartopenings.ca was one of the participants and made this short informal video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K03DbbKvZmM&feature=youtu.be
I’ll be facilitating the creation of another labyrinth on Saturday May 10th at the Hawthorn which is a retreat center in the Cowichan Valley.  Later in the season I will be hosting some art and nature retreats there- more information below.
 
OPENING THIS SATURDAY April 12th at The South Shore Gallery in Sooke from 10 am to 7 pm.  I’ll be there from about 3- 5 pm. Jessie Taylor is the new owner (Elizabeth Tanner is retiring). Greg Glover also has some pieces in the gallery and when we drove out on Tuesday to drop off our works Jessie was hard at work painting, assembling furniture and making the gallery into her own vision.  It is going to look wonderful. The new website is: http://www.southshoregallery.ca
 
THE HAWTHORN- Open House May 10, 2014. RSVP only
I’ll be creating a labyrinth on the grounds of the Hawthorn during the open house.  Come and see the gardens, meet Bernice and her helpers, see the workshop spaces.  If you want to come please just email me and I’ll send you the e-vite with the address and directions.
 
Art and Nature Retreats at the Hawthorn
 
Prices include Meals, Accommodation and Workshops.
June 20 - 22 SolsticeLight, Glorious Light $420- is already full and I am taking a wait list. With the enthusiasm for this format I have made an executive decision and cancelled the 7-day retreat in August and instead will offer an Autumn Equinox weekend.
 
July 6- 11 Drawing and Meditating in Nature $950- 5 days and nights Connect deeply with the visual beauty of the natural world. Joanne will facilitate workshops in sketching, realistic drawing, and painting which will culminate in the creation of your own naturalist’s journal and many small paintings. The focus is on expressing an intimate connection with nature, which can be both quiet, and enthusiastic!  Expect to see your work move toward a more individual style in this intensive week of art. We will work both indoors and out of doors.

September 19, 20, 21 Equinox—Restful Ripening $420Approach the busy harvest season by taking some time for art making, joy, and reflection.  With days and nights now being equal in length the focus of the workshops will be on finding and expressing balance, visually and in our artistic practice.  Joy and sorrow are both welcome as are contemplation and exuberance.  Everything is part of the balance that makes up life.
 
TRANSFORMING PAIN PROJECT: memories and legacy
I let you know in previous newsletters that I had applied for a grant with the BCArts Council.  This is to let you know that I did not receive it.  The good news is that they liked the proposal, thought it was worthwhile and accessible. The bad news is that they didn’t think I could do it. Well, perhaps that is an overstatement. The images I presented with my proposal did not convince them that I could make the transition from representational to conceptual. I didn’t include any of the ‘Bottled Series’ of images… sigh.  So given that you and I both know I can do conceptual and representational here is a pitch for you. 
THE PITCH- I am seeking sponsors for this project. You could be one!  On a password protected website page for sponsors (PPWPS) I will be posting up to 10 paintings a month that will be available for $100 each- Those of you wanting to be my ‘sponsors’ for this project just need to let me know. You send me $100 and I send you the password.  Then you have first opportunity to purchase any painting on the PPWPS - (if you want to purchase more than one you can sponsor me more than once!) or you can target the contribution toward anything I create and offer for sale in the new series. (The qualifier is there because I hope to create a travelling exhibition so some works will not be for sale initially).  I’ll also put you on a special invitation list for the unveiling exhibition.    
I have already started work and the images are beautiful, slightly unsettling and coming easily- I will post a few on the sponsor website page however these images will not be available for sale now.  The series is germinating and emerging and I need all the images around me in my studio as this happens. I am excited by this new work and hope you will find it intriguing and exciting too!  
 
AN ART RETREAT IN YOUR TOWN- Ask me.  I love to travel and can make a workshop financially accessible in almost any location.  It has worked in Neepawa Manitoba, Revelstoke, Terrace, Comox and soon in Prince Rupert so ask and see what we can work out. 
 
Private lessons:  if you are feeling stuck or just want to have some one to one instruction then ask me about private lessons.  I have limited availability, but can often do an hour or two and sometimes that is all that you will need. The rate is $60.00 for a two hour session. (Usually structured as 30 minute lesson, 30 minutes practice, 20 minutes lesson, 30 minutes practice then a 10 minute wrap up). 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca