On Taking a Risk and Building Relationships

In my last post I shared that I had been wrestling with resistance over taking a major step toward achieving a goal of mine. Each time I set my mind on taking that step I let resistance get the better of me, but this time confessing it to all of you, I was able to break free of the hold it had on me and accomplished my goal.  Whether the thing I hope for happens as a result or not, I am proud of myself for taking the risk. I won't accomplish my dreams by sitting on the sidelines of life and playing it safe.

Yesterday I had a group of neighborhood kids in to watch a movie and work on an art project together. I woke in the morning with a little flare up of that same old resistance, wondering why I was taking the afternoon off to hang out with a group of other peoples kids when I have so much work to do. But I quickly squashed that thought as I remembered my biggest goals are about building relationships, something that can't be done in the bubble of isolation I am prone to remaining in at home in my own studio. I'm especially aware of the importance of relationships as Easter approaches this weekend. The cross was the ultimate bridge to building relationship and I am grateful for the reminder.

Last week I announced upcoming open studio and workshop dates scheduled in my home studio and the number of responses I received made me realize I left a few important details out. Gages Lake is located in the far North Suburbs of Chicago close to Gurnee, IL where Six Flags and the Gurnee Outlet Mall are located. I am just a short 20 minute drive to the Wisconsin border, 30-45 minutes from Chicago and very close to I-94.

All of my currently scheduled workshops are listed below. Please email me at crystalneubauer@yahoo.com if you have questions or want to register for any of the classes. And be sure to sign up for my newsletter here if you would like to receive regular(ish) updates on my workshops, exhibits and other news.

Stay tuned...Major EncaustiCamp Announcement Next Week!

The Issue Is Resistance....

Collage and Encaustic Composition- Class Sample by Crystal Neubauer

 

Last night I found myself pondering, and asking a good friend, what it was that made me freeze every time I approached a certain goal of mine with any serious intent of taking steps to achieve it. "Sounds like resistance" she quipped "You should get your copy of 'the War of Art' out and read it."

And so here I am this morning, not even 10 pages in, recognizing it. Yup, it's resistance alright. Resistance is what causes us to step back when everything in us tells us it's time to step forward. It's the thing that makes a hundred million excuses to do anything and everything except the thing that we really want to achieve. It is so much easier to resist the changes necessary to improve my life, or achieve my wildest dreams and most deeply felt desires, than it is to take the action steps to get me there.

Fear is a crippling disease and the only way to overcome it is to walk directly toward the thing we are afraid of and live through it. The worst thing about the way resistance causes me to stop taking steps toward my big dream is realizing this freezing has caused me to spin my wheels and not get anything else done either! Thank God for the well timed wisdom of good friends to keep me on track!

Nashville, Paducah, and Chicago area Workshops

 

UPDATED SCHEDULE FOR
Nashville, TN
StudioBe
Cindy Wunsch
4806 Nevada Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209
615-818-0886
Sunday May 19th, 2013
10am - 4pm

Paducah, KY
Ephemera Paducah
Kristin R. Williams
1-270-748-6348
Kristin@EphemeraPaducah.com
Friday May 17, 2013
Saturday May 18, 2013
9:30am – 4:00pm

Chicago Area Workshop and open studio information to come...
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Sweet Saturdays and Community

Mixed Media Collage by Crystal Neubauer

Saturdays have become my favorite day of the week, and yesterday was no exception. The workshop was soul satisfying, connecting with extraordinary talented women over art and soaking up the unique flavor of what each one brings to the table. I learn as much as I teach. The exchange of ideas, giftedness, openness and generosity that happens around the work table when art is the focus feels like community.

Coming home afterwards and watching the house fill up with our church community was icing on the cake. Sitting around the dining room table breaking bread together, worshipping, praying and sharing from the heart and from the Word while our hearts begin to be knit together by our mutual love of Christ and sense of purpose, I couldn't help feeling full to the over flowing.

This is the love of God in action. That He could take somebody as broken as me and put the pieces back together in such a way that I could never have even thought to ask for or imagine is nothing short of a miracle. It isn't a destination that I've arrived at. It is a journey that I must choose to get up and continue every day. And trust me when I tell you, I have been tempted to quit. Scared some days to take another step. So tempted to believe certain things could never change.

Jesus said to the paralyzed man "take up your mat and walk!". After 38 years of being lame he believed he could be healed and his life was changed. Essentially he was saying to the man, it doesn't have to be this way. The belief that you can never change is a lie. We all have our mats. What have you been lying in, accepting as your lot in life, that Jesus wants to heal you of today?

Collage with Encaustic Workshop January 26th!

Encaustic Wax and Collage Workshop

In this class we will be exploring from the heart of collage in combination with encaustic wax. Techniques in the class will cover building a traditional collage utilizing encaustic wax as a top layer to protect and enhance your work, building a collage with encaustic wax as the adhesive between layers, and taking your collage off the "board" with embellishments and 3D effects.

Additional techniques will include stencils, incising and mark-making, adding color with a variety of methods, basic image transfers and will enable the student to express themselves whether their style is whimsical and light or takes a more serious tone.

Workshop Detail
When -  Saturday, January 26
Time -   10:00 - 4:00
Where - PerficalSense Studio
              1209 Hinman Ave., Evanston, IL
      Just south of Dempster, look for the red house with the blue door
Cost - $110 includes everything your need to leave with a big smile on your face.
Please feel free to bring a snack and lunch, the studio will be offering coffee, tea and water.