The Blank Canvas Art/Creativity Circle meets approximately once a month
on a Saturday from 5 to 7, at the Peace Center of Delaware County
(Springfield Friends Meeting house),
1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA,
in an accepting, nonjudgmental atmosphere of
creative adventure and fun.

We gather and DO art, crafts or writing, seeking to listen to the stillness
inside in order to honor intuition and inspiration: that sacred surprise
when art turns you in an unexpected direction in the labyrinth of the artistic journey.
And we end our art experience with a short period of silence and stillness 

Everyone is welcome: "talent" not required: only a spirit of adventure and
the courage to name yourself "artist" or "writer". We are open to all and honor diversity in all its forms. We are not affiliated with any other group or organization.

We are open to all. Children must be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for them the entire time: we do not provide separate "play space" or babysitting. Use your judgment whether a particular month's activity is appropriate.  

Upcoming Events:

Saturday June 9th: Creating Mandalas
Saturday July 14th: Watercolor Painting
Click Here to see the great stuff we did at past gatherings.

Contact info: Laurie: webpoet1@aol.com or 610-259-5761

Join our Yahoogroup for up to date info on our activities:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_blank_canvas

Please join us and discover the artist or writer within!

A mandala is a circular shape which represents wholeness.
Creating and decorating a mandala connects us to the Spirit and
can be a deeply meditative and highly peaceful experience of creating
beauty.  

Join us as, led by Teresa Davidson, who has a deep love for mandalas, and
is a practitioner of meditation, in creating mandalas in a wide variety of colors.
No experience required.

This workshop is recommended for teens and adults.
 
Date/Time: Saturday June 9th from 5 to 7 p.m.
Place: Springfield Friends Meeting (also known as Delaware County Peace Center)
1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064
NOTE: mapping software may direct you to a white house. This is actually the
caretaker's house: look to your left: you will see the meeting house surrounded by a
stone wall.

A donation is requested: recommended amount: $5 per person or $10 per family.

All materials provided.

Please try to arrive on time so that you do not miss the introduction to the activity and the
chance to get to know others before we start!

RSVP by June 4th is requested (although not required) so that we know how many are coming! But
if that afternoon you feel moved to come: please feel free to join us!

More information about mandalas at: www.mandalaproject.org.
Contact: Laurie Pollack 610-259-5761 610-742-1006
webpoet1@aol.com

website: http://sacredsurprise.livejournal.com
listserv: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_blank_canvas

The Blank Canvas is a creative arts group cherishing
the creative spirit within each of us. We believe: that we are all artists, and that
we should honor and nurture each other in our explorations of the creative spirit.

Each circle begins with a creative activity, and ends with a short period of silence,
quiet reflection and sharing.
We meet physically in a Quaker meeting house: we are an interfaith group
open to all, not affiliated with any particular religious faith, but honoring the inner
light within us all.

We welcome diversity in all forms. The building is wheelchair accessible.
No tobacco or alcohol permitted at our events.
Due to the frequent use of art materials we are NOT a fragrance free or allergen free
space.
Children who are able to participate fully in the activity are welcome provided by a
accompanied by an adult who will supervise them throughout the activity: as we do not
have day care or separate "play space".

On Saturday, October 22nd, Ellie Alpern led around 10 people in a very fun introduction to Zentangle.

A lot of enthusiasm, discussion and creative sharing resulted: and LOTS of energy.

Zentangle is a form of intuitive drawing in which repeated patterns are created.
It can be very focused, relaxing and meditative.

We created wonderful pictures. 

Ellie has kindly offered to lead us in another interesting workshop in 2012:
Artist Trading Cards (ATC's). More info to follow later on.

Joy once again offered us her enjoyable and enlightening Introduction to Watercolor workshop.

As three of the four people had been part of this workshop before, and the other had experience in watercolor, we did not focus on the introduction but got right into painting: we painted, and talked
as we painted and had a great time: and got some very nice pictures out of it too!

We will do this workshop again: perhaps in the summer of 2012.

We picked slips with words randomly and then used the words in our

writing. This is what followed. 



By Laurie



Confused

Somehow I lost my eyes

and started to see everything

out of his.

I misplaced my own voice

and started using his words.

Now I am on a journey to find my own soul.



By Laurie



I dance free

in snow then in rain - 

both hope and tears confuse me.

Peace is elusive -

Faith flies away.

Yet I listen and hear a hum.

I look and see a firefly.

It is summer.



By Marian



I can't believe I'm alone again... I hadn't done anything wrong

to deserve the mistretament that now has me banished

from my home kingdom... It was all because of that woman and

the scandal she blamed on me!

Just because I wouldn't dishonor my code as a knight and

delight her in the bedchambers... Now I'm on the run without

food or water the sun beating harshly upon my back.

The strong earth tearing away at the tender soles of my feet.

I now see the ocean...I have nothing left but my bruised honor

and the hunting hounds baying at my heels....The rocky shore

is welcoming now... In my next life were I to have one wish it

would be to never serve those who would betray me. I now leap

into the freezing abyss of death.



By Marian



the mountain cried its woes to the sky. "Why couldn't anyone

scale its high peaks? The journey to the top; was always the true discovery

that every human must seek.



By Isaiah



Unbound by your fate

Unchained by time itself now

Go birds fly alone



When will I know what it means to be free?

will I ever be unbound

by responsibility? I envy the birds,

their will is their own.



By Isaiah



Do not deny that I mezmerize with words that spark ire

teasing any voluptuary's most tawdry desire.

As I toil with pen and parchment

I sing up dreams divine.



You hear and grow

experience and know

the blue skies of my worlds

touch the dawn of my Kings.

Come swim in the rivers of my illusions.

Drink with thine eyes

that which is mine

a verdant green paradise

where a lone princess cries.



By Marian and Laurie



As I run I forget myself...forget the hardships and

burdens life has thrown my way...I forget and begin to 

believwe that if I run far enough I can fly.



I start to believe, even, that if I fly fast enough and

far enough I can fly into peace. Then I slow down and come back

to earth and I turn the corner, breath silent as I spy

her, outside under the night's sky. Dancing alone under the

moon's shining gaze.



I lift up my hands and honor her. I dance free under the trees

and as I look up, I see the stars. 

And I look at myself and see that I suddenly have grown

gossamer wings.



As they begin to grown, I understand some hidden secret

about myself and my beautiful blue wings.

The truth of it sets me free.