The Power of Journal Writing and The Big Burn

 My journals have been an amazing path to clarity.  I began journaling almost twenty years ago during a difficult time. It was a transition period and I needed a way to process the workings of my life.  Influenced by Julian Cameron´s idea of ´morning pages´, I bought a simple spiral notebook and began filling it with day to day musings. I gave up my habit of reading the newspaper every morning with my coffee when I realized it was a depressing way to start the day and replaced it with my journal writing.

Over the years, these notebooks have served as dream journals, art sketchbooks, a sounding board for frustrations and disappointments, goals and plans for the future, a récord of failures as well as  celebrations of  major accomplishments, highs and lows and everything in between. Each day began with a running spiral heading, a positive symbol for moving forward and keeping the flow. A great amount of inner and spiritual work resulted from ´writing down the bones´. These pages fostered my growth as a woman and as an artist. Pages were often filled with doodles in the margins or drawings of symbols covering the entire page of text. Slipped inside  the book were folded letters, a few photographs, quotes or images torn out of magazines that held importance.

These books also became companions on my travels, a place to jot down observations on the sacred sites I visited along  with my feelings and revelations along the way.  Notes from Newgrange in Ireland, to Uluru, Australia and the Temple in Knossos, Crete to my spirit Quest at Grace Cathedral. When I wrote my book, Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place, I was able to use these journals as resource for dates, names, and pertinent information from my pilgrimages.  This wasn´t an easy task, since I rarely dated my entries.

But having gleaned the information for my book, the journals have served their purpose. I know it´s now time to let them go. Stacks of journals too many to count become baggage and ready to be released. Time to cut the strings from the past and burn the pages, letting the past hurts, anger, relationships go up in smoke.  I will always keep the good memories in my heart.  Time to BURN!

Last night, I set up a copper ritual vessel in my back yard and with the help of a friend, lit the fire and began.  We probably got through 35 journals, feeding handfuls of paper into the pyre. Tonight for Winter Solstice, I will continue the burning process in a fire releasing ceremony, inviting friends to take part in their own cleansing.

And tomorrow I will open a fresh page, in a new journal and start anew.

Guanajuato Print Workshop

            

I just returned from the July Guanajuato (Mexico) Print Workshop where a group of 9 artists and non-artists came together to create in the studio and immerse themselves in a charming city.  Hugo Anaya and I team-taught at his studio, Piramidal Gráfica, and our individual techniques and ways of working blended seamlessly and were in fact a compliment to each other.  Hugo demonstrated his drypoint on copper technique with his unique way of handcoloring using acrylic paint then overprinting.  Everyone produced at least one 3" x 5" print - and the variety and quality of work was impressive. 

Top: Claudia Gallardo, Jorey Greene, Bottom: Hugo with students, Hugo and Glen Celebrating

Hand colored drypoints by Nancy Dunaway and Claudia Gallardo

I lead the group in monotype printing incorporating the drypoint technique for texture and printing with transparent layers of ink to build a rich surface. Everyone had a blast and some great prints were made. Piramidal Gráfica Studio is modern, spacious and well-equiped with natural light and has two etching presses that were in constant  use. It was a pleasure to work there with plenty of room to spread out. I always love to see the diversity of the prints in terms of imagery and color, from abstract to figurative, to traditional. 

monotype by Karen Van Galder

monotype by Veronica Gross

Each day we were treated to a wonderful lunch in the patio surrounded by gardens and two-century old stone walls. On Wednesday, we took an excursion to San Miguel de Allende and stopped at 3 other towns along the way, among them Delores Hidalgo and Atontonilco.  It was a beautiful afternoon and great day for a road trip.  We visited shops featuring local ceramics, visited amazing churches, and got a taste of the smaller pueblas and countryside.On Saturday, Hugo surprised us with an exhibit of everyone's work in the gallery and put on a great spread of food and drink.  What a nice way to celebrate and see the great work produced during the week! 

Lunch in the Patio Gardens at the Studio

Dan, Veronica and Karen in Delores Hidalgo on our excursion

Exhibition in the Gallery and Closing Party

Everyone enjoyed exploring the historic center of Guanajuato (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with it's distinct European flavor, narrow cobblestone alleyways and sidewalk cafes. It was easy walking from the studio or B&B to museums, galleries, markets and historic monuments. We enjoyed some great meals in local restaurants and started each morning with an outstanding breakfast at Alma del Sol B&B. 

I will definitely schedule another workshop with Hugo Anaya in the future. He was a joy to work with and everyone loved him.  He and his staff made our stay at Alma del Sol and Espiritus Alegres really special. 

                                     

Walking through Centro from the Studio

Ready for Breakfast at Alma del Sol

                                                     

                                                        

Thanks to everyone for making this a very special Art Vacation!  I'll be back!

Art & Sacred Sites Book and Artist Talks

I was in the San Francisco Bay Area in May and June to promote my book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place. I gave an artist talk a the de Saisset Museum of Art and at Open Ground Studios in Seaside. I will present it in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico at ALAS Gallery on Tuesday July 29, 4-6pm. Then to Mississippi where I will give a talk at Fischer Galleries in Jackson on August 21, 5-7pm.

It is a thrill to have this book in print! It was idea for years, then once I made a decision to "go for it" - it was a year and a half of intense writing and curating work and photographs. Created in collaboration with book designer, Margery Cantor, this coffee table style book contains beautiful spreads in full color of my work, the sacred sites that inspired me and personal observations written especially for each chapter. Sites include Caves in the South of France, Newgrange in Ireland, Uluru in Australia, Stonehenge and more and covers almost 20 years of my work. Limited edition, hard-cover, 90 pages, 11″ x 13″, $55usd plus shipping.

“As my travels to sacred sites became spiritual journeys, each one bore a new wave of creativity in the studio.”  

Available for purchase via my website: www.glenrogersart.com

From the Foreward by Diane Jonte-Pace, Ph.D.Professor of Religious Studies, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Santa Clara University

“In her work, and in this book, Glen Rogers invites us to accompany her on a pilgrimage to these ancient sites marked by human creativity. With Glen we encounter the immense numinosity of these powerful places; we experience with her their ability to stir us deeply, to inspire and transform, to quicken the creative spirit.”

From the chapter on Las Labradas, Mexico: 

My first visit to Las Labradas, a beach and petroglyph site north of my home in Mazatlán, Mexico, was in 1999, shortly after I fell in love with this city. Someone had scribbled a map on the back of a napkin, and a friend and I set out in her van.  We drove down miles of bumpy dirt roads until finally a friendly villager led us to our destination: a beautiful deserted beach with huge black boulders scattered along the water’s edge, carved with mystical shapes and symbols. With waves crashing and the silence of the tide pools as a backdrop, one couldn’t help but feel the magic of this ancient site.

Visit Carl Heyward's blog for his take on the book: 

 http://www.spontaneouscombustionlanguageimagelab.wordpress.com

Lisa Lankins of mazatlanmycity website reviewed the book and had this to say:

Art and Sacred Sites is a new book by artist, teacher and fellow Mazatlan resident, Glen Rogers. Glen has traveled the world connecting with the earth and the significance of the places she has visited. Through photographs, writing and art she invites us to feel this connection. Flipping through the pages, I find myself vibrating at a different level. Her work is rich yet basic, and reading it is meditative.

http://www.mazatlanmycity.com/en/feature-stories/12-in-the-editors-words/1080-art-a-sacred-sites-connecting-with-spirit-of-place.html

Janet Blaser, Publisher M! Magazine:

Sharing is something that we're compelled to do. It's in our nature, part of what defines us as human beings, and indeed, glorifies us as individuals.

It's in this spirit that Glen has given us this book, sharing the sacred places, symbols and connections she has discovered in her many years of traveling and creating art. As she has opened her heart, it seems the natural world has responded, sharing its ancient secrets and wisdom which she now passes on to us within the pages of this book.

With this book, Glen demonstrates how she has transformed her spiritual journey into art, gently stepping into the role of teacher as she shares the inspiration she's received. I, for one, am thrilled and grateful for this gift; I trust you will be, too.

Reuniting with Printmaking Friends in San Francisco for SGC Conference

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to San Francisco Bay Area in April for the SGC (Southern Graphic Conference) - an international conference of printmakers. I saw old friends from KALA, MPC, and CSP, and artists who have taken my workshops or would like to in the future.  I started out in San Jose, visiting good friend and artist, Katherine Levin-Lau. Below is a photo of her in her studio with new etching press in back and a recent monotype.

Opening Reception at Acadamy of Art

One of the highlights was visiting printshops such as Crown Point Press where we saw print demos. Below is a friend, Fanny Retsek, a team of three printers working on a 4 color etching with chine colle.

Fanny Retsek (top left
 -  printing at Crown Point Press

I was lucky to arrive at Crown Point early and get a private showing of John Cage prints to a small group of us by founder of Crown Point, Kathan Brown.

Kathan Brown showing John Cage prints at Crown Point

 On Friday we  visited studios in the East Bay, among them, KALA Institute, where I worked in the past as an artist in residence. Seiko Tachibana was giving a demo of her small black and white prints - and they are exquisite.

Seiko Tachibana demo at KALA Inst

Large scale etching/ monotype Print Demo at KALA

Large format printing at KALA

 We also visited The Compound Gallery and Studios, where there was lots of printing going on.  Art Hazelwood was silkscreening chocolate on tortillas - darn I missed that!  But I did see the surprise floorshow with this crazy guy bumping and grinding among the printmakers - pretty hilarious.  We also visited Ca College of Art where we saw demos in printing on Glass - very interesting.

Demo of large relief print at The Compound Studios, Oakland

Surprise floorshow at The Compund Gallery

demo at CCA glass printing

 Great seeing old friends and making new ones - it was a great week of fun and art! Thanks everyone!

Glen and Carol Vossler, Blueed Studios,  enjoying dinner by the Bay

New Workshop Schedule for 2014 - 2015

Monotype in Mazatlan
Combine art and creativity with a backdrop of Mazatlan’s beautiful historic district. Add additional activities such as swimming, yoga, spa, massage, a day at Stone Island under a beach palapa, and you’ve got The Perfect Art Vacation!

Oaxaca Art Vacation Take a magical trip to Oaxaca, Mexico with an opportunity to enjoy printmaking, papermaking, galleries and museums, excursions to Artesan Villages and archeological sites. Enjoy 10 days in the beautiful, colonial city of Oaxaca known for its cuisine, crafts and architecture.

Guanajuato Print Workshop Glen Rogers teams with Hugo Anaya for a 5 day printmaking workshop in the charming colonial city of Guanajuato, Mexico. Piramidal Gráfica is a private well-equipped printmaking studio located within a two-century-old stone wall with patios and adjacent gardens close to the center of Guanajuato.

All workshops are suitable for beginners to advanced.

Schedule:
May 31 and June 1 (Sat and Sun) 2 day monotype workshop at a private studio in Los Gatos, CA. (waiting list only)
June 7 - 8, 2014 - 2 day monotype workshop, OpenGrounds Studio, Monterey, CA
July 13 - 20, 2014 - Guanajuato Print Workshop (waiting list only)

January 5-14, 2015 Oaxaca Art Vacation

January 26 - 30 Monotype in Mazatlan
February 2 - 6 Solarplate Printing with Dan Welden

My book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place

My book, Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place will be launched in May. It's very exciting to see this labor of love come to fruition! The book is about  my  pilgrimages to sacred sites -  a sharing of my experiences, inspirations, and the creative process.  "As my travels became spiritual journeys, each one bore a new wave of creativity in the studio." 

pages from the chapter on Las Labradas, Mexico.

From My introduction:

"For many years, I’ve taken my inspiration from archetypal symbols and sacred sites around the world, continually drawing from a universal visual language. I’ve followed in the footsteps of these early cultures by drawing from nature’s purest forms, such as the spiral, the circle and the crescent, whose cyclical shapes suggest renewal and regeneration. I am honored to have had the opportunity to walk these ancient lands imbued with the spirit of our ancestors. I feel that these same symbols, whether inscribed on ancient stones or painted on my 21^st Century canvas, can connect us as humans, connect us to nature and give hope and inspiration to future generations. As I begin a work of art inspired by this imagery, scratching the surface of the plate or layering colors of paint, I feel connected to those who have come before me."  

Sunrise at Stonehenge

  My life as an artist thus far has been an incredible journey made all the richer by pilgrimages to these sacred sites and the deep spiritual connections I’ve experienced. I feel blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to walk the perimeter of Uluru in Australia, enter the sacred chamber of Newgrange in Ireland, visit the Temple of Knossos in Crete (before the tour buses arrived!) and, especially, to live so close to one of my favorite places, Las Labradas, near my home in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Entry Stone to Newgrange, Ireland

"In her work, and in this book, Glen Rogers invites us to accompany her on a pilgrimage to these ancient sites marked by human creativity.  With Glen we encounter the immense numinosity of these powerful places; we experience with her their ability to stir us deeply, to inspire and transform, to quicken the creative spirit." From the Foreward by Diane Jonte-Pace, Ph.D.,
Professor of Religious Studies
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Santa Clara University   

 

Cave Paintings, North Queensland, Australia

        Sharing is something that we’re compelled to do. It’s in our nature, part of what defines us as human beings, and indeed, glorifies us as individuals.

       It’s in this spirit that Glen has given us this book, sharing the sacred places, symbols and connections she has discovered in her many years of traveling and creating art. As she has opened her heart, it seems the natural world has responded, sharing its ancient secrets and wisdom which she now passes on to us within the pages of this book.

      With this book, Glen demonstrates how she has transformed her spiritual journey into art, gently stepping into the role of teacher as she shares the inspiration she’s received. I, for one, am thrilled and grateful for this gift; I trust you will be, too.

Janet Blaser, Publisher M! Magazine

 
The book was created in collaboration with book designer, Margery Cantor, with beautiful spreads in full color of my work, photographs of the sites that inspired me and personal observations written especially for each chapter. Limited edition, hard-cover, 90 pages, 11" x 13".

To reserve your copy:  email me at glen@glenrogersart.com