The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

A free orientation for The Artist Way Class was held on Wednesday Sept. 10 at the Redlands Art Association Gallery. The class is being taught by Judith Sparhawk. She has been teaching the class for over twenty years. According to Judith, the class is based on the book The Artist's Way. “It is the center-piece of the course,“ she explained. Sparhawk was introduced to the book back in Nov. 1993. The course is a pathway to help individuals excavate their creativity. “The course helps people have an awareness of their creative being. It is a spiritual path to higher creativity. Creativity and spirituality go hand in hand,” said Sparhawk. Each person present had a different reason for being there, but one purpose – to discover their creativity and how to nurture it. Lucy Loomis is a returning student having taken the class eleven years ago. “I am back to see if I have made any growth! It is a refresher for me; I am open to learning more,” she said. Donna Phillips attended the orientation, in search of finding her creativity, expressed that she wants to draw portraits and desires help in finding out how to get her artwork on paper. “I want to draw the dramatic events from the Bible,” she said. Kourtney Gray came to recover her desire to paint. “I painted in college; I was rigid and was going for the grade. I stopped after school. I want the discipline to better facilitate my art now,“ she said. “I am looking for a way to express my creativity; to experiment with various art forms,” shared attendee Jennie Reece. “I lost my job and needed something to do. This course may help me to help my mother write her memoir, too,“ said attendee Teri Fischer. The purpose of the class is to offer tools to those interested in nurturing their inner artist and creativity. The format for the class is a study of The Artist's Way book written by Julia Cameron. It is a twelve-week course. A couple of the basic tools implemented in the class are writing morning pages and treating one's self to artist dates. Spiritual exercises begin a process of creativity and the Artist’s Way offers tools to overcome creative blocks. These tools, plus others, are discussed in the book which is required for the class. There is still time to sign up for the class. It will be offered every Wednesday from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Redlands Art Association Gallery located at 215 E State Street, Redlands, Calif. 91373. The cost for the course is $120 for non-members of the association and $110 for members. The books are available for $16. For more information contact Judith Sparhawk at 909-792-8435.