This essay was first printed in Eric Maisel's Creativity
Newsletter (February 26, 2006).

“Coming to Seriously Creative has become an oasis in my life,” said one student. “I look forward to this time when I can focus on myself and my work,” said another.

It is luxurious to spend two days each month supporting your creative life. It has become a vital time-out for the 14 women who meet each month in my home to get serious about their own creativity. Recently one woman said she doesn’t talk about her experience because she wants to keep it for herself. For her the course has become a metaphorical “room of her own.”

Seriously Creative is a course for people who want to expand their creative life. It is a course on developing greater understanding of personal process, shifting obstructive patterns, facing fears, developing excellent work habits and much more. It was designed as a combination coaching and mentoring course for artists regardless of their discipline.

The women gather each month for some serious work interspersed with fun, laughter and good food. Each month there are in class assignments where the women must create something quickly from minimum amount of materials. Creating small studies brings a sense of play to the process. I notice that many of the women report spending more time doodling. Several have tried projects or used materials that they have not worked with before.

There are also monthly assignments. One of my favourites was to create a self-portrait postcard and send it to me in the mail. It worked so well that I asked the women to create handmade Valentines for me. Each assignment is intended to be fun and to encourage experimentation.

Each woman has selected a major project to work on independently. The projects are both challenging and personally meaningful. The selection and creation of the project provides a real life opportunity to notice patterns, experience anxiety, and use the excellent work habits necessary to complete the work.

Although I am the teacher I am also a peer. As I teach I also learn. In that regard the course is non-hierarchical. Seriously Creative is based on my training with Eric Maisel as a creativity coach and my extensive experience as a teacher as well as my personal experience as an artist.

The value of coaching in a group is that everyone can see herself in the struggles of others. There is a comfort in knowing that others experience similar challenges. One recurring theme is about making oneself important enough to make the time and space for creative work.

Honouring the creative oasis is an essential element of the course. Allowing time for reflection is essential. Creating an atmosphere of safety that invites the vulnerability of honest sharing is indispensable. Encouraging each woman to own her unique qualities and competencies is vital to this seriously creative process.

For information on registration for the course Seriously Creative, click here.