‘Seriously Creative’ is a mentoring program designed to take its members to the master level. With only ten people in the group, ‘Seriously Creative’ is intended to be an intimate exploration of your art, you and your process, with the objective of defining your personal artistic voice. If your are ‘seriously creative’ and like many before you, find it difficult to take your muse seriously, this is an extraordinary opportunity to fully embrace and nurture the unique views and perspectives you long to explore and express.

‘Seriously Creative’ is designed and led by Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer, a distinguished quilt maker and textile artist who has emerged from the craft tradition. Like you, she had to overcome the awkward feelings of accepting that her art needed to be taken seriously – first by herself. Like you possibly, Mary was a busy mother, a respected professional and a woman busily engaged with her community. Like you, she found it difficult to really know if her work had merit or her instincts were worth cultivating. Like you, she needed to find her muse and get comfortable with all of its demands. And possibly like you, Mary eventually wanted to risk having her creativity seen, examined, judged and even purchased. Today, Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer is recognised as one of Canada’s leading fabric artists. Her work has been exhibited widely and is held in public and private collections around the world. Her journey has been a wondrous series of teachers, mentors and courageous artistic exhibits, which today makes her a unique source of wisdom and know-how artistically and personally.

Members of ‘Seriously Creative’ will define their own focus, goals and timetable with the results being featured in a public exhibition. Each weekend will combine the personal and the professional aspects of the artists’ ambitions, in a caring, supportive, expert-level environment that provides nurture and nutrition to the creative appetite.