The Great Round Up 2012

with Pat Otto
One evening a month ~ One stage at a time 
Starting January 19, 2012, 6:30-8:30 pm 
Fee: $150 for 6 months, or $250 for 1 year
12 CEUs available for each section*

Come join our sacred circle - giving yourself the time and space you need - allowing your creative spirit to bring forth imagery that is full of meaning. The Great Round of Mandala as developed by Joan Kellogg (Mandala: the Path of Beauty, 1984) offers us an archetypal source and structure for our art-making and for self-actualization.  As we give ourselves permission to become creatively involved, our experiences deepen, giving our art-making - our creations - an opportunity to evolve, to grow and to make manifest. With the intention of creating mandalas as symbolic reflections of our own personal development in the Great Round - a cyclical pattern of wholeness can be generated.

We will meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month to focus on that month's archetypal stage, starting with Stage 0 - 1 in January. And move through archetypal stages of personal growth: the Void, Bliss, Labyrinth, Beginning, Target, Dragon Fight, Squaring the Circle, Functioning Ego, Crystallization, Gates of Death, Fragmentation, and Transcendent Ecstasy.  Having once cycled through these stages creating mandalas, we'll now have the opportunity to condense our experience into smaller, more concentrated versions - such as mandala mementos &/or tarot-like cards.


The Great Round Up Workshop is for those who wish to re-visit The Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala cycle of life as it coincides with calendar time, exploring each stage with renewed understanding and experience.  With more time to spend on your own in your own world, noticing, gathering, integrating...and then coming together just once a month to share, consolidate and create an essence of that stage for you. 


To Register: contact Pat Otto preferably via email pat.otto@att.net. Enrollment is limited, with priority given to previous workshop participants, therefore pre-registration/ payment is required. 12/24 CEUs are available for a $15 administration fee.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.
 
Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202,  http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com 
To see artwork from previous workshops, click Gallery.  Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com
 
Please Bring: Journal/ Sketchbook and your favorite pen. Some art materials will be available.

the Sewing Rebellion is Coming

1-8-12 FREE with Pat Otto

Now meets the 4th Thursday of every month from 6:30-8:30 pm.  Always free and open to the public. Bring your mending, a needle and thread (or whatever sewing notions you might need).  Join us for some good time, down home,  hand sewin' at Blue Lotus Art Studio.  No sewing experience necessary!

The Artist's Way: A Creativity Group

this Winter!  6 alternate Mondays, 6:30-8:30 pm

Jan. 16, 30, Feb. 13, 27, Mar. 12, 26, 2012

with Pat Otto
$125, 12 ceus offered

You are invited to join our circle and commit to the exploration and development of your own creative gifts - in whatever form they may take. The circle allows each person's creativity to come forth, and nurtures it along the way - from the darkness of conception through the awkwardness of its first steps of moving into the world. Within this supportive atmosphere, we will explore a range of developmental stages through art-making, along with meditation, journaling and discussion.

In making art, we will experience our own unique creative process and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for its significance to our patterns of being. In so doing, we become aware of how our creative process may be reflected in both our artwork and our daily life.

This 6-session workshop is facilitated by artist, art therapist and art educator Patricia Otto and will focus on the second 6 chapters/ themes of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way: connection, strength, compassion, self-protection, autonomy and faith. (To see artwork from previous workshop, click Gallery and scroll down to Artist's Way.)

To Register: contact Pat Otto preferably via email at pat.otto@att.net. Pre-registration/ payment is required. 12 CEUs are available for a $15 processing fee.   Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202   http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com
Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com

Please bring:  a journal or sketchbook and simple art supplies. Some art materials will be available.

~The great artist is wise, All That Is, is in her art, she puts divinity into things,
she converses with her own heart.~

Cultivating a Daily Creative Practice

this Winter!  6 alternative Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm

Jan. 12, 26, Feb. 2, 16, Mar. 1, 15, 2012
with Pat Otto
Fee: $125, 12 CEUs available

Choosing to do a simple creative thing every day is soul work that takes us on a personal journey of self-discovery and expression. Workshop facilitator, Pat Otto will share her experience with Mandala-a-Day and guide participants in cultivating their own unique daily creative practice.  A variety of approaches to creative expression as well as possible formats for our daily project will be explored in this workshop.  Encouraged to pay attention to our soul whispers and creative inklings - letting them move lightly into our daily project - our creative spirit will be set free to play.

We will discover how small steps taken day-by-day add up to something much larger than their individual parts, with tangible results and unexpected outcomes.   With meetings scheduled every other week, participants will be able to experience and develop their hands-on practice while receiving support, encouragement, and inspiration from the group.  There is no need for art experience.   

To Register: contact Pat Otto preferably via email at pat.otto@att.net.  Pre-registration/ payment is required.  12 CEUs are available for a $15 administrative charge.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.  See Pat's website at www.patottoart.com  or visit Daily Creative Practice to see what's been happening!
 

Please Bring:  Please bring something to write/ create in, and a cell phone that takes pictures or a camera.  Some art materials will be available.

"Only the symbolic life can express the need of the soul - the daily need of the soul, mind you!"   C.G. Jung

Holiday Artmaking Workshops

Relax, Renew, Create and Connect!

This season give the gift of creativity to yourself or a loved one!  Paint, collage, stitch, or embellish during an evening or afternoon of fun, mixed-media artmaking activities in the relaxing atmosphere of Blue Lotus Art Studio.  Create a handmade gift or two for yourself or others.  Use your own inspiration or work on one of several other possibilities guided by helpful Instructors.  Possible projects include: hand-stitched pillows, purses, dolls or sock animals; fabric pins, wall-hangings or fiber coil baskets; painted and embellished treasure boxes, collage on wood, matchbox or tin shrines, wishing stones, embellished candleholders;  hand-painted cards, mini-altered books, artist’s trading cards; bird ornaments or sculptures, winter trees, or other nature-inspired art and special projects for children.

Fee includes  a wide range of mixed-media art materials, light snacks and wine/soft drinks.  Feel free to bring personal embellishments or other favorite materials and please Dress for Mess!

WORKSHOP DATES & COST:

• FRIDAY  EVENING - DEC. 9, 6:30pm-9:00pm - Adults  - Cost: $55

• FRIDAY EVENING - DEC.16, 6:30pm-9:00pm – Adults – Cost: $55

• SAT. AFTERNOON - Dec. 17, 1-3:30 pm – Adults and/or Children Age 10 & Up - Cost:  $55 Adult, $35 to drop-off child, or $75 adult/child dyad 

BLUE LOTUS ART STUDIO

 912 Sherman Avenue,  Evanston, IL   847-845-4853

  TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE E-MAIL:  JOANNE RAMSEYER at Joannejram@yahoo.com or Call Blue Lotus: 847-845-4853

Sewing Rebellion - Chicago Chapter Starts

Sunday, 1-8-12 from 3-5 pm  FREE with Pat Otto

Meets the third Sunday of every month from 3-5 pm.  Always free and open to the public. Bring your mending, a needle and thread (or whatever sewing notions you might need).  Join us for some good time, down home,  hand sewin' at Blue Lotus Art Studio.  No sewing experience necessary!

Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala

Fall 2011:
Stages 10, 11, 12 + Center
with Pat Otto
7 alternate Thursdays

Oct. 6, 20, Nov. 3, 17, Dec. 1, 15 & 29
6:30-8:30 pm 
$150,  14 CEUs

Come join our sacred circle - giving yourself all the time and space you need - allowing your creative spirit to bring forth imagery that is full of meaning. The Great Round of Mandala as developed by Joan Kellogg (Mandala: the Path of Beauty, 1984) offers us an archetypal source and structure for our art-making and for self-actualization.

Mandalas, or circle forms, have been used for centuries in spiritual traditions around the world as a focus for meditation, healing and creative expression. As we give ourselves permission to become creatively involved, our experiences deepen, giving our art-making - our creations - an opportunity to evolve, to grow and to make manifest. With the intention of creating mandalas as symbolic reflections of our own personal development in the Great Round - a cyclical pattern of wholeness is generated.

We will devote 2 Thursdays a month for each stage, starting at Stage 0: Clear Light. And move through archetypal stages of the cyclical patterns of personal growth: the Void, Bliss, Labyrinth, Beginning, Target, Dragon Fight, Squaring the Circle, Functioning Ego, Crystallization, Gates of Death, Fragmentation, and Transcendent Ecstasy.*

The Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala workshop is for those who wish to move through its cycle of life exploring each stage using art-making as a vehicle for creative expression and reflection of one’s inner and outer worlds. To see artwork from previous workshops, click Gallery.


To Register: contact Pat Otto via email pat.otto@att.net. Enrollment is limited, with priority given to current workshop participants, therefore pre-registration/ payment is required. Groups fill quickly and in advance. Waiting lists are available. CEUs are available per quarter for a $15 fee.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

*Workshops are divided into 4 quarters of 3 months each: Winter, Spring Summer and Fall.
Winter 2011: Jan. 6, 20, Feb. 3, 17, Mar. 3 & 17 (Stages 0-1, 2 & 3).
Spring 2011: Apr. 14, 28, May 12, 26, Jun. 9, 23 (Stages 4, 5 & 6).
Summer 2011: Jul. 7, 21, Aug. 4, 13, Sep. 1, 14 (Stages 7, 8 & 9).
Fall 2011: Oct. 6, 20, Nov. 3, 17, Dec.1, 15, 29 (Stages 10, 11, 12 + Center).
 
Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202,  http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com 
Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com
 
Please Bring: Journal/ Sketchbook and your favorite pen. Some art materials will be available.

A Way Into Watercolor - Coming Fall 2011

6 sessions:

Thursdays 12:30-2:30 pm

with Pat Otto

$125

Discover the unique qualities of watercolor painting through experimental exercises.  In this workshop, you will learn to really see color and achieve it through a working understanding of color theory, as well as begin to develop your own personal style.

For those new to, or continuing with, watercolor studies.  Please note, previous art experience is not necessary.  A detailed Supply List will be handed out and discussed at the first session.  This way questions may be addressed and confusion can be avoided before purchasing any art materials.  Small classes are offered in 6-week sessions.

To Register:  Contact Pat Otto preferably via email pat.otto@att.net or if unable, then call 773-577-9870 and leave a message.  Pre-registration is required.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of enrollment.

Location:  Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL  60202 http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com  and visit Pat's website at www.patottoart.com

Creative Drawing - Coming Fall 2001

6 sessions:

Thursdays 10 am-12 noon

with Pat Otto

$125,  12 CEUs available

Do you ever wish you had stronger technical skills to bring to your creative process?   This is the class for you! Art therapist and drawing instructor Pat Otto provides a structure for the creative impulse to build upon and grow, teaching a greater vocabulary for self-expression by guiding participants through exercises on the basic fundamentals of  art (such  as  line, value, form, shape, and composition). Non-traditional, meditative drawing tasks are given to stimulate the  imagination as well as demonstrate the basic concepts. For beginners and those with experience in the creative arts.  

Those continuing the course will move into drawing light and energy on black paper based on the skills they have acquired. Color theory will be introduced, with forays into sacred geometry as a format for exploration and illumination.   Independent study projects are encouraged as participants develop and draw upon their own creative inklings.
*To see artwork from previous classes, click Gallery and scroll down to Creative Drawing.


To Register: contact Pat Otto preferably via email at pat.otto@att.net or if unable, call 773-577-9870 and leave a message. Pre-registration/ payment is required. CEUs are available for a $15 administrative fee. Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202   http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com  Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com

Please bring to first session:

• for intro class: Graphite Drawing Pencils: 2B, 4B, 6B, HB, 2H, 4H and 6H; Drawing or Sketching Paper Pad (18 x 24 inches); Eraser (Art Gum, Kneaded, Pink Pearl or plastic); and a Pencil Sharpener

• for continuing class: Prismacolor Pencils: #938 White (2), #905 Aquamarine, #930 Magenta, #916 Canary Yellow, #913 Spring Green, #918 Orange, #932 Violet and #935 Black; Black Paper: Strathmore Artagain Black paper pad, or Strathmore Charcoal Paper pad, or Canson Mi-tentes Black Charcoal Paper

Cultivating a Daily Creative Practice - Fall 2011

6 alternative Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm

Sept. 29, Oct. 13, 27, Nov. 11 (off 11-24) Dec. 8 & 22, 2011
with Pat Otto
Fee: $125, 12 CEUs available

Choosing to do a simple creative thing every day is soul work that takes us on a personal journey of self-discovery and expression. Workshop facilitator, Pat Otto will share her experience with Mandala-a-Day and guide participants in cultivating their own unique daily creative practice.  A variety of approaches to creative expression as well as possible formats for our daily project will be explored in this workshop.  Encouraged to pay attention to our soul whispers and creative inklings - letting them move lightly into our daily project - our creative spirit will be set free to play.

We will discover how small steps taken day-by-day add up to something much larger than their individual parts, with tangible results and unexpected outcomes.   With meetings scheduled every other week, participants will be able to experience and develop their hands-on practice while receiving support, encouragement, and inspiration from the group.  There is no need for art experience.   

To Register: contact Pat Otto preferably via email at pat.otto@att.net or if unable, call 773-577-9870 and leave a message.  Pre-registration/ payment is required.  12 CEUs are available for a $15 administrative charge.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.  See Pat's website at www.patottoart.com  or visit Daily Creative Practice to see what's been happening!
 

Please Bring:  Please bring something to write/ create in, and a cell phone that takes pictures or a camera.  Some art materials will be available.

"Only the symbolic life can express the need of the soul - the daily need of the soul, mind you!"   

C.G. Jung

Art with a Renewed Purpose - Fall 2011

6 alternative Mondays 

6:30 - 8:30 pm

 Sept. 12 & 28, Oct. 10 & 23, Nov. 7 & 21, 2011

 with Pat Otto

$125 fee 

 Do you have any old, tired, ripped and broken treasured items now disregarded and abandoned somewhere in the house?  It’s time to transform them into works of art: functional or dys-functional -- your choice.  For instance: 

• Upcycle clothes that no longer fit/look good/etc. into your own fashion statements. 

•  Stop buying new stuff (this year?) and art-i-fy whatever you do have into new forms and uses. 

It’s surprising how creative you become when you start seeing all your old things as potential art supplies just waiting to be brought back to life in new and unusual ways.  And if you have a lot of old stuff - your supply cabinet is pretty much unlimited.  Even if you just start off with say, old clothes, or old jewelry, or old linens, or old dishes, or old bags…I think you get the idea. 


In this workshop, we will each bring in something that needs creative repurposing as well as something for the “pot.”  The pot will be mystery goodies for anyone to use and continue to grow as the weeks go by.  And as a group, we’ll also find creative inspiration and support.  Participants will be encouraged to bring in a different piece for renewal every session to get their creative juices flowing.  

Please note:  equipment is available on site, such as scissors, needle and thread, glues, tapes, rulers, pencils, erasers.  Please bring anything more specific you may need for your project.


To Register:  Contact Pat Otto via email pat.otto@att.net .  Pre-registration is required.  Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment

Location:  Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202  http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com   See Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com and her Project Minima blog at http://projectminima.blogspot.com

The Artist's Way: A Creativity Group - Fall 2011

6 alternate Mondays, 6:30-8:30 pm
Sept. 19, Oct 3, 17, 31, Nov. 14 & 28, 2011
  with Pat Otto
$125, 12 ceus offered

You are invited to join our circle and commit to the exploration and development of your own creative gifts - in whatever form they may take. The circle allows each person's creativity to come forth, and nurtures it along the way - from the darkness of conception through the awkwardness of its first steps of moving into the world. Within this supportive atmosphere, we will explore a range of developmental stages through art-making, along with meditation, journaling and discussion.

In making art, we will experience our own unique creative process and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for its significance to our patterns of being. In so doing, we become aware of how our creative process may be reflected in both our artwork and our daily life.

This 6-session workshop is facilitated by artist, art therapist and art educator Patricia Otto and will focus on the first 6 chapters/ themes of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way: safety, identity, power, integrity, possibility and abundance. Another 6-session workshop will follow that focuses on the final 6 chapters of her book: connection, strength, compassion, self-protection, autonomy and faith. (To see artwork from previous workshop, click Gallery and scroll down to Artist's Way.)

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net. Pre-registration/ payment is required. 12 CEUs are available for a $15 processing fee.   Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202   http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com
Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com

Please bring:  a journal or sketchbook and simple art supplies. Some art materials will be available.

~The great artist is wise, All That Is, is in her art, she puts divinity into things,
she converses with her own heart.~

Art-Write: a Creative Exploration

Bliss on Glass, Otto

Begin with a hand full of stars.

Seeds gathered and flung.

A reaching

that does not distinguish

giver from receiver.

 

 from "Offering" by Arlyn Miller

Art-Write: A Creative Exploration

with Pat Otto and Arlyn Miller

Thursday, July 28, 2011, 1-3 pm

$45 early/$50 late, CEUs 2

Image your creative spirit through the art-write process as gently guided by artist therapist Pat Otto and poet teacher Arlyn Miller.  In at atmosphere of warmth and mutual respect, we will (re-)connect with the intuitive spark that resides within us all, and draw upon it.  Through simple hands-on exercises we'll shape ideas into words and images, and (re-)awaken our creative self.

There is no need for previous art or writing experience.

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net or call 773-577-9870.  Fee: $45 received before July 21, $50 after.  2 CEUs are available for a $15 administrative charge.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.  Visit Pat's website at www.patottoart.com and Arlyn's at http://poeticlicenseinc.blogspot.com
 
Please Bring: a journal or sketchbook to write/ create in. Some art materials will be available.

Cultivating a Daily Creative Practice

Day 352 Mandala by pao

this Summer!

6 Mondays, 7-9 pm

July 11-August 15, 2011
with Pat Otto
Fee: $125, 12 CEUs available

Choosing to do a simple creative thing every day is soul work that takes us on a personal journey of self-discovery and expression. Workshop facilitator, Pat Otto will share her experience with Mandala-a-Day and guide participants in cultivating their own unique daily creative practice.  A variety of approaches to creative expression as well as possible formats for our daily project will be explored in this workshop.  Encouraged to pay attention to our soul whispers and creative inklings - letting them move lightly into our daily project - our creative spirit will be set free to play.

We will discover how small steps taken day-by-day add up to something much larger than their individual parts, with tangible results and unexpected outcomes.   With meetings scheduled weekly, participants will be able to experience and develop their hands-on practice while receiving support, encouragement, and inspiration from the group.  There is no need for art experience.   Click on Daily Creative Practice to see what's been happening!

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net.  Fee: $125.  12 CEUs are available for a $15 charge.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.  Visit Pat's website at www.patottoart.com
 

Please Bring:  Please bring something to write/ create in, and a cell phone that takes pictures or a camera.  Some art materials will be available.

Archetypal Stages of the Great Round Mandala:

Stage 8: Functioning Ego by L. Saunders

Summer (Stages 7, 8 & 9)
with Pat Otto
 6 alternate Thursdays: Jul. 7, 21, Aug. 4, 13, Sep. 1, 15, 2011
choose either: 1:30-3:30 pm  -or-  6:30-8:30 pm 
Fee for 3-month session: $125*  
12 CEUs available

Come join our sacred circle - giving yourself all the time and space you need - allowing your creative spirit to bring forth imagery that is full of meaning. The Great Round of Mandala as developed by Joan Kellogg (Mandala: the Path of Beauty, 1984) offers us an archetypal source and structure for our art-making and for self-actualization.

Mandalas, or circle forms, have been used for centuries in spiritual traditions around the world as a focus for meditation, healing and creative expression. As we give ourselves permission to become creatively involved, our experiences deepen, giving our art-making - our creations - an opportunity to evolve, to grow and to make manifest. With the intention of creating mandalas as symbolic reflections of our own personal development in the Great Round - a cyclical pattern of wholeness is generated.

We will devote 2 Thursdays a month for each stage, starting at Stage 0: Clear Light. And move through archetypal stages of the cyclical patterns of personal growth: the Void, Bliss, Labyrinth, Beginning, Target, Dragon Fight, Squaring the Circle, Functioning Ego, Crystallization, Gates of Death, Fragmentation, and Transcendent Ecstasy.*

The Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala workshop is for those who wish to move through its cycle of life exploring each stage using art-making as a vehicle for creative expression and reflection of one’s inner and outer worlds. To see artwork from previous workshops, click Gallery.

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net. Workshop is limited to 7 participants, with priority given to current workshop participants, therefore pre-registration/ payment is required. Groups fill quickly and in advance. Waiting lists are available. Fee for 3-month quarter: $125. 12 CEUs are available per quarter for a $15 fee.

*Workshops are divided into 4 quarters of 3 months each: Winter, Spring Summer and Fall.
Winter 2011: Jan. 6, 20, Feb. 3, 17, Mar. 3 & 17 (Stages 0-1, 2 & 3).
Spring 2011: Apr. 14, 28, May 12, 26, Jun. 9, 23 (Stages 4, 5 & 6).
Summer 2011: Jul. 7, 21, Aug. 4, 13, Sep. 1, 14 (Stages 7, 8 & 9).
Fall 2011: Oct. 6, 20, Nov. 3, 17, Dec.1, 15 (Stages 10, 11 & 12).
Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.
 
Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202,  http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com 
Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com
 
Please Bring: Journal/ Sketchbook and your favorite pen. Some art materials will be available.

Cultivating a Daily Creative Practice:

Day 344 Mandala by pao

6 Mondays, 7-9 pm
May 9, 16, 23 (off Memorial Day), June 6, 13, & 20
with Pat Otto
Fee: $125, 12 CEUs available

Choosing to do a simple creative thing every day is soul work that takes us on a personal journey of self-discovery and expression. Workshop facilitator, Pat Otto will share her experience with Mandala-a-Day YR2010 and guide participants in cultivating their own unique daily creative practice.  A variety of approaches to creative expression as well as possible formats for our daily project will be explored in this workshop.  Encouraged to pay attention to our soul whispers and creative inklings - letting them move lightly into our daily project - our creative spirit will be set free to play.

We will discover how small steps taken day-by-day add up to something much larger than their individual parts, with tangible results and unexpected outcomes.   With meetings scheduled weekly, participants will be able to experience and develop their hands-on practice while receiving support, encouragement, and inspiration from the group.  There is no need for art experience.   Click on Daily Creative Practice to see what's been happening!

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net.  Fee: $125.  12 CEUs are available for a $15 charge.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202.  Visit Pat's website at www.patottoart.com
 

Please Bring:  Please bring something to write/ create in, and a cell phone that takes pictures or a camera.  Some art materials will be available.

Archetypal Stages of the Great Round Mandala -

Ashes from Stage 6 Dragon Fight

Spring 2011 (Stages 4, 5, & 6)
6 alternate Thursdays: Apr. 14, 28, May 10, 28, June 9 & 23
 choose either:
1:30-3:30 pm  -or-  6:30-8:30 pm
with Pat Otto
Fee for 3-month session: $125* 12 CEUs

Come join our sacred circle - giving yourself all the time and space you need - allowing your creative spirit to bring forth imagery that is full of meaning. The Great Round of Mandala as developed by Joan Kellogg (Mandala: the Path of Beauty, 1984) offers us an archetypal source and structure for our art-making and for self-actualization.

Mandalas, or circle forms, have been used for centuries in spiritual traditions around the world as a focus for meditation, healing and creative expression. As we give ourselves permission to become creatively involved, our experiences deepen, giving our art-making - our creations - an opportunity to evolve, to grow and to make manifest. With the intention of creating mandalas as symbolic reflections of our own personal development in the Great Round - a cyclical pattern of wholeness is generated.

We will devote 2 Thursdays a month for each stage, starting at Stage 0: Clear Light. And move through archetypal stages of the cyclical patterns of personal growth: the Void, Bliss, Labyrinth, Beginning, Target, Dragon Fight, Squaring the Circle, Functioning Ego, Crystallization, Gates of Death, Fragmentation, and Transcendent Ecstasy.*

The Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala workshop is for those who wish to move through its cycle of life exploring each stage using art-making as a vehicle for creative expression and reflection of one’s inner and outer worlds. To see artwork from previous workshops, click Gallery.

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net. Workshop is limited to 7 participants, with priority given to current workshop participants, therefore pre-registration/ payment is required. Groups fill quickly and in advance. Waiting lists are available. Fee for 3-month quarter: $125. 12 CEUs are available per quarter for a $15 fee.

*Workshops are divided into 4 quarters of 3 months each: Winter, Spring Summer and Fall.
Winter 2011: Jan. 6, 20, Feb. 3, 17, Mar. 3 & 17 (Stages 0-1, 2 & 3).
Spring 2011: Apr. 14, 28, May 12, 26, Jun. 9, 23 (Stages 4, 5 & 6).
Summer 2011: Jul. 7, 21, Aug. 4, 13, Sep. 1, 14 (Stages 7, 8 & 9).
Fall 2011: Oct. 6, 20, Nov. 3, 17, Dec.1, 15 (Stages 10, 11 & 12).
Be advised tuition is refundable only if or when a workshop is canceled due to lack of initial enrollment.

 
Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202,  http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com 
Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com

 
Please Bring: Journal/ Sketchbook and your favorite pen. Some art materials will be available.

Creative Drawing - Spring 2011

March 7-April 12, 2011 

6 sessions:

Tuesdays 10 am-12 pm -OR-

Mondays 6:30-8:30 pm

with Pat Otto

$125,  12 ceus offered

Do you ever wish you had stronger technical skills to bring to your creative process?   This is the class for you! Art therapist and drawing instructor Pat Otto provides a structure for the creative impulse to build upon and grow, teaching a greater vocabulary for self-expression by guiding participants through exercises on the basic fundamentals of  art (such  as  line, value, form, shape, composition). Non-traditional, meditative drawing tasks are given to stimulate the  imagination as well as demonstrate the basic concepts. For beginners and those with experience in the creative arts.  

Those continuing the course will move into drawing light and energy on black paper based on the skills they have acquired. Color theory will be introduced, with forays into sacred geometry as a format for exploration and illumination.   Independendent study projects are encouraged as participants develop and draw upon their own creative inklings.
*To see artwork from previous classes, click Gallery and scroll down to Creative Drawing.

To Register: contact Pat Otto via email at pat.otto@att.net. Please note pre-registration/ payment is requested to hold your place as class size is limited to 8. There is a $15 fee for CEUs. Visit Pat’s website at www.patottoart.com

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202   http://bluelotusartstudio.blogspot.com

Please bring to first session:

• for intro class: Graphite Drawing Pencils: 2B, 4B, 6B, HB, 2H, 4H and 6H; Drawing or Sketching Paper Pad (18 x 24 inches); Eraser (Art Gum, Kneaded, Pink Pearl or plastic); and a Pencil Sharpener

• for continuing class: Prismacolor Pencils: #938 White (2), #905 Aquamarine, #930 Magenta, #916 Canary Yellow, #913 Spring Green, #918 Orange, #932 Violet and #935 Black; Black Paper: Strathmore Artagain Black paper pad, or Strathmore Charcoal Paper pad, or Canson Mi-tentes Black Charcoal Paper

Lighting the Dark:

Creating Talismans Through Stories and Art

with Joanne Ramseyer, LCPC, ATR-BC

Saturday February 26, 1-4 pm

$45 by 2/18, $55 after, CEUs: 3

Traditional folk, fairy tales, myths and poems are rich in symbolic content, embody timeless wisdom and foster faith in the power of transformation and healing. Many stories involve the use of talismans to carry the bearer through terrible ordeals and suffering. Using a rendition of the Russian folktale, "Baba Yaga and Vasalisa the Brave," this experiential workshop will explore the psychological dimensions of the story through discussion, expressive art making and story writing activities. Workshop participants will create their own talisman, doll, shrine, or other symbolic image to accompany them through the journey of "entering a dark forest and finding a fire to light the way back." This workshop will benefit those who wish to cope with the darkness of the winter months through the pleasure of creative work in community, or clinicians and educators who would like to learn expressive arts methods for working with stories and art in their settings. Art/writing experience is not necessary. Dress for mess! Fee includes all materials but bring any special charms, or embellishments you would like to incorporate into your art piece.

To register: contact C.G. Jung Center at 847-475-4848, x221 or www.cgjungcenter.org There is a $15 processing fee for CEUs.

Location: Blue Lotus Art Studio, 912 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60202

Joanne Ramseyer, ATR-BC, LCPC, is an artist, educator and art therapist and the Director of Blue Lotus Art Studio. She has extensive experience facilitating expressive arts activities for all ages. Joanne is an Adjunct Faculty Member of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Northwestern University. She has taught classes and workshops on many topics including the creative process and artistic development; art, nature and spirituality; exploring fairy tales and myths through art and story writing; group art therapy and the role of women’s creativity in trauma recovery.