MadHats & Masks

Shadow Selves & Secret Identities: Sunday, October 10, 1-4pm

Come celebrate your "secret self" and create a quirky, mad hat or mask!

$10-20 sliding scale - no one turned away for lack of funds.

Oaklopolis Creativity Center - 447 25th Street, Oakland (between Broadway & Telegraph)

"To confront a person with his own shadow
is to show him his own light."
- Carl Jung

Its that time of year once again, where the veil between the spirit world and the physical world grows thin...Its also an opportunity to express those darker aspects of our selves through costume and trickery...In this ArtDate, we'll playfully explore and celebrate the shadow archetype and ways in which its repression inhibits our creativity. Rediscover and don your "darker identity" in a safe, accepting, silly atmosphere. Who knew being bad could be so much fun?

Here's a slide show from the last MadHatter Artdate:

Sunday, Sept 12- Muse Cards!

Delve into the mysteries of your own creative power as you court your inner muse through creative collage.

Muse Cards remind us of our divine artistic nature and tell us how to tap our deepest source for inspiration and insight.

Sunday, September 12, 1-3pm

Drop-in: $10-20 (sliding scale)

Oakopolis Creativity Center is located at 447 25th Street between Broadway and telegraph in Oakland.

Art Date Returns! Now at Oakapolis!

Its been a long hiatus, but now ArtDate is back! Beginning September 12, 2010 Blue Fire Muse will facilitate a series of four ArtDates at Oakapolis Creativity Center, located on 25th Street between Broadway and Telegraph in Oakland. Closest BART station is 19th Street, Oakland.

For more information, contact robbyn@bluefiremuse.com.

www.bluefiremuse.com
www.oakopolis.org

ArtDate takes a Break

Hello ArtDate fans. Some of you may be wondering where our seasonal schedule is, and when we might resume our free-friday night artmaking socials...well, sadly, budget and time restraints have led JFKU's Department of Arts & Consciousness to take a break in our monthly ArtDate series...but if you are completely hooked on exploring your creative free spirit in a supportive group environment, consider our masters program in Transformative Arts or come to our lecture series! For more info go to www.jfku.edu or contact me at ralexander@jfku.edu.

ArtDate June 12- Traveling Postcards

This month’s ArtDate celebrates the power of art and story to connect us all. Come contribute a heart-made artwork to a collection of traveling postcards for women around the world. Created and hosted by the transformative artist Caroline Lovell, Traveling Postcards are created to give away, so that every woman who receives one understands that she is cared for, and person who makes one can been seen and heard. Honor a woman you love, make a card in her name, and connect with another woman across the world without leaving your home! All materials provided. Feel free to bring a photo from home to use on your card. A small donation of $5-35 to help Traveling Postcards continue to thrive would be greatly appreciated, but is not required. For more information about Traveling Postcards, please visit www.carolinelovell.blogspot.com.

May 8- Playful Spirit: Expressive Movement

Please join us for a creative night of movement inspired art-making! Tonight's ArtDate is all about the Playful Spirit that is found within Expressive Movement. We'll celebrate and explore our individual creative energy through the movements of "the body" using improv, collaborative games, dance, voice and color. Come with an open mind, an adventurous heart and wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes. This will not be overly vigourous or strenous experience, ArtDate is suitable and adaptable for all levels of physical ability. Special guest instructors are Sarah Theismann and Catherine Baumgartner, students in the Department of Arts & Consciousness.

April 10: Collaborative Mandala

Come connect and create in a sacred circle!

This month's ArtDate is a meditative practice using the creative, healing power of the mandala. Derived from the Hindu language, a mandala is a circular design arranged in layers radiating outwards from the center. The mandala has a rich history in many ritual-based traditions. It is found in the Tibetan art, Australian Aboriginal sand paintings, in Hindu cosmology, in ancient Mayan architecture, in Celtic art, and in Native American ritual and art, where earth materials are used for prayer and protection.

You'll create your own exploratory, personal mandala with mixed-media on paper, then share in the collaborative experience of co-creating an Earth mandala with natural materials.

All materials provided, but feel free to bring rocks, leaves, flowers or any other natural materials to contribute.

Friday, April 10
7:30-10:00pm
JFKU/ Dept. of Arts & Consciousness
2nd Floor/ Studio 2
2956 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley CA

VIBRANT ENERGY ArtDate Pictures

This was a very calm and meditative ArtDate with beautiful results. We played with traditional Japanese ink and brushes as well as breath, movement, and energy flow. Have a look at the pictures!

March 13: Vibrant Energy- Ink, Brush, Paper

Explore the relationship between mark-making, movement, and meditation and as you discover and express “vibrant energy” using ink, brush and paper. Special guest artist and A&C Chair, Mike Grady leads this very zen-inspired ArtDate. No previous training in art, Eastern or Western required! Please join us!

ARTDATE: Every Second Friday 7:30-10pm

2956 San Pablo Avenue, 2nd Floor, Studio 2

For more information, contact Robbyn @ 510-647-2046

Pictures from Dream Candles ArtDate

Feb. 13- Relationship & Ritual: Love Altars

"The spirit of love and good art have equal beauty. " -Masahisa Goi, Japanese Founder of the World Peace Prayer Society

(image: "Aquarius" by Stuart Walker, BFA program, Dept. of Arts & Consciousness at JFKU)

February’s Art Date will be an act of love through creative ritual and honoring. Working with collage and mixed-media, we’ll each create a unique “Love Altar” celebrating the relationships we cherishmost. Altars can be used to honor family, ancestors or friends; to manifest, improve or celebrate romantic partnerships; or to simply acknowledge and nurture your own “joie de vivre”.

Bring your favorite photos of family, friends and other loved-ones to include in your altar, and any trinkets or objects that symbolize your connections. All other materials provided.

Jan 9 -Practicing Presence: Time Capsules

As we enter another new year, reflections on "time" can lead us into a deeper experience of the "now". Our special guest artist and JFKU adjunct faculty member Margaret Lindsey will host this evening's creative reverie on the tempos and turnings we experience as time. Please join us!

For more information about Margaret Lindsey: http://www.artransforms.com/artists/lindsey/index.html

image: Pharoah by Jay Defeo

December 12: Divine Purpose & Passion- Dream Candles

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
- Carl Jung

December’s ArtDate explores purpose and passion through dream-work, meditation and collage. While holding our deepest, heartfelt intentions, we’ll create a Dream Candle to reflect our unique, divine purpose. The Dream Candle serves as a metaphorical vessel of our own inner light, shining the way if the path grows dark. Used in personal ritual, Dream Candles can remind us to keep our creative passions burning, even on the darkest nights.

Pictures from the Altered Books ArtDate

We had loads of fun during the book making Art Date, as you can see in these pictures... I am still amazed by the results!

November: Gifts & Gratitude- Altered Book Journals

“I feel the greatest gift we can give to anybody is the gift of our honest self.”

- Fred Rogers
(aka Mr. Rogers)

Create A Gift of Gratitude!

November’s ArtDate is an expression of gratitude for our own inherent gifts and life’s blessings. Using a variety of collage and mixed-media techniques, you’ll create an altered book-journal to hold the musings, memories and messages of your divine self and all that you love. An ongoing practice in presence (and presents!) from your soul to your self, the altered book is a gift of your own creativity, abundance and love.

The MadHatters ArtDate!

Here are some highlights from our "Mad Hats!" ArtDate- Twas an extraordinary display of crafty creativity and colorful character conjuring! Plus some playful, deep soul work was done, fer sure! Thanks to all for sharing, and baring, your secret selves!

October: Shadow Selves & Secret Identities: Mad Hats!

Friday, October 10, 2008 7:30-10:00 pm


"To confront a person with his own shadow
is to show him his own light."
- Carl Jung

Come celebrate your "secret self" and create a quirky, mad hat to match!

Tonight we will playfully explore the shadow archetype and ways in which its repression inhibits our creativity. By bringing unacceptable or so-called "dark" aspects of our own psyche to light, we integrate and grow towards authentic expression and wholeness. Rediscover and don your "darker identity" in a safe, accepting, silly atmosphere. Who knew being bad could be so much fun?

Season 2: Calendar of ArtDates

Second Fridays 7:30-10pm in studio 2*

OCTOBER 10 Shadow Selves & Secret Identities: Mad Hats

NOVEMBER 14 Gifts & Gratitude: Altered Book Journals

DECEMBER 12 Divine Purpose & Passion: Dream Candles

JANUARY 9 Practicing Presence: Time Capsules

FEBRUARY 13 Relationship & Ritual: Love Altars

MARCH 13 Vibrant Energy: Ink, Brush, Paper

APRIL 10 Sacred Earth: Collaborative Mandalas

MAY 8 Playful Spirit: Body Improv* (in studio 1)

April: Body Improv with Seth Eisen

For April, we're doing a different kind of ArtDate-- with a special guest host, Seth Eisen!

Let loose in the body and allow the subconscious mind guide you. Led by JFK faculty member and performer, Seth Eisen and students from JFK’s specialization in Movement Improvisation and Poetics, this evening will start with easy warm ups then move into a playful improv, using the body and voice as the primary media of expression. Get ready for an the evening of unexpected wisdom and hilarious spontaneity as we strengthen the mind-body connection and deepen intuitive impulses.

For more information about performing artist Seth Eisen's work, check out:

www.eyezen.org

March: Tall Tales on Paper

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way...
things I had no words for." -Georgia O'Keefe

Friday, March 28th we'll delve into personal journey and creative myth in a playful night of expressive painting. Come explore your own beginnings, middles and ends, as you paint a story, true or imagined, and share it (or not) with others. Tempera paint, oil pastels, brushes and paper will be on hand for individual or collaborative works.

(Feel free to bring your own supplies- acrylics, support surface and/or brushes if you prefer!)