tactile notebook workshop with Sandra Brownlee

I've just spent five days with Sandra Brownlee , and the experience of being with her in combination with eleven other artists in the tactile notebook workshop will remain with me a long time.  Sandra gave everything she had in her to the workshop, responding to the day, the place, and each of us with sensitive listening and awe inspiring intuition.  All images in this post are of the hardcover sketchbook that I purchased especially and then covered with plant dyed wool crepe over two layers of bamboo quilt batt. Sandra asked us to make covers for our books "so that you want to hold it".  

The workshop's intent was to help us access our huge inner self through words and a slow approach.  There were many readings and meditations that we did as a group and individually, we often made lists of words, choosing one or two to make physical.

 Continuous line meditation above, response with words below.

Seeing the work made by my fellow participants was inspiring and most gave permission for photographs.  Perhaps I'll show some more about this workshop in future posts. Links to this same workshop, England 2014, Australia 2014, Scotland 2013, Canada 2011 and many more on the internet.

Concentration, being with the center, is the secret of our uniqueness, the secret of our being, of our authenticity.  Making time each morning to concentrate on the messages from your body, making time to concentrate on the images from your dreams, to dialogue with the treasures from the unconscious - this will keep you in touch with the river within.  Then, at any moment of the day, you may touch into that river, into the places where things happen.
                                                        Marian Woodman, from The Silence and the Dance 1993