The Artist’s Way

Sharon Garfinkel, fundraising manager at Resurgence, discovers the key to connecting with our creativity.

Along with over 200 people, I spent one of the hottest weekends of the year doing a workshop led by Julia Cameron, best-selling author of The Artist’s Way.

First published in 1992, the book has sold in its millions. Its central premise is that if we want to get in touch with our creativity we need to embark on two regular activities. Every day we must commit to writing Morning Pages – these are three pages of stream of consciousness which must be written as soon as we wake and before our brain gets into gear ie before looking at our phone, or even cleaning our teeth. In addition, we must take ourselves on a weekly Artist’s Date. This is a key mechanism for reawakening our creativity and we can go anywhere which speaks to us such as a gallery or market.

The course worked by getting us to write freely under pressure. These exercises included listing ‘five lives it would be fun to have’, ‘A great adventure I would like to have’ and ‘If my ego would allow it, I’d try…’

After the exercises, we then worked in clusters discussing what we had written. Each cluster activity lasted no more than 15 minutes. At the end of each group exercise, we gave those in our cluster “popcorn” – ie scribbled words of encouragement. The beauty of this exercise is that we were constantly changing groups and regularly meeting new people.

Organised by Alternatives – an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness and offering practical, inspiring and alternative solutions for everyday living – the weekend was fantastic. Everyone left with a beaming smile and a determination to continue this exhilarating work.

At 69, Julia – the ex-wife of Martin Scorsese – shows no sign of stopping. She is regularly in the UK and if you get the chance to go on one of her workshops, please do so.

Find out more about Julia Cameron
Find out more about Alternatives, including forthcoming courses and events.

Sharon Garfinkel is the Fundraising Manager at The Resurgence Trust.

Resurgence Summer Camp is back...

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Bringing the art of gentle protest to this year’s festival season!

The ideas, ethos and spirit of Resurgence & Ecologist will spring to life again at our annual Resurgence Summer Camp from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2 July, when we return to the beautiful Green and Away tented eco village, near Malvern, in rural Worcestershire. Please note the early booking deadline is 15^th May.

Having taken a break in 2016 to make space for Resurgence’s 50^th anniversary ‘One Earth, One Humanity, One Future’ festival in Oxford, this year’s Summer Camp – billed ‘Resurgence Live’ – is an invitation to “build community and share solutions for a sustainable future”.  

“Continuing our quest to inspire a happier, healthier, more sustainable world, our ‘Resurgence Live’ Summer Camp is a weekend of inspiring talks, workshops, music, storytelling, poetry, craft, and gatherings around the campfire,” says Greg Neale, Editor-in-Chief of Resurgence & Ecologist magazine. “It’s a time and place to share rich experiences, recharge, rest and enjoy.  Join us for a live experience of Resurgence & Ecologist in action and share inspiration for living a more meaningful life.”

Headline speakers at the event include Satish Kumar, Editor Emeritus of The Resurgence Trust; Leo Johnson, co-presenter of the BBC Radio 4 series Future Proofing; “free thinker” Matthew Shaw, who advises ethical cosmetics company Lush on activism and social change in the digital age; nature connection facilitator and grassroots activist Kara Moses; and Sarah Corbett, who uses craft as a tool for gentle activism to influence long-term change.  The Craftivists’ approach “If we want the world to be more beautiful, kind and fair, then shouldn't our activism also be more beautiful, kind and fair?” is a theme that runs throughout the weekend programme, with talks and workshops that will be both challenging and uplifting.

Music highlights include Ombiviolum, with their magical mbira-infused Zimbabwean rhythms, and Eleanor Brown, a creative activist and songwriter using words, music and rhythm to connect, express and uplift. Poet Matt Harvey brings his inimitable sprinkle of humorous, lyrical activism, and – by popular demand – Denise Rowe and members of Ombiviolum will also be running an African dance workshop.

The tranquil, riverside Green & Away site, charged primarily by solar power, has a range of “back to nature” accommodation on offer, including the chance to rent bell tents and yurts.  

Tickets for this small, convivial event (including all vegetarian meals) are limited to 140 places, so book early to avoid disappointment.  To take advantage of the Early Bird rate, book by Monday 15 May!

For more info and to book visit www.resurgence.org/summercamp
or email us at the Resurgence office