...how papers, paint and glue somehow end up telling the story of your life
Back in 2008 I created my very first expressive arts process called:
"What Kind of Tree Am I?" ...and honestly I still get ridiculously excited about it.
I have made so many of these trees from my process over the years that I genuinely have no idea how many now. Possibly 30. Maybe more.
But here's what still fascinates me: Every single one has been completely different.
Different stories.
Different feelings.
Different truths.
Different longings.
Different seasons of my life.
And not once have I sat down knowing what was about to emerge.
That, for me, is one of the most exciting things.
We don't sit down and think:
"Right then. Today I shall process my childhood, my ancestors, my life."
No. We begin intuitively.
Curiously. Slowly.
We choose a canvas size by how it feels in our hands.
Even that feels exciting to me. New beginnings. Full of potential.
Then we begin with background and roots and ohhhhh!!!
This is where things start getting juicy... Because roots are never just tree roots.
Without forcing anything, or analysing ourselves to death,
and without needing artistic skill,
something begins emerging around where we came from.
Our Family
The Atmosphere
Our Beliefs and Values
The Losses, The Grief
Our Entanglements
Strength and Survival
Love and Longing
Belonging or Disconnection
The Generational stories
Sometimes women become so fascinated by what begins emerging in their roots
that they start digging around and discovering family they never even knew existed.
And still we are simply working intuitively, with no plan - and I teach you everything.
How to follow your instinct, allow, notice... That's the beauty of this.
You do not need to know what mixed media means. You do not need to be artistic. In fact the less you know about art making the better this flows.
All you need is curiosity to embrace my process.
You are gently guided through my video prompts into something that feels a little bit like becoming a delighted toddler again.
A toddler who can grab at what interests them, without the need to know what to do with them.
Papers.
Paint.
Gel medium.
Colour.
Texture.
Glue on our fingers.
Pink paint under our nails.
Little moments where colours blend together and suddenly you look at your canvas and think:
"Oooohhhh I LOVE that bit!"
And somehow, through all this playfulness, something deeply truthful and quiet begins appearing.
Over time your tree begins emerging as you are gently led through my videos.
Its shape.
Its character.
Its wounds.
Its strengths.
Its branches.
Its reaching.
Its protection.
Its seasons.
Its hopes and dreams.
Because every time you work through my process, YOU, your life story, your truth emerges.
Your self awareness grows and you have the potential for more confidence and resilience in your everyday life.
Sometimes I laugh.
Sometimes I feel deeply moved.
Sometimes I sit there thinking:
"Wow that says absolutely everything about where I am in my life right now."
Sometimes we discover opportunities, through symbol, imagination and creative process, to give ourselves something we may once have needed allowing us to feel more whole and resilient in life today. YES Absolutely.
This experiential, expressive process tends to be therapeutic and transformational.
It is why I love my work so much.
And of course my group is there for you to share your work and to 'chat' with me - through typed comments. I am very responsive, caring, warm, kind and supportive.
I also love that we are not imposing meaning.
We are not being analysed. Nobody tells you what your tree means.
Instead we notice, wonder, feel, associate, become curious, sense into and our own answers come to us without even trying.
And through colour, symbol, image and instinct, parts of ourselves begin becoming visible again.
"What Kind of Tree Am I?" has been experienced by hundreds and hundreds of women in community halls, in my studio and now it lives inside Planet Kas alongside many other beautiful, creative and emotionally alive processes.
Women come into Planet Kas for all sorts of reasons:
Burn out.
Loss of self.
Creativity.
Curiosity.
Healing.
Menopause.
Longing.
Feeling stuck.
Wanting to feel more alive again.
Some stay and explore many experiences. Some come specifically for one process, one month and leave.
However you choose to do it, is completely fine.
You might decide:
"I just want to experience the tree process, or the inner child process, or goddess unleashed, or honouring our yoni... then I will leave."
They might come back a few months later and undertake another beautiful expressive arts process, share it all in our group, connect and dialogue with me, Kas, in that group and then leave again for a while.
You can come in for the month, immerse yourself, create your tree, see what emerges and leave if that feels right for you.
No pressure. No performance. No demand.
Or you may find yourself falling in love with the whole world of symbolic, creative, relational exploration inside Planet Kas and want to stay a little longer.
Planet Kas Monthly Membership is 49 pounds per month and you can cancel anytime.
You do not need to be artistic.
You do not need to arrive confident.
You do not need to know what you are doing.
You only need curiosity and perhaps a quiet little wondering: "What kind of tree am I?"
Here is the link in case you are ready to discover What Kind of Tree YOU are.
and I can't wait to see your tree and hear all about the process and chat with you in our group, IF you would like to share with me or us.
No pressure, ever.
love,
Kas