#2- Summer 2024

“Don’t talk about your river. Go and talk with your river.” Te Ao Māori elder proverb

On the steps of the Ancients

I’ve been reflecting on Time—crafted by water and lava. “Without change, time is meaningless; without time, space is destroyed. Thus we arrive at the void (G. Snyder)”. Deepening my understanding of Time and honoring life’s gift, I learn from ancient traditions like the Hopi rituals and the Mayan astronomical calendar. These ancient cultures hold invaluable knowledge about Time and its significance. Visual artist Judy Tuwaletstiwa reminds us that in Hopi culture, “Art, life, and identity are inseparable.” This resonates with me deeply, as my life has naturally led me down a path of unconventional paradigms, finding freedom beyond settling and has inspired me to keep asking bigger questions.

I’ve been exploring the Pacific Northwest since 2017, and after the unexpected loss of my loving husband Charlie, I have continued to travel on my own doing it since Fall 2021. Photography, art, expressive writing, and the cycles of nature have helped me grieve this brutal loss, and I share this seasonal journey in my online Notebook.
I recently revisited many of the landscapes of the western states that I first saw in 2017 while riding my motorcycle from NYC to Portland, OR. Grateful for the unexpected companionship with my soulmate EAK, I delved again into the topography, archaeological sites, geology, and the unending rivers of life, deepening my connection to beauty and love for the natural world.
These dramatic landscapes remind us that the transformative energy of water has the power to sculpt gods and wonders, giving birth to the deserts of Utah in abstract colors and shapes. New layers of colors will continue to mold the Painted Hills with the ashes of the Cascade Arc volcanoes.
Ivy Ross & Susan Magsanen, the brilliant authors of My Brain on Art, interviewed Judy Tuwaletstiwa who described the desert as: “a land, a reservoir of the unconscious where time and space expanded into dream, myth and possibility.“

Through years of exploring wilderness and remote spaces, I realized the importance of risk management and preparedness. This is why I became a Wilderness First Responder last year and now teach CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid for Portland’s Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NETs). Recently, I had the privilege to teach a CPR/AED & First Aid certification class to the Irvington and Sabin NETs. Community work is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Learning risk management and emergency response empowers us all to support each other in critical situations, and this commitment to personal and collective safety should always be our top priority.

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Creative and expressive workshops: en plein air or online sessions

I express myself creatively to heal, cope, and process life’s changes through photography, poetry, drawing, and collage, often layering these elements in what I’ve named “Archéologie des Imaginaires” – Archeology of Imaginaria. My work is not just an art form but a storytelling medium that incorporates nature and the seasonal cycle.
I believe a holistic and seasonal approach to living purposefully and fully through art and nature is the most powerful therapeutic way to transform life experiences into growth and expansion.
This philosophy is the foundation of the workshops I’ve facilitated since 2021.

My art and nature workshops offer an immersive experience that weaves together the rich tapestry of seasonal traditions throughout our senses and cultures, with the boundless world of creativity across various mediums. These sessions are designed to be accessible and engaging for all, providing holistic tools for personal growth, well-being, and deep transformation. This type of multi-disciplinary approach to creativity and the arts is what has been established as neuro-art therapy.
Immersed creative workshops at Hoyt Arboretum: Browse the Hoyt Arboretum’s calendar of events and find the tailored art and nature workshops I facilitate there throughout the seasons…
Online Healing Classes: For those who prefer staying in their personal space, I offer monthly online Healing Collage Workshops, aligned with the seasons, to explore our inner world remotely while connecting with a safe online community and the cycle of life. Open to all. Click here to book your healing spot!

Treat yourself with care and, as wrote Ivy Ross & Susan Magsanen in their book :”Rituals created through arts Interventions have been shown to create lasting and effective change.” in Your brain on Art, p191.

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Art Photography

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Last But Not Least… Rejoignez my monthly Conversational Group class in French this Fall! Please contact me directly to see if my methodology speaks to you. These conversational group classes are held at coffee shops, in local outdoor parks, or at museums! If you are interested, please email me with the subject « Une noisette, s’il vous plaît ! ».

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From my wild spirit to yours,

Clara-Julia
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