“With the coming of spring, we remember that water is life. The snow melts, the rivers swell, and the land is nourished. Just as water flows, so must we—adapting, cleansing, giving, and receiving.”
— Ojibwe Teaching
The long hours of sun have returned, and as the Earth warms, so do I—emerging from Winter’s hibernation to wish you all a joyful Spring!
Winter has been a time of retreat and reflection for me—a season to ground myself in the present and deepen connections with my community rather than spending time online. I chose to reconnect with my roots—France, Europe, and the Earth—and to explore every realm, physical and spiritual. Even if I spent less time in the virtual space, I continued to share my seasonal expressions online, seeking balance and remaining rooted in the moment, moving with the flowing rivers of life that never stop.
This Winter has also been favoring to revisit old emotions, redefine what HOME means, and understand the flow of the soul…I’ve been cleaning the soil of my life—transforming what no longer serves me. Recently, I created a visual poem about my trip to Berlin, Berlin Bahn & wrote about roots: Eau, Water, Wasser, Água, Ura, Víz, 水 (Mizu), 물 (mul), yá, ndoh, hudōr (ὕδωρ). Water’s wisdom and its connection to our own mythology remain a constant reminder. In France, I ran into my cousin on Massilia’s Vieux Port—which is my first harbor à La Pomme before Portland—and caught up about life on her boat eXcape. Along the Big Blue’s coastline, I retraced the footsteps of my childhood in Martigues, the Provençal Venise. More poems from my soul’s journey, along with my visual art expressions, are moored on my Substack.
In this space, I’ve also reflected on compulsive habits in a short essay titled Not a Taco, exploring how creative expression—especially through doodles—helps us process emotions and the changing seasons of life, all through nonverbal techniques.
“Water listens. It carries the voices of the past and the dreams of the future.”
CHINOOK SAYING
With the Spring equinox, I’m excited to bring back my Art & Nature retreats at Hoyt Arboretum, as well as new creative workshops at Pacific University and Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene.
The first workshop is a Spring equinox retreat on Sunday, March 30th.
We will honor this sacred time of balance, growth, and renewal through guided nature connection practices and mixed-media art-making. Using collage, colors, and natural materials, we will create personal vision boards that reflect the seeds of our mystical garden and set our intentions for the season of (re)naissance.
Limited spots available—reserve your space now!
I’ve also printed a series of my latest seasonal collages.
You can find them in my boutique, alongside other limited-edition artworks for sale.
This season marks the launch of my online Seasonal Creative Workshops! Starting next week, join me monthly as we move through each season with intention, spontaneity, and creativity. These workshops are designed to foster self-care, seasonal grounding, and creative expression through mixed-media techniques and nature-inspired art.
En plein Air ! French group thematic conversations in Portland, OR Join me also once a month for a thematic conversation class en français while exploring Portland!
Together, we’ll discover a park, visit an exhibition, or gather in a cozy café, expanding your vocabulary and refining your French conversation skills in a relaxed, small-group setting.
Spots are limited – Contactez-moi !
As we enter into this new season, I wish you all a Spring that is grounded and rooted in courage—where the heart (from the Latin cor, or coeur in French) overcomes fear, spreading love and trust in a dystopian world that needs to reconnect with its true essence, a state of being in the universe. May this Spring bring us hope, deep roots, and a cornucopia of beauty, art, and collective spirit.
With love,
Sincèrement,
Clara-Julia
🌞
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Clara-Julia Peru 