New workbook

My Brave Girl group has decided to work through this book next. We did the first chapters over the last few weeks.
"This book will guide you through the expressions of photography, poetry/journaling and mixed-media as they pertain to exploring how we not only currently see ourselves, but how we can learn to see new things hiding below the surface. Each of these sub-topics features a different contributing artist (or the author) and includes tips, prompts, meditations and other exercises, along with plenty of full color inspiration. "

It has been interesting to work in a different format and to take purposeful photos. The exercise that surprised me the most was the middle one of the lesson. We were told to pick a random book/magazine and write down words that jumped out at us. Juicy words. I didn't know what that meant, and I thought about it for a few days. Then I picked up a book and started writing down words. They seemed to be following a theme-weird....

Then you were to take those words and write a poem with them. That seemed daunting. I hadn't written poems since high school, and we all know that was a while ago!! But I started and it just seemed to flow out of the pen onto the paper. It was amazing. I loved the poem and it spoke to just where I am now.

The next step was to make a type of art piece using the poem and photos. Again, I thought about it for about a week, trying to envision what it would look like. I printed the poem out a couple of ways and then I just went for it. It was interesting how bits and pieces found their way onto my collage. And here it is-
I had to put it in the scanner since all my photos end up blurry due to a shaky hand problem. This is how the poem reads:

I stand still and listen,

waiting for the opportunity

to develop.

I hear the

whispering wind tell me,

remember the desperate,

tremulous moments

that a simple prayer interrupted

and whispered to me.

The journey to freedom,

awakens the mesmerizing promise

of patience and confidence.

As gentle as the

wings of a dove,

I am arriving at the place

I belong.

My heart has opened,

like a present,

to the promise of hope.

Karin Canazzi 2011

I'll post more after each lesson-