We will explore multi-disciplinary creative practices to see what other artists have created related to embodiment and experiment with making in many disciplines to allow our bodies to bloom our creations.

This workshop is for folks who want to:

• create art from a place of embodiment where that embodiment is self-defined.
• explore embodiment that is vast enough to hold experiences like dissociation, over-stimulation, hyper-fixation, fight/flight/freeze response, stimming, compulsions, pain and flare.
• examine the ways in which culture, systems and trauma impact our bodies while seeking reclamation of our bodies through our creative practices.
• discover how working in different disciplines might open space to share about a broad array of embodied experiences.

We will spend the 7 weeks of this workshop:

• exploring ways of touching into our bodily experiences that feel safe and supportive to us,
• finding soothing practices that help to calm us when creating embodied art or touching into our bodies triggers difficult feelings or memories or is too overwhelming,
• seeking ways to reclaim the experiences of our bodies by understanding the cultural forces that work to separate us from our bodies and shame us for having bodily experiences outside of what is deemed “normal”,
• immersing ourselves in embodied art from creators whose experiences and backgrounds are diverse,
• experimenting with how our sense of embodiment can expand our artmaking practices,
• playing in different artistic disciplines to help us explore the ways our unique embodiment wants to manifest creatively, and the ways different disciplines create space to represent our embodied experiences,
• sharing our artwork with each other in a low stakes, gentle environment.

While this workshop includes group check-ins and discussions, participants may opt out of any activity that they prefer to. No one will be required to share. we will also spend time in the first workshop agreeing upon community safety boundaries which must be maintained through the course of the workshop. Zoom captioning will be available, as well as verbal and written instructions for the generative practices offered.

This workshop will have no more than 8 people in it. Workshop sessions will take place on the following Sundays: 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18 from 11am-1pm MST (1-3pm EST, 10am-12pm PST).

The fee for all 7 workshops is on a sliding scale of $300-700. The fee includes all 7 workshops, feedback from lauren on one of your projects, and a recorded session with filmmaker, Usama Alshaibi*, who will share how to use free audio and video editing programs so that folks who are new to working in sound/video/film have an opportunity to learn some of the basics. This recording is designed to support folks in the generative prompts in the workshop series.

If you are in a financial situation that allows you to pay closer to the higher end of the sliding scale, please know that doing so, you allow me to offer this workshop for lower rates to participants who might otherwise not be able to participate.

You can register for the workshop now and pay later, as long as payment is received prior to the start of workshop. You may also pay the fee in installments at a pace that works for you, as long as you email me to discuss this and the first installment is received prior to the start of workshop.

There are two full scholarship spots available. If you are interested in the scholarship spots or would like to ask about reduced rates or payment plans, please email me at reinventingcreativeprocess@gmail.com before registering.

Please register using this form. You can pay the sliding scale fee through venmo @Lauren-Samblanet

*Usama Alshaibi was born in Baghdad, Iraq and spent his formative years living between the united states and the middle east. He’s an active filmmaker and artist, who works in documentary and fiction, often blurring the line between the two. His films have screened widely at underground and international film festivals, media exhibitions and museums.

Testimonials from past participants

“The space we shared felt so sacred and special. The participants were so warm, and Lauren is a deeply caring facilitator and artist. This workshop was better for me as a queer, neurodivergent and chronically ill person than many of my graduate workshops at the MFA and PhD level. Cannot recommend enough.”

“There was such a gentleness and reverence in every aspect and interaction. It was sacred, and it taught me how I can make my life sacred, too.”

“Lauren is so caring, warm, kind, brilliant, wonderful. I felt held and seen.”

“I immediately felt like it was safe to just be real.”

“I loved the space that was facilitated, it felt safe and full of intention.”