🖌️ ✨ An's Art & Archetype Newsletter
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December 2025 ​ Behind the Scenes​ As I continue working on a piece inspired by the story of Indra’s Net, I was struck by a line from artist Sandra Junele, who said that watching her grandfather transform discarded wood taught her that “waste is not the end of a story, but the beginning of a new one.” Her words mirror the very heart of Indra’s Net — the ancient idea that everything is connected, everything reflects everything else, and nothing is ever truly separate or disposable. In Indra’s Net, each gem reflects all the others. In Sandra’s studio, each fiber becomes part of a new whole. And in my own creative process right now, I feel that same invitation: to gather what has been scattered, to see old fragments with reverence, and to weave them into something that shines because of its interconnection. Her sustainable practice reminds me that the materials we work with — and the stories we carry — are part of a larger continuum. Nothing is wasted. Everything is threaded into the next expression. ​ When I watched this short video from textile recycler Sandra Junele, what immediately surfaced was the presence of the Alchemist Archetype — the universal pattern that transforms the unwanted, the overlooked, or the discarded into something of value. Our last Art, Archetype & Ancient Wisdom free Zoom meetup focused on the Alchemist, so my antenna was already primed; this video felt like a living demonstration of everything we explored. In her studio, scraps of thread arrive as “waste,” yet through sorting, shredding, cooking, mixing, and layering, they become something purposeful and beautiful. The Alchemist reminds you that transformation is rarely dramatic; it is quiet, methodical, and intentional. The old gets broken down, softened, blended with something new, and reshaped into a form that carries meaning. Watching her process becomes a symbolic reminder that nothing in life is ever truly wasted. Experiences, emotions, memories — even the fragments you’d rather discard — can become raw material for renewal. It’s a gentle invitation to ask yourself: What in my life is ready to be reworked, repurposed, or transformed? ​https://www.facebook.com/reel/1190176113066831​ What are you working on? ​ UpcomingFREE Monthly Zoom Meetup​ These conversations matter because when we recognize archetypal patterns, we increase awareness, deepen our consciousness, and amplify the collective creative field. ​
Together, we’ll explore how these archetypes guide not just our art, but our way of being in the world — reminding us that collective patterns have the power to shape individual lives and make a difference for all. December 10, 2025 – 2:00 PM EST The Visionary​ ​Join Zoom Meeting​ (save dates/zoom on your calendar) ​ Soul Stories Update​ If you haven’t yet seen the most recent article in Quilting Arts, I invite you to take a look — it beautifully captures the spirit of Soul Stories, the international textile art collective I founded to explore how myth, meaning, universal issues and personal narrative are expressed through cloth. We debuted our first exhibition in Houston this past October, and the response was extraordinary. Our next stop is the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA, where our work will be on view from April 14 – July 18, 2026, with an artist reception on May 16 at 1:00 PM. From there, Soul Stories travels to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, England (July 30 – August 2, 2026), followed by the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, Colorado (April 17 – July 17, 2028). This growing exhibition schedule reflects our shared commitment to creating art that carries personal and collective significance. You can follow our journey and explore the work at SoulStoriesArt.com. ​ The Artist’s Threshold – virtual class​ Saturday, January 10, 2026, 11:00am – 1:00pm ET, $25 ​
The Sacred Artist’s JourneyNew journey begins: January 2026 Book a free call to find out if this is your time to step through the portal.
Art, Archetype & Ancient WisdomThis month, I want to introduce you to someone whose work feels like a companion to our creative and archetypal journey: Kristina Dryža. If you’ve ever felt a landscape “speaking” to you, or sensed that travel can open the same thresholds your inner artist must cross, you will be deeply moved by her recent reflections on mythic travel. Kristina reminds you that the world is not mute—it’s expressive, symbolic, and responsive—and that every journey, even a walk through your neighborhood, contains archetypal invitations waiting to be recognized. Kristina’s photographs alone are worth the visit. They are luminous, spacious, and exquisitely composed—images that don’t just show a place, but feel like a place. Her visuals carry the same archetypal resonance as her words: the Seeker’s longing, the Enchanter’s awe, the Phoenix’s transformation, the Whisperer’s intimate attunement, and the Visionary’s ability to read the world as a living text. Her imagery and storytelling together create a portal into the symbolic dimension we explore so often in our own work. If this way of seeing the world stirs something in you, I encourage you to subscribe to her channel and leave a comment about what resonated. Her teachings—and her photographs—will deepen your archetypal fluency and help you travel through your life, your art, and your inner landscapes with more meaning, wonder, and soulful presence. ​ Instagram: /kristinadryza/​ If you’d like to explore which archetype most supports your creative self, take my free Artist Archetype Quiz — it’s quick, fun, and may reveal the companion energy guiding your artistry right now. ​ Fun Quiz!👉 Take the Quiz: Discover Your Creative Companion Archetype​ |
An Marshall Artist
November 2025 Behind the Scenes Ollie Behind the Seams: Where Love and Fabric Meet This was my studio on an ordinary afternoon — fabric everywhere, light in all corners, and Ollie, my steadfast studio companion, stretched out across my work as if to remind me that presence matters more than perfection. I once made a quilt inspired by this very moment. It didn’t turn out well — at least, not in the way I hoped — and I think I eventually let it go. Now, with Ollie gone, I find myself wishing...
October 2025 Behind the Scenes Photo back layer Completed piece Portal in process I had long wanted to try Wen Redmond’s holographic printing technique—the way it layers light and image always felt like peering into another realm. I finally braved it, and with a little ingenuity (and a touch of beginner’s magic), I created a small piece that feels like a shimmering window into another world. “There’s No Place Like Home” is part of the S.A.F.E. Animal Rescue fundraiser now on view at The Art...
Behind the Scenes Becoming Artist of the Month at The Art Collective Gallery was both exhilarating and daunting. I realized that as many pieces of art that I have laying around, they would not hang well together. I suddenly had to produce 12–14 new works in just three and a half weeks. That deadline stirred up all kinds of inner voices — the survivor archetypes showed up in full force. The Victim complained there wasn’t enough time. The Saboteur whispered that I’d never pull it off. The...