Embracing Seasonal Quiet: Creativity, Darkness, and the Path Through Grief

"Quiet Beckoning: A Gift to Myself" by GG

Dear Glenda,

As the days grow shorter and the chill deepens, the transition from autumn to winter extends an invitation we sometimes resist—a call to slow down, to grow quiet, and to look within. Winter is a season of dormancy, a time when life presses pause. At the Down to Earth Studio, we’re also embracing the perspective of winter as a season for healing, rest, and profound creativity, even in the midst of all the holiday hustle and bustle.

Many of us carry sadness this time of year, whether it’s from collective challenges like the recent election or climate change, or from struggles unique to each of us. Winter, with its long nights, gives us space to meet that sadness and sit with it. Darkness is where new life takes root. Just as seeds find fertile ground under the surface, our pain, too, can nourish something deeply creative. When we dare to explore it, our grief becomes more than a weight—it becomes a wellspring, fueling our art with depth and honesty.

Winter is a time to rest. Creativity needs quiet. It thrives in moments when we can step back from the demands of daily life and listen to the voice within. This transition to winter encourages us to let go of productivity pressures, to honor the rhythm of our bodies, and to make room for ideas that can only be born in silence. Art isn’t always about production; it’s about feeling, being, and expressing. In these quieter moments, we may discover new themes, emotions, or visions we hadn’t seen before.

Here in the studio I am making space for this introspection. Between scheduled art and SoulCollage® offerings I am keeping my schedule open for rest, recuperation, and reflection. I invite you to join me in embracing the season as an ally to our creative journey. Let’s meet grief with compassion, invite darkness in as a teacher, and rest in the knowledge that this time of quiet can yield beautiful things.

Warmly,

GG

Art and SoulCollage^® Gatherings at GG's Down to Earth Studio

New Year Shrines for Hope and Healing

This would make a great Christmas gift!

Saturday, January 4, 2025

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

GG's Down to Earth Studio

Shrines and altars are ways of showing in tangible form what might be happening in our hearts and spirits. We will gather and put these mysteries into visual expression by creating our own personal shrines for hope and healing.

Your shrine can be dedicated to the environment, diversity of all species, return of the great feminine, your higher power, your spiritual practice, or to simply heal your broken heart…whatever moves you.



No cost for the workshop instruction; this is my love offering (a $30.00 material fee will cover materials and supplies). the Down to Earth Studio has a plethora of supplies and goodies to include in your little shrine. Participants may want to bring additional totems, talismans and charms.

Register with GG here.

Friday SoulCollage^® Gatherings at GG's Down to Earth Studio

"I am continuously amazed at the depth of the intuitive process of SoulCollage®. I love holding workshops and sharing this amazing process with people. SoulCollage® has helped me have more faith in knowing that we are all connected and that the thing we most search for is within us." — GG

Facilitated by GG and Kim Buller

Morning gatherings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Afternoon gatherings from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

GG’s Down to Earth Studio

240 Bush Street S., Salem, OR 97302

3rd Fridays:

December 20: Illuminating the Inner Light: A Winter Solstice SoulCollage Journey AM session: Kim (one opening). PM Session: GG (afternoon session is full).

January 17: Fresh Perspectives: A SoulCollage Gathering for the New Year 

AM Session: GG. PM Session: Kim (afternoon session is full).

February 21: Self-Love and Inner Connection: Exploring the Heart with SoulCollage

AM Session: Kim. PM Session: GG (afternoon session is full).

March 21: Pathways to Growth: Nurturing New Beginnings with SoulCollage

AM Session: GG. PM Session: Kim (one open spot in the afternoon session).

Sliding scale fee $30 to $50. Venmo (Glenda-Goodrich), Paypal (glendaanne@msn.com). Please pay in advance to reserve your spot. Cancellation policy: Full refund 7 or more days in advance or if I can fill your spot.



Email GG  to reserve your spot at any of these gatherings, or to get on the waiting list for sessions that are full.

Solo Passage Book Awards and Finalist Placements

Readers' Favorite Honorable Mention Award in Non-Fiction Inspirational

Next Generation Indie Books Award Finalist in Memoir

Bookfest First Place

Award Winner in Body, Mind, and Spirit

Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention Award in General Nonfiction

Firebird Book Award Winner First Place in Inspiration

First Place in Mind/Body/Spirit

First Place in Nature

First Place in Self-Help/Motivational

Reader reviews of my book make a huge difference!

I would so appreciate it if you would leave a rating and maybe a few comments. You can leave a review on Amazon here. Thank you!

Best Book Awards: Finalist in Nonfiction: Inspirational

Foreword Indies Book Silver Medal Award Winner in Body, Mind, and Spirit

Global Book Award Finalist in Self-Help, Personal Transformation

NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite 

in the category of Nature.