Offering HeART and SoulCollage® workshops to inspire your creative spirit | | |
The Enso: A Circle of Wholeness
Where the circle becomes a meditation
| | |
Greetings!
For years I have admired artists who work in a series, taking the same idea or image and working with it over and over. I had never been attracted to the idea of working in a series myself, until now.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve found myself utterly captivated by the Enso circle—that single, fluid brushstroke so central to Zen practice. What began as a small experiment has become a quiet devotion. Each day, I’ve returned to my art journal, painting and collaging Enso after Enso, discovering that this simple form contains so much within it. You can watch a very brief video of Enso painting here.
I recently came across this perfect description of the Enso:
“The Enso is a paradox: both simple and complex, complete and incomplete, spontaneous yet deeply intentional. In one moment, the brush sweeps in a gesture of pure presence—no hesitation, no correction. Yet within that one motion, the whole of being seems to appear: breath, balance, imperfection, beauty, surrender. It’s a circle, but never just a circle. It’s the shape of wholeness, the symbol of the creative pulse that keeps us connected to life itself.” Author unknown because I don't remember where I found it. :- /
As I began layering my circles into collage—adding paper, texture, color, and fragments of words—the Enso became a mirror. Some days it reflected stillness; other days, restlessness or longing. Each one seemed to say: It’s all okay. This, too, belongs.
In this month of making and trying over and over again to make a perfect circle, I’ve realized that the Enso is not something to perfect—it’s something to practice. Each circle is a moment of being fully alive, a record of breath and presence, a reminder that art can be both satisfaction and frustration, meditation and mystery. It's not about whether or not my Enso collages are designed well; it has become more about the act of creating than the end result. I like that. I like letting go of trying to make something look just right.
I love this quote from Amie McNee (author, We Need Your Art), “…perfectionism makes you a worse artist. Your skills and abilities are hindered by your perfectionism. You hold yourself back from mastery and development when you let perfectionist narratives direct your creative journey.”
Perhaps for me that’s the real gift of the Enso—it doesn’t ask to be perfect. It asks nothing more than my whole heart, right now, in this stroke, this breath, this moment of creating.
| | |
An Enso Invitation…
If you feel called, I invite you to explore the Enso yourself.
Find a quiet moment, a blank page, and something to make a mark with—a brush, a pen, even your fingertip dipped in paint. Take one deep breath in… and as you exhale, let your hand move in a single, unbroken circle. Don’t try to make it perfect. Let it be alive.
Notice what the circle reveals to you—where it opens, where it closes, where the energy lingers. Maybe add collage elements or words that speak to your current season of life.
Each Enso you make is a small ceremony of presence, a glimpse into the wholeness that’s always within you.
There is an upcoming Enso workshop you may want to sign up for on December 13th at The Art Department Supply Store here in Salem, taught by my friend, Cynthia Herron. I'd love to see you there!
With love, gratitude, and imperfection,
GG
Art Doula and Companion in the Creative Spirit
| | The Breitenbush SoulCollage Retreat is Open for Registration! | | |
The Return of Grace:
Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine SoulCollage® Retreat
with
GG - Retreat Guide & Facilitator and
Kim Buller - Retreat Circle Guardian & Energy Keeper
Breitenbush Hot Springs Resort
September 18 - 21, 2026 (Women Only Weekend)
Register by December 31, 2025 and receive a 10% discount on lodging.
“The world will be saved by the Western woman.” -- Dalai Lama
Autumn + Sacred Feminine + Healing
In the golden hush of autumn, we mirror the Earth — letting go of what no longer serves, composting old identities, and preparing the inner soil for new life. Through SoulCollage®, council, ritual, reflection, and rest, we gather to remember the Sacred Feminine as she lives within and around us — the part of us that knows how to soften, receive, and heal.
Equinox invites us to balance the feminine and masculine energies within self and culture, doing our part to heal the wounds of overdrive, competition, and depletion through receptivity, intuition, and care.
Guided by archetypes of the Sacred Feminine, we’ll explore the path to allowing the feminine to rise again, radiant and whole.
Why you? Why here? Why now? Learn more and Register on the Breitenbush website.
Early Bird Discount: Register by December 31st and receive 2025 rates before lodging rates increase by 10% for 2026. Breitenbush also offers the option to pay a 25% deposit and monthly installments.
| |
| | |
3rd Friday and Saturday SoulCollage® Gatherings
2026 Gatherings are now open for registration!
GG's Down to Earth Studio
240 Bush Street S., Salem, OR
GG's cell: 503.990.0278
Kim Buller and I will continue to team up to offer a series of SoulCollage® gatherings for the winter 2026 season. And the good news is that we will continue to offer once-a-month Saturday gatherings, too.
Give yourself the gifts of creativity and community. Come join us for a potentially life-changing experience in the safety of the Down to Earth Studio and in the company of kindred spirits.
Winter sessions are open for registration. Email GG to be added to the lists.
Friday morning sessions: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Friday afternoon sessions: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Saturday morning sessions 9:30 am to 1:00 pm.
December Theme: “The Light Within the Dark” – In the darkest time of the year, what light is guiding you as you step into the unknown?
Friday morning (9-12) Dec 19th – GG facilitates
Friday afternoon (1-4) Dec 19th – Kim facilitates
Saturday morning (9:30 – 1) Dec 20th – GG facilitates
January Theme: "The Oracle Within" –Wisdom from your SoulCollage® Cards for the New Year (Note: This gathering is the 4th Saturday in January due to scheduling conflicts)
Friday morning (9-12) Jan 23rd – GG facilitates
Friday afternoon (1-4) Jan 23rd – Kim facilitates
Saturday morning (9:30 – 1) Jan 24th – GG facilitates
February Theme: "Opening the Heart" –SoulCollage® as a Threshold for Acknowledging Fear and Inviting in Love
Friday morning (9-12) Feb 20th – Kim facilitates
Friday afternoon (1-4) Feb 20th – GG facilitates
Saturday morning (9:30 – 1) Feb 21st – Kim facilitates
March Theme: "Companions and Allies" –Sacred Totems for Belonging, Guidance, and Kinship
Friday morning (9-12) Mar 20th – GG facilitates
Friday afternoon (1-4) Mar 20th – Kim facilitates
Saturday morning (9:30 – 1) Mar 21st – GG facilitates
Note: Fee increase of $5 for 2026 sessions.
Starting in 2026, the sliding scale fee for SoulCollage sessions is $35 to $55. You can pay by Zelle (glendaanne@msn.com), Venmo (Glenda-Goodrich), or mail a check to GG at 240 Bush Street S., Salem, OR 97302.
You will need to pay in advance to reserve your spot. Thank you!
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.
| | | |
New Year , New Intentions: Shaping the Year Ahead With Images and Aspirations
Saturday, January 3, 2026, 11 AM to 3:00 PM
Art Department Supply Store, Salem, OR
What do you want to welcome into your life in 2026? What are you ready to release?
Collage your way into the life you're calling in!
Join us for encouragement, reflection, and connection with your vision for 2026. Use images and evocative words to create a richly layered collage that speaks to your heart. No art experience is needed -- just a willingness to explore, imagine, and trust your process.
A vision board is more than a collage of pictures and words -- it's a tool for manifestation. By choosing images that reflect your dreams, you bring clarity to what your heart truly desires. Seeing your board each day stirs your imagination and emotions, keeping your vision alive and active in your subconscious and opens space for synchronicity and possibility. Making a vision board is a ritual of intention. As you cut, arrange, and glue, you weave your energy into the year ahead, calling in the life you with to create, bringing your dreams to life one image at a time.
Supply List:
Purchasing supplies at the Art Department keeps them in business. Thank you for choosing local! All regular-priced supplies are available at 20% off from Art Department for this class.
-
Scissors
- Glue stick
- Paper images and words (instructor will also bring lots of images and words as well as various sizes of mat board to select from).
Workshop fee: $65.00. Register with The Art Department here.
| |
Drum Making Workshop
Birthing the Sacred Drum:
A day of Creation, Connection, and Ceremony
Two Days:
Sunday, February 15, 2026, 9 AM to 3:00 PM for drum making
and
Saturday, March 8, 2026 10 AM to 2 PM for a drum circle and painting party
Facilitated by GG and Linda Hopkins
GG's Down to Earth Studio
The drum is one of humanity’s oldest instruments, and across cultures it is far more than a tool for rhythm—it is a sacred vessel, a heartbeat, a bridge between worlds. Its cultural and spiritual roles weave a shared human story of connection, ceremony, and transformation.
Craft your drum with intention and heart, guided by tradition and spirit. You'll be birthing not only an instrument, but a living ally for your voice and journey. Come honor the circle, the heartbeat of Mother Earth, and the song within.
We will make our drums on 2/28 then return 2 weeks laer on 3/14 for a drum circle and painting party.
Workshop fee: $285 which includes a drum kit (hide will be deer or elk, depending on what is available) and drumstick and all supplies. $100 deposit due at registration.
Register with GG here.
| |
Courting the Muse: Intuitive Creativity Retreat 2026
with GG and Dayna Collins
Marcola, Oregon
June 11 - 15, 2026
Imagine spending four days nestled in the sanctuary of a rich green forest next to a babbling brook, sleeping in a cozy bed, being pampered with gourmet food, playing with paint and collage, and renewing that spontaneous, juicy, creative, soulful part of yourself. It’s all yours to enjoy in a community of kindred spirits.
GG and Dayna Collins will be your midwives clearing the way for you to step out of what you think is true about your creative self, and step into an environment where you feel free to birth whatever wants to be expressed.
Through a series of experimental exercises with paint, paper, and written and spoken words, you will explore a variety of techniques designed to bypass creative blocks and connect deeply with your personal serendipitous muse. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting to explore your creative potential, this workshop offers a supportive environment where you can freely experiment, awaken the subconscious, discover new creative pathways, build creative muscle, and develop a more profound connection with your mysterious and creative Self.
The Tipi Village Retreat center is a haven away from the ordinary. Located in the Mohawk Valley near Eugene/Oregon, it is the perfect location to step out of daily life for four days and step into a place where you are held by majestic trees and nourishing waters. Meander along the trails, nap in the shade, soak in the hot tub, or dip in the swimming hole, this place is intimate and magical – truly one of Oregon’s hidden emerald gems. Bring your swimsuit and dive in!
Learn more and Register on GG's website here
| |
You can find a link to the Guided Passages auction starting 12/6 at the QR code above or at this link https://givebutter.com/c/gyl4Nl (You will need to copy and paste the link into your brower because it's not live until 12/6)
| | Solo Passage Book Awards and Placements | | Copies of Solo Passage are now available on my website here. | |
GG interviews GG
Here is a link to my latest podcast with Greg Gerber from Forward From 50.
| | 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.
| |
CIBA Hearten Book Awards
Semi-finalist in Inspiring and Uplifting Non-fiction.
| | |
Are you curious about what it means to work with the Art Doula? Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation to see if art mentoring can take you to the next level in your creative life.
Here's a comment from recent client:
"I love how you think . . . and how you put questions to me. It's like there's gold at the bottom of the bucket and you are stirring the pot!"
| | |
from my creative heart to yours,
| |  | |
The Art Doula is here for you!
Come and discover, explore, and birth your unique creativity.
I am here to help you explore, discover, and birth more of your unique creativity. I'd so love to work with you to help your creative life blossom. Contact me for a free 30-minute preliminary consult.
| | | | | |
