Dear Friends,
Hope this message finds you well resourced and connected to the beauty in our world as we approach the transition to fall. I know the task of being a fully awake and empathic person continues to be fraught and frankly really painful at this time of ecocide, genocide, and growing fascism.
It’s all too easy to get overwhelmed and become convinced that nothing we can do will make a difference or will ever be enough. At times like this, it can be helpful to remember that it’s not all up to you. No one can expect you to resolve the world’s troubles, but that doesn’t mean you should surrender to nihilism. We may not be able to save the world, yet if we come together, collectively, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of many. In community, we can also reclaim our joy, our ingenuity, and our shared sense of humanity. To me, the idea of mutual aid and collective solidarity makes life purposeful and beautiful even and especially in difficult times.
As we move toward a new season, keep in mind this is a potent moment on the cyclical calendar—a time to harness and activate our individual and collective power. We likely have more stores of energy and drive after a summer full of sunlight and growth. Can we focus this energy toward a personal goal or a shared vision for our community? What action steps can we take in the coming weeks to embody this rising sense of vitality and power?
For my part, I’m gathering my resources to launch a new season at The Meadow. I’ve been on something of a summer sabbatical for the last two months. The time off has returned me to my body, my poetry and my newfound love for painting. That aspect of life has been absolutely delightful
The summer months have also provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my work and begin to refine my vision for the studio. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at the studio over the last two years. The studio introduced a brilliant array of teaching artists, makers, and intuitives to the public and provided a place for creative engagement, inquiry, solidarity, and fun for hundreds.
Despite this success, a part of me naturally felt depleted in the constant shuffle of promotions and preparations. Looking back, I realize I was often working from a sense of urgency that wasn’t necessarily even mine, but rather some form of conditioning within our consumer culture. In the scramble to run my business, I abandoned important parts of myself and operated at an unsustainable pace.
Originally, my intention for The Meadow was to provide a sanctuary for creativity and friendship at the intersection of ecology, culture and spirit. To truly fulfill this mission, I must resist falling into a manufactured sense of urgency and the common tendency to overwork. Instead, I hope to slow down and source my work from a place of spirit in order to sustain this vision for the long run.
In business, we’re conditioned to believe that growth is the only measure of success. But we now know constant growth comes at a tremendous cost to the planet, our relationships, and to our own wellbeing. It also often leaves the original vision for the work stranded on some distant shore.
In this third cycle of offerings at The Meadow, I intend to embrace the notion of less is more. I want to move more slowly, delve more deeply, and build in more moments of quiet to maintain the sacredness of our mission. I aspire to get out of the way as much as possible so that others may find their own brilliance.
I’m also structuring things a little differently. In addition to our afternoon workshops in expressive arts, The Meadow will also offering a Sunday Salon for Creatives once monthly and an Open Studio on Saturdays once monthly. We’ll get the complete Autumn Calendar up on our website in the coming days. In the meantime, I’d like to introduce you Dyana Ifeishat, the first guest artist The Meadow will host in September.
A SCENT OF HOME: A Fragrance Workshop that Evokes the Homeland
On Sunday, September 14th join us for A Scent of Home with Dyana Ifeishat the founder of Avenoir Co. Dyana is a Palestinian artist/maker who grew up in Jordan on her grandmother’s farm, a house covered by jasmine vines and surrounded by fig, olive, and pomegranate trees. Her family harvested their own olives and many of their produce, including fruits and vegetables, and also foraged the surrounding hills for wild thyme, sage, mallow, and other native herbs. While many of these practices are dwindling, they are still alive today in parts of Jordan, Palestine, and the Levantine region.
Her company specializes in non-toxic and sustainable apothecary home goods, with scents deeply rooted in the SWANA region, particularly Palestine. As a Pali-owned business, her true-to-life scents evoke nostalgia for the homeland. The word avenoir means memories flowing backward, aiming to capture the spirit of our roots and cherished collective experiences. Dyana believes scent and memory are deeply intertwined, and her products strive to transport you to a sacred place, a longed-for moment, a dear person, or even a homeland.
In this workshop, we’ll recreate a sense of home through the power of fragrance and memory. You’ll have the opportunity to create Avenoir’s signature Olive Oil & Za'atar aromatherapy oil or a custom perfume oil from her library, featuring oils such as Arabian Jasmine, Amber, and Rose inspired by Palestine and the greater SWANA region.
Following our custom creations, we will hold a mini candle-lighting vigil for the people of Gaza and all the innocent lives lost and those currently facing the genocide. Our collective remembrance serves not only as a way to mourn and grieve but also to stand in solidarity with our people as an act of existence and resistance. Proceeds from this workshop will directly support ANERA and Heal Palestine; your participation in this workshop will contribute directly to these organizations.
To see what else we have in store for our community in September please visit our Current Offerings.
In friendship and with heart,
Julie