How Art Can Help Us Navigate Change and Build Resilience

Hi Friends,

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the notion of resilience and how it relates to creative practice. I’d like to explore that further in this newsletter, but first it seems important to unpack the term resilience. We talk a lot about the importance of resilience, especially now, but what does the term mean to you?

Some believe resilience is akin to courage or implacability; that it’s about remaining strong in the face of pain or loss. But I tend to think resilience is far more subtle and nimble. To me, resilience is related to vitality, and by that I mean the ability to move through experience, to feel it all—the grief and the goodness. It allows for the rising up and falling away that is the cycle of life. Resilience is a dancer that moves with the music of the seasons and the sudden unexpected sounds.

Resilient people are not perfectly strong or self-regulated. They simply have the capacity to be moved or transformed by life experiences in a way that engenders positive outcomes. In a nutshell, resilience is the capacity to respond appropriately to inevitable change without losing oneself or one’s anchor. I believe resilience is also the ability to recognize and mourn what’s no longer possible in order to allow new possibilities to emerge.

What does all of this have to do with art? I believe art is a bridge that can lead to more individual and collective resilience. Art allows us to acknowledge change while also honoring that which remains unchanging within us. It’s a path of liberation upon which we encounter ourselves and each other in fresh and reimagined ways.

Our creative practice offers us the space to enter into an dialogue about our deepest wishes and worries. It’s a place where we can speak our hearts without getting tripped up by words. Heartfelt expression is a kind of medicine. It allows us to see past our fears and opinions and create real grounds for connection and hope.

I’m convinced we were all born for this extraordinary time. Despite the ongoing political catastrophes, there’s also a massive shift in human consciousness taking place. Everywhere I look, I witness people accessing more compassion and love for themselves and other living beings—this is the very root of our basic goodness. You’re most definitely part of this incredible shift. You have the ability to transmute your heartbreak into inner resilience and power— something no one can take from you and your descendants.

In this moment of great upheaval and constant change, I invite you to join us this coming Saturday afternoon as we explore ways to Navigate Change with Intention, Creativity and Self Compassion. Through expressive arts, journaling, and guided meditation, we’ll explore Maira Kalman’s book Women Holding Things as inspiration for our own artwork—reflecting on what we carry and what we’re ready to set down. Using mixed media, we’ll illuminate the layers of our life experiences and uncover our inner wisdom while building collective resilience together.

Fly Stigone will be co-facilitating this workshop with me. A Chopra-trained life coach and advocate for women, Fly has spent 30+ years guiding individuals and organizations through meaningful transitions. As co-founder of Fly Female Founders and an advisor to women-led communities, she empowers women to embrace change with clarity, courage, and curiosity.

You can learn more and register for the workshop or any of our Late Winter Offerings at this link.

To close, I’m sharing a snippet from our Atelier de Collage at the Meadow this past Saturday afternoon. This workshop was pure magic and I’m so grateful for the lovely group of humans that came together.

All my relations,

Julie