Roland Poulin, Le miroir reste opaque (The Mirror Remains Opaque), 1989-1990, polychromed wood, 127.0 cm x 82.0 cm
Purchase, 2003, 2003.001.A

Roland Poulin, Le miroir reste opaque (The Mirror Remains Opaque), 1989-1990, polychromed wood, 127.0 cm x 82.0 cm
Purchase, 2003, 2003.001.A

Roland Poulin, Le miroir reste opaque (The Mirror Remains Opaque), 1989-1990, polychromed wood, 127.0 cm x 82.0 cm
Purchase, 2003, 2003.001.A

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Special Guest: Anne Marie Nantais

Anne Marie Nantais is an ADHD coach (ACC ) and an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) with 19 years of classroom and Special Education experience.  She started ADHD and Beyond to help adults go beyond the label of ADHD and into living their best lives – as they define it.  With compassion and deep listening, she works with clients to help them find personalized and unique solutions to their ADHD stumbling blocks, using their strengths to create the energy and ease they crave in their lives. You can reach her at: hello@adhdandbeyond.com

Explore the polarities of our inner experience, the world we live in, and how we can authentically navigate this in a healthy way. “Holding Both” explores concepts of validating current disappointments and exhaustion levels, as well as still holding space for the positive and nourishing aspects in life. There is space for both here. 

Through collage, we will explore how to integrate polarities into a unified piece of art. Exploring our personal journey and capacity to “hold both.” 

Mindfulness Check-In

• Pen & Paper/Journal 
• 2 Bowls/Containers (small)
• Small Objects to put into the Bowl/Container (pebbles, beads, M&Ms, etc.)

Holding Both: A practice of acknowledging all of what is happening. It’s different from “negativity” because it makes room for what is good and nourishing. It’s different from “toxic positivity” in that it doesn’t ignore, but it includes the distress we feel. (Shulamit Ber Levtov)

STEP 1: In one bowl, place a bead for every difficult moment, disapointment, stress point, or obstacle in your life at this moment. Acknowledge and accept them as they come. 

STEP 2: In the other bowl, place a bead for every positive moment, success, vicotry, and gratitude in your life at this moment. Acknowledge and accept them as they come. 

STEP 3: Hold one bowl in each hand. As you balance one bowl in each hand, acknowledge and accept everything that has come up during this exercise. How can you Hold Both in your life? 

Art Directive 

• Magazines/ or magazine images from a variety of sources (we will only be using two images in total). 
• Glue stick 
• Base paper to glue images on. 
• Scissors and or x-acto knife

STEP 1: Choose one image that represents suffering, challenges, difficulties, etc.. Allow your emotional body to “choose” images or rather let the images choose you. Take a moment to witness the image and notice the felt sense within your body.

STEP 2: Now find one image that represents the opposite of first image (ie. nourishing, loving, etc.) Do not use images that have words or writing on them.

STEP 3: You now have two very opposite or polarizing images. Your challenge is to find a way to integrate the two into a unified collage. The challenge now is to bring these two images with their contrasting emotional energies into one artwork. It is best not to try to merge the opposite energies or dull them down, but rather to offset one  against the other in a complimentary way, to create a new whole that feels balanced rather than diluting the energies or letting one dominate. (Sharlene Friedman)

STEP 4: Reflect on your work. Place artwork in front of you. Write freely about what you see and what you feel while observing the artwork.