Frank McElroy photo
Heather Conn: My connection to collage
As an author, long-time professional writer, freelance photographer, and writing instructor/coach, I find ongoing parallels between SoulCollage® and my favorite creative forms.
For several decades, I have had a passion for Jungian symbology, dream work, mandalas, and archetypal forms, using them as a path of inner exploration. SoulCollage® integrates these interests and my spirituality; I love that these cards connect the Divine to one’s inner exploration and celebration of Self.
I felt immediately drawn to SoulCollage® after seeing card images in Seena Frost’s book SoulCollage – An Intuitive Process for Individuals and Groups at a Women of Wisdom conference in Seattle. I bought the book and made a few dozen cards on my own, but felt that I wanted to connect with others using this process.
During a four-month work stint in San Francisco in 2008, I took a SoulCollage® facilitator’s workshop with Seena Frost at a retreat center in Los Gatos, California. It was fabulous to share cards and inspirations with women from across the U.S.
Now I host SoulCollage® workshops in the Pacific Northwest while continuing to relish the pleasures of creating cards and introducing others to this fun and revealing art form. SoulCollage® is the perfect synthesis of my passion for image making, creativity, and self-actualization.
As a trained SoulCollage® facilitator, I abide by the Principles of SoulCollage, as outlined by Seena Frost, creator of the process. My workshops provide a safe and supportive atmosphere that cherishes the creativity and vision of each participant. The Principles of SoulCollage® honor the special way in which each person’s own story weaves into a larger, archetypal story, incorporating the concept of “the One and the Many.”
Where and when are Heather’s next SoulCollage workshops?
SoulCollage®: a perfect synthesis
Since childhood, I have loved making collages, plastering my bedroom door and walls with images. For about two decades, I have made a collage each year to symbolize my goals and dreams for the following year. This has become an annual tradition shared with my close friend Sylvia. I have also created mixed-media collages, adding shells, feathers, or small, discarded pieces of crockery to magazine images or my own photographs.
Within the community of Artist Trading Cards, I made small collages using my photos. It was a delight to meet with local artists and admire the amazing original work that each person created.
Community Card: My friend Sylvia the Balloon Lady
My soul work
From meditation and yoga to seven months in India, I have spent several decades exploring a variety of spiritual practices. I embrace “eclectic spirituality”; for me, that incorporates concepts and practices from Tibetan Buddhism to pantheism and Taoism. My spiritual mentor from about twenty years ago promoted a concept of Oneness, which I still follow. I believe in a Divine Essence that powers and unites us all.
Today, I am a member of the board of the Workplace Centre for Spiritual and Ethical Development. I am writing a book manuscript that includes accounts of my time in India and the growth of my spiritual beliefs. My Soul discovery work has encompassed everything from trauma healing and recovery to inspirational readings, journal writing, and of course, SoulCollage®.
SoulCollage®: Blend visual and written-storytelling
I often make spontaneous writing exercises part of my SoulCollage® workshops. I have taught writing in many genres over the past 20 years and have worked in media and publishing for almost 30 years. My most recent teaching focuses on travel writing, memoir writing, and creative nonfiction. For five years, I have taught creative writing to adults with mental illness, using writing as a tool for healing and self-empowerment. Besides group classes and workshops, I coach writers one-on-one.
I also work as a communications consultant with a passion for the environment and sustainability, history, arts and culture, and spirituality. From interviewing and research to freelance photography, my media skills and interests blend really well with SoulCollage.
Contact:
Heather Conn 604-886-6520 (phone) 604-886-3713 (fax) hconn@dccnet.com www.heatherconn.com www.heatherconnblogs.com Please note: Long-distance phone rates apply when calling from the B.C. Lower Mainland to the Sunshine Coast.