In the workshop, Kim and MaryLee will share the story of their 25-year friendship, a story of breast cancer, desperation, hope, and resilience. With the help of a peer counseling method they learned through ‘No Limits for Women in the Arts’ the idea for creating a series of art quilts took root. They will share the story of the quilts and offer an experience of peer counseling by demonstration and then allowing participants to pair up and practice this method of deep listening which allows the speaker to have time to dig into their truth. Participants will be taught techniques for this form of deep (neutral) listening, then guided to ask the following questions of each other:
What is the highest vision of your art (or your life)?
What are one or more steps that you could take to make it real?
Where are the challenges?
What will help you keep going?
MaryLee Eischen is a visual artist, dancer, and lover of travel. She creates art with fabrics and stitches art quilts together with her machine quilting/drawing. She paints and uses mixed media as well. MaryLee led small groups of women in No Limits for Women in the Arts for many years and used the Listening Pair practices with small groups and continued to share with Kim many years after the groups ended. The story of their friendship through illness is a strong story of resiliency and hope. The art quilts on display will bring hope and beauty to all who view this art.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryleeeischen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marylee.eischen
Kim Hammer is a visual artist, writer, and lover of travel. She creates art and has curated a shop in Dakota, Minnesota where she sold art from around the world. She has led people on tours to India, Bali, and Morocco. Her love of textiles has fueled her travels. Many of the batiks in this exhibit have been created by Kim. Kim led small groups of women in No Limits for Women in the Arts for many years and used the Listening Pair practices with small groups and continued to share with MaryLee many years after the groups ended. Kim had treatments for breast cancer and at this time, MaryLee supported her with this deep listening practice.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kimdhammer?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Their Collaborative Artwork / Fabrications can be found here: Images of Artwork: Song of the Thread: http://www.breezeonmyskin.com/p/song-of-thread.html
MaryLee Eischen & Kim Hammer
*this session will not be live streamed to allow participants a safe space for emotional vulnerability during peer counseling sessions