Wonderful Painting Class and Dharma Center
Yesterday I finished a 5 day painting workshop organized by Kathleen Whalen. My deep thanks to her for allowing me to attend and do karma yoga by cooking at the wonderful Shangri-La Dharma Center. To sign up for next year’s (2009) class (it comes highly recommended) send Kathleen an email here.
Those of us attending the 5 day course did deity painting (I chose Radha and Krishna, while most others did a Ganesha painting), there was also a 2 day yantra painting course on offer, that drew the most people.
My thanks to Pieter Weltevrede, my ongoing painting teacher, and Pat Prather, his assistant. They are on an ongoing tour of teaching people to paint according to the Harish Johari Painting Tradition. Their energy and super positive attitude really helped us to complete our goals of painting. It’s wondrous to see Pieter’s work (photos coming soon) and getting his help with our own paintings, where we are lacking skills, as in drawing some key details like hands and faces.
Kathleen helped by providing a nice place through her relationship with Jenni Fish, a wonderful yoga teacher and our gracious host. Jenni, daughter Emily and husband Rick opened their new house and downstairs studio to us with such an openness it was amazing and I felt I had finally found my group or my sanga in Seattle. Thanks to Olivia, Betty, Pam, and everyone else who attended the course. You were wonderful.
We had amazing weather and the studio itself was gorgeous in the unseasonably warm and sunny weather we had. The Shangri-La Dharma Center has only recently opened, and only has had a few courses and workshops so far, of which ours was the sixth I believe. I look forward to possibly teaching courses and workshops there. Look to this space for any upcoming events. I will include links to the Dharma Center once their website is up and running. They are also looking to have a yoga teacher take over a beautiful practice space they have available in their extra house on the property. Email Jenni Fish if you have a need for such a space.