Dragons, B-HAGS & Ropes - Oh My!!!

"Dragons, B-HAGS & Ropes - Oh My!!!"

"Golden Wish Dragon" by Melissa Klein

There is a tale of a Tibetan monk who was followed by a dragon wherever he went. This dragon tormented him and made his life a living hell. The monk tried moving to many different places, but always after a day or two, the dragon would appear and torment him. Finally, the monk said to the dragon "Open your mouth." The dragon opened his mouth. The monk went in. The dragon disappeared.

"A Good Mother - April & Hawthorne" by Melissa Klein

About 8 years ago, we adopted a pregnant, Percheron (draft) rescue horse from the pharmaceutical industry - that was a tipping point for many positive changes. About six weeks after we adopted April, (full name "April Hester Prynne - after the lady in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne) she gave birth to Hawthorne. Even at birth, he was never small. And then he got bigger… 

 
"Hawthorne at the Awkward Age" by Melissa Klein

and bigger…. And…


"Hawthorne & Melissa" by Henry Paterson

I've been working on training Hawthorne - who is now considered a teenager in draft horse years. He tips the scale at about 1800+ pounds and his back is higher than my head. Training April was challenging, but she's a really easy horse for me - we think alike and when not certain, slowing down and petting works wonders. She's turned out to be a great trail horse - solid,  sensible and willing. Hawthorne - needs play, creativity, games, reverse psychology, and fun - which can be hard to deliver when I'm feeling unconfident.

"Hawthorne Sticks Out His Tongue" by Melissa Klein

"This dragon tormented him and made his life a living hell."

Hawthorne… has developed some bad habits due in part to my inexperience and in part to an inconsistent training schedule. And any bad habits he has - are my responsibility to work out. No former owner or past trauma to blame here… No finger pointing. One of those bad habits is if he gets bored during ground work, or if I push him too much, he just turns and bolts. It sucks! I try to stop him by jerking the rope, or if I can think quickly enough, have him turn around or do something different. But there's this moment where he turns, his massive butt bunching up and then he springs away like a runaway freight train and I am helpless to stop him. I've tried and have the rope burns and blisters to prove it. 

"The monk tried moving to many different places, but always after a day or two, the dragon would appear and torment him."

I've been working hard on this for the last nine months - and while there are a few days here and there that are missed - overall I am so much more consistent. He is more respectful - and has a better attitude and is willing to do much more. It happens less frequently, but there are still those times, where he turns and bolts. It happens usually just when I feel like we are "making real progress" and maybe ready take him off the property and out on a trail in the next week. Hopes dashed. Back to square one. Two steps forward, three steps back. And it sucks! Because until this problem is fixed, there is no way I would take him outside a fenced in area - the idea of him running into the street or over some hapless bystander is terrifying. 

"Finally, the monk said to the dragon "Open your mouth." The dragon opened his mouth. The monk went in. The dragon disappeared."

I had an "A-hah" moment. Train him to come to me when I let go of the rope. Let go of the rope on purpose. Give him lots of rewards, scratches and praise for doing so. Instead of the reward for him being when he gets to run away from me;  make the reward be to come to me. Try it at the walk, the trot and the cantor. Try it in the round pen, and then in the larger field. Try it on a 12' foot, 20' and 40' rope. 

Something shifted in doing this. It took only minutes to train him to do this. And while I haven't quite tested it thoroughly enough to take him off outside a fenced area - it seems to be working - at least on a 20' rope on an acre pasture. He comes more quickly to me now, even when he's at liberty. He seems more positive. I'm feeling good enough about the groundwork, to start riding regularily.

"Bright Star - Hawthorne" by Melissa Klein

For me, to go into the dragon's mouth was to let go of the rope. This made what I had wanted all along to happen - to have my horse want to stay with me. It enabled having more control through letting go.

In "Switch - How to Change When Change is Hard" by Chip and Dan Heath, one of the things that can galvanize people is something called a "B.H.A.G." which stands for "Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal." Hawthorne is my B.H.A.G. - do groundwork without having him bolt away, ride him at the walk, trot and canter with confidence. Ride on trails with streams, bridges and through rough terrain. 

"Hawthorne the Big B-HAG" by Melissa Klein

What's your B.H.A.G.? What rope do you need to let go of?

 Please email me at me.lissa@melissaklein.com

Best,

-Melissa

Telling Your Story

Feature Article:

TELLING YOUR STORY

Ever had a situation where you felt un-heard and not respected? Ever challenged the status-quo and found yourself unpopular? Ever felt stuck in a self-limiting belief or felt overwhelmed with fear? Scroll down for some techniques to be heard, deal with fear and achieve your best result. 

Everyone needs a chance to tell their story. 

- Sam Keen "To a Dancing God"

So…. What's your story? 

We all want to be heard and we all want to speak in a way that others will listen. Many of the frustrations in life are a result of not being heard: a boss, a spouse, a child, a co-worker that "won't listen." 

I used to work for a woman who no matter how I tried to communicate that I wasn't happy with my job description - just didn't get it. She would give lip service or would simply try to "steam-roll" me into doing things that were incongruent with the direction that I wanted to go and my talents.

Ironically, I had a vision of being of greater service - but in a different way. She needed to plug in holes in the staffing and saw me as someone who was versatile, hard-working and who could be exploited. While there was a basic disagreement about what was needed for the organization - the worst part was feeling like my words were falling on deaf ears. We had different stories.

Does this story sound familiar? While the details are going to be different from experience to experience or from person to person - it's a familiar lament.

Is this the story that you want to be?

When I was going through this, my thinking brain was saying things like "Poor little me. A victim of a cruel boss." and "I'm going to starve!" "I won't be able to pay my bills and we will have to give up the horses and the house!" "I'm being difficult! I'm being a bitch! Why can't I just go along with her plan and be a nice girl?" 

Can you hear the victim story in this? Or the bitch? Stand up for yourself and have everyone hate you vs. be a doormat and be liked.

All through this, I was painting, creating some of my strongest work. Through the painting and using images, I was able to access messages from my unconscious about what was going on. And the messages I got from this process were very different. When I was creating this painting I was actually in a really bad funk that day - and was somewhat puzzled to have such a happy image come out of me.

And then there was the "A-hah!" - The dragon is a symbol that I've been drawing since childhood. And I realized that what was happening was the dragon was breaking out of it's shell, which is a hard process - but necessary. 

If a well-meaning person was tries to "help" a chick break out of the shell, by peeling the shell away, then the chick will die. The chick needs to develop their muscles by going through the process of struggling through the shell. Breaking out of the shell is a difficult and uncomfortable process - but it's necessary for growth. The larger dragon behind the baby dragon could either be read as a supportive powerful mother figure or as the baby dragon all grown up. Either way - a positive thing. The painting is called "Naissance" which means birth.

This painting helped me to not give up. This story helped me to hang in there. 

I kept talking and sending emails and phone calls and questioning the status-quo until - finally - I was heard! A higher-up in the organization read my proposal about what I wanted to do and I was offered a much, much better position working with people who understood my vision. 

Without the paintings - I don't know if I could have done it. Images helped to change the story from being a victim to seeing growth and accepting the uncomfortableness of change. That acceptance lead to being on a path of growth and to break out of those old paradigms and see them as shells that needed to discarded.

We all need to tell our story, we all want to be heard, but…. the most important audience for your story is YOU! 

When confronted with a difficult situation: 

• Ask yourself if this is the story that you want to be?

• Notice what images you feel attracted so - and what they might be telling you.

• Record your dreams, and if they are disturbing - look to what the symbols might mean - i.e. snakes not a bad thing - they mean power and healing.

• Pay attention to your language - does it sound whiney or point fingers? What would it take to rephrase some of those sentences to be coming from a place of strength? Write it down and practice it.

• Write your own happy ending. Hold onto it. Enlist positive friends to help you visualize it.

Thanks for reading!

-Melissa

PS - I'd love to hear any thoughts or insights you have around telling your story. Send me an email at me.lissa@melissaklein.com

me.lissa@melissaklein.com    360.809.0083    PO Box 2272 Sequim WA 98382  melissaklein.com

ARTIST ENTREPRENEUR BOOT CAMP - GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

The revised, improved sign...

Artist Entrepreneur Boot Camp

Graphic Novels & Comics

Learn how to create art AND sell it!  Explore your creative side using a wide range of materials - from watercolor to acrylic to airbrush to collage to mixing it all up. This year's theme is graphic novels and comics - tell your story in pictures and know how to  publish your work in print and online.

Learn entrepreneurship skills using social marketing, selling online and in alternative spaces. These skills can be applied to any field - from rockin' the senior presentation to starting your own business! (even if it's not in the arts)

Completed 8th graders to age 21 who have not yet earned a high school diploma.  Students will earn .5 credit for high school.  Beginners welcome.

NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA SKILLS CENTER

905 West 9th Street Port Angeles, Washington 98363

Mon-Fri       June 25th-July 13th      9am-3:30pm

Submit form to Skills Center to register:  nopsc.org

360.565.1533 

Melissa Klein is a local artist and art teacher. She has shown in Philadelphia, Kauai and the Olympic Peninsula. Her artwork is in private collections, featured in books/magazines, and murals. Clients include the EPA, Makah Nation, City of Portland, North Olympic Library and the Kauai Children's Discovery Museum. She earned a BFA from the University of Pennsylvania (1990) and a Masters of Initial Teaching from Gonzaga University (2003). Her work is centered around mythology - both new and existing stories. She teaches Commercial Art at the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center in Port Angeles. The mantra of the program is "Art is a medium to learn business skills."

Art by © Melissa Klein - see store for details

YOUR PERSONAL MYTHOLOGY

& SYMBOL SYSTEM

Why do we need mythology in a modern world?

A Story.... Imagine a rider on an elephant. Our logical brain, the "thinker" is the rider. The emotions are the elephant. If rider tries to direct the elephant to a place where the elephant doesn't want to go, the rider will quickly tire from the effort and give up. We have had that experience, where in spite of all of the best intentions and the logical reasons to do (or not do something) we fail in some endeavor - whether it is weight loss, saving money etc. The elephant overpowers the rider and grabs the cupcake! Or buys the shoes! The key is to get the elephant and the rider to work together - where the powerful emotions are in alignment with the logistical talents of the rider. (paraphrased from "Switch - How to Change When Change is Hard" by Chip & Dan Heath)

 "Chukka Shoes at JC Penny" by Melissa Klein

How?

Mythology and symbols can access the subconscious brain in deep ways that can words simply cannot! The linguistic area of our brains is located in the frontal lobes, mostly on the left hemisphere, but the emotions which drive our behavior is in the deep, "primitive" areas of the brain - in the area of the amygdala. Visual images and symbols have a direct access to our emotions. We have emotional responses to color and symbols can encapsulate whole idea systems - for example, consider these symbols: a cross, a Star of David, a swastika. They all evoke powerful emotions, and have moved people to great lengths - for good and bad. 

"Making Waves" by Melissa Klein

But.... What if you are not a part of an organized religion or your religion doesn't use your symbol system?

I believe that people already know what is special to them. Many people have certain symbols that have had special meaning for them throughout their whole lives - it's often an animal, but it can be other things - a ladybug, a pair of shoes, a mermaid etc. We develop these symbols and attach strong emotions to them - and go to great lengths to find them. And when we do - we light up. Like, finally! I have found what I need! We are starved for those images. But sometimes it's hard to find just the right illustration of what is your symbols, and the right combination - that works with your environment and personal style. 

"Harvest" by Melissa Klein

I strongly identify with horses, but many of the images of horses are well, kind of cheesy. I still like them, but my tastes have evolved from being a kid, and in my 40's those horse posters just don't look good anymore in my living room (although the plastic figurines are still kinda cool!). 

 

"A Great Breakfast with Friends" by Melissa Klein

I want something with more depth that reaches beyond the beauty of the animals to what they mean - the freedom, strength, courage and wisdom that I have learned from them.  Luckily because I'm an artist - I can create the painting that I want to see, and often it feels like I am making the image that I need to see. These images help me navigate through my day and help reassure me during difficult times. Many times I've had someone buy a card or print of a horse and she will say "I don't even know why I'm have to have this! I'm afraid of horses and don't ride." When I point out that the for many people horses symbolize freedom - seeing her face light up with an "Aha! That's what it is." is just magic.

"Apex Rides the Sun" by Melissa Klein

Please tell me… What symbols and totems hold magic for you? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading!

"Dream Catcher" by Melissa Klein

"Art is a medium to teach business skills" COMMERCIAL ART CLASS New Offering by Melissa Klein

One thing about Skills Center classes is that if they don't have the enrollment, they don't happen - and I feel so strongly that I will be giving students the skills that they need to be successful in life. Especially since the Artist Entrepreneur Summer Boot Camp rocked and the students had a really positive response to it. Everyone felt energized by the work that they were doing. And, it was FUN!!

Click on this for a pdf of the flyer

COMMERCIAL ART

New Class offered at North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center
by Melissa Klein

NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA SKILLS CENTER (NOPSC)

905 West 9th Street Port Angeles, Washington 98363

Classes start Tuesday, September 2nd, 2012

Mon-Fri    12:30pm-3:15pm OR

Mon-Fri    3:30pm-6:15pm

    
Beginners Welcome!!!

Submit form to Skills Center to register:  nopsc.org

360.565.1533 

"What I wished I learned in high school."

When I graduated from college with a fancy art degree, I had no idea of how to make a living at it. Over the years, I've learned slowly, through trial and error as well as through taking marketing and business courses.  One thing that kept coming back to me through all of this is - "Why didn't I learn this in college? I could have learned it in high school even!" And it would have been so much easier!  

Skills for the "Real World"

Art is an effective medium to learn business skills because it develops personal expression and self-awareness, once the art is completed, presenting it and selling it in the marketplace requires all of the same skills sets that any entrepreneur needs to run their business. I tell students - "If you can explain your painting, then you can totally rock any interview." Students who completed my art class at Lincoln High School for example, the Fish on the Fence program with the Feiro Marine Center  tended to be better at presenting themselves and more professional - a critical skill for navigating the workplace and the "real world." Job opportunities for young people, (fast food anyone?) are limited in this area, so having entrepreneurial skills and being able to start their own business for many people is their best shot at earning a living wage. And many businesses, Boeing for example are stressing how they want to have a workforce that is creative and proactive. Art is a process of creative problem-solving.

Time to Develop Professional Skills

Having this class offered through the Skills Center where the classes are longer (almost 3 hours) gives time for students to develop both their artistic skills and products as well as learn how to sell the work that they create and run their own businesses. They are given the time to really focus and hone their craft to a professional level and interact with  community members and professional artists.

Eligible Students

Students entering 10th grade to age 21 who have not yet earned a high school diploma.  Students will earn 1.5 credit for high school in a semester. 

Training for both sides of your brain:

For many years, I have taught a combination of Special Education, remedial reading/Language arts and special education math. What I noticed was that the students who made the most progress with me - whether they were in Special Education or in regular education, were the ones who had me for an academic course AND an art course. It was because they were getting both sides of their brain stimulated and it showed in their test scores.

To learn more

Ron Craig, who is the new director at the Skills Center and Melissa Klein will be promoting the program and the Skills Center offerings during registration at Port Angeles High School on Monday 8/24 & Tuesday 8/25 from 8am-2pm. The NOPSC offers many other classes including: Culinary Arts, Composites, Digital Media, Cosmetology and Natural Resources. Visit nopsc.org for more information.

Click on this for a pdf of Commercial Art Flyer

Are You Following Directions or Creating Your Own Path?

"Heart Strings Attached" by Melissa Klein

(will be on exhibit at the Art Shack at the Juan de Fuca Festival)

Painted during a time when life was very…. complicated. I felt like I could feel the ground shifting daily as I was making positive changes, but also upsetting the status quo and "daring to disturb the universe."
$800 24" x 36" Shipping Available







ARE YOU FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS OR CREATING YOUR OWN PATH?

My little sister volunteers at her son's elementary school. They teach art by showing the children the work of a famous painter, and then having the kids "create" work that imitates the style of that artist. I found this disturbing - because as both an artist and an educator, the creative process is a matter of discovering your own voice and discovering those unique qualities of personal expression. Those great artists are great because they were able to tap into a new way of seeing things that was different and opened up other people's eyes. While I think that it's a good idea for children to learn about art history and study the techniques that other artists used, by teaching children to imitate rather than to develop their own expression doesn't serve to develop their creativity. I'm NOT advocating just "letting them do their own thing and everything is just great." as a way of learning either - when I set up an art lesson there are specific skills sets to master and I want them to learn that process and be accurate within those guidelines. Then they can use those techniques in any way they choose. My high school art teacher Elaine Weinstone put it really well: "Is that distorted because you wanted it to be distorted or is that distorted because you didn't know how to draw it?" (True confessions, it was the latter - I hadn't mastered proportion.)

Another way that people learn art is to do the "follow the demonstration" example - i.e. "Here is how you make a landscape just like this and these are the steps. Follow the directions and you will wind up with something that looks just like it!" There's nothing particularly wrong with that - it makes people happy, gives them a goof-proof format to follow and gets them involved in art. I admire Bob Ross for making art accessible to a wider audience. However, it doesn't really teach them how to develop their own vision.

So... How do artists see things? What are they looking for? For me - some of the basics are: how colors interact, edges, hand/eye coordination, composition, optical illusion and personal symbolism. I developed the "Art Factory" as a way to demonstrate those concepts through having people interact with those elements in a way that is process rather than product oriented. The idea is to activate the right brain and engage in the creative process in a nonjudgmental, supportive atmosphere. Many businesses are discovering that by having their employees take art classes and using drawings they are finding solutions for previously unsolvable problems. It's cross training for the brain, and the benefit is to be able to see the world from a different perspective and find new opportunities for solutions. Betty Edwards, the author of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" reported that her students saw the world in a clearer, more vivid way after taking art lessons.

The Art Factory is a series of workstations for visitors to explore these ideas through hands-on activities which will be supported by the fabulous "Team Art Factory" from Lincoln High School: Angel, Grace, Marcela, Brandy, Stephanie and Linda Chapman - who is a wonderful artist/ceramicist - www.lindachapmandesign.com. Most of all - it's fun! We had a blast doing the "dry run" of the projects. Shout out to the team!!! You rock!!!

Here are a few tips on carving out your own creative path:

1. Know the rules. And then break them. Accept that there may be some fall-
out for disturbing the universe.

2. Don't look for approval or permission, you are not going to get it. It may be that by following the standard format, you made life very easy for some of the people around you, and they want you stay in that comfortable (for them) position... But was that what you wanted? My husband gave me this great advice when I was stressing about making some changes: "Don't worry about disappointing people who don't care about your best interest."

3. Your true friends will still love you, now you know who they are. Those who cannot accept the changes need to be let go with love and good will.

4. Be very kind to yourself. This is new territory - and you will make mistakes. Forgive those mistakes and work to do it better next time. The universe provides opportunities for another go-around.

5. Get an accountability partner. She/he don't have to be in your field, but they have to have a light in their eye and a fire in their belly. Look for them in unlikely packages. Reach out and stay connected. Last year, I was at a conference for artists to develop their business skills. I was at a presentation by Jackie Peterson who offered a book called "Better Smarter Richer" - I knew that even with all the best intentions, I was unlikely to actually read and do the activities in it and didn't want another dust collector on my shelf. There was another woman who seemed really interested in it as well, she was a complete stranger, a fabric artist, and seemed a bit daunting. I asked her if she wanted to do a book study together and do a chapter a week. She agreed. This evolved into a weekly check-in; an important routine that keeps me moving forward on my "to do" list and she has become one of my best friends. Now I have two accountability partners - another one from Christine Kane's Uplevel Gold program - and they have both had a huge positive impact on staying the course.

Hope to see you there - and whatever you do - enjoy the weather!

Best Wishes,

-Melissa



melissaklein.com • me.lissa@melissaklein.com • PO Box 2272 Sequim WA 98382 • 360-809-0083

I'm proud to announce the "Art Factory" workshop at the Juan de Fuca festival.  This workshop was developed as a way to introduce people to the artistic process which is different from the typical "How to make a _______ just like this!" Creativity is a process of solving problem and alternating between being the different roles of the creative process:  Explorer, Artist, Judge and Warrior (adopted from the "Whack on the Side of the Head" book by Roger Von Oech).  Understanding the creative process and how artists come up with creative solutions can be a key to finding solutions that were previously insurmountable.