Blazing Star Herbal School:March 2022 Edition
Ch Ch Changes....
(reprint from my social media a few weeks back)
Tony(a) Lemos and the Great Pause
As an healer and artist, the Great Pause, which is how I refer to the CV19 pandemic, gave me time, a lot of time, for reflection and reinvention. So, I want to take a few moments to reintroduce myself in these spaces and let you know some of the changes going on behind the scenes. I've been told that one should mix it up every decade, so here we are 22 years in finally mixing it up.
One of the big things which has happened Zoe is now launched! This fills me with happiness and also creates some empty space for me to expand in directions I have been contemplating for some time. You may have already noticed some newer offerings in Botanical Art and Alternative Photography Processes. I am partway through a personal commitment to make art every day for a year. (Follow along @365artlog) Coming soon I’ll be offering more Creative Retreats and workshops in the Garden, kicking off with an Eco Printing one in August and a second Cyanotype one at the end of July.
Launching before Equinox the new podcast “Dreaming in Green - Art in Conversation with Nature” and a fresh website tonyalemosarts.com where you’ll find info on all the above plus upcoming craft shows, and public art exhibits and herbal wellness happenings!
In order to make room for these new offerings, After 20 years I have discontinued the Advanced Apprenticeship in Clinical Herbalism and I will no longer be taking one on one clinical appointments. But don’t worry I will be offering some group in person and online wellness/creativity/lifestyle coaching sessions following my 12 month protocol which will launch later this summer.
And speaking of room - I am interested in how some of the space I am not filling might allow for new collaborations, creative endeavors and support for the collective good. Got an Idea? HMU.
As you can see, my belief in connecting Women+ to Nature is still front and center and I am expanding in ways that feel true to who I am today. I will always believe that through this connection to each other and our Places, we become Whole and healthier physically, mentally and spiritually. Our Wholeness/Holiness then contributes in turn to the health of our communities and our Planet.
“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we've lost our connection to ourselves.” Andy Goldsworthy
Green Blessings
Tony(a) Lemos
https://linktr.ee/TonyaLemosArts
Here is what you'll find in this months newsletter:
1) Update of this years Tuesday Apprenticeship by Razz
2) Two Creative Retreats in the Garden (EcoPrinting 07/24, Cyanotype 08/28)
3) Botanical Art Program (9 month intensive) + Testimonial from past student
4) Petite Fleur Pop Up Art Sale
5) Marigolds offering
6) Press release to my "Local Wonder Art Show" August NORTH ADAMS
7) Musings by Lisa Bassi
9) Classifieds
10) Final thoughts
You might have noticed every Tuesday on our social media (@blazingstarherbalschool) there is a new segment Tuesdays in the Garden by Razz Cacho our social media intern. Every week they summarize what we get up to duringthe Beginner / Intermediate Herbal Apprenticeship so that you can follow along.
(Next program begins in April 2023)
Here is a summary of the previous month!
Here in our eighth week together, we are an intimate group of seven. We spent much of the day in the beautiful Wilder Hill Gardens. We saw a Lunar Moth and discovered different types of pines. We learned about new plants, one being Sweet Sicily, saw wondrous art, and harvested plants for our anti-itch paste and poison ivy aid. We collected Comfrey, Jewel Weed, Violet, Plantain, Elderflower, and Mugwort. Towards the end of the day, we picked some St. John's Wort flowers and Oregano to make some tinctures. Per usual, before we know it, the glorious day has come to a close!
Here we are in our seventh week together. We were introduced to three plant allies through the unique lens of our fellow herbal explorers. We talked about first aid and herbal first aid, learning much about the healing powers of Yarrow, Plantain, and Calendula. We laughed-a lot. After what seemed like much procrastination, some of us bravely jumped into the pond. We were graced with another delightful garden tour, in which we harvested some Lady's Mantle, smelled many flowers, and had some very precious cat moments. What a magical journey it has been!
Here we are in our sixth week together! We joyfully shared our first plant ally projects with one another, learning more about each other and the beautiful plants we are building deeper relationships with. Caroline led us in a grounding and restorative sound meditation. We saw Crab/Wild Apple in a new light. We followed Joy on her magical journey with Pine. We did the delicate and important work of weeding some of the dear plant beings on the land together. We got dirty. We got sprayed with water. We followed both of those things with cups of Tony's delicious (and very pretty) homemade Violet soda and a lovely tour of the garden. What a bountiful and expansive day!
Here we are in our fourth week together! We connected with Dandelions and each other, sharing our stories. experiences, and discoveries. We enjoyed a bountiful and creative feast of Dandelion-inspired dishes, drinks and desserts. Awed at the new, bright green growth of Hemlock. Learned about Solomon's Seal and its beautiful, hidden flowers. Ended the day with a very sweet trail walk surrounding the forest.
(text and photos by Razz)
A Creative Retreat in the Garden
Eco-Printing on Paper
Come and spend the day in the garden and immerse your self in the wonder of eco-printing.
Sunday July 24th, 11-4pm
Eco printing (eco dyeing) is a contemporary application of the traditions of natural dyeing. We’ll be collecting leaves and flowers from our beautiful grounds and learning the alchemy steam bundling, boiled books and make eco printing using a heat press. Each student will have the opportunity to make a several prints using different techniques which transfer the natural colours and shapes of the plants. The study of nature through art allows the “student-artist” to experience, observe, value, analyze, synthesize and express their understanding of, and relationship to, nature, the environment and elements.
More details @blazingstarherbalschool
$120 (All materials will be provided)
Come be in relationship with Nature. Unplug. Slow down.
Connect. your senses to the wonders of Nature around you!
A Creative Retreat in the Garden
Cyanotype 101
Sunday August 28th
11-4 pm
$160 (including all materials)
The cyanotype (Prussian-blue image on a white background) also known as ferro-prussiate or blue print process or simply sun prints, was invented and named by Sir John Herschel in 1842 and is one of the oldest photographic processes. It was popularized by Anna Atkins, one of a handful of women working in photography in the mid-1800s. Atkins also had the first published book (in1843) using images made with the cyanotype method, called 'Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns.
It is one of the easiest printing techniques you can do at home without expensive equipment or a photography darkroom. The chemicals needed are easy to find and inexpensive (because there are no precious metals involved) While this was a very popular printing process for engineers well into the 20th century, it is becoming increasingly popular with photographers and artist wanting to expand their creativity with printing.
In this workshop participants will make dry cyanotypes from found plant material, and digital negatives* as well as experiment with wet cyanotypes using suds and kitchen spices. At the end of the we’ll also discuss toning and staining cyanotypes, and how the process can be adapted to other surfaces.
Who is this workshop good for?
Any creatives – who want to jump into the world of alternative photographic printing techniques. This is one of the easiest printing techniques for photography. All levels welcome
Cyanotypes are amazing for making one-of-a-kind prints and collage papers for mixed media art. Sometimes results are predicable, sometimes they are not. We will work with the sun as our UV light source, and the sun and weather at the time will determine the intensity and sort of cyanotype prints we produce.
MORE DETAILS @BLAZINGSTARHERBALSCHOOL
NEW DATE! NEW DATE! NEW DATE! NEW DATE! NEW DATE! NEW DATE!
BOTANICAL ART IN-STUDIO PROGRAM
(for those who want to do in deeper than a one day workshop- I am constantly blown away by the work produced by those who took this program last session)
beginning on Friday September 9th (one friday per month plus studio time)
Course covers:
Basics of eco-printing (paper and fabric)
Botanical Dyeing
Botanical Paper Making
Intro to Printing (monotype/gel/relief)
The language of plants
Creating herbariums
Alternative processes in Photography (Anthotypes + Cyanotypes)
Seed and Earth Art
Getting + Staying creative (practices)
The Art of Seeing
Finding and developing your unique style
Finding inspiration from the world around you
Learn "new" ways to connect with the magic and medicine of plants. Our ancestors drew health, strength, nourishment, and meaning from their relationship to the natural world, and yet today most of us have lost that vital connection leaving us ungrounded and lacking a deep sense of place. There is such healing when we connect materials to place, I use found materials from a particular place to help establish a relationship with it. The result has me feeling more grounded, content and spiritually freer. We will explore a series of ideas working with nature—in its widest sense—to nurture our creativity, inspire us, make us more sustainable as artists, and breathe back energy and flow when our artistic streams run dry. The study of nature through art allows the “student-artist” to experience, observe, value, analyze, synthesize and express their understanding of, and relationship to, nature, the environment and elements.
Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world," says Christianne Strang, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham and the former president of the American Art Therapy Association."Anything that engages your creative mind — the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate — is good for you," says Girija Kaimal. She is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy, leading art sessions with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury and caregivers of cancer patients.In 2010, the American Journal of Public Health published a review titled, The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health The creative process relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, boosts self-esteem, and provides a sense of accomplishment.
This is a journey to find new creativity through our connection with the natural world and is suitable everyone who is curious about the world around. No prior herbal experience necessary.
Studio Class Dates: (monthly class with opportunities for studio time) One Friday per month beginning Friday September 9th (8 monthly classes total, studio time plus extra gathering for show and tell and final projects)
Class times: 10am-4pm
Cost: $850 (plus $80 materials fee payable in cash on class 1) Deposit of $200 holds your spot.
For more info BOTANICAL ART IN STUDIO PROGRAM 2022
Petite Fleur Collection
I recently hosted a little "Pop-Up Art Sale" over on Facebook! The "Petite Fleur" Collection inspired by my love of making colorful miniature bouquets in vases during the Summer. May these offerings bring warmth and colour into your homes during the darker months! A little garden energy for your homes!
These mixed media pieces are a combination of eco prints and cyanotype process. The eco prints are the actual impression (colour and texture) of each plant or flower (no paint added) and the CYANOTYPES (a historical light sensitive photographic process first invented in the 1840's, also known as sun printing)
These pieces are still up for sale. They range in size from 5 by 7 to 8 by 10 and range in cost from $25-$35. The final photo is a flag book featuring 7 different petite fleurs in pots, 7 eco prints with two original cyanotypes covers. Her dimentions are 8x4 ( $80) There is one of each listing.
Shipping is $3 for each item, pick up possible also. Payment venmo/paypal preferred.
Hope you like them!
Dear T
I’m writing to let you know that I give thanks everyday for last fall’s Botanical Studio Art Class @ Blazing Star. I adored the class and even more than the class I adore what it has sprouted in my life.
Please know that lessons and inspiration from you (and my Botanical Studio Art classmates) continue to sink in, steep, and nurture my joyful play with plants and art. Above are a few photos showing my latest experiments/creations. They are destined for a special gratitude project I’m pulling together for the Hawlemont School where I’m now serving on school committee.
My project is almost complete and is made up in large part of an eco-print which uses flowers from the schoolyard plus a cyanotype image of school (I took a photo and turned it into a film negative first). When finished, these elements will be assembled into a thank you flag book and sent to an anonymous and generous donor to the school.
For me this note is like an open-faced and stacked gratitude sandwich– the first layer is my receiving and appreciating the blessings of being in a world full of beautiful plants and sunshine, next there’s the gift of info, skills, and inspiration I received from you and your class, and then topping it all off is my thanks for gifts which have come from the wider community including Hawlemont’s generous donor, Blazing Star classmates, and everything and everyone else who has bestowed so much joy, light and fun in my world.
Love, Anne
,
A rare offering:
I have long loved marigolds. Anyone who has entered my home knows this! It has been amazing to learn how Marigolds are used in rituals around the globe, introduced to the world by the Aztecs and Indigenous MesoAmerican cultures and commonly seen in Hindu, Buddhist rituals. Marigolds were often linked to the powerful and strength of the sun and also represent the light that lives inside of a person and the creativity that the sun’s rays can activate.
I find them to be urgent Spiritual medicine for our times (and great for botanical art also but that is another post) I love to string them and surround myself in the energetic imprint and energy of the Marigold and feel that they have aided me in finding my creativity in the past few years.
On a more somber note I have also been part of and organized several end of life ceremonies for friends featuring this plant ally front and center! Marigolds really support us as we come to terms of the physical death of loved ones, help us stay connected with their spirits as they become ancestors. They don’t get rid of the grief (grief is not meant to be gotten rid of) more so I find that they help you experience the grief in a healing embodied way. Marigolds can also aid you honoring endings (habits/patterns/relationships) which no longer serve you.
In an almost contradictory way Marigolds can aid you in connecting with joy and help you feel the warm of the rising sun, They are a strong ally as you manifest joy, abundance, beauty and happiness in your daily life. They help you see the light but also remind you that without darkness they would be no light, without grief no joy. We have to learn to hold both.
In my experience Marigolds also support us navigate radical change! You do the work and Marigolds will support you. I have been making and using a triple Marigold Elixir now for a few years and finally feel ready to share some. This Marigold Elixir is made from 3 types of Marigolds and 3 different methods of extraction (a traditional elixir, a flower essence and hydrosol) It does contain a small amount of brandi to help preserve…..
I only make a couple of small batches each season and am taking pre-orders only! Shipping or pick up will be a month from now (July 24th)…If you would like to order some. $20 includes the 1oz product, instruction sheet, and if shipping necessary please add $5 postage Dosage is between 1-3 drops per day. DM/venmo me if you are interested and I will add you to the list.
Amounts are super limited.
I am especially excited to have this first opening at the Common Folk Artist Collective as so many of my past apprentices are members and connected with the space. It feels like such a great extension of community! I hope to see so many of you at the opening in August!
_______________________________________________________________
Local Wonder: An Ode To Rachel Carson
Common Folk Artist Collective, North Adams MA will be featuring “Local Wonder: An Ode To Rachel Carson” by Artist/Herbalist tony(a) lemos of Conway MA.
The exhibition opens on Friday, August 5th, 2022 and runs through September 2nd. There will be an opening reception on Saturday August 5th from 6pm - 8pm. All are welcome.
Local Wonder: An Ode To Rachel Carson
A lifelong artist and well known herbalist, tony(a) lemos has created a body of work that is designed to encourage a conversation between humans and nature. This marriage of art and creativity with tony(a)’ deep knowledge of plant medicine and healing furthers her vision of connecting people to Place and Earth and the use of art as a healing modality. “All my artwork is sourced and channeled from the natural world and in that sense, each piece is a gift from Nature”.
The exhibition contains tony(a)’ original nature-inspired works honoring Rachel Carson’s place as a visionary, and leader of the environmental movement and her understanding that human health is dependent on the interconnectedness of humans and nature.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
tony(a) lemos is the Director of Blazing Star Herbal School currently located in Conway, Massachusetts. Blazing Star offers programs in Western Herbalism, with more than two decades of Apprenticeships at Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Levels, and programs in Botanical Art and Alternative photography methods.
She can be reached at https://linktr.ee/TonyaLemosArts
Musings by everyones fairy godmother (Lisa Bassi) And the Winner Is….
Sometimes you learn things in the unlikeliest places. In this case, one day in the Vermont woods taught me a lesson that has since informed my views on everything from politics to pedagogy. There is so much stress being created by the belief that states of reality are mutually exclusive. People are being misled because they are being told they need to sign on and sign up or forfeit the moral high ground. We are hearing that winning is important, which then creates a simple dualistic idea that there are winners and losers when in fact, almost everything is simply part of a continuum.
The more I examine what I believe, the more I find it is necessary to be able to concurrently hold multiple perspectives.
Here is a story from my Seeing with the Heart training. We were sent out onto the land to observe what was happening with the forest. The season was winter. I wandered through the forest and down to the brook. I listened. I watched. I dug under the snow and broke the ice on the surface of the water. And here is what I found. While the majority of the land was experiencing winter, all the seasons were present. Plants were putting down roots and putting forth leaves under the snow. Some were bearing or holding onto fruit or seeds so there was harvest possible. The brook was both frozen and running merrily along. Some things were fading and some were in the process of dying. So while the time of year and the generally agreed upon season was ‘Winter’, this season contained all seasons. So yes, we call the season Winter and we generally agree on this but the truth is more nuanced. It is Winter. For some plants, it is autumn, for some spring and for a select few it is summer. Like the fairy tale where strawberries ripen in the snow, some of us will see this and some will not.
Related to this idea, I have a simple technique I have found useful lately. I change my “buts” to “ands”. Try it for a few days. Every time you find yourself tempted to add a “but”, say “and” instead. See how this shapes your thoughts. For me, it brings a certain expansiveness. It softens judgement and creates opportunities for simply being present with messy reality. Mostly, it reminds me to stay open to questions and variations.
In these divided times, we are often misled by asking the wrong question or being challenged to respond to a question that is poorly formulated. Recently, I had someone ask me about Critical Race Theory and whether I thought it should be taught. They wanted a yes or a no. Here is my answer. I believe children should be taught how to think, how to research, evaluate sources and formulate an opinion. I don’t believe they should be taught what to think. I think they should be taught how to think. I think we should focus less on formal history and more on stories. History is cold, static. We can separate ourselves easily from history. But stories are intimate, shared experiences. There is a man in our town who visits the schools every year. He is a Holocaust survivor. He brings that moment in history into the present in the most personal way through his story.
So I don’t care about the label, but I believe we should be teaching our children to hold multiple perspectives. Yes, our system of law is a wonderful system but it is created by and presided over by humans. So while the laws may be just, injustices still occur. And while people still fight to get into our country because of the advantages of living here, many people do not get to fully partake of these advantages because they are perceived by some as “ different” and somehow less than others.
I believe if we are to end racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and all the isms and biases that debase and disenfranchise others, we need to be able to see how the system perpetuates these things AND know that we personally did not create these systems AND understand how we personally may benefit from or be harmed by the current state of affairs.
We have to make an effort to see what is truly present or maybe it’s better to say we need to make an effort to see all the things that are present. We have to ask the right questions. We have to resist answering questions only meant to further divisions and reformulate them to create understanding. We have to trust our world view AND be open to changing it. We have to tell our stories and listen to and believe the stories of those who have experiences that are different than our experiences. So, who wants to tell me their story?
(repost from Lisa's blog Roads and Ways)
CLASSIFIEDS:
****** All past apprentices are welcome to send in related classified ads. We love to grow our community*****
Final thoughts!
Like for so many others the news and recent state of the world has left me in a state of shock (yes, I knew it was coming, still it's impossible to prepare). My first instinct was to keep scrolling, read everyone else’s reactions, re- read the news. My plan had been to make some medicinal products but clearly my mindset was not in the space to make powerful medicine (got to practice what I preach, right!?) So I very intentionally walked away from my computer and out my front door to the garden.
At first there was busy work, greeting everyone, watering, weeding and then as I settled into the space releasing layers of angst, and the doom and feeling of foreboding dread which we know as an emotion which Red Flags (warnings that lead to a lack of heart coherence)
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” -Aristotle (384-322 BC)
As I was watering the bed with the Calendula, Ladys Mantle, Butterflyweed and Motherwort in the corner, my eyes kept landing on the Motherwort. We had just harvested her for tincture on Tuesday, still her energy was welcoming and reaching out towards me. I sat down on the path in front of her and begun practicing my favorite heart cohesion meditation, gradually my breath steadied, my gazed soften and I was able to hear her whisper "don't forget my essence"
“Use Motherwort Flower Essence when feeling an unresolved shock to the emotional heart”
Whatever the cause Motherwort is there for us when we are feeling detached, rageful, separated from source and joyless. When we are full of anxiety, fear, panic…Motherwort is here. An ally for the emotional upheaval of the reproductive system, in this case the collective upheaval of our reproductive systems. She is the plant ally which connected the energetic heart to the reproductive system. Her lion-hearted fiercely protective energy is here for us. Sit with her, wear a sprig around your neck, take a drop or two of tincture every morning (spiritual dose), make a motherwort bouquet, take a flower essence, make art, put a spring under your pillow…so many ways to benefit from her energy. And don’t forget to tend to her, express gratitude and see what you can do for her!
As I am 173 days into 365 days of art practice I chose to use ally’s as my inspiration for todays practice having been wanting to try some botanical art monoprints for a while using my etching press.
Thanks for reading!
See you all next time
xoxo Tony(a)