Theme

THE THEME OF THE UNDERWORLD

Alice’s curiosity draws her down into the rabbit hole where she encounters novelty as well as bizarre experiences – like growing big and shrinking or meeting a rabbit who is frantic about being late and a mad hatter who is forever stuck at 6 o’clock and who, in this endless space, is perpetually having nonsensical tea-parties! Her curiosity leads her to the next, with growing uncertainty of what will emerge.

We often find ourselves thrust into bewildering and unknown circumstances, even more so today since we live in a time of great uncertainty. When we learn to stay in this space with curiosity, then we increase our range of play to include new possibilities and each experience may serve to inform the next.

During the Spring Symposium, participants will have an opportunity, like Alice, to play in-between spaces of encounter and to increase their knowledge and understanding of the expressive arts practice by being immersed in the art-making process. Our conflicts and challenges in life also reflect the artist’s challenge to create within the conflicts that arise when faced with the limitations, restrictions and resistances of the artistic work. In this creative process lies an invitation to explore the creative power of the arts where other experiences may have a tendency to freeze and this transfer of knowledge can be instrumental in shaping our life experience. The group context also serves to deepen professional learning and personal growth.