Donna Papenhausen

"I offer a process that I use as my daily practice. I call it a

"Spontaneous Word and Picture Collage." This process builds upon the "Spontaneous Word Poem Process" taught at Expressive Arts Florida Institute.  I collect words and phrases in one place and photos in another. Most all of the words are positive affirmations or open ended phrases. The images are ones that catch my eye or that represent archetypes. 

Each day, after pausing for a moment to focus and set an intention, I randomly select 3-5 images and arrange them on a page intuitively. Then I select a small "pinch" of words and phrases without looking and arrange them in ways that carry meaning for me. Then I glue them to the photo collage in appropriate places. I add connecting words so the words form thoughts. 

Nearly every day I receive surprising insights and or affirmation into life, work, relationships, or my creative path, from a deep place of Wisdom. Occasionally, when meaning eludes me, it surfaces by day's end or within a few days. And sometimes it is simply a pleasant pastime allowing me to stir my creative juices.

Donna Papenhausen lives in Sarasota and serves as Expressive Arts Pastor at St. Andrew United Church of Christ. She has recently opened Wind Horse Studio, a place to explore Art, Spirit and Healing at 5690 Derek Ave. in Sarasota where she offers lessons, workshops and individual consultations. The studio also serves as a gallery of her artwork including acrylic paintings, lampwork beads and jewelry and mosaics. Donna is a graduate of Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA where she majored in Art Education, Yale Divinity School and Expressive Arts Florida Institute Certificate Training Program.