November usually marks the time when everyone on Social Media starts sharing their daily gratitude. Some make it through the month, some don’t. I don’t. As much as I am all for expressing gratitude, this doesn’t work for me. I do not get invested enough. I do not feel the benefits, at all.

What I do feel though is the overwhelm of meeting everyone’s expectations as the holiday season arrives. Friends post essays of thankfulness as their Facebook status. Then they post their shopping. How beautiful their pumpkin collection on the porch is. How many presents they were able to fit into the room. I’m sure you get it. To-do lists and to-get lists get longer, days get shorter, tempers get shorter while coffee is the only thing that keeps me afloat…

A few years back I had an idea of combining my drawing attempts with a journal format. 

 This is how I started my first ever gratitude art journal. This was when I felt tremendous relief from stress and overwhelm. Then I invited a couple of people to join me and that’s how Gratia Partum was born.

Gratia Partum is Latin for Creative Grace. In this community we support each other’s intention to have a consistent gratitude practice through art. We share, support and encourage each other to use our creative spark daily. To focus on the things we can be grateful for, allow ourselves to grow and learn.

Consistent practice of gratitude, through art in particular,  has proved to improve people’s lives in so many areas! 

Jilda says,

“The gratitude art challenge gave me a whole new outlook at art expression. Joining up with a group of like-minded people really opened up my mind to being grateful for simple things and art.”

Tammy says,

“Experiencing the intricacies and depth of gratitude since joining the group has been incredible. I have such gratitude for gaining assurance in myself (with nearly no art experience) to fully participate in a group with no fear of judgment, but rather with acceptance and encouragement.”

Other members of the group share improvements in:

• Stress relief
• Improved mental health
• Peace found in every day
• Deeper and more relaxed breathing
• Inner calm
• So much needed me time
• Have more mental energy
• Understanding and dealing with overwhelm

Sadly, self care often gets pushed to the back burner. It seems easy to start, but hard to stay consistent. Lack of accountability and support of the community  allows us to fall through way too easy and way too soon. This is especially true when it comes to our mental self-care and growth. It is something that can ALWAYS be done later. Or can it?

Here is what other members of the group say:

Lee Ann:

“I felt that sometimes life gets overwhelming and doing the Gratitude challenge in the next class made me feel that even though life gets hard the times get tough you can always look in your heart and find people still have gratitude and good thoughts and almost everything.”

Nancy:

“Such a wonderful learning experience.

At 70 years young, I am learning more than I ever imagined. Different kinds of media art. Finally learning to draw. Finally, keeping an art journal (gratitude) is the most amazing thing.

Enjoying like minded people. And learning types of paint and ways to use them. The opportunity to grow here is endless. So so grateful.”

In the Gratia Partum community I will be teaching and supporting you every step of the way. I will share cute bite size tutorials you can apply in your journaling right away as well as I will share my own private gratitude journal to help you get inspired and get out of the fun of a “blank page scare.” – I get those too! 

We will share a gratitude art journaling session twice a week. Those sessions will be broadcasted Live into the Facebook group and will be available for replay. Those sessions usually spark deep conversations which is why they will not be shared anywhere else outside the private Facebook group.

Read what Katherine said:

“Life seems overwhelming at times but channeling my art through a journal has helped bring me closer to understanding why I have felt overwhelmed. Art is love to know and love yourself.”

And Diane,

“I LOVE these sessions! I’ve found and embraced art/creativity as the missing link in journaling about grief. Thank you Luba!”

I am so grateful to have created this community where everyone is welcome and everyone can find what they seek.

Sherri Lynn says,

“Art Therapy is a method of rehabilitation since I had major brain surgery in 2021. I’ve been working on Art with Luba doing pieces (although I tend to be very slow) since later the same year. When I saw the Art Gratitude Challenge come up I thought it would be another great avenue for my rehabilitation. What I’ve found though is it’s therapeutic. A safe space to share my art and my journey. An avenue to explore other mediums and see how I do with them. For me it’s more than a challenge…it has become a part of my life.”

Gratia Partum Community is open for the 2022 session! Starting August 25 we will spend 3 months immersing ourselves into the art of gratitude and creative grace. In this three months program you will learn how to keep an art journal, get exposed to multiple mix media techniques, become a part of a like minded community and, most of all, create a habitual practice of gratitude. And when Thanksgiving and Christmas arrive, we’ll be ready!

To join the community, click here…