Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026
Time: 1pm - 3:30pm + 1 hour of self-guided reflection/exploration
Age: 16+
Cost: $95 early bird (until May 15th); $125 regular.
All materials included.
Limited scholarships and work-study available. Reach out to learn more
Join us for a 2.5-hour immersive workshop to slow down, breathe deep, and explore the beauty and wisdom that blooms at the very edges of our beings.
As Spring transforms into Summer, our world spins ever faster with uncertainty and Shadows. Each new wave of news and technological advances raises questions that shake the very core of our identities as human beings. How do we hold ourselves and each other through the chaos, pain, and paradox of it all?
In this workshop, we will introduce the concept of the Jungian Shadow through a grounded, animist lens - not as something broken, but as a subterranean archive of potentiality, insight, and nourishment.
Through guided prompts, quiet reflection, and tender connection with the land, you will be invited on a journey to discover the wisdom and vitality buried within the secret reaches of your own inner landscape.
Using fresh flowers, foraged treasures, and other natural elements you will create a botanical face mask - an ephemeral expression of that which dances just out of reach, ready to bloom forth into the the Light of Summer. Each mask will be captured as a photographic portrait to anchor your transformation.
We will close with a community ritual of witnessing, cleansing, and integration followed by optional self-guided time for further reflection.
Our journey will unfold at the Verdancy Project - an artist oasis of 4 wooded acres just outside of Portland, Oregon. The Verdancy Project is rich with both wilderness and carefully tended gardens, hidden coves, a bubbling creek, and living art installations.
No prior art or movement experience necessary to attend. All materials provided.
Our aim is to make this work as accessible as possible to all who wish to be a part of it. If you are called to join us, but pricing is prohibitive for any reason, please reach out to inquire about work-study or scholarship accommodations.
THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF YOU ARE
Craving to slow down, ground, and remember the wonder of everyday things
Curious to gently and playfully dive into the Shadow Archetype
Excited to learn new approaches to mask-making and personal adornment
Drawn to the magic of working with plants, flowers, and other natural materials
Searching for an intentional container in which your body and your breath can unwind in community with others
WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE:
A conceptual framework for understanding and relating to the Shadow archetype
An introduction to local plants and ethical foraging practices
Everything you need to create your very own botanical Shadow Mask
A photographic portrait capturing your ephemeral Shadow Mask creation
Tools and rituals to integrate and anchor insights that emerge from your explorations
A facilitated space to ask questions, dialogue, create, and play in community with others
And much, much more
WHAT TO BRING
Journal and writing/drawing utensils
Something you can move in comfortably (we recommend layers for both cool and warm weather)
Sturdy comfortable shoes suitable for wooded/uneven terrain
Water bottle
Your favorite facial cleanser and moisturizer (if you have one)
A small clean towel
Anything else you may need to comfortably spend 3-4 hours outdoors (sunscreen, snacks, etc)
ABOUT SHADOW TENDER:
Shadow Tender is a creative project and a school of thought that invites you to dance with your demons through mask-making and creative expression. Unlike a traditional therapeutic or coaching environment, which encourages verbal exchange, the focus of Shadow Tender workshops is on creative play, embodied self-expression, and discovery.
Borne of many years of formal study, underground art experiments, old-growth wilderness, illness, healing, loss, grief, and joy, Shadow Tender is our path towards bone-deep knowledge that there are always ways to heal and remember, and that our inner monsters can hold the keys to our brightest light.
We believe that shadow work is a living process, a wild process, a dance - an unfolding of the self that has power to repair the very foundations of our beings. We believe that shadow work is a physical, social, creative act - stitch by stitch, gesture by gesture, story by story…embodied poetry carving a path to deeper connection through and beyond the self.
The Deep Bloom Workshop is part of our special 10-year anniversary programming designed to celebrate a decade of shadow tending, creativity, and collaboration.
In a world that continually seeks to lead us further and further away from ourselves and each other, it is our greatest honor to continue to share this work with you.
You can read more about the story of Shadow Tenderhere.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Natalya Kolosowsky is a bilingual artist, facilitator, and teacher of creative processes and the founder of the Shadow Tender project.
She was born in Siberia but grew up in the Sonoran desert, which created a life-long interest in bridging worlds that normally remain invisible to each other and navigating realities polarized by a history of antagonism and fear. Natalya’s teaching approach is informed by over three decades of experience in dance and somatic practices; two decades of yoga practice; and formal training in expressive arts and the psychology and neuroscience of trauma resilience.
Natalya holds a BS in Psychology and a BFA in Visual Communication from the University of Arizona, as well as a MFA in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon. She is also currently becoming a certified Buteyko breathwork instructor via Patrick McKeown’s Buteyko Clinic International in Ireland. Natalya’s work has been presented in universities, conferences, museums, and theaters around the world.
You can learn more by visiting natalyakolosowsky.com or follow her on Instagram @natalya_chaos.
Maria Thomas is multidisciplinary artist, martial arts instructor, and stunt woman based in Portland, Oregon.
Her passion for martial arts and dance, as well as her experiences with chronic illness, have fueled a fascination with the way we use our bodies to communicate, navigate, and integrate with our surroundings. Her current work uses creatures and characters from folklore and mythology to explore growth, decay, and transformation.
Maria has over 20 years of experience teaching diverse populations and is a 4th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do with over 25 years of experience in multiple martial arts. She has provided dance, stunts, and creature movement for live performance, television, and independent film projects. She currently manages the Tang Soo Do program at Aim High Martial Arts and teaches stage combat in local community theaters. Maria holds a BFA in Visual Communication from the University of Arizona.
You can follow her on Instagram @birdskullstudios