A TEN-MONTH CREATIVE JOURNEY
Creative Strength
Training 2026
An online community exploring art, archetypes and the feminine imagination.
We begin March 1, 2026! Early bird pricing on now!
Explore the Creatrix* within through storytelling, art-making, and The Heroine's Journey.
This Year's Theme: A Sense of Place
In 2026, we explore the archetypes of place—the symbolic landscapes that shape the feminine imagination. Through monthly essays, art prompts, and written storytelling, we'll journey through the womb, the cave, the sea, the forest and more.
Each month invites you to create a small piece of art or written story exploring these sacred spaces, shared together at our final gathering of each month.
Storytelling through art and writing
The Heroine's Journey as framework
The creatrix is the Latin feminine for creator. The creatrix is the feminine embodiment of creative power—the woman as creator, maker, and bringer-forth of new things into the world.
What Awaits Each Month
Conversation
Creatrix Interviews
Intimate conversations with women artists I admire, exploring their creative process and inner wisdom.
Practice
Art Focus
Invitation to create a small piece or written story exploring that month's archetypal place—shared at our art gathering each month.
Community
Member Spotlight
Each month we shine a light on a member's journey, celebrating the diverse paths of creative practice within our circle.
Inspiration
Monthly Live Gatherings
Come together to share your place-inspired creations, discuss chakras, archetypes and the creative process.
Exhibition
Three Annual Shows
Three opportunities to exhibit your work: a “Getting to Know You” exhibition, a "Sense of Place" themed show and an archetype-focused collection.
Wisdom
Archetype Profiles
Symbolic explorations of archetypes, weaving mythology, psychology, and creative interpretation.
The Foundation
Ongoing Nourishment
Written Wisdom
Essay on an Archetype
Deep dives into the archetypes that guide our creative lives
Chakras & Archetypes
Exploring the energetic body through an archetypal lens
Writing Cross-Training
Strengthen your creative practice through the written word
Community Rhythm
Creative Eye
Curated images of archetypal places to spark your imagination—visual seeds for your art and storytelling
The Heroine's Journey
A year-long arc following the feminine path of transformation
Archetype Exploration
Continue deepening your relationship with your chosen guides
Studying archetypes imparts new energy to my work and set me in a new more dynamic direction.
More than that, it propels my writing, invites self reflection, helps me understand what makes me tick and why.
Adriana “Gigi” M.
My involvement with CST has made my life so much richer.
Joining this supportive group has bolstered my confidence and led me to discover new personal insights.
Janis U.
What do YOU need this year?
Greater confidence in what you make?
Knowing there are others who will cheer you on, even when you are feeling that maybe you are in the wrong place and your ideas are bigger than you are?
A safe haven, where the conversation is meaningful, upbeat, and positive?
Project ideas and tutorials to get your creative juices flowing?
A challenge to go deeper and find out how GOOD YOU REALLY ARE?
Find Your Place
Join a community of women artists exploring the landscapes within. Your creative journey awaits.
Creative Strength Training 2026 runs March 1 - December 31st, 2026
Burning Bowl — Live and on Zoom
December 31st, 2025 || 2-3pm Central
A time to cast off the issues of the past year and open healthy space for new ideas and experiences. Bring a piece of paper and pen or pencil.
White Stone Ceremony — Live and on Zoom
January 6, 2026 || 2-3pm Central
This is an opportunity to choose a word that will serve as a guide in the next year! What word reflects your desires for 2026? To prepare, find a smooth stone you can write on, and bring a pencil or marker. I will lead a short meditation and then it will be optional to share the word you wrote.
This will serve as a symbolic time to sit deeply with yourself, honor your creativity, and intentionally make space for creativity in your life this year.
In Reverie Retreat
February 7-8, 2026 || 10-4pm Central each day
A virtual retreat and weekend filled with creative inspiration, guest speakers, and more!
Full schedule to be announced early January. Browse the 2025 retreat here.
Complete access to the 2025 recordings included in 2026 CST membership!
Join early and attend these events free.
Early Bird Pricing
Now Through January 15th!
One-Time Annual Payment of $475 (Save $75)
or
Four Payments of $137.50 (Total $550)
About Me
These are my core beliefs:
Creativity is not only available to creatives. It is a human and innate ability.
Creativity is an essential tool that makes navigating the modern world more rewarding and fun.
Community is an important component of creative living.
You’re worth it. You deserve to be here.
Jane Dunnewold teaches and lectures internationally, and has mounted numerous solo exhibitions, including Inspired by the Masters (National Quilt Museum (2020) & Texas Quilt Museum (2018). Her archives were recently acquired by the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Her work won Best of Show in the exhibition Timeless Meditations (Tubac Art Center/2013). She is a recipient of the Quilt Japan Prize, and Gold Prize at the Taegue (Korea) International Textile Exhibition. In 2019 she was named Artist of the Year by the San Antonio Art League.
Dunnewold has authored numerous books, including the classic Complex Cloth (1996) and Art Cloth: A Guide to Surface Design on Fabric (2010.) In 2016 North Light Books published Creative Strength Training: Prompts, Exercises and Stories to Inspire Artistic Genius. Her recently self-published books, Best of Both Worlds: Enhanced Botanical Printing, and Improvisational Screen Printing are both available world-wide on amazon.com.
She is a former President of the Surface Design Association and currently facilitates a ten month Creative Strength Training community online.
Your Questions, Answered
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Live meetings are:
Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 2-3 pm Central
Every 3rd Wednesday from 7-8pm Central
“Getting Art Done” virtual working sessions are Thursdays 8:30-10am Central
All events are recorded and shared within 24 hours of live meeting.
Topical groups each decide meeting time and frequency based on the members time zones and availability.
Special events like openings for the catalogues and exhibitions are announced in advance, but always around that same time, as we are mindful of what time it is in the UK and Europe and also in New Zealand and AU.
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Archetypes are universally recognized symbols of human behavior found in every form of storytelling across different times and cultures. The use of archetypes to explain behavior was introduced by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, and has been expanded by other theorists, including Caroline Myss.
Archetypes offer a rich symbolic language through which we can define, refine, and understand life experiences.
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We are a community of introverts, extroverts and everything in between. You will never be “called on” or asked to present work without first volunteering. We honor and respect boundaries of all members and welcome you to join a meeting to simply sit back to observe!
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After you sign up, you'll receive an email order confirmation and a separate Welcome Note with more information about the CST community.
If you do not get this email within 24 hours, check your spam folder and then email Zenna at zenna@janedunnewold.com.
CST is hosted on Circle. Your Welcome email will include a link to create your Circle account.
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What I first envisioned as a ten-week online workshop evolved into an on-going membership because it was clear that in order to establish new creative habits, it takes time.
There are no assignments, there are only tutorials, essays and videos and members choose what they want to focus on. You may read/watch everything, but there is no obligation to do so. We offer a range of ideas and activities because a living, thriving community like the one we foster is all about choice and figuring out preferences, because those are at the heart of who we are as creative beings.
Everyone’s life has lots of moving parts and some times people have more (or less) time than at other times and it’s all ok.
It’s fun, and wonderful to be part of a community of like-minded people who are open to discussion and actively resist judging others. That’s who we are, and that’s what enriches lives so much members return year after year.
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Although the majority of CST members work with textiles, we have people interested in all kinds of creating and that’s part of the point. CST is grounded in strengthening creativity, no matter what medium you work in. The focus is on how to bring our creative selves into every aspect of daily living. Also, we talk about general art concepts more than we talk about specific mediums. For instance, in the past we have discussed composition in general terms and strategies for working in a series.
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By intentionally practicing creativity, we learn to analyze clearly, think deeply, and animate the part of ourselves that wants to have more fun—and become our most authentic selves in the process.
This practice should be available to anyone who seeks it out. With that in mind, we offer scholarships to those with limited budgets and a deep commitment to personal growth through creativity.
Request a scholarship here.
Know Thyself — What are Archetypes?
Archetypes aren’t angels or beings. Rather an archetype is a distinctive symbolic pattern, and it can be expressed positively in your life, or negatively. When we recognize an archetypal pattern in ourselves, then we can notice whether we’ve put a positive or negative spin on it:
Am I a Gambler who runs great risks to the point of compromising my life?
Or am I a Gambler who hedges a bet and engages with life from a winning perspective, knowing where to draw the line on wins or losses without sacrificing self?
Archetypes inspire projects and can also unravel the blocks that shut down active creating.
Aligning with your archetypal team means you are never alone. The uninitiated may scoff and refer to archetypes as your twelve imaginary friends, but once archetypes are understood symbolically you will value this approach to creativity, and wish everyone could speak the language!
An IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
We believe in creating a space that is rooted in fairness, empathy, respect and mutual support, embracing people of all genders, races, and backgrounds.
While we are not a politics-centered community, we recognize that art and life are intertwined, and we cannot ignore the impact of policies on our lives and creative journeys.
We stand grounded in the belief of resisting policies that threaten our values and the well-being of our community. Together, we support each other in fostering a community that is as resilient as it is inclusive, where creativity becomes a force for personal growth, solidarity, and positive change.
CST is more than just a place to create—it’s a space to connect, to grow, and to explore the ways our creativity intersects with our world. Here, we support each other in all aspects of life, standing in solidarity to build a community that honors the richness of diversity, shared values, and collective strength.
In this unique community, you’ll find artists, teachers, writers, designers, caregivers, and creators from all professions and life paths. Some members are full-time artists, while others may be nurses, engineers, or parents who simply want to bring creativity into their daily lives.
Whether art is your career, your passion, or a fresh adventure, CST offers a nurturing environment where everyone can learn, connect, and grow
STILL UNDECIDED?
READ OUR Our Risk-Free Guarantee
We’re confident that Creative Strength Training will help you build your creative resilience, find inspiration, and connect with a supportive community. However, we understand that investing in yourself and your art can feel like a big step. That’s why we offer a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
If you join CST and feel that it’s not the right fit for you, simply let us know within 30 days of your membership, and we’ll refund your payment—no questions asked.
We want you to feel fully supported in your creative journey, knowing that your investment is safe. Join us today, risk-free, and see how CST can transform your creative practice!
