Liberate Your Creativity: The 30-Day Art & Zen Challenge, Online 2/13–3/14

Practice Center
Date / Time
Feb 13, 2026 / 12:00pm - Mar 14, 2026 / 2:00pm
Event Type
Classes & Extended Courses
Description

The Zoom link to participate in this event will be provided at least 24 hours before it begins. Please call 415-354-0360 if you have any questions.


5 classes: February 13, 20, and 27; March 6 and 14, 12–2 pm PT

Liberate your creativity in just 12 minutes a day with a 30-Day Art & Meditation Challenge to build a creative practice that sticks.

One of the best online programs I’ve ever attended. My creativity and confidence have blossomed.
— Participant, 2024 Cohort

Why is it so hard to stay creative?
You know that making art brings you joy — but somehow, days slip by.
You plan to paint, write, or play, but by evening you’re drained or doubting yourself.
Here’s the truth:
It’s not about discipline.
It’s about having the right structure, support, and inspiration to make creativity flow naturally — without pressure or guilt.

Imagine if art felt light, joyful, and completely doable.

For 30 days, you’ll give just 12 minutes a day to your creative life.

That small container changes everything.

The 12-minute-a-day structure broke the myth that I need big blocks of time to make art.
— 2024 Participant

I didn’t think 12 minutes would work for me—but it did, beautifully.
—2025 Participant

You’ll learn how to bring mindfulness into your creative flow — where presence replaces perfectionism and curiosity dissolves creative blocks.

What You’ll Experience

  • A consistent, joyful creative rhythm
  • Renewed confidence in your artistic voice
  • A calm, grounded connection between art and meditation
  • The support of a heart-centered creative community
  • A daily practice that can transform your whole life

Beginning my painting with meditation brought a sense of healing and purpose. The 12-minute practice even leaked into reading, piano, and washing dishes!
—2025 Participant

How It Works

Daily Creative Practice — 12 Minutes a Day
Show up for your art, even on busy days. Build momentum with micro-moments of creation that dissolve resistance and perfectionism.

Weekly Live Sessions — Art & Zen in Action
Gather with Suiko for guided mark-making, writing, and meditation-infused creative exercises. She'll provide tips, mindset shifts, and answers to your questions; there will also be time for connection with others in the community. We will meet a total of five times: on four Fridays, with the fifth and final class meeting on Day 30 of our challenge (a Saturday).

The Sangha pods helped me feel part of something beautiful — even on Zoom.

Friday, February 13
Friday, February 20
Friday, February 27
Friday, March 6
Saturday, March 14

The Artmonk Practice — Meditation Meets Creativity
Suiko’s signature blend of mindfulness and art-making help you enter flow, presence, and play.

Community Support
Connect with a warm, encouraging circle of artists who share your journey.

Bonus Workshop — Design Your Ideal Creative Practice (Included)
February 10, 12-1:30 pm Pacific
Start the challenge by shaping a practice that fits your real life — no burnout required.

Meet Your Guide — Suiko McCall
Artist, lay-ordained Zen practitioner, and founder of the Art Monastery, Suiko has spent decades exploring the intersection of creativity and awakening.
Despite an Ivy League art education and international exhibitions, she once struggled to make art consistently.

Through years of experimentation, she discovered how a short, joyful daily practice could unlock bottomless inspiration — and now she helps others do the same.

What Participants Are Saying

Suiko’s teachings were clear, open, and trustworthy. Her enthusiasm and smile were infectious — in the best way.

I feel past my creative block. I’m in my studio again, and it feels amazing.

This class reminded me that carving out time for myself is not selfish — it’s sacred.

Suiko’s joyful presence made it all feel possible.

The sense of community continues to nourish me.

Materials 
There are no particular supplies you need for this course. We'll be engaging in improvisatory mark making and writing. You’re encouraged to use whatever you already have. That said, it can also be inspiring to acquire new supplies. Here’s what Suiko loves to use:

Free Resources
Suiko is offering three free gifts to support you in your creative practice, whether or not you sign up for this course!

  • Six Creativity Myths: Learn what's holding back your creative expression and what to do about it.
  • Meet Your Muse: Make direct contact with the source of your creativity in this 20-minute guided meditation / audio workshop.
  • Intuitive Markmaking: Experience art as a spiritual practice through Suiko's step-by-step approach in this 30-minute class video.
  • To download or stream them, please visit https://mailchi.mp/artmonastery/freebies.
Fee Information
  • Sustaining Level: $280
  • Member (Become an SFZC Member): $252
  • Sliding Scale 1: $168
  • Sliding Scale 2: $70
  • Current SFZC residents and qualified SFZC retirees may attend this course for free. To register, please email onlineprograms@sfzc.org at least 72 hours before the program begins.

Register Online

Or call 415-354-0360.

About SFZC Public Programs, Fees, and Cancellations