Oracle and Ally - Legendary Journey and Glow

As Shiloh began teaching the process we've come to know as Intentional Creativity, one of the first steps has been a journey to reconnect with our Legendary Self in a several week class  that includes journaling, visioning and painting. As the prerequisite for the Color of Woman teacher training, over 120 women are in our virtual classroom this year. Nearly half of those will go on to join the teacher training in March.

From the first splashes of color and journal entries, the stories begin to flow and images emerge. Much of the legendary journey involves delving into the stories that shaped us, turning into the compost that will nourish our growth. And at times, sparks and speckles of white paint, dancing stars and biophotons...

Legend and Ally

Layers build, on the canvas, in the journals. Sketches, messages from the Oracle via our painting, glimpses of allies and receiving their messages ... 
We knock on the doorway, and seek admittance to the world of our Legendary Selvesi. My first Legend in 2015 was Snande'nea Star Gate, and was the largest canvas I'd worked on - yikes! 

Sherry, Nadya, Rema and Angie (with Sherry's Legend)

In 2018 we hosted an open studio during the Legendary online journey, gals from around the state who had been painting in their own studios loaded paint, brushes, and thrir big canvases in their cars to join us. Several crane with smaller paintings button in one of our classes. Three who brought their Legends are now teaching IC (Sherry and Angie) or Cosmic Smashbooking (Rema). I brought the legendary lady I'd begun the year before, with the class of 2017. 

Sherry at our fall class at MECA

After several layers (Golden Fluid acrylics, acrylic ink) journaling and sketching, this big dragon appeared in the patterns, is peeking through the portal ...

Legendary portal - 2020

Which then shifted again ...with a layer of milky white - sprayed and dripping - bringing in more light

Milky integration

And was finally ready for the forms to emerge

Sketch on canvas

Blocked in, time to listen

We are opening,
Connection, integration
In the unfolding

Oracle's wisdom
The dance of critic and Muse
Finding a balance

As we paint, we Try to preserve the Glow, the "steady radiance of light" a bit of the background, shining in one side of the defining lines... 

This bit of light reminds us that we are all "cooling sacks of stardust," and actually, we emit a bit of life-light, biophotons in the ultraviolet range! 
Though I did the original sketch in brown, I highlighted the outlines in white, bringing back some of that glow.
This is perhaps the first time the sisters are introduced to the concept of bringing the Glow into their paintings, it will thread through future canvases and classes, bringing more vitality and interest.
There are many layers still to come on our journey to meet our Legendary lady's Oracle and Allies. Who else will emerge, and what messages will they bring?

Do you receive messages from your paintings/ drawings? 

Happy Paint Party Friday and Rain's Garden Thursday Art Date - Glow

Colour Play - Mothercolour

How do you use and play with colour in your art? 

This year the Intentional Creativity Guild and CoW students are delving into color theory to bring more coherence to our work and teachings. After Shiloh began her art career, she started as an Art School drop out - frustrated with the rigid Rules and emphasis on creativity stifling critique - can you relate? 

I loved my HS art class, and was one of this kids who drew in the margins of her notes, sketched the neighbors' horses, and played with geometric patterns. I'd get a paint by number set, then use any left over paint on a canvas from the Dime Store. A couple of college art classes were followed by occasional occasional Community College or Art Guild classes, with color theory part of the mix.

The Color of Woman method has relied on a more intuitive use of colour, with the intermittent use of glazing for unification. This year, Guild members from several traditions are bringing in color theory and teachings on using Mothercolour in our paintings. Our first Mothercolour lesson came from Australian artist Jassy Watson

Mothercolour swatch

A Mothercolour is created by mixing several colours together (often 3), and then experimenting with adding different amounts to each of the pure colours. Thou see this in some of the paintings of the old masters. 
The glazing process we use, covering the canvas with a thin coat of a transparent color at least once, has a similar unifying effect. The recommendation to have several colours on our palette, and dip the brush into ones we wish to use together, rather than thoroughly mixing them before painting, also contributes. A tip from Shiloh's teacher Sue Hoya Sellers was to add a new colour in at least three spots around the canvas.

Mothercolour swatch #2

I was reminded of a quilt show in the 80s - one group chose a fabric for each woman to use in her square, and set the squares with strips that harmonized. The colors were more cohesive and pleasing than the random sampler block quilts from other groups.

Jassy studied color with the Australian Flying Artist, Merv Moriarty, who learned to fly so he could take art classes to romote areas around AU! Now in his 80s, Moriarty is still passionate about color, art and education! Both Watson and Moriarty are influenced by the Australian landscape.

Among the Tree Sprites 10-19

In the online Treesister class last fall, Jassy encouraged us to look to our surroundings for shapes and our colour palette, and limit the colours we used. In the first class I took from Jassy, painting Gaia in 2014, she also invited looking to our environment for inspiration. The leaves were from the Rowan yes in my yard, and the amethyst colors from a crystal in my collection.

Mama Gaia - 2014

This video from local artist Flora Bowley offers another way to explore colour and contrast with the paints in your collection. This is a good time to pull out some of those rarely used, and experiment! 

What are some of your favorite exercises for exploring colours? Do you have ways you bring unity throughout the piece or a series?
Share in the comments below - and HåPpÝ Paint Party Friday!

Guild Gathering

In 2018, our teacher Shiloh Sophia revived the medieval practice of gathering those who have developed proficiency in an art or trade into a Guild of Journeywomen. Our preparation includes the year long Color of Woman teacher training and competing our Thesis - an Initiate Book summarizing the assignments and offerings we've given. There are now over 250 graduate Guild Members worldwide. Check our directory for someone near you! 

Sepha, Nadya and Shiloh, 2016

Nearly 20 Guild Gals currently live in Oregon and Southern Washington, and several of us met for the first time in classes, at graduation, during travels, or an in-person gathering. It had been several years since we had a local gathering, so in November I invited the local gals to a Gathering at the studio in MECA gallery. We set it for the afternoon, and Jan from Southern Washington, 3 hours away, choose to stay overnight! 

Sharing Purple thread with Sepha and Janet

While we do Red Thread circles when gathering with students and beloveds in our broader community, when meeting with other Guild members, we use a Purple Thread of Leadership. I've shared purple thread with several SiStars as they traveled through Oregon, weaning strands of connection. It's always a delight when we gather, and this was no exception! 

Olivia, Sepha, Uma, Nadya, Jan  - Nov 19

We shared chocolate and tea, warmth and SiStarhood. Our Muses must have consulted - our colors were delightfully coordinated! We passed the thread, and shared highlights from our year, and dreams for the future. 
We planned to share a Metacognative drawing practice (Uma is taking the Motherboard training), but after our check-in round we just kept talking!  And talking - laughing, commiserating, and finally said our fond goodbyes, with a stronger connection and sisterhood.

We've made plans to meet again quarterly, likely in Portland or Olympia. Each time we're together, in person or virtually, the connections strengthen - we're just a thread away ...

Purple Thread cuff

I used the purple yarn from this and other circles with my Guild SiStars to crochet this little cuff bracelet. It's both decorative and a wonderful reminder I can just give a tug, and the support and love from my sisters is on the other end!