Friday, February 19, 2021

Finito Friday

#Finito Friday - our Red Thread community takes time to share Ta-das and finished projects! 

A big one is celebrating the graduation of extension or Muse Time students from their Color of Woman teacher training! So proud of these gals for their dedication and wonderful peer support - Congratulations! 

Color of Woman graduates
One of the final alignments is teaching a longer painting class - traditionally two days when offered in person. At the beginning of February, Heather Jackson and Rowan collaborated to offer "Queen of Your Heart" to an online group which included several of their sister students. I joined them for a potent day of painting and inquiry. 
We accomplished a lot in 6.5 hours! I love Heather's Zentangle "Diva Dance" rose, which overlaid the spiral is done in her throat -vortex of the empowered voice ....
"From deep in the sea, and long ago/in the future.  Song under the stars and drink deep from wisdom's well 
"Sing with the ancestors
"Swim with dolphins, and meet octopus in the nest of your open heart."

Sea Rose - We-co'ma Kloshe tip-so 
(Chinook jargon)

Awaken in the
Mystery - hear her calling?
Her voice, her presence

Sacred breath beckons 
Treasure so vital, precious
Queen of deep water.

She's rather fierce! I look forward to future offerings from these sisters - we've built a sweet international community, and plan to continue meeting to share inspiration and creative offerings.

I've been enjoying experiments with Oil Pastels, after seeing some lovely ones on Instagram. Checking on YouTube, I discovered shine fun ones tutorials with Black Bean, and playing with his "scritchy scritchy" mark making! (Using Dollar store screwdrivers!) 

 
Eye studies
Face in oil pastels
My sets are all inexpensive ones I've had for awhile or been gifted ... 
Thinking of investing in some higher quality crayons, Neocolor and Sennelier are some of those suggested  ...
Update - I got the set of 24 creamy Sennelier oil pastels ....
Face in Sennelier oil pastels

This article gives an overview of the suggested brands and qualities. I used my harder oil pastels for the details.

Happy Paint Party Friday - what mediums or tools are you exploring?

Friday, February 5, 2021

Creative Path

"This is where the door is opening, will you peek through?  

"The most regretful people on Earth are those who felt the call of creative work, who felt their own creative power restive & uprising, & gave it neither power nor time." 
- Mary Oliver -

My friend Brenda posted this quote several years ago, & went on to write "Sums up my feelings after lots of soul searching earlier this year & the realization that my one regret is that I never went to art school. I looked at schools & prices, and none of it really resonated in my soul. Then I started looking at teachers I admire, classes that inspire, souls I love. ... 
"I realized the classes I love the most are the ones that are intuitive, access the soul, invite inner listening, etc." 

My friend Jeanette wrote "We are all Creative Beings. This is our birthright, regardless of our circumstances, talents or beliefs. The invitation is to discover how your creative gifts will be used to create a reality that is worthy of your Soul's incarnation."  

In 2015, I enrolled in Shiloh Sophia's Color of Woman teacher training, a potent 9 month course that empowered my creativity, and converged with my own healing arts and teaching pathway.

was the kid who drew in the borders of programs, and drooled over paint by number kits, and got blank canvases to use the leftover paint. In grade school, I was asked to draw a camel for some Christmas art project. Later, was frustrated in my HS art class during our pottery unit - in 50 minutes, my clay was usually too dry, or too wet! I took a few classes art both in college, and later at our local Community College, and doodle sketched in meetings ....

Since graduating from Color of Woman, as a Teacher and Coach, I've opened the door to creativity for many others, shine wounded by college art trainings; encourage others as they complete the IC training, and as they begin sharing their own offerings. 

I love collaborations with SiStars from our local community, including our bimonthly Red Thread Circles with Linda, and with our international SiStars. 
Wherever you are, there's likely an Intentional Creativity® or other intuitive art teacher near you, or available online.
 
Sedna - stone Cairn
As we head into 2021, many of us are committing to daily practices, whether on paper or canvas. Most days I with in my journal or on cards. Last spring, I began exploring the NW Inuit Legend of Sedna, in a painting journey with my Austrian SiStar Tania McGinnis, and am stepping through that portal again.

While some in our broader community are moving into a degree program, others of us are on an independent Soul Curriculum path, focusing on both our own offerings, and as Brenda said, exploring classes which pique our curiosity, and are "intuitive, access the soul, and invite inner listening;" and like Jeanette, "discovering how our creative gifts will be used to create a reality that is worthy of your Soul's incarnation."
  
Have you opened the door to your own creativpath; will you step through the portal?   

Happy Paint Party Friday!