Creating with Intention

 We are often asked, "What is intentional creativity?"

The simple answer is, any creativity that begins with a purpose! Time out of mind, people have combined setting an intention with creative process. Knitting a sweater for someone? We think of how we want them to be cozy and warm! Cooking a meal? We intend that those eating our food will be nourished.

Flowers in paint water

Our friend and fellow Intentional Creativity® teacher, the Bejeweled Baroness Elizabeth Gibbons writes, "By creating with intention, we create a cosmic portal, a quantum field where we can explore our potential and possibilities. We shine the divine light of our higher self into the darkness of our shadow self. We are able to heal and integrate all aspects of our psyche and to access a miracle field, the space between the thoughts where our divine spark lives."

When asked if they are creative, 95% of young children say 'YES!' ... by middle school, that's dropped to about half, and by late teens, only about 5% see themselves as creative! What changes? 

Often, that thought begins with a thoughtless comment, criticism, or a comparison with someone more 'talented.' Unfortunately, that comment is often made by an "expert," a teacher or a "more talented" friend. In reality, Creativity is the birthright of all humans! 

With Intentional Creativity, the process is more valued than the 'product,' though chances are you - yes YOU - can create something that brings you and those around you pleasure and joy, and looks good to boot! And like any other 'muscle,' the more we create, the more skillful we become.  

Intentional Creativity *Metacognative exercise: 

1) Take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself a question, perhaps 'What am I passionate about?' - 'What upsets me?' - What brings me joy?'  Take a marker or pen, use a piece of paper, a simple composition book, or fancier art journal; place the tip of your marker on the paper and doode for a minute or so, just letting the line flow. (You can use your non-dominant hand if you wish.) 

Doodle, non-dominant hand

2) Then begin writing, inviting insights from your quick doodle. Write what comes to mind. Did new awareness arise? Write for about minute or two. 

3) Now, move to another page, choose a pleasing color, and sketch a symbol and wrote some of the words around it. Draw a line (a kind of ripple around your symbol and words) more words, and another ripple. 

Symbol and word ripples

In this case, the layers were

• What becomes possible when I bring more scared space into my life?
• What form does it take?
• What needs to be released/added in my physical space?

Musea Atelier - step 4 sketch

4) Do a simple sketch, bringing form to your insight - here, we sketched our muse holding the visionary screen depicting our sacred space (my Atelier studio) 

We can jot down a couple of action steps that will help us bring our vision into reality, and choose one or two we can do in a day or two. I often put these on little cards in my Vision Planning pockets.

Visual Planning Board

*Metacognative drawings can be done for most inquiries, this way of "thinking about thinking" brings our thoughts conscious, so we can acknowledge, fine tune, and release ones which no longer fit! We often use Metacognative drawing in our Red Thread circles and IC classes are a way to quickly shift state and tap our intuition. 

In our Red Thread Creatives group, we explore bringing intention and awareness to different creative practices in our circles and classes. 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

How do you bring intention to your creative process?

Codes and Codecies

 I've been in the Atelier this week, which also marked my birthday! This time last week, I was in the mountains with my daughter's family and our friend Monika with her younger kids - a wonderful end of summer camping trip before the kids headed back to school. Then we made a visit to the ocean for sun on the beach, and several yummy BD meals ...

The Apothecary journey was again powerful, and it was an honor to hold space in the virtual classroom with several SiStars, as we watched the work unfold. My vessels are bubbling away... More to come! My friend Sherry and I intend to offer an in person event within the next few months.

Apothecary Medicine Painting

Last fall our intentional creativity community began a 13 Moon painting journey called CODEX, which began with journal prompts and a big canvas. After "awhile" away, I brought mine back to the easel yesterday, brought in more symbols and energy codes. 

Do you get distracted, and wonder where the time went? Guilty! But "there's no behind," ... Just different process! 
I've been shepherding a group of SiStars on the Color of Woman journey In years past, who are in "Muse Time" as they compete their quests, and am so pleased that several have competed their initiate books, and graduated from the training! 

CODEX - in process

I've begun doing more coaching, and a few weeks ago I had an individual painting session with a nearby SiStar. We were both pleased with our inspiring time together. I love this process of each doing our own work, and bring forth our own symbols and images! Our session was only 4 hours, and I've spent more time with mine since.

My Demo 

Muse of Creativity

My friend Margot and I are planning our fall workshop in her studio, set for the second weekend in November. I'd love and SiStars in Oregon to join us! 

What's in your cup, and on your easel? 
Happy Paint Party Friday!

Apothecary 2019

Our painting community is embarking on another journey into the alchemical plan of the Apothecarian, with around 100 from around the globe using the process of inquiry, journaling and paint to transform tragedies into remedies. 

This will be the 5th time Shiloh and Jonathan teach Apothecary, and is the second online version. (You can read about last year's journey here)  Our art journal prompts come from the wonderful Jenafer Joy, and are awesome as usual. The process itself has been put in the crucible, and is being distilled for IC teachers to offer our own versions of Apothecary to local students.

I am one of the gals witnessing and offering support in our online classroom, and am working

Altar holding space

this morning to get my space ready. For more than a year, I've been "in process" with moving my studio from my dinning nook to part of my living room, about time I finished that project, don't you think??!! (Where does the time go?)

Yesterday we opened the Apothecary class with a Zoom session - this is such a great way to connect with community! 
Shiloh invited us to do a couple of "pen and paper" exercises, identifying one old story that was coming up - draw a representation of it, then find and draw an antidote. 

These processes are so accessible, and are one of the tools I use in my coaching practice. Mine was around feeling I need to do it all myself - the antidote is the triple spiral of connection/ interdependence! 

Journal process

Time to get back to the clearing and shifting of the Atelier! 

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Apothecary containers

 Our Intentional Creativity community is working with a painting process Shiloh and Jonathan are calling Apothecary Medicine Painting. This includes distilling old stories and tragedies, to  transform them into Remedies. 

Jonathan served as a military EMT, parachuting from a helicopter to provide first aid, the traumas he was involved with led to PTSD, which creative processes (he's a chef and poet) helped him transform those old traumas. 

With this process, we each have been spending time pulling our some of the stories, to distill down into antidotes. 
I'm beginning to put my symbols on the vessels, and write the prescriptions.

Vessels in my Apothecary

Our journey began March 31, and in addition to the painting process, identifying traumas, and discovering antidotes, Jenafer Owen has been offering a daily journal prompt. I love her method of writing with watercolor pencils, then adding collage, and activating /transforming the words with water!

Alchemical jars - we wrote, drew jars in Sharpe, and choose images that appealed for five remedies. 

Elements

I adapted this for our Red Thread Circle last night, dividing a sheet of Mixed Media paper into four segments, journaling about an element in each (earth, air, fire and water) and choosing magazine images for each element. 
This was a good warm up for our next class, in a week, my cohort Sepha and I will invite our students to connect with the elements as they paint "Gaia as a Portal"  

Bezoar

Bezoar - Harry Potter fans will recognize this ancient universal poison remedy. An "indigestable" irritant in an animal's stomach or intestine (hair, etc) is transformed into a solid mass, a Bezoar. 
We drew a winding form in our journal, connecting the end with the start of the line; and used watercolor pencil to write about the "irritant" bellow the line. Then choose another color to write the insight, and skills learned from it. Last, use a brush and water to activate the alchemy. 

The next step is to add the Bezoar to one of the medicine containing vessels on our canvas, with the same colors. It looks rather flower-like, doesn't it?

This morning's prompt was to use a 'Random item Generator' to give us several items pertinent to our alchemical journey! Mine were rubber gloves, masking tape, a snow globe, and a plush bear. I've been drawing and painting with my Grands, home on an inservice day. I used blue painting tape, for painting my Atelier, the gloves allow me to "dig in" 

I asked the kids for ideas for the show globe, and when Z-man suggested Santa, I

remembered the Herstory of a Sun Goddess crossing the sky in a chariot pulled by a reindeer. She flies on Winter Solstice, spinning the sun's rays, and dropping Amber (from her tears) and apples! 

I discovered parts of this story when I was painting the Celtic lady, Elen Star-Path. So I brought the Latvian Saule into my globe! My middle granddaughter suggested the word JOY.

Mr grandkids have been enjoying playing with watercolor and Inktense pencils as well, and seeing what happens when they activate then.

What's on your easel or table? 

Happy paint party Friday! 

Intention and Hygge

I've been exploring bringing more intention into my living space, and rearranging areas. As an artist, I tend to have lots of supplies, and am of the generation that tends to accumulate paper, and have a hard time passing things on! (Are artists ever minimalistic??)

Currently, my Atelier is in my dining "nook," a space about 7 x 9' which fortunately opens into my high ceilinged kitchen...

My tall easel fits under the arch. 

The living room is the length of the house, 20', with the front section 13' wide, and the back 10'  (the stairs take the other 3'  and the whole house is  950 x feet) I'm shifting the Atelier to the back half, and will move my harps intro the nook.

I've painted part of the larger area a minty green, and the window frames white (they've been French blue) Then, moved my couch to create a Hyyge corner where these shelves were. 

Hygge (hug-ee) is a Danish term, a light in the darkness, to carry us through the cold winter months...Elements may include Candles, a warm cup of tea, good book, cozy seats with warm blankets, creating a feeling of cozy comfort. My friend Jeanine has a beautiful blog on bringing more Hygge into your home.

Hygge corner

After I began rearranging things, I received a message from the coordinator of our Art Harvest Studio Tour, asking if I'd like to apply for inclusion! I'd just been thinking of the tour, and 10 Oaks Gallery is one of the event sponsors....
It looks like my clearing and rearranging is timely! It's a big commitment of time and energy, and I need to *paint up a storm* to get ready! Fortunately, it's in the fall, so I have time to prepare - and an application to write! 

Do you have home studio?
Any goals on your list you're aiming for? 

Happy PPF! 

Claiming Space

Several of my artist friends are claiming studio space, either in nearby business spaces, or in their homes. Recently one wrote about moving her studio into one of their largest rooms, with her husband's blessing. She realized she had "permission" all along, but didn't feel "worthy" of that large room. She invited us to notice where we play small, and if it's time to shift! 

This is a timely inquiry! For the past three years, I've had

Dining nook Atelier

my Atelier in my little dining nook, a space about 5 x 6', which opens into my kitchen. My daughter asked a few days ago if I'd thought of moving my seating area into that nook, and "claiming" my living room for my art! It's an area ~ 11.5 x 20' and I'd thought of using the back section (10 x 10') but not of moving my seating into the nook! 

Front living room

I go in cycles of more organized and clutter-full, and am currently in a cluttered need-to-dethug and organize phase! Sigh. And my daughter asked her good-at-cleaning and organizing husband, "which should and do first? Move stuff around, or declutter?" ... (you guessed it! ... sigh) I found this kool video on creativity and clutter from the "Clutter Fairy," nice to watch while I'm sorting through some piles! And she offers some great tips on going through craft stuff, to make it easier to get creative! 

As a Virgo, I have a tendency to want perfection, and can get overwhelmed when it's gotten chaotic. (CHAOS: Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). I love the energy of rearranging, and cleaning around that! So, .... on with it! 

Last night at our Red Thread Circle, our inquiry was

around the messages of Cancer, what are our crab claws ready to release, what are they opening to receive? I played flute while Sepha led a meditation, and then we moved to out art materials. 

I drew a crab on the white board, and told the kid's story about a hermit crab decorating its shell, then outgrowing it, and needing to move on. One gal, who's changing jobs, used that imagery. A couple of others painted hands, closed fist and open to receive. I had a tangle of seaweed that my crab was moving out of.

This morning, I'm sketching the spaces to rearrange, and thinking of better organized storage. I cleaned out the under-stair closet on 4th of July, and plan some shelves and bins for seasonal things stored there. I had a field trip to Ikea last weekend, and got a Råskog cart for in use materials, and some lights (and lots of ideas!) 

Happy Paint Party Friday! 
What are you ready to release? 
What are you opening to receive?

Painting panel

I love painting on wood! 

When I was in my Color of Woman teacher training a couple of years ago, I found our "Art Doc" Leslie's tutorial on buying and mounting a hardwood panel super helpful.

I painted both my Taliswoman, "Songs of Light," and my Alchemist, "Firekeeper," on wood panels my dear son-in love helped me mount. I bought and had the panels cut at Lowe's, then took it to Matt, who has the tools, workspace, and is handy. (And loves my art!)

Hummingbird from Songs of Light

I got a little sanding block depth fine sandpaper, sanded the wood, and watched a tutorial that recommended applying a couple of coats of GAC-100 (polymer, the binder for acrylic paint) before the gesso. 

The suggested drying time for the polymer is 3 hours, the gesso drys much more quickly. I sanded between the dry layers, then wiped the dust off with a soft rag. 

I was blessed to provide online support for last weekend's Legend class, "She's a Piece of Work," with Shiloh and CoW graduate Jassy Watson, and decided to paint on wood again. I didn't have time to assemble a board this time, so purchased an "American Easel" birch painting panel. These are lighter weight, and easier to hang! 

I followed the same process of applying two layers of GAC-100 (the first Thursday night), then three of gesso. I diluted the first layer gesso a bit (no more than 25% water!) dipping my brush in water, then the gesso. I sanded each coast of gesso lightly, before applying the next, and wiped off the surface each time. I paint in my dining nook, and propped the panel on my kitchen sink and chair back for the preparation!

By the time we were ready to paint Friday afternoon, the board was ready! This is (much) lighter than the panels we made, so won't be as heavy to mount. I hope to hang Her at the Gallery which hosts my work when She's complete, and I think she may want some "gold" leaf (which goes well on wood!)

Ready to paint!

Happy painting, and happy Paint Party Friday! 

Blessings in the New Year!

The Monkey has been wiggling its tail these last few weeks, getting ready to jump aside for the Rooster! It's cold and clear here in the Pacific NW, and a great time to clean up and rearrange my Atelier! This article offers some tips and inspiration.

Much of clean-up time is simply getting out the broom, dust pan, garbage and recycling cans and applying some elbow grease, LOL! Stuff does pile up, at least in my studio, so next comes reorganizing what's there. (I like the suggestion by one artist to tidy the studio daily, .... or "not at all!" Since creativity often generates a certain amount of stuff!

I continue to work in acrylics, so have my paint containers pretty well organized: one oz in a chipboard container, 4 oz in containers on a higher shelf. Stencils and interference paint are housed in two smaller lidded containers. Then there are my Smashbook and Art journals (shelves), brushes (containers in a cleaning caddy), spritz bottles, rags (T-shirt squares). And in our Intentional Creativity tradition, I have a area set as an altar, with fresh flowers, a candle, crystals, incense and things to represent the elements.

Before the dethug

I currently have the brushes and other supplies both on a small rolling cart and a table. I'm thinking of switching shelves from another room with the table, to have more room for painting, and for storage on shelves. There's also an armoire which houses my laptop and some of the supplies. 
This year I will journey with Shiloh Sophia in Red Madonna, following the Sacred Path. I am honored to be one of the Hearth Tenders in the online Red Tent, holding space and honoring the other travelers. Shiloh filmed a little video recently of the art supplies we commonly use for these classes.

I'm partway through the "elbow geese" portion, always the most daunting! I hope to share the"after" view next week! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!!

Roots & Wings

The invitation to this Month's Red Thread Circle read:
'It is often said we need to give our children roots for grounding, and wings to give their visions and dreams flight! Our creativity also thrives with roots and wings! 

Come explore what gives you stability, & vision into the dreams you'd like to give wings. We'll play with paint and paper and you'll leave with an altar piece to remind you of your own Roots & Wings.' 

Natasha's Tree

What gives you Roots? What grounds you into your body, your home, your community? What do you - and your surroundings need to thrive? Where do you yern to spread your wings? 

What bogs you down - old baggage, old stories that 'it's about time' you tossed? We drummed & rattled to connect with our roots, the things that give us stability. 
Our images shared commonalities, trees, earth, sky, greenery. We played with acrylics, tempra, a leaf stencil, collage to create our images of well rooted trees, and words for both the stability, and the dreams we want to give wings.
We shared chocolate, tea, stories. We remembered loved ones who have gone on, our friends & mentors, wise Reita & Lucita, grandparents, parents. 

Suzanne's, Wendy's, mine & Sepha's

I really enjoyed offering this session, and making my tree - our project coincided with this season's Sage Woman Magazine theme, Roots & Wings, & I read one of the poems as part of our opening Circle, Chani Zqibel's "Under the Tree." 

What things nourish YOUR roots?
What in your life needs new wings?

Happy Paint Party Friday 
 

Sacred space for creation

Toward the completion of our Color of Woman Quest last fall my teacher Shiloh issued an invitation:  "I would love for you to finish your painting if you haven’t, and then to clean your studio. Reset your altars. Make new room for the sprouts to come up through the ashes. You need space and time to see what’s coming up and what wants to be shared and prepared for...."

Whatever your creative project, giving time and attention to this reset will often inspire you and give access to new ideas and insights. While cleaning, follow the basics of «keep, redistribute, pass on or throw away.» Wipe surfaces, empty trash, rethink uses of objects. Marie Kondo's inquiry "does it spark joy?" can help you determine what stays, is placed in another area or tossed. I like to set a timer for 15-20 minutes, which is often enough time for a small area. Open a window, sweep, clear the air (a few drops of an essential oil in water in a spray bottle is one option)

When you are ready for your reset, Pinterest is good for inspiration, my Atelier board has

Atelier

studio ideas.

Here are a couple of Videos - Maria Munar on setting up a studio (starting from scratch!)

Ann Manat: Setting up your studio & supplies (for acrylic painting) 
(Ann also has a series of videos on setting up face book pages & other helpful tips!)

Ah! Sit back with a cup tea, and your journal, what's coming? What is being shared and prepared for?

Join the Blog challenge!

Alter & Atelier Reset

Last year when we began our Art of Allowing course, we were invited to set up our studios, & production assistant Ann Manatt offered a sweet little video for inspiration. I'd already been amassing art supplies, & was figuring out where the best spot for painting in my home (950 sq feet) was. I settled on my 'dining nook' & began shifting things around.

Magic Paintbrush

As we finished the third painting in our Color of Woman Quest, Shiloh issued an invitation:  "I would love for you to finish your painting if you haven’t, and then to clean your studio. Reset your altars. Make new room for the sprouts to come up through the ashes. You need space and time to see what’s coming up and what wants to be shared and prepared for Visionary in October."

I finished my Alchemist painting, Fire Keeper last week, & have been in a good cleaning whirl around the house, now it's time to focus on the Studio!

So I watched a few videos - Maria Munar on setting up a studio (starting from scratch!)

Ann Manat: Setting up your studio & supplies (for acrylic painting) 
Ann also has a series of videos on setting up face book pages & other helpful tips!  

And .... let's begin .... 

Summer of Color - week 6

This week when I was going through some of the other Paint Party Friday posts, I noticed several referred to another blog roll: Summer of Color!

So I journied over to 'Twinkle Twinkle Like a Star,' Kristen Van Valkenburg's blog to check it out!  Denthe was one of the participants, & since this is the last week of the challenge, showed the pieces she's done each of the last three years! She chose one style for each set, which is a great idea!

Kristen writes: "We have one week left to share our color creations with one another and I for one hope that this is our busiest week yet. If you've yet to join us, make this your time. After all, I've saved one of the best palettes for last. You could even say that I found inspiration from Summer itself. . . ." 

Raspberry & Tangerine

The pallet is yummy: Raspberry, Tangerine, & a "Smudge, Splash or Pop" of Lemon!
 
The last several weeks, I've been noticing clothes that are that lovely Raspberry pink (love the colour, haven't found the 'just right' piece yet!) & browsing through my coloured pencils, though I have one marked Raspberry, it seemed to dark, so 'had to' take another trip to Merri Artist (darn!! Tee hee) to find just the right colours! 


So here's my Raspberry and Tangerine lady - hope you enjoy her!! 

Check out the Facebook page for more entries 

Mary of Magdalla

Mary, Mary!
She has emerged so beautifully! I'm awestruck and a little In Love with her (OK, a LOT in Love!)

Wee Atelier

When I last posted about her, I was just ready to add her hair ... and then finishing touches, more lights & darks, attention to details ...

In early May I borrowed a table easel from my artist cousin Wendy Thompson, got turquoise paint (Jamaican Sea) for facing wall, & moved a wardrobe that had contained a TV & it's trimmings into my wee dining nook - a space that's about 6' x 7.5'- turning it into my own Atelier, (the Room or studio where an artist creates)

Paint chip

I've been participating in several Facebook Artist Groups, & last week another artist working on her portrait of Mary Magdalene posted a link to a wonderful talk by Ana & Phillip Jones, the leaders of this upcoming (Sept, 2014) The Magdalene, the Grail & You

 I love the words that came to Ana in a dream: "Don't forget Chateau Cantal (sp?) Once a Grail Castle, Always a Grail Castle!"  Places where the Grail has been are vibrationally altered, the spiritual & energetic signature remains.

Added Hair

When Mary came to the South of France, she carried with her various artifacts (there's speculation around what she carried, was the grail a physical cup, or was it Mary's womb a vessel for Christ's Child? Did she have a copy of her gospel? ...) She is the only apostle known to have continued sharing his message,  teaching for 30 years after the crucifiction!

Ana was also given a Grail Riddle - "Forever will you journey, of this there is no doubt. The grail will lead you Inward, Upward & Out." When they visited a cave in Languedoc where Mary gave teachings, they experienced just that - going INto the cave (into ourselves, into the mystery) , then climbing UP a flight of stairs (raising our consciousness to another level) & then OUT (out of our own way, out of preconceptions, false ideals & beliefs)

A pilgrimage is a quest, whether we go physically, or in our dreams, visions, and art! We can each journey Inward, Upward & Out, any time we are ready. Shiloh speaks of our paintings being vessels for healing, healing Icons for both ourselves, in the creation, & for anyone who views them. This feels so true for Mary of Magdalla as she emerges into her shining radiance!

Lady Mary of Magdala

Ana said "Mary TRAVELLED! She didn't just sit around in one place, there are stories throughout Southern France, Languodoc & Provance, of her jourenies, her presence, the sacred objects she carried & her teachings. In the mid 90s while living at the coast, I wrote a story about Mary learning the hands on healing when she was a disciple, & I believe she did.

Through our art and stories, she is still on her healing journey ... I took her to my women's spiritual book group a couple of weeks ago, when I had finished her, & it was lovely to see reactions to her.  Several of the women asked for prints, so I guess that's a future project!

May Mary of Magdalla bless you, & may her Peace & healing presence radiate in & through you.