Weaving Webs of communication

TalisWoman 1st Key

In my Color of Woman painting/teaching Quest, we are working on our second painting, Talisman/TalisWoman ... 


This is my first painting on wood - cradled Birch Plywood, which my son-in law helped (woodworking) & I gessoed, sanded, gessoed some more ...

We are working with 'keys' to the realm of our inner Artist! "Artist is one of the most sacred of names. It is a name which puts in context all the pieces that before seemed fragmented. It is a space and place of no apology - an archetype which assumes personal authority and whom is willing to look at all her stuff  - her jewels and her BS. Artist"
~ Shiloh Sophia 

We have this weekend set aside for delving deeper, as we'll move into our Business module next weekend ... 

TalisWoman, 4th Key, Revelation

My muse has been very WORDY this week - telling me O need to update my website, to begin to claim that title, ARTIST 
and so I added an art page, but couldn't 'publish' the updates ... on the help screen, there was a little teaser about a streamlined option for constructing a website, so I 'clicked' ... oo la la! You must check out what 'we' came up with! 
Introducing Nadya's Art  

The whole focus has changed - from the bodywork & harp front & center (well, all spread out, I had LOTS of pages!! & still have access to all that content, no worries!) to ARTIST! 

And last month my friend Lora
invited to co-facilitate a workshop 'Mystical Mermaid' ... so much fun! We had two students, & had a lovely time. Lora started a co-op MeetUp group to announce our Women's Intentional Creativity circles & classes to a broader area; and last night I began my own local group! 
I'm still in process with what to offer first - perhaps simply a meet & greet circle, then likely affirmation cards or Medicine Basket (last post!)

So if you're an artist or crafter in Oregon or visiting the Pacific Northwest who'd enjoy playing with us - please join us!
NO PAINTING EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!! The classes form a container to explore creativity, & work with your own images!


Happy Paint Party Friday
 So tickled to see that this week's featured artist, Consie's post is on creating an Inspiration card deck!! I'm going to peruse it for ideas!

What's in YOUR Medicine Basket?

In our Color of Woman teacher training, we are constantly weaving between doing our own work, & learning how to share offerings with our community, with our Beloveds. The First Red Thread session was making our Soulful Story Affirmation cards. 

Next up:"This Livestream was recorded during the 2014 Color of Woman and provides two additional themes - "Creating Your Medicine Basket" & "House of the Heart" - which you can use as the themes for your own Red Thread Session Events."

I really enjoyed watching the videos, & crafting my Medicine Basket,  .... I'm still getting the hang of working on watercolor paper again, (have done some off & on over the years) & of course, love the 'adornment' phase (glitter!!  Shimmery paint, spirals, red threads ...
 Some of the inquiries for the phrases in our baskets are:

• What will you be known for? 
• What Healing tools & remedies do you offer? 
• Who will come to your Red Thread Sessions? 
• What is in your medicine basket?

Shiloh affirms regularly that we need to attend to the questions & issues OUR clients, our beloveds come to us for assisting in bringing conscious, & possibly transforming, & to adapt the classes accordingly. 
We used glazing liquid or varnish mixed with a dab of paint to coat & affix the slips of paper, and an overlighting phrase that defines our role "I AM a catalyst for transforming the old stories into New Magic!" The last step was placing a symbol in the space between the basket & the handle. I chose a harp & heart ... and then adornment, glitter! Shimmer, sparkle, shine ....

I am a catalyst for transforming the old stories ....

With my harp in the basket, I'm reminded of a sail boat, & think of being carried by, as 
well as carrying my basket!

Shiloh's did a bit of 'show & tell,' sharing a  selection of paintings from previous Red Thread sessions.

With House of the Heart, I could picture working with youth (including my 16 year old foster (soon-to-be-adopted) granddaughter, who lived in 9 different foster homes over the 9 years before she came to us!!)

There is, indeed, a power in these shorter, 'simple' workshops that transcends space & time!

Soulful Story Cards

Assignment: Watch the Livestream videos and create your own affirmation cards. Post two photos of your completed cards along with a couple sentences about your experience ...You will need watercolor paper, acrylic paint and sharpies. Glitter optional. (Color of Woman Teacher Training)

Ooo, this WAS fun! This is one of the suggested 'Red Thread Circle' classes offered over a few hours.
I found some shimmery watercolors ("Pearlescent") at Merri Artist, so used those on the affirmation side for each card, after painting the first side with 3 colors of Golden Paint. The first part of the process was writing out a limiting belief on paper or index cards, then coming up with an 'antidote' to the belief on the other side.

I can see offering this to Beloveds, in several ways!
I was asked to do a flower essence 'bouquet' for someone visiting a friend on Monday, & had just painted the first side & torn the cards. The Instruction Sheet that accompanies the Essence has a space for 'Possible Affirmations,' & I generally list a few, suggesting the client 'tweek' the one that seems closest - or OF COURSE craft their own. When I met my friends with the essence & instructions, I brought along one of the painted & torn cards, & suggested that when she finalized her affirmation, she write it on the card to work with - she was delighted! (& had worked with affirmations before, as I suspected from my friend's comments).
Another idea I've had for utilizing a few (I would probably paint the first side) is to write the 5 Reiki Principles, or one's own adaptation of them, during a Reiki Class. And perhaps add a personal affirmation on an additional card.


My 'Artist Date' to the Chehalem Cultural Center on Saturday inspired including the "Potlach" card - West Coast Native Americans counted wealth not in what one had, but in what one gave away over the years! Our term 'potluck' has its roots there ... and the things given were not the dregs/left overs, but often very special & a result of much effort. No wonder there was a clash with the ideals of the dominant culture!
I loved playing with the glitter, & designing the second side - it was a sweet process!

Posting to Paint Party Friday

Golden Paint

Beautiful, magical Golden fluid acrylic paints!

I was introduced to the Golden fluid acrylics in the first Intentional Creativity course I took from Elisabeth in Feb 2014. The flow! The colours! Mu Muse was delighted!!

Sam Golden was instrumental in developing acrylics In the 1940s, an artist visiting his uncle Leonard Bocour's Manhattan store offered them a 'honey like resin' and asked if it could be made into paint? Sam began 'tinkering' with the resin, & found that it could! Now Golden is an employee owned business, still operating on the property in New Berlin, NY where Sam & his wife 'retired' in the 1970s! (Sam, of course, kept tinkering with paint, & developed the fluid line)

Our local Art Store, Merri Artist has a great selection of art supplies, and you can order on-line! Their prices are generally the same as Dick Blick, and the online catalogue gives a nice overview of available art supplies.
They offer a 10% discount in store on non-sale items to teachers & students (online classes included!) Golden Paint & mediums go on sale twice a year, which is a great time to stock up! (the sales are in Feb & August at our local shop)

Outside Studio

If you want to explore using the Golden fluids, ("I can't believe that one drop goes so far!") ... here are some of my favorites. I generally get the 1 oz, & have a few 4 oz ... as I need to replace a colour, I'll go with the larger size. 

They also offer sets in 1/2 or 1 oz size, if you're just starting out, this is a great way to get your basic colours!  (There's a list of the colors in each set at the bottom of the page)
Interested in mixing your own? Golden also offers a great virtual Paint Mixer (click on 'fluid colors before you begin playing!) You can even save favorite combos!


Look on the back of the bottle for a scale that tells how transparent - opaque it is, & several other values. Sam Golden pioneered listing the pigments on the paints. Toxicity is also listed on the back under 'Health & Safety.

* Titanium Buff (or T. White) - buff is a great for skin tones - 4 oz
   Zink White - not as chalky, I use it for eyes, some glazing (mixed with Glaze Medium) 

* Glazing Medium - I have the satin, & got the 8 oz bottle (clear, this is mixed with paint to slow the drying time & give lighter layers) 

* Airbrush Medium is a lighter medium, & can be used in place of water for early washes. With acrylics, the polymer helps bind the paint to the canvas, are warned not to dilute with more than 25-30% water, especially in early layers.

* Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (QNA Gold) & Transparent Red Iron Oxide - these are two of the colours most frequently used in the 'glaze' layer - brushed on with lots of water, then allowed to run or towelled off - this evens out the skin tones beautifully! (at this point it's OK to dilute with water, especially when you towel it off - there's enough paint on your canves for proper adhesion) 

The above are good 4 oz purchases, we use them a lot!

Brown: * Burnt Umber - great for outlining 
             Burnt or Raw 
             Van Dyke brown - Shiloh likes mixing this with QNA Gold for her glazes

Yellow: * Yellow Ochre - great for skin
           Hansa Yellow - clear yellow
           Indian Yellow - a yummy golden yellow
           Nickel Azo Yellow - more transparent

Orange: Quinacridone Burnt Orange (I love this one!!)
            Transparent Pyrrole Orange

Red: * Alizarin Crimson or Quinacridone Crimson
         Quinacridone Magenta

Blue: Turquoise (Pthtalo) Teal, Cobalt Turquoise are all yummy
        Manganese blue is very transparent, if you want a blue glaze
        Pthtalo Blue (red shade or green shade)

Green: Jenkin's Green - nice & dark
          Green Gold - mmm - love this one
          Pthtalo Green (blue shade

Purple: Ultramarine Violet - transparent
           Dioxazine Purple (several folks mentioned this is a favorite for mixing with orange or yellow for a nice brown) 
           Quinacridone Violet (got this one in the 1/2 oz sample size that Golden provides as a bonus when you buy 25$ or more)

Neutrals: Black, Paynes Gray

Gold, Silver & Pearl are available in a set of 3/4 oz tubes, I mix a little with medium for highlights. 
I adore the 'interference' colours - they look white in the bottle, &  have mica tpowder which reflects light!

** A great option for someone JUST beginning to build their Golden Fluid Palette - one of the sets! These come in 1/2 oz & 1 oz. 
1 oz set of 10 is ~ $43
1/2 oz set of 8 is ~ $26. 

In addition to a set, I'd add the Q Nickel Azo Gold & a bottle of Glazing Medium, & perhaps the burnt umber or Van Dyke brown.

The colours in the sets (with 1/2 oz option in { }  )  are:
Hansa Yellow Med,
Pyrrole Red, {1/2 oz: naphthol red light}
Quinacridone Magenta,
Ultramarine Blue,
Phthalo Blue (Green Shade),
Phthalo Green (Blue Shade),
Yellow Oxide, {1/2 oz: yellow ochre}
Titanium White {1/2 oz:zink white}
Burnt Sienna, {0}
Carbon Black, {0}

Brushes: Nice to get a variety, and as one artist says, "I can ruin a cheap brush as quickly as a more expensive one!) The synthetic bristle brushes are great for acrylics.

Merri Artist carries the Simply Simons & Princeton lines, which and several sets (Bi-Mart has sets of brushes, sketch pads, pencils, etc, is is also Employee owned!) Sets give you a chance to see what YOU like best! Also - consider old make-up brushes, shaving brushes, etc ... & a few foam (1 & 2") & inexpensive small brushes from the hardware/paint store are great.

Filberts: #8, 10, 12 & 14 are nice for faces 
Round: #2, 3, 8, 10 
Bright: #2 for outlines, also a liner brush
I'm fond of angled 'swords' for shading
Inexpensive hog bristle brushes are great for 'scrubing or scrumbling' dry paint in when you're 'blocking'
bigger brush for washes - get a few from the hardware section!

Spray bottle for water (2 oz is fine)
Paper towels & old rags for clean up
charcoal pencils, pastels, rose petals for drawing on canvas (you can also use heavier paper)

Happy Painting!


 




Golden Daffy-Down-Dilly


Magic Wand

Gypsy Rose Muse - She Listens Sweet & Deep

A message in a bottle, from Gypsy Rose, Muse of Mystery & delight; She Listens Sweet & Deep

Sweet Nadya!
We bring wisdom voices from the stars & ancient pathways
You are So Loved, so appreciated, so honored! We invite you to attune to your senses & enliven your Spirit! Sparkle & Shine, share the joy you know deep inside!
It is indeed in listening that you are brought forth/ healed/ come to life! Your listening brings forth information/ awareness for yourself & for others.
In attending to your own joy & in doing the little things, a-tend-ing, that you will bring them (your Beloveds) home to themselves!

Ah, dear one! Enjoy the flavors & rainbow life has to offer! The beautiful painting, the hot chocolate! The fresh scone (gluten free, of course!) The symphony of bird song or orchestra, rumble of ocean or flute on the wind, the breath of fingers on the harpstrings, drumbeat by candlelight ... bagpipes at dawn.
The scent of the desert, refreshed with rain, sweet tea, the breath of a rose ...

And awaken even more to the inner senses, knowing who is calling, on a device, or through the ethers ... the tribal sense of what is needed, which herb heals, which flower will aide transformation! The network is operating/ open ... it's a river - dive in! Dive deep! Wade across ... find a bridge, sail away ....

Cross my palm with Silver! I do love the jewels & jangles, beads & bangles! The flow of a-bun-dance as we get our own buns a dancing!!
Dance, dance, wherever you may be!! I am the heart of the dance, said she!

We say, "you have it all! All you need to share, to inspire, both yourself and others! New tools will come in their own time, of COURSE they will!! The all is beyond space/ time/ current awareness! Timely-time to share the blessings of this Soul Play with your beloveds!

Go forth in grace, in beauty! Shining your light of kindness & inner knowing! Your path beckons, the way is clear for your dancing feet!

O Sada
It is Good

signed in sparkles & glitter

 * Rose *

She Listens Sweet & Deep - Gypsy Rose Muse

                 
Some of the first words from Gypsy Rose, in early May:
(who are you?) "Gypsy Rose - let me read your tea leaves! Spin you a story, play the tambourine, dance, dream vision listen to the whispers of the Universe, I am here - waiting!"

Gypsy Rose is my Muse of accessing creative inspiration, & is the first painting on my Color of Woman/ Intentional Creativity Teacher training/quest. "
"Inside of every single one of us is this mechanism that many have worked with over the centuries, most commonly called the ego, the voice, the inner guidance system, conscience or of late – the inner critic.
.... Inside of us, connected to our senses, the Muse is the navigator, the view finder – what we use to ‘get around’ this interior world. What we use to look at and through. There are many ways to look within to see what is there within us." Shiloh Sophia

If we get in touch with our creativity, with what we may have been suppressing, we can begin to transform the voice of the critic (less than, I can't, don't get hurt!) into the voice of the muse .... & when all else fails, send the critic out for a pedicure and give her some chocolate!!
 
Shiloh writes: "We are walking a sacred path that is a quest. Your quest in which you are seeking your own content and information. A quest with women beside you: seeking, longing, looking, being challenged. Awakening. Working with the archetypal energies of the Legendary Self. And now moving forward to the Muse."  

My quest is to explore this painting with intention in more depth, to explore my own beliefs & rewrite the stories as I move into sharing intentional creativity with my beloveds. I wish to be a pure channel for sharing, for holding space, for holding my piece of the Red Thread. 

And I pass the thread to ____ my beloveds!

Legend & breaks

Shortly after my last post, I fell & broke my left arm, just above the wrist!!
Ouch!
As a self-employed massage therapist & harpist, it was a double whammy, time for healing & off from work (I wanted a vacation, ... not a brea-cation!! sigh) 
So I was in the hospital, with surgery (! First since my tonsils came out when I was 6!) & a few weeks later, began the Intentional Creativity (Color of Woman) teacher training Quest! 

This is a 9 month program, moving around a compass of inquiry, with the center our Legendary self - Here's my post from our online classroom about the completed painting (end of April)

 I used to be - a lonely only child, entertaining myself, unsure of whether I was *invited* to participate .... responsible - and yet ... wanting to step back, & let someone else invite, include, decide ... I used to live within a broken heart, not sure if I was wanted/ chosen ... I was gifted with music, dance, literacy, love of stories, wisdom of the elders, but still, at times, uncertain of my place within it all ...
Now I am Welcome & invited to participate in the dance of live; I have a place in the circle! he Red Thread invites me to take responsibility for my piece, I share space & my many gifts & talents with joy!
Dear Storyweaver; as I am invited, I invite you to fully inhabit my life & being! We dance in the garden of joy - I invite you to join me!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Connected to the Strories and the tribe; Called to take her place with the elders, the youth, poets, dancers, artists, dreamweavers; I am She who dances with the Stars, through the StarGate - Shande'nea Elthia
Voice of Wisdom and vision, let me see beyond the little stories & mundane journey to the BIG story, the Big picture.
Way shower, Vision Keeper, Storyweaver, Rainbow woman of the inner places.
In the wilderness, watching stars dance & moon rise, I come home to myself.
Shande/nea, Lightweaver
Weave the threads & webs of life, ever changing - shimmering shifts
as we move beyond the stories, Light weaves and informs our very beings
My magic carpet & Magic wand bring me places I never imagined, but dreamed when I was starbound and glistening.
Shande/nea Elthia, light bringer, Star Lady, Dragon wisdom, Crystal light, star singer, StarGate!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The symbols: original symbols were: star, crown, heart, dragon, spiral

Scroll on Rt cheek: written in time, herbal formulas & healing nectar/ three remedies balance three tears/wounds. Sound, Flower essences, Essential oils (& herbs in other forms, other remedies)

Crown/Trees - the stars & crown were two of the original symbols, bringing wisdom of the Pleiades, downloading information & insights. The stars remain, but the crown morphed into trees, the standing ones who weave their own web of interconnection & share information through their roots, through the soil of mama earth. The base of the trees has become a crown of shell & rubies, encircling & holding a gentle, powerful wisdom.
"And our roots go down, reaching for the water, & our branches soar, shining in the sun - and the seasons turn, springtime into summer, autumn into winter, our spirits dance as one!"

Stars - Starlight - let my light shine, illuminate my path & call my beloveds! I also sprinkled my birth chart around the background, bringing in the planets to dance with the stars!

Dragon - 'the dragons of your fears - you have been blessed, so blessed & protected! The recent 'medical emergency' & breaking, being repaired is bringing so many hidden blessings (still unfolding). You are surrounded with many gifted healers.' I am Safe & protected, the Dragon infuses the Voice with Truth & Wisdom
I love the magic & wisdom of dragons as well, & the magical stories that surround them. The dragon nourishes the trees as it inspires & infuses my spirit, with information, intuition, insight, deep knowing

Eyes - are open to the new possibilities, and shine light that reminds others of their OWN light. Awake & conscious

Broken heart/Vestal priestess - The Hearth/heart fire has long been a symbol. My heart is transforming with this work - out of old breaks, gold fills & the clearing is complete - love without fears & without old rules/teachings binding'/ constricting. She hears the stories, doesn't give herself away; claims space & time for herself, fills her own cup, and hears the call of the community.

DNA shifts - the DNA ear-rings symbolize internalizing the alchemical process, shifting our very DNA with this work/play/ ritual

Key & labyrinth - this is the Cretan labyrinth, the path in & out of the labyrinth are transformative - we change our stories as we move through the cycles - the winged key in the center sets us free!

Spirals - ancient & magical, power, cycles, shifts & changes

Little dancer under the hill - when I was a little girl, a 'little blue man' stood by my door at night (about as tall as the doorknob) ... whether I saw 'him' or dreamed him, .... she is connected to the stars, dancing within the StarGate

* * * * * * *

This has been a powerful journey of bringing the stories forward, into the light for re-examination. Along with the old stories that can be laid to rest, there are the sweet stories & gifts that belong in the medicine basket!
Falling and breaking my arm midway through March brought up old fears around abundance & lack, financial security, ....and brought a deeper compassion for those in pain, wounded, uncertain of their path ... information is still coming in on that - & healing still progressing! I am excited to have the cast off, & to be typing with both hands!

While I could still paint during the time of active injury, I felt off kilter, & it took me awhile to get back into the flow of my Legendary self. I found myself more tired, & in 'licking my wounds' for a time. Hard not to go into 'guilty' mode - I had extra time, for heaven's sake!! And .... worked on NOT feeling guilty, but sitting with it ...
I am still listening to what Shande'nea has to tell me ... (her hair needed more blue, so we shifted that!)

I love the process of intentional creativity, seeing each woman's beautiful paintings, & seeing what is coming forward! 

Are you ready to transform some old stories, & shift some energy? Break through (without the trauma of a breakdown)! ... let me know!

Blessings!

 

Legendary

A year ago, I painted my Muse Gabriella with Elisabeth, & began on a Red Thread Journey (follow the link to Join us Sunday May 3, noon PDT, for a free introduction to offering Red Thread Circles wherever you are in the world!!)
.... but the journey had really begun in 2013, when I saw the blurb for the 'Red' show at Currents Gallery, & decided to do a couple of paintings. Or it began .... well, I've been on the journey all along!

Ariadne's Red Thread - 2014

The idea for painting Ariadne's Red Thread, laid as a trail through the Cretan Labryrinth for Theseus to follow came shortly after reading the call for artists, & I pulled out little used acrylics, picked up a canvas & began painting ... Neither piece (the second was a small heart) was accepted for the show, & I set them aside .... 

After painting with Elisabeth, I revisited Ariadne's legend & the canvas, glazing the picture, & finding hints of some of her symbols - an early goddess figure, the double headed labrys or axe, a butterfly ... and tipped the spider web with silver paint ... 

Shande'nea 3-2

Painting our Legendary Lady is an integral part of the Color of Woman journey, part of teaching the teachers. A number of powerful women have gathered to hold space for the unfolding.
Jenafer Joy gives Journal prompts, Stella Mac asks questions, guides our Conference calls, & Maestra Shiloh Sophia offers wisdom, laughter, & the painting videos ...

As we work with the questions & prompts, we uncover the stories that have been running us, & begin to write a new story, ... we play with symbols, & see where they fit, we support each other through the trials & tribulations, the laughter & the tears ...

And our Legendary Self comes forward ... Shande'nea wanted a dragon (you can see a hint of it in the pic on my last post!) & now the labyrinth ... it is always intriguing to see how new elements often follow a stroke or pattern in the underpainting. 

Shande'nea with labyrinth 3-11

And allowing those bits of colour & pattern from earlier layers to show through is one of our goals! What is the painting built on? What is the foundation, what stories are we re-writing? Re-telling?

Symbols, colours, stories ... what stories have been running your life? Are you ready to step beyond them ? 

Happy 4th BD to Paint Party Friday!!