Inspired

Interesting times...

I want to remember that (just as my work is a gift from spirit) I offer my work as a gift to spirit in joy and gratitude for being.

On Friday I spent quite a bit of time visiting Galleries in Santa Fe. I am feeling particularly inspired by the work of Hung Lui, a chinese artist who uses mixed media and paint between layers of acrylic resin. I've been inspired with vision for multiple art pieces lately, but have been hemming and hawing over medium. I've been playing with pastel, and enjoy it, but after seeing the work of Lui, I see so much possibility for expressing these visions through layers, incorporating both transparent and opaque imagery, the precision of digital and the organic of paint. Very exciting.



Hung Liu · Calendar Girl II · 2008 · Turner Carroll Galery

Insight, next steps

Pattern Interrumpere -- after a couple of weeks out of town for family & other business, I returned home last week to a Shamanic Practitioner Intensive. It was intensive indeed, very amazing. I learned and experienced so much, I find this path so rewarding and nourishing and I'm incredibly grateful. During, I gained some insight into the current pastel art piece that I'm working on, which is meant to be a portal for cleaning/clearing negativity in a space. I would eventually like to turn it into a bowl that can be used during healing sessions. Not quite sure how, but that leads me to remembering another insight I had, which is to practice copying both shipibo and huichol art, but primarily huichol, and particularly their use of color. Both traditions create bowls for ceremonial use, which is what reminded me of the insight. Shipibo paint the outside of clay pottery and Huichol line the inside of gourdes with amazing images using beads and bees wax.

I once took an art class (about 16 years ago!) where the teacher had us choose a master (I chose John Singer Seargent) and then copy his/her work . The idea was to allow their work to teach us and inform and influence our personal work. I learned much more than expected from this exercise and I'm excited about studying Huichol and Shipibo art similarly.

For some reason, I'm having the urge to work with cloth on this bowl, perhaps silkscreen on fabric, or painting silk, and lining the inside of a bowl, or perhaps a gourde. Although, ideally this bowl would be practical, portable and durable, perhaps even collapsible, perhaps 1/2 a chinese lantern that's spiral based? It'll be fun to experiment when the time is right. But first, complete the image on paper and also practice studying Huichol art.

Acknowledging the past and creating the new

The last 24 hours have been an internal ceremony of sorts. I considered yesterday to be a graduation day of celebration, ending my 14 year career as a commercial graphic designer. Today is the beginning of my new career as an artist. I know not put too much emphasis on labels, but in this transition I find them helpful. I acknowledge the incredible gifts-- education, experience, community/exchange and financial support -- of working as a graphic designer. I move into my life task work as an artist-healer with great gratitude, joy and strength because of that experience. I still have a few more agreements to shore up in the commercial world and I intend to smoothly transition out of graphic design, like a good DJ, with impeccable timing. Today marks the day that the "volume" of healing-art has slightly surpassed the commercial work as the priority and the commercial work is obviously fading out. I intend to be fully transitioned by mid-August, but I'm not impatient about it, just letting it run it's natural course, letting go and surrendering to the new with right effort.

With that said, I celebrate the realization that today I am beginning to shape a new lifestyle and a new rhythm. I'm finding that as important as the finished piece of art, if not more so, is creating the right space, mind frame and spirit in which the work will be created. The proverbial, journey is as important than the destination, aptly applies.

A strong morning spiritual practice is necessary, which for me includes cleansing my energy, raising my frequency, setting intentions and connecting with the aspects of spirit which reside in the 6 directions, the sun, and a host of allies and guides. Also important, music. I've found as a graphic designer that listening to something while I work engages my mind, keeping it out of the way so that the work can flow from a deeper source. However, since this work is "medicine work" and my intention is that the art is infused with high-frequency, healing energy, I am recognizing the need to be very selective about the music I choose. It, too, has to be good medicine, high-frequency and supportive of high-spirited and light-heartedness. I'm starting with ambient, world, tribal, didj & flute, of course some hindu, sufi and shamanic inspired music. I'm just about finished with my playlist... so now, to get to work.

Getting Started

I've been playing around with the idea of everything is medicine... and making artwork with medicinal intent. I'm thinking that it could be useful, cathartic, to blog my creative process, when needed.

Over the past two weeks I've purchased high-quality pastels and paper, only to realize that I need a specific space to use such tools, so that I don't ruin my artwork and/or ruin the rest of the furniture in the house. So, last week I purchased a work station (drafting table, chair, etc.) and yesterday, with a little help, assembled it. Today, I'm cleaning up & setting up the area. Almost ready!

I feel like such a fragile, fledgling little bird of an artist. We'll see how it unfolds.