Previously on … The Cracked Shell
Once in my 60’s I began to dabble in the creative arts but it wasn’t until a concussion forced me to become super present to each moment that I found a new world of growth and transformation in art. Part 1
And now, on to Part 2.
Attempting to paint mostly felt like a joke as I didn’t know what I was doing and the language was completely foreign. I had no favorite artists, styles or real opinions about any of it. I didn’t know the difference between a mop brush, scrubby or filbert (although I do like to eat them).
Most of my adult life was focused on raising my two kids in a small, rural town with limited everything so art, fun and pleasure seemed like luxuries I couldn’t afford. Practical, functional and basic needs were my priorities.
I moved into a year long painting journey on Grief, Grace, Gratitude and Gusto. It was a journey of realization and ownership through truth, freedom and goodness. And exploration into the choices we make and the actions we take from a larger perspective. Saying YES to Self and to life. Alignment + Flow = Joyful Freedom
Grief. Grace. Gratitude. Gusto. I realized I could rewrite the rules, no longer living by the old norms of what didn’t work. And while I already knew this in theory, this journey brought it into my being as a lived experience that I could claim as my own. I could fully commit to creating a life of choice.
An important piece in staying on one's path is to place oneself firmly within an environment that supports the life one wants to live. By seeking out that which inspires and supports, the road becomes smoother and more direct. I liked that.
After a while, I noticed that what happened on the canvas mirrored my life so well. Can I be with something that I don’t like (knowing it isn’t permanent) and let it be what it is? Can I allow for that? Can I let go of something I love to allow it to become something else? Who am I in the midst of frustration when I can’t express what I want to express in this moment? Can I give it my best AND be detached from a specific outcome? What happens if I simply become curious and take a risk?
I needed to learn more about this powerful creative expression where you could heal, grow and develop in a way that brings such delight and joy (with a splash of irritation and frustration as needed). The blend of art, science, somatics and psychology fed all parts of me that love to learn. Best decision ever.
Oh and a curious thing - the songs I wrote during covid seemed to call parts of myself forward. As I did my large paintings inside of the training, Legend, Muse, Artist, Alchemist, Visionary and Codex, I realized they were each described in one of my songs, written a couple years earlier. That just blew my mind. Did the songs call the paintings or the paintings call the songs? Does it even matter?
I joined the Intentional Creativity Teachers Certification Program in the fall of 2022 trusting that this unequivocal pull was my next step in ... in something. Exactly what, I did not know. But off I went ... agreeing to follow the Alchemical Compass to discover, recover & uncover the more that I sensed I was.
And down the rabbit hole I fell.
To be continued …