In February I ran my Painting with Your Muse intuitive painting workshop with another wonderful group of  muses.  It has been five years since I began running this workshop and for more than 20 years that I have been following an intuitive process myself when painting.

There is a flow state that happens when one follows their intuition this way during painting. Thoughts are put aside and the visceral painting experience takes over.

Rather than planning and “knowing” what is going to happen there is a letting go into the creative flow through the fluidity of painting.  This is often the hardest part for participant artists to allow.  We are so used to planning things and relying on our cognitive expectations to guide us rather than embracing the unknown.  That point at which the artists stares at her blank paper or canvas is both exciting and intimidating at once. What ifs begin to play in one’s mind, usually around judgements and failures and expectations. Sometimes the script is so subtle we don’t notice it and other times its so loud it is deafening making it hard to  focus and allow other ways to come forward.

Painting intuitively allows for a suspension and eventually a release of these judgements which often interfere with and hold us back in our day-to-day life.

When in the flow of ones’ intuitive guidance, an inner knowing presents itself.   “Ahah” moments may happen where connections with ones’ painting and self are made without effort. Meaning is seen and heard by Self.

Once more, a connection deep within the body allows for one’s inner wisdom to surface up from within when in this creative flow state. Sometimes we need reminders to stay present as the inner critic steps forward and tries to steer us away from that inner knowing to a false “no-ing”.

When we allow ourselves to follow our intuition through this process of painting a mindfulness state ensues as well.

Creative flow opens us to the many possibilities of self-expression so that we break out of the standard box and are free to be ourselves.

The process of intuitive painting can take us on a journey beyond the end product. An adventure into self discovery, where all parts are acceptable and honoured.

Each time I take this journey with other muses in the Painting With your Muse workshop there is a new discovery and glimpse into the infinite possibilities of creative flow.  I will be running the next Painting With Your Muse intuitive painting workshop here in Toronto on June 10, 2017, I hope you can join me!