Download your mp3 Guided Meditation for Week Three HERE.  Listen to as many times as you feel the need to.  It will support you in your journey to the shadow side of self.

Photo Credit: Rahat Pye

“Never fear shadows.They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby.”

~Ruth E. Renkel

When we connect with that part of ourselves that has been ignored or pushed aside, great things happen. We become alive, less burdened and ready to face our life in a more fully present way.

We all have skeletons in our closest. Things we would rather forget, that linger in the crevices of our mind because we have not truly dealt with them. We need to face these, not to analyze them and deconstruct every detail with our intellect. We need to face them head on in all their confusion and unknowing so that we can put them to rest and be at peace with them.

We need to give the “dark side” the recognition it deserves for playing a part in our lives. Give it a funeral, but not the standard Western “Civilization” kind of funeral that mourns and suffers with regret and lament. Rather we need to celebrate these parts of ourselves by accepting them as part of life, as part of creating and pulling out our strengths by challenging us. Only then will we be able to let go of the pain once we release them.

In process painting we face these so-called demons head on. We face them not out of choice but out of allowing. We don’t will them into our paintings but rather we allow them the space should they choose to make themselves known. Once they have revealed themselves in the flow of the process, outing themselves amongst the images created before our eyes by the paint brush, then they are released. However, once we get caught up in intellectualizing them with our words, dissecting their shell through the imagery, then we are right back to hanging on to them. Explaining their pain, suffering, cause -that excuses us from taking on all of our life, the “good” and the “bad”.

When we bury our “dark-side” that part of ourselves that we are uncomfortable with, an important part of ourselves is left unexpressed. This is often why these parts of self come up in our paintings, because we keep denying and repressing their expression instead of accepting them as parts of our selves. Within these other parts of ourselves are many untapped lessons and strengths.

By allowing ourselves to paint these darker less “acceptable” images, we allow ourselves to become more comfortable with our expression of these parts of self that have previously been rejected.

Below is a process oriented video to help guide you through week three. Before you begin each painting session, remember to take some time to centre yourself with a few deep breaths, really coming into your body and out of your head. Do either of the two, guided meditations you have received to help support you with this process. Remember to stay hydrated if you are working for extended periods and take breaks to stretch and breathe.

Photo credit: Rahat Pye

“No matter how fast you run, your shadow keeps up. Sometimes it’s in front! Only full overhead sun diminishes your shadow. But that shadow has been serving you. What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle. Your boundaries are your quest. ……. You must have shadow and light source both. Listen, and lay your head under the tree of awe.”

~Mevlana Rumi

Calming the Critic

In order to move past our inner critic(s) we need to work with them.  Their job is to bring our attention to something, to voice our fears, and our insecurities so that we can face them, not run from them.  So in that sense our inner critics have a job to do.  Their job is  to  remind us of what gets in our way.  Now sometimes admittedly our inner critics exaggerate or blow things out of proportion and perhaps they are overly critical.  Again, there is a reason for this, it is to call our attention to something that needs to change.  Usually what needs to change is a thought or a way of thinking about things that we have picked up and have hung on to somewhere along our journey.  Often these thoughts or responses served us well in the moment, but as we change and grow they no longer serve us well.

Sometimes these accumulated thoughts or self-criticism are messages we have received from others which we have learned to repeat over and over like the replay button on the mp3 player.  Habit, you could call it.  Our inner critics bring our attention to these habitually repeated inner scripts.  They try to make us aware of them. As I said, their job is to remind us and sometimes they are trying to protect us.  But they are acting from a place of fear.  The may serve us better as messengers and protectors if we re-write their job description.  Give them something useful to do, that will help us.

Before we can do that however, their messages need to be acknowledged and appropriately addressed or simply recognized as habit that need changing.

Messages, Journal Exercise:

We’ve all received conflicting messages at some point in our lives that have held us back in some way from fully expressing ourselves.  This week we will focus on how to deal with discouraging inner discourse.  First we need to identify messages that we have received that may be feeding our inner critic.

Think about when you were a child and any messages you received about your art or art in general. In your writing journal, write down some of the messages (whether you perceive them as positive or negative) you have either heard or were implied by action.  If you have an image that comes to you or feel the need to paint about these messages, do so in your art journal or if you are called to on bigger paper.

What are some of the messages you received either implicitly or explicitly:

From your parents or family:

From your teacher:

From your friends:

From the media:

How have these messages held you back from exploring your creative side?

How have these messages helped you connect more with your creative source?

What messages do you still carry around with you today?

How are they different?

Which messages have become the script of your inner critic?  

Take some time to write the messages of your inner critic.

Sometimes it’s not so obvious what messages may have interfered with our creativity.  For example, many times praise and acknowledgement of our creativity can restrict us in ways we are not aware.  We may feel the need to live up to other’s expectations of what our art should look like and be afraid to explore beyond those parameters.

Write about what being creative meant to you growing up.

Are you feeling stuck? Is your inner critic getting in your way? Stop by the Painting with Your Muse Forum and start a discussion about it if you are called to.  Rumour has it you are not the only one! Feeling stuck or inhibited is a big part of the process.  It is likely the reason most of you are here, to get past the “stuck”.  But rather than resisting that stuck feeling allow yourself to sit with it, feel it, heck why not even paint it! You just may surprise yourself.

Sunday Week Two

What do you most need to hear?

Sometimes we are so busy listening to what everyone else is saying we should do or say or feel that we forget to tune in and listen to our own inner voice and what we need.  What is it that you most need to hear. What message, reassurance, affirmation would be most helpful to you right now, this minute, hour, day, time of your life?

Write in your journal for about 5 minutes exploring this question.  Begin by writing I need to hear, or my inner wise self tells me, or my inner Muse says . . . . Keep writing for the full five  minutes, anything goes, it does not have to make sense.  When you are done, pull from it the messages you need to hear.  Design a tear off poster with a central message on the poster and the different (or all the same) messages that you most need to hear right now. Tear off a message each time you need a reminder and carry it with you and post it up in your work or art area.

I found the message above posted on a post on my way to work one day.  At the beginning of the day only a few had been torn away.  By the end of the day all of them, on the several posters which were up, had been torn off.  Sometimes it is these little things that can make your day.  Why not make a poster for yourself and one you surreptitiously put up for others in public?

Alternatively you may wish to write your special messages of encouragement on cue cards, picking from one a day and posting it in your art area.

Saturday Week Two:

Intuitive Inkblot Painting: 

A daily exercise for your imagination.

Materials:

Liquid Paint (not watercolour)

Black or Coloured ink (optional)

Sketch book or paper to fold

markers, pens, crayons- any drawing materials you desire (optional), or simply use paint.

Imagination (not optional)

Here is a video on making paint/inkblot art:

In a nutshell, here are some ways you can make paint/inkblot art:

• Use one colour or 2-3 colours- you can always add more colour in after when you are transforming your paint blot.
• Or add one colour at a time fold dry and add another colour if the paint blot tells you to! Let the paint drip when you put it on, dap it on with a brush, fingers, or stick. Spray it on, use a dropper- anything goes- just don’t let the paint dry before folding the paper together  or else it won’t make a print.
• Sit with the blot until you see something to enhance, form or shape.
• Remember to look in the empty spaces as well to see what shapes or forms appear to you.
• Turn the paper around and look at it from different angles.
• Use a paint brush with paint a marker or pencils pens to draw in your details of what you see.
• Sit with it looking at it and listen to wether it is finished or not.
• The idea is for it to be a quick way to practice following your intuition while painting and creating.
• Continue doing daily if possible to strengthen your imaginative muscles and encourage free flowing expression.

Tip: Make a whole bunch of blots at the beginning of the week, (one for each day) then they are ready to embellish as above for your daily practice. Make sure you open the book and allow the pages to dry, especially of you are doing multiple blots at once.

Friday Week Two

How often should I process paint?

“There is no must in art because art is free” Wassily Kandinsky

That is really up to you, there are no “shoulds” trust your intuition.  However, I can tell you that the more you allow yourself to paint in this manner, the more comfortable you will become with process painting and the deeper you will be able to go.  If you can start by working on your first painting for about 2-4 hours for 1-2 days on the weekend then you will be able to delve into the process with less interruption from your intellect and perhaps break some old habits that inhibit your expression.

If this is not realistic for you, no worries, we all must do what fits for us.  Just be sure you are not falling back on excuses that are enabling procrastination.  Of course take breaks when you need to; get out and do something else, leave the painting behind both physically and mentally then return to it.  There is no perfect moment to process paint, no need to be inspired.  The painting process will inspire you in and of itself if you follow it and give it the space.  Have a back up plan by scheduling in time throughout the day dedicated just for your painting.

For the purpose of this course I made a sample schedule to get you started.  Tweak it to fit your schedule.  I highly recommend that you try to do as much painting as you can during the course to establish a routine for yourself, get familiar with intuitive painting and be able to access the support of myself and the others who are on this adventure during the next 4 weeks.   Do read the materials, watch the videos and ask questions.  However you will not truly “know” the power of process painting until you actually do it.

Sample schedule:

As  often as you wish visit  Painting With Your Muse forum for support/camaraderie, and accountability.

Saturday:

Sunday: 2-4 hrs process painting

Monday-Friday

daily practice

Do warm-up exercise(s) 5-15 minutes daily

Listen to guided meditation daily

Recap:

Some Ways to Practice:

• Use the guided meditation as a starting place.  After listening to it once, you can start to practice closing your eyes and observing images which you then can pull from for your daily journal painting practice.  If you have more time or prefer to work bigger, then feel free to use the larger paper for this.

• Use the paint brush to make large, small, fast, slow strokes in the air.  Dab it in a paint colour that calls to you in the moment and begin to scribble on the paper with the brush.  Focus only on the movement of the brush, and what feels good to you. Stop after a few minutes. Look at your painting up close as well as stepping back from it.  Choose another colour and fill in parts of the painting (white spaces) that are calling for paint.

• Paint the first word that comes to mind when you face the paper. Continue painting based on this word.

• Use marker, crayon, pastel or paint to write a phrase or quote that you find soothing or motivating. Add more paint as you see fit.

• Finger or body painting in journal or on larger paper.

• Explore the 5 rhythms/movements (flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical, stillness) movements with or without Mp3 in journal painting or on larger paper

• Try another journal or warm-up exercise from Monday or Friday in the weeks to come or combine any of them together. Experiment!

Monday Week Two

Process Painting

Intuitive process painting means following your inner guidance as to how to proceed with your painting.  In the beginning, it may be tempting to rush through the process and finish quickly.  However, while you are fine-tuning your intuition and getting use to painting without a plan it is important to give yourself and your painting the time to get to know each other.  Step away from your painting from time to time, observing it from different angles and perspectives.  Get closer to your painting, focusing in on a part that you are drawn to.  Take your cues from the painting as to what you should do.  This process painting you will be spending a little more time on than you did for the warm-up and expressive arts exercises.  You will continue painting this painting until it feels done, which means you may paint on it a few hours one day and then another for a week or more. When you run out of space and think you are done, you can add more paper on to some or all sides to allow the painting to expand and evolve more.  View the videos for guidance, but above all, listen to what your inner muse is telling you.

Before you begin, ask yourself:

“Am I concerned with how it will look?”  If so, acknowledge this and let it go. To be truly spontaneous in your expression you need to release any judgements and preconceived notions of results.

“Do I have an image of how I want the end result to look?” It’s okay to start with an idea if it has just come to you as you start but try not to be too attached to it.  You may find that it morphs into something else as you allow yourself to be spontaneous and follow the flow of painting.  It is unnecessary to “know” where to start.

Have your area ready with drop sheet, paint smock,  paint, palette, paper, container with water, and drinking water for you.

Pick a colour to start, and paint on the paper allowing the paint  to flow over the paper from your finger tips or whatever you are using.  Be led by the painting, try not to lead it.  If your fingers are calling for another colour, allow them.  This is where the painting becomes a kind of meditation: you are focused on what is happening in the present, not thinking ahead to where you want to be with the painting.  If your mind jumps ahead just notice whatever it is focusing on and focus back on your painting and what is unfolding, colours shapes, perhaps you are aware of the paint on your hands and how it feels, or perhaps you are aware of some feelings that arise as you paint.  It’s all okay, just notice and release.

I have made a video for you to help you get started with your process painting.

Week One:

 Sunday

Connecting With your Internal Creative Rhythm

Movement can take us out of our heads and back into our bodies.  I can remember when I was a child how easily I moved to the music around me without a thought of how I looked to others.  As I became older I became more self-conscious and controlled my movements more to fit a certain look.  I remember viewing old film (yes actual film on a reel, not videos) and seeing myself dance like a free spirit, carefree and joyous.

When I was in University studying psychology, I stumbled upon a modern dance course for non-dance majors and jumped (literally) at the chance to connect with that part of myself again.  Although there was some technique involved in the course, a big component of the course was expressing an inner story through dance and movement.  I became familiar once again with the language of the body.  Both it’s subtle and gross motor movements allowed me to connect with myself in a different realm.

You don’t have to be a dancer to reap the benefits of moving into your body.  You can use whatever mode of movement speaks to you as a warm-up, whether yoga, tai chi, or free style dance.  Even jumping-jacks if you wish.  The movement can also be subtle like rolling of your shoulders (we all tend to hold tension in the shoulders) or clenching and releasing your fists.  These movements can be done between pauses in painting as well to help ground you and bring you back to your body. For example, stomping your feet while process painting  can really help ground you.

Moving to music is an easy way of introducing some movement into your warm-up when you are not sure “how” to move.  I personally enjoy the 5 Rhythms approach to movement and dance by Gabriel  Roth.  She uses the different rhythms and beats as a guide to connect with your inner expression and feelings. I have included a video for you to get a feel for these rhythms. I feel that her  description of this dance process can be interchanged easily for the process of painting.

I have included a dancing meditation with original music by Christos, Ares and Alexi Adamidis for you to download. It will take you through different rhythms to help you warm up for your painting.

Download your Rhythms Movement Exercise Mp3 here.

Give yourself space to move around.  Listen to your body and what it needs. Please do not attempt to do movements that are difficult or taxing on your body. Wear clothing that you will be comfortable dancing in.  Listen to the beat and tempo of the music and allow your body to respond with any movement that it pleases.  As with process painting, there is not only one way to respond with your body.  However your body responds to the music is fine.

First start by solely moving to the music in a moving meditation.  Allow your body to be free as you are physically able, taking care not to over extend yourself.  The 5 rhythms you will hear will be flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness.  Use the sound as a guide for loosening you up and freeing a different part of your creativity.  Remember this is not about producing a painting, this is about connecting with self through rhythm and painting. Listen to the musicality and allow your body to respond to the rhythm any way it wants, on beat or off, quick or slow, smooth or rough.

According to Gabriel Roth, The five rhythms (in order) are flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness. The five rhythms, when danced in sequence, are known as a “Wave”.

Rhythms for finger Painting

Gather your materials: paint,  large paper (use your practice paper) water (for paint and to hydrate) rag and prepare your self and your space.  Now it is time to translate this rediscovered movement into your art expression.  For this warm-up exercise, it is important to allow yourself to step outside your comfort zone.   You will be painting with your fingers minimally, and if that seems comfortable enough for you, then step outside your known comfort zone and use another body part or parts to paint with.  The idea is that you are trying something new to shift your present way of approaching your expression.

You can either use the Mp3 of the different rhythms and see how they play out in your finger painting or take pauses and recall the movement from the movement exercise and allow your body to flow from the different movements. Follow your intuition and move between the different rhythms that Gabrielle Roth identifies as flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical, stillness.  There is no one way to do this, there is not one right way.  Tune into your body and allow it’s movements to guide your painting.

I have included a video, however please note that this is my interpretation of the different movements.  Yours will be unique to you.

Week One: Saturday

Guided Meditation 

Download your Guided Imagery Meditation for Week One here.

To use the guided meditation, find a comfortable spot to either sit or lie down and listen to the mp3.  This meditation is designed to help you exercise your intuition through imagery creation. Listen to this guided meditation throughout the week as many times as you are called to.

Art Journaling  Daily Practice

Choose a time of day where you can add in a new ritual/routine of creating daily art for 5 minutes minimum, if you have 15 minutes then go for it.  You may want to do this first thing upon waking up, in the evening (but not right before bed or you may overstimulate your brain and find it gard to sleep), on a lunch break, or at any other time during the day when you can schedule it in regularly.

Remember, it is not about the product it is about the process of doing, creating, and  making a commitment to your self to engage in some creative expression through painting.  By creating daily space in your day for art, you set the tone that creating art is important and you send a message to your muse that she is welcome.  Actions speak louder than words.

Some Ways to Practice:

• Use the guided meditation as a starting place.  After listening to it once, you can start to practice closing your eyes and observing images which you then can pull from for your daily journal painting practice.  If you have more time or prefer to work bigger, then feel free to use the larger paper for this.

• Use the paint brush to make large, small, fast, slow strokes in the air.  Dab it in a paint colour that calls to you in the moment and begin to scribble on the paper with the brush.  Focus only on the movement of the brush, and what feels good to you. Stop after a few minutes. Look at your painting up close as well as stepping back from it.  Choose another colour and fill in parts of the painting (white spaces) that are calling for paint.

• Paint the first word that comes to mind when you face the paper. Continue painting based on this word.

• Use marker, crayon, pastel or paint to write a phrase or quote that you find soothing or motivating. Add more paint as you see fit.

Here are some Artful Affirmations to get you started. If one or more speaks to you then use it, or better yet use it to jump-start your own words of wisdom. These can be used in your journal, large paper painting or as a poster message in your painting area.

I am creative

I allow my inner child time to play

I am

Art is my soul

I am full of beauty

I can

I love myself

Just because….

I deserve respect

Within me there is so much potential

My heart overflows with gratitude

I choose my own path

I am my own muse

I inspire myself

All that I need is within me

A note about the Expressive Arts Exercises & daily practice

Before starting your daily practice, centre yourself by taking a few deep breaths, either standing with arms at your side or sitting, feet touching the ground. allow your breath to happen naturally.  You can use the guided meditation as a guide for this.

Each of us have our own unique process, we can’t make it fit into a nice tidy package.  Follow your own process, trying the exercises out in any order that calls to you. Give each an honest try. Repeat the ones that sing to you. Note the ones that make you uncomfortable. Come back to them when you are ready.

More exercises will be introduced throughout the next weeks.

Friday Week One

Connect With Your Child side

“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child”. Pablo Picasso

One of the best ways I know to loosen up is to pretend.  Pretend you are a child, you once were after all.  You may be able to remember times when you were a child and were carefree, uninhibited about the way you expressed yourself through the arts.  You expressed the way you felt, the way you wanted to and that was all that mattered.  Even if you cannot remember a time like that as a child, this innocence of expression can be re-learned.  Watch a child you know paint, or watch a video of a child painting and see how they allow themselves to paint or dance free style.

Aelita Andre is a wonderful example of a child following her intuition as she paints.  To me she encompasses the freedom of expression that any one of us is capable of if given the right space for it to flow.

At the age of 4 she was identified as the youngest professional painter in the world.  When I watched this the first time I was thinking how free she was and how any child or any person could be this free.   The only difference between this child and others with her freedom of expression is permission.   Watch this for the process, and how freely she follows her intuition when she paints.  Keep in mind she is considered a professional artist, my intent is not to show this to you as goal to achieve the same kinds of paintings.  I simply share this video  because of the beauty of her process.  We weren’t all given the freedom that she so obviously is given.  And even if we were it does not mean we would paint like her or even be a professional artist.  I repeat: that is not the goal here.  I hesitate to say that there is a goal but if I were to say a goal, Painting in and of itself is the goal.  The sooner you surrender to this, the easier it will be to enjoy the process.  Watch Aelita’s video below.

“All of us need to be in touch with a mysterious, tantalizing source of inspiration that teases our sense of wonder and goads us on to life’s next adventure.” 

~Rob Brezsny

Wednesday Week One 

Your Inner Muse

Once upon a time there was a child.  This child liked to explore with her hands, experience the world with her whole body.  Her curiosity was insatiable.  She looked at things with wide wondering eyes, drinking it all in with excitement, enjoying each moment, each second.

This curious child lived to discover the world around her and within.  She was confident and proud of her accomplishments and quick to let others know “look at me!” she’d say.  She was open to trying new things, experimenting was her forte.

When she heard music she would dance with her whole body, using every muscle she could muster.  Moving to the rhythm she’d pick up on the beat, tempo and all the nuances in between.  Her dance became a reflection, not of the music, but of her Self as bold and subtle movements burst forth from her inner most being.  She did not care how she looked.  She did not care if others saw her; she was too busy dancing her dance.

When she picked up paints her eyes gleamed in anticipation, hands twitching with eagerness.  The blank paper was an invitation to explore.  An invitation to express herself in any way she wanted, in any way she deemed necessary.  Deep inside she could feel the importance of this expression.  She allowed her self to experience the paint to it’s fullest, large dollops of paint on her brush and on her hands.

The blank paper called to her: paint me, paint me, paint meThe voice that called to her was from within, the voice of her core being.  Paint ME. She listened, and she did. With a furry of motion she painted, slowing to a crawl when it called to her.  Pausing to allow the “me” to reveal itself in any way that “me” choses.

Her hands full of paint became the voice, the image, the words, the process her connection.  As her inner being spoke through her she became more energized and full of life.  She felt whole.

The more she was allowed to express this way, the more she felt a deep satisfaction with her purpose.

I have recorded a video of this story which you can watch or listen to below:

Exploring Your Muse

It may have been a while since you last were joined by your muse.  Your muse may have been engaging you in an endless game of hide and seek.  Perhaps it’s been a month, a year, several years, or more.  Perhaps your muse visited for what seemed a fleeting moment, only to go away again.  Whatever your situation, it can change.  Your muse is just waiting for the invitation from you to come out to explore and create.

Just one thing: there are no rules to this game of creative

expression.  There are a plenitude of ways, shapes and forms that you can use to express through painting, none of which are confined to the suggestions made here.  You may wish to paint abstractly, or not.  Large or small. Fast or slow.  With bright colours, dark colours or both.  With a brush or not.  Smearing paint or dapping paint. Using a palette, sponge, or cloth as a tool or not. There are endless possibilities.  The choice is yours.

Today you are invited to bring your muse more fully into your day.  Look at things through new eyes, experiment with your painting and try something different.

Painting Your Muse

Give shape and form to your muse, painting what your muse looks like.  Again, no rules.   She/he could be portrayed as abstractly, realistically or as child-like as you wish.  You can either do this small in your art journal or use a large sheet of paper.

Use your writing  journal to write your muse’s story.  Who is she/he to you?  Highlight a significant time she/he last visited you.

A note on mixing colours:

Be free with your painting. A few things to be aware of:  mixing certain colours together will make mud.  If you want to experiment like most children do and find out which combinations will make what colours, then go for it.  But if you are not sure you want the “mud” effect (when colours mix and turn a brown colour), then please check out the section below on mixing colours.  If you are already familiar with mixing colours then by all means skip this part.

In brief:

Primary colours are: red blue yellow

Mix any 2 primary colours together and you get a new secondary colour

Red + yellow= orange

Red + blue = purple/violet

Blue + yellow = green

To lighten any of the above colours add white

I.e. red + white = pink

Basically if you combine two complimentary colours (any 2 colours that are directly opposite each other on the chart below) you will create the mud effect (picture those finger paintings where a child adds so many colours then mixes them on the paper and you can’t tell what colour they started with).  Or if you combine 2 secondary colours (those mixed by combining 2 primary colours). To avoid doing this, (unless of course you are called to paint this way), make sure you use a fresh brush for different colours, change your paint water often, or better yet have more than one large container of water for washing brushes in between colours, and dab it on a rag after to get off any access dirty water that might muddy the colours.  Finally, don’t paint over wet paint, unless you want to blend a new colour.

 

Monday Week One

Today is your chance to get oriented.  You can access the Painting With Your Muse Forum HERE.  Please read through the forum guidelines, set up your profile, and introduce yourself. The Forum is a private member’s only area hosted on ArtTherapist.ca.

Here is a brief breakdown of what we will be covering over the next 5 weeks.

Week one we will lay down the groundwork for creative expression preparing your external and internal environment in order for your artist within to feel more comfortable.

Week two we begin to peel back the layers to your creative side, inviting you to loosen up and let go through different creative exercises.

Week three we explore the shadows, calling out and challenging the monsters that inhibit creativity.

Week four we continue to break the patterns that block your creativity.  Following your natural internal rhythm to connect with creativity.

Week five we delve deeper. Gently exploring your inner-landscape and creativity, and further connecting you to your creative source.

There will be plenty of videos, written materials, expressive arts exercises and guided visualizations (4 total) staggered throughout the next 5 weeks.  Go at your own pace, pick and choose what calls to you of the exercises and warm-ups. Above all set aside a chunk of time each week to allow your self to do intuitive process painting.

 

To get you started on this first day, please read through the sections on Creating Space, below.   This will help you prepare both your outer and inner space for Painting With Your Muse.

Creating Space

Before you can open yourself up to creating in a free way, you need to allow your self the space to let loose.  Our creativity can be crowded out by too many thoughts racing through our heads.   Procrastination mode can easily kick in if there are distractions such as clutter in our environment or clutter in our minds.

Outer Space

There are many ways that you can create a physical space no matter what your actual space restrictions may be.  I have set up spaces all over my home, some portable some not, where I can pull out my paints, put down a drop sheet, and paint.  Sometimes it’s on an easel or on my table in my kitchen because we have wonderful natural light there.

Sometimes it’s in the upstairs hallway on the cardboard covered wall (there is a lot of natural light there too).  If you don’t have a lot of natural light, that’s okay (it’s just my personal preference), a well-lit room is perfectly fine.  Any wall or large floor space works well for process painting.  Just put down a drop sheet, or cover the wall or floor with newspaper or cardboard, add some good lighting if there is not any natural light and voila you have an instant studio! I know someone who even set up a painting space in her garage!

Inner Space

Finding a physical space to create in is just one part of making space to create.  If you want to be able to let loose and express yourself there needs to be a certain amount of mental and emotional preparation as well.  Have you ever noticed how distracting it is to try to do something when there is a ton of clutter around you?  It can become an excuse that pulls you away.  De-cluttering the area that you will be creating in, not only clears your physical space making more room, but it also creates a clear passage to focus on your creating.

Before you create, make sure your direct space is de-cluttered.  Make sure you get any unnecessary papers, objects, and so forth, out of your space, without letting yourself get bogged down by tidying your whole home.  The idea is to clear the foremost area you will be creating in.  Gather up any items that don’t belong and put them in a basket.  Sort them later, otherwise you will distract yourself with trying to put everything away and once again avoid the blank paper that so patiently awaits you.

Part of preparing your environment for intuitive painting is making sure that you feel safe.  When I do art therapy with clients a big part of my work is to ensure that clients feel safe enough to express themselves. Feeling safe from the judgement of others is a big one. This is why we do the art in a private setting.  The art is only shared when the client feels safe to do so.

When you embark on intuitive painting, the same principles apply. Make sure the space you are using will not be intruded upon by others, well-meaning or not. Sometimes even the smallest of comments can distract one from going deeper into process painting. Even so-called “good” comments can be inhibiting.  Praise may be experienced as something you need to live up to.  Praise may also get you off track by valuing the aesthetically pleasing parts of painting, or valuing certain images over others.  This can set a precedence for you to  continue the painting in the same way even though you may have been ready to change course with the painting before the comment.  Comments or questions like “why’d you do that?” or “why don’t you. . .?”  or “is that a . . .?” and so forth can really set you up for second guessing yourself and in turn your intuition  We don’t need to weaken your intuition muscles we need to strengthen them!

If you can, find a space in your home where you can paint privately without prying eyes.  If space is an issue then set some ground rules with your loved ones or housemates. Let them know the importance of not commenting on your painting while you are painting. Even comments made after may interfere with future process paintings as they may set up expectations for you.

If space is an issue set aside time to paint when no one is around; either when others are at work, school or sleeping, or just ask them to give you the space without interruption if that is possible.

It is important that we carry the same principles over to the Painting with Your Muse Forum as well.  In doing so you are allowing others the benefit from your creative energy.  There is no one way or right way of how an intuitive painting “should” be. You are also challenging yourself by sharing with others to reaffirm your commitment to Painting With Your Muse.

You are welcome to share your art in the forum and have it witnesses by others starting after week 2. The reason for this is so that you can sit with your painting, finished or not, before sharing it.  This will give you the chance to listen to your intuition about what is best for your own process.

 Setting the Intention

Another way to prepare your space both inner and outer is to have some sort of quick ritual that you do to set your intention and commitment to create.  This could be as simple as spraying a favourite essential oil in the air (small spray bottle with some drops of essential oil in it), having a cup of your favourite herbal tea (ice it for the summer), doing a few yoga stretches if that is your thing, throwing on some centering music for a few minutes before you start, or closing your eyes and meditating in silence for a few minutes. Is there a favourite quote that you have which you find helps you get into a creating head space?  Display it in your painting space, writing it out in big bold paint strokes as a reminder to you intention to connect with your inner Muse. Is there a message you need to hear to help you begin? Write or paint it on or near your painting paper.

If you already have a routine that you do before you settle into creating, shift things around and see what happens.  Try something different and see how it feels, especially if you have been feeling blocked.

Wearing old clothes, a paint smock or apron and putting down drop sheets if need be, also helps you let your creative spirit loose without the inhibitions of making a mess or getting your clothes dirty.

Watch the intro video below.

A Note From Me

I am not a teacher but rather your guide. My role is to guide you back to yourself and the innate creativity that you hold within.  You are not here to learn a technique but rather unlearn the false and preconceived notions you may have about your ability to express through art. You are not here to learn something new, you are here to uncover the creativity that has been buried under years of repression. You may be here to connect with your muse who has been lying dormant since your childhood years or who has been hiding for fear of not being accepted.  You may be here because your muse has been playing hide and seek and you feel yourself growing frustrated trying to find her.  It may be that you are here because you recognize the need to nurture your muse at this time.  Only you know what brought you here.  Trust it. Nurture it.  You deserve to be heard.

Musefully yours,

 

 

I am so excited that you and your Muse will be joining me for  Painting With Your Muse!
I have made up badges for those of you who would like to show that you are taking part in this e-course on your blog or webpage.

Below I have included the html for 2  different badges, just copy and paste the html into your blog/website for the images and links to show up.  Please feel free to post a badge on your bog if it calls to you.  I would be most honored!  They are pictured below in the same order.

You are also welcome to join my Affiliate program where you have an opportunity to make some commissions on every course sign-up through your special links.  Click HERE to find out more about the Drawing The Self Out Affiliates.

<img title=”PWYMjeanieBadgeSm” src=”http://arttherapist.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PWYMjeanieBadgeSm.jpg” alt=”” width=”200″ height=”200″ />

<img title=”PWYMbadge2″src=”http://arttherapist.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/PWYMbadge2.jpg” alt=”” width=”200″ height=”200″ />

Painting with Your Muse  Supply list:

 

Journals for the expressive arts exercises:

A small to medium sized blank sketchbook that has  60 pages( or more)  in it (you will be using full spread of page when open)

An inexpensive lined paper notebook for journaling in separately from the sketchbook.

Paints

A good quality Liquid Tempera Paint. I use Chroma Temp here in Canada, I have heard that Utrecht is of similar quality, which can be purchased in the USA.

If you already have Tempera paints and are on a budget then use these if you like.  However, depending on the quality of the paint you will get different results in terms of colour and texture.  Avoid the very cheap children’s paint you often find in dollar stores. If you have acrylic and prefer to use those then by all means do (just beware, you may be using a lot of paint). The reason I suggest tempera paint is that it is very affordable, so you are less likely to be inhibited for fear of “wasting” it. This way you can experiment and let loose with your painting.  You will need to have on hand minimally the primary colours: red, blue, yellow (which can be used to mix secondary colours orange, purple, green) as well as  black and white for lightening your colours.  But since it is so affordable why not get turquoise, orange, brown green violet magenta, and save yourself the trouble of trying to mix these colours yourself.

Paper:

A heavy weight paper such as Vellum Bristol 80 pound weight.  The weight is important to sustain the paint.   The size should be minimally 18”by 24” or if you find paper that is 20” by 26” or 24” by 36 or thereabouts that would work too.

As you work on your painting you may make it bigger by taping on more paper on any side of your painting.  It can grow as big as you feel is necessary for your painting to be complete.

Brushes:

Several brushes in different sizes to accommodate different strokes.

Watercolour brushes work well for this when using tempera.  I suggest you have a variety of sizes including 0 for small details, size 8 and size 14.  You may wish to have a few of the same sizes so that you can use them for different colours without having to be so careful about washing in-between.  If you use the same brush for a different colour make sure you rinse it well as any remnants of colour can change your next colour and make it muddy.  Take care of your brushes washing them well and letting them dry with their hairs up so as not to bend them out of shape.  Sponges, sponge brushes & rags are also interesting & fun to use.

Pallets, water container & miscellaneous

You can either buy the “real thing” from your local art store or use make-shift pallets such as an ice cube tray, Styrofoam trays saved from wrapped produce.  The benefit of using a pallet is that it will have dividers on it to keep your mixed paints from mixing with other paints and making a brown mess.

A few plastic spoons and plastic knifes will suffice for transferring paints from their containers to your pallets

Have a few water containers on hand that are tall enough to support your brushes with out tipping the container and large enough so you are not constantly changing water.

A spray bottle that you can use to keep you tempera paint moist if it seems to be drying is sometimes helpful.  It is also good for spraying your painting for different effects.

Scissors for changing the size or shape of your paper.

2-inch wide duct tape for taping paper together to make it larger.

 

Musefully yours,