My Story~ In My Own Words ~An Interview in VoyageLA Magazine

I am thrilled and honored to share a fun interview for Los Angeles online magazine VoyageLA.

Here’s the link to the article or click on the image above. Enjoy!

 

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connect to me via my Facebook page, explore my Art with Lórien art classes on YouTube, and if you would like to make sure you are notified about more content like this, join my newsletter here to be the first to know when I offer my new programs, including early bird specials and exclusives!

May your days be filled with a sense of wonder, love and the spirit of Aloha,

In love, gratitude and beauty…

 

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Trust and the Creative Process

Inspiration Source Photo, Pacific ocean, Kauai, Hawaii, May 2013 ©LE Art & Design

Hello my readers!  I am back… I took a bit of a sabbatical from this blog roll, as I am have been deeply engaged in my creative process on a new series of paintings for my Elements Collection.  It feels good to be back here and I am excited to share some thoughts about Trust and the Creative Process.  I’ll start by posing these questions: Where do ideas come from? How do we get inspired to create something? Where do I start?  As you know, inspiration and creative ideas can come from anywhere anytime…and for me, my eyewitness inspiration is WATER, specifically the ocean blue.

For me, creation and creativity come very naturally and I usually have an abundance of ideas.  On the flip side, the challenge for me has been to have  too many choices, feeling overwhelmed or just simply, choosing one to focus on.  As a painter, I have a way to take on the abundance of ideas which is to organize them into collections and sometimes a series within a collection.  I have eight “working” painting collections that serve as containers to hold the individual creations and this is key for the constant creator.

To illustrate the more nitty-gritty, messy and juicy creative process of one of my individual paintings, I have selected Water III, a mixed media on canvas painting.  It is one of five paintings in the Water series within the Elements Collection.  This painting was the 3rd (of 4) in the series that I was making last summer for a show and I must say, my creative process with this painting (and most paintings) was not a straight line.  And, this is what I really would like to share here.  Once the spark of an idea is lit, (in my case I was focused on water as a topic and paintings as the creation), all kinds of curves, twists, turns and some of the following may come up.  And if any of these do arise, the important thing is to stick with the journey and follow the guidance, both your inner guidance and source energy/Creators guidance.

• unbridled inspiration to start, gather info, research and develop the concept
• love the work one day, dislike it the next day (even abhor it!)
• feelings of  anger, frustration and general un-ease and negative emotions
• desire to quit or start over completely
• feelings of doubt, the illusion of fear and even questioning the skills set and/or innate talents
• struggle with the materials or the natural elements (for example, I work outdoors and sometimes the heat dries the paint too darn quick even with methods to slow it down)

Throughout the creation of this painting, I rode the cathartic wave experiencing everything between elation and agony.  At times, I truly thought that this painting was not going to make it.  But, to the best of my ability, I trusted.  I trusted the guidance and love of our Creator to lead me on through; letting go and trusting both at the same time.  Suggested practices that have helped me along the way that you can play with are:

• when the stuff comes up, FEEL…
• when you feel stuck, change something, anything!
• go on daily walks, bike rides, movement and balance has helped me even more than maintenance during an intense creative project
• pray, meditate, breathe deeply, take long baths, talk to a trusted friend, write about it- we are NOT alone!
• if necessary, and I just did this with another painting, set it aside and start or work on another project, take a break, but come back to it when you feel ready
• let it all incubate and gel, relax and seriously chill out when not working on project~ whatever that looks like for you!
• the main idea is to find the JOY in the creative process and to EnJOy every step of the way…

Now, my practical creative process step by step:  I started with the photo image I took of water, see above, as my source image (what I use as a spring board for an abstract painting).  The canvas size is 24 inches X 36 inches and I used acrylic paint and a variety of mixed media materials.  Below are a series of photographs and the final one is the finished product from start to finish.

The Beginning

Next Stage

And then this…

Top portion of the painting

Nearly done

Almost done (reflections on the painting from the sun)

Final Painting, 24X36 inches, Mixed Media on Canvas

Me with Water III at the Bridge to the Soul Art Show

All Images ©Lórien Eck Art & Design

Since its completion in August 2013, this painting, Water III, has been featured in two art shows, one in August 2013 at one of my  galleries Hale Arts SPACE, in Santa Monica and in the Bridge to the Soul traveling show in Los Angeles, November 2013-February 2014.  This painting is available for purchase either through Hale Arts SPACE or directly through me.

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via this blog, my face book page, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

In love, gratitude and beauty…

www.lorieneck.com

“Art has the power to heal.” ~ Lórien

Read Full Post »

Navigating 2014 with Grace and Ease

The Path to the Great Unknown ©LE Fine Art (photo)

“The past has no power over the present moment.” ~Eckhart Tolle

Aloha fellow travelers!

Happy New Year greetings from the magical and mystical island of Kauai!  What amazing and expansive times we are in!  I am personally experiencing a time of great change and gracefully releasing what no longer serves my highest good.  Ahhhhhh.  This month, much like December, is a period of transition for many, and I am certainly feeling this.  Why is January still feel like a transition month?  Well, from what I know, the Dec. 31/Jan 1 shift is just one of many larger cyclical passages that occurs and effects us energetically.  The others are the Chinese New Year, this year occurring on January 31 (always coinciding with the new moon), the astrological new year with Aries (first sign of the zodiac) and of course, our friend the groundhog who pops up on Feb. 2, often signalling a new season.  So, with all of those factors in the field, it’s no wonder the vibes are feeling like they do!

Navigating the course moving from the Chinese year of the water serpent to the soon to be wooden horse has proven to be a time of great growth, detachment, adjustments, preparations and education on all levels.  I have re-dedicated myself to my daily yoga practice and embarked on a deep cleanse and all level detox sourcing many of the fruits of the sacred land that I am living on, (fresh Noni, aloe, parsley, coconut water, to name a few) and letting go even more through my long exhales…

I read something recently from the Power Path by Lena Stevens, where she talks about being prepared, getting ready, set, to GO in the coming months of this year.  Here’s an excerpt from her January forecast: “The question is, “What are you preparing for?” This is an unknown as to how the future will manifest, but the preparation is always for something new and better to come into our lives, a new paradigm, a new perception, a new frequency. We do not yet know how it will manifest, but if we are encumbered by all of our excess baggage (physical, emotional and psychological) we will certainly not be able to take advantage of it.”  Oh yeah love that!

Yep!  This is what I am experiencing full on and feel that what I can do at the very least, is to prepare my body/mind temple, my emotional and my Spiritual bodies for what it is I am here to do and what lies ahead.  Starting here with baby steps and moving into what I can change/create in terms of nourishment, in thoughts, emotions, beliefs, relationships and especially letting go of what no longer serves is my focus at this time.

What to prepare for?  One thing I know for sure, this Chinese year of the wooden horse holds lots of promise of dreams fulfilled from following my bliss step by step and through patiently watching the mystery unfold.   From astrologer Carol Barbeau: “Horse magic is always about traveling free and following your path: Horses are to me about Travel, Power, Freedom.”  How exciting indeed!  I look forward to sharing more of the adventure and magic as 2014 rolls on!

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via this blog, my face book page, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

In love, gratitude and beauty…

Personally Experienced and Recommended Resources

The Power Path

The monthly forecast from these amazing folks is an invaluable tool.

Carol Babeau Illuminations

Her weekly and monthly forecasts are fun, inspired and always insightful!

www.lorieneck.com

“Hope is a waking dream.” ~ Aristotle

Read Full Post »

Silence as good medicine, just like beauty sleep!

Kalani Wedding Flowers ©LE Fine Art (photo)

“If there were a little more silence, if we all kept quiet…maybe we could understand something.”

  ~Federico Fellini

The month of October was a very special month for me.  After a solid commitment and about 4 months of careful preparation, that included a renewed daily yoga practice, more silence and lots of focused inner work, I felt ready for my retreat at Kalani with one of my teachers’ Cass.  The title of our retreat was Path of Love and its focus was LOVE.  Love as a practice, love for the journey itself, love through all of the spirals, curves, twists, turns and for the SELF.  The retreat center itself was on the Big Island of Hawaii, where Pele the goddess of fire and passion resides.  Kalani retreat center is a beautiful backdrop and sacred container for any retreat, gorgeous jungle, clean air and away from civilization.  Truly a ‘bubble’ enclosing a tropical paradise serving as a crucible for many a phoenix rising.

Our retreat encompassed diving into breath work, movement, art-making, dancing, bio aquatic time in the Watsu pool, silence, sharing and  lots and lots of PLAY in the quantum field of LOVE.  During our 5-day “intensive” together, we honored a day of silence.  This intentional silence time/space truly provided me with my nourishment and the integration that is essential after so much deep unwinding and unraveling…. Yum!  I enjoyed that silence time so much that after retreat concluded, I spent more time in silence during my extended stay at Kalani.  I experienced pure pleasure as I steeped in my own medicinal brew of heightened  SELF awareness, synchronicities and surprises.

Silence has also been a core theme of my long time Raja yoga meditation practice started up in 2001.  So, this was nothing “new” to me, but is so so so integral to propelling my creative evolution forward at this juncture.  What this silence provides for me now is the critical “stitching up” and full embodiment of what emerges and is dis-cover-ed through such a retreat, or any created space for personal growth.  So, as each day rolls out, my beat goes on of weaving the tapestry of my gifts to offer up to our world in a form that is visible, vibrant and juicy…

Thank you for reading and I invite you to write your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via this blog, my face book page, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

In love, gratitude and beauty…

Personally Experienced and Recommended Resources

Awake-One

Cass Phelps is an amazing individual and his inspired body of work and offerings have been a phenomenal resource for me! His work is comprehensive, relevant and rich…I am eternally grateful to one of my lifetime teachers, Cass.

Kalani Retreat Center

         Kalani is Hawaii’s largest retreat center, one of the best-loved centers  in the world for more than 35 years.

The Torus

The involuting of the Self into itSelf.

www.lorieneck.com

“When you become aware of silence, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness. You are present. You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.”

-Eckhart Tolle

Read Full Post »

Awakening My True Self~ Again and Again…

Cosmic X Mixed Media on Paper 9×12 inches ©LE Art & Design

“Your own self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”

~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

Firstly, Happy Spring 2013!  Theme of the month behind us and the month ahead… change.  For me, this past transition time from our winter into spring has been a beautiful, amazing, and at times, intense flow of some pretty big waves to surf. My highest intention is to be my most real, highest, and most authentic Self, period.  These past few weeks have challenged me on many levels, all for good and all for the purpose of self-actualization.  Being in the world and not of it, as a Spiritual being having a human experience is the aim here.  Yowza, if we are truly honest, living from this orientation is easier said than done at times.

As I reflect upon my shifts in perspective during this time of a great personal paradigm shifting, I can honestly share that there have been moments of ease and grace, deeper self-love and a more profound compassion for self.  Has each moment been easy, no, not 100% easy at all.  My spiritual evolution experiences as of late, though I know deep in my soul what is necessary, has been what I would call a “mixed bag”.  The greatness about this time of great change and “waking up” to my true self on a deeper level, is that the layers that no longer serve my highest Self and highest expression of God’s glory, are sloughing off, revealing the shiny diamond-like Self that is meant to be the beacon of light as destiny has written.  And, as well all have experienced at some point of our lives here, with change and growth, the call to accept, to let go and to allow is part of the package deal.  Just like a cut or physical wound, the process of healing requires immense patience to leave that scab alone and allow nature to heal the wound, even if it itches or nags for our attention!

The fact that there is a fine balance, of the notion of “fate” and the notion of “free will”, like two horses we must balance our two legs on as we ride into the sunset… the power lies in the act of discernment, self-trust and faith.  Faith that all is “working out” perfectly, even when the outer appears different that how we imagined or fantasized or “wanted” it all to be… All is well and all will be well.  This I know for sure and this fact gives me great comfort.  An exhale with a long ahhhhh sound.

I realize that this sharing may be a bit vague, lacking “story” or details, however, “non sono importanti”.  What is important is this.  The beauty and realization of healthy evolution, deep satisfaction, and emotional contentment in life is inevitable when the seeds that we have planted are regularly nurtured, nourished, and cared for with our love.  Honoring the Self, loving the Self and the practice of positive thoughts sustain the connection to the Self to the Divine are all acts and attitudes that bring causeless joy in each moment.  My intent of sharing my thoughts/feelings in this blog is simply to inspire hope in you and our world, defined here as positive expectation, not the usual definition that has a component of lack or fear.  I choose to inspire hope, despite the many challenges that we face in our journey towards wholeness and living as the God-like being that we truly are.  The fact that through our personal evolution we may feel vulnerable, frightened or raw- at the end of the day, we are all moving towards the Light. Each day a little bit closer to discover our own Bright Inner Light and towards The Light. Wishing you much serenity, peace and bliss.

I look forward to your comments and questions … would love to hear from you via this blog, FB, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

In love, gratitude, and Unity Consciousness,

Recommended Resources

Irma Kaye Sawyer

Wonderful blog posts and resources to support you on the journey of being the Bright Star that You Are!I especially like her recent Full Moon Cosmic Keys Blog

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.”
~Bill Hicks

www.lorieneck.com

Read Full Post »

Gratitude is the Gas

Earthscape II ©LE Art & Design

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege is it to be alive, to think,

to enjoy, to love.”

~Marcus Aurelius (121-180)

Roman Emperor

This month I want to explore the simplicity and power of gratitude.  What makes being grateful such a simple, yet profound affective act?  From my experience, it is the counting of the most minute and mundane
aspects of life.  For example, being thankful for basic things like shelter, food, water, clothes, etc… that create more of what we desire and create more abundance in all areas of life.

As Thanksgiving time is at our heels, it is the time of the year when we collectively reflect on what we are grateful for.  Consider starting now and continuing throughout the year.  Combine gratitude with desire.  What does your heart truly desire?  What are you truly and simply grateful for?  Write it down.  Experiment and see what miracles unfurl…

Let’s  practice every day, let’s count our blessings, and actualize our dreams…  Gratitude is the gas that moves our life forward.

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via this blog, my face book page, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

Until Next time…

In love and gratitude,

Recommended Resources

•Embrace Life International

A place for nurturing mind, body and spirit.

•Deepak Chopra’s 21-Day Meditation Challenge

Even though this event already has begun, it’s free for a limited time and full of

wisdom and resources. Each day is a 15-min meditation.

•Elizabeth Gilbert

Your Elusive Creative Genius

•The Magic

by Rhonda Byrne

Amazing transformative book on the magic of thank you.

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “Thank You”, that would suffice.”

~Meister Eckhart

www.lorieneck.com

Read Full Post »

Love is in the Air… Everyday is Valentine’s Day!

©LE Art & Design

February 2012. Year of the Water Dragon.  Valentine’s day coming up. I offer this thought and inquiry, “what if Valentine’s day was everyday?” What if YOU were always your first Valentine and your significant others and/or humanity closely near the top?  Love is….

What a year it has been so far for me, lots of love…. After a quick start of 3 concurrent art show openings and exhibits, blogs posts,  art receptions, art creating, and lots of new connections, I am taking a long, deep breath to absorb it all in. It’s now time to settle in and allow the new experiences to integrate.  Settling into the love from my larger community and all of those supporting my art work as it is launched into the world.

Self love and love for humanity is on my mind and in my heart.  How do I continually bring this LOVE, for self and others, into my day to day experiences and interactions? How do WE continually bring this LOVE, for self and others, into our day to day experiences and interactions? How do YOU continually bring this LOVE, for self and others, into your day to day experiences and interactions?

So, I leave these questions with you and will be back in March with more musings on life and love.

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via this blog, my face book page, or email lorien@lorieneck.com.

With immense Love and Gratitude,

Lórien

Check out the latest art news:

http://lorieneck.com/news.html

Latest blog entry for Laguna Niguel Patch

www.lorieneck.com

Read Full Post »