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

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Process as Catharsis

Kalalau 3 ©LE Fine Art (photo)

Happy nearly mid-summer to you!  How is yours coming along so far?  Mine has been dedicated to completing a new body of work, a series of paintings concentrated on the element of water.  You most likely know that water comprises over 70% of our bodies and about 70% of our planet Earths’ surface.  The oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water and water also exists in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in icecaps and glaciers, in the ground as soil moisture and in aquifers. Did you know that the proportions of salt to fresh water on the planet are the same as in the body, the fresh water being in the in spine?  Wow!

My passion for water is many layered.  Firstly, water “in-spirits” me, inspires me to create, to feel, to allow my spirit to BE.  Growing up near the ocean and the fact that seashores have always (and will always) be a very healing, cooling and nourishing place for me to simply BE.  During the past few months, I have been inspired to engage with the waters of life in any way that I can.  For example, long essential oil and salt infused baths, swimming in the ocean lots, sitting on the sea shore, hydrating the body with more and more pure water and feeling the inner waters of e-motions.

Through my daily practices revolving around water, old layers of sadness have emerged to be made love to and let go of…  Embracing fluidity and stillness in my life process, resting in vulnerability and surrender allowing old thought/feeling patterns to bubble up and dissolve…  This life process is vital to go through for me vs. the avoid-dance, catalyzing catharsis to create (in this case) my art  from a place of authenticity and true beauty.

And, honestly, from what I have learned from being a lifelong artist and student, moving through the layers of the shadow and the strata of the defense structure, are what make great art.  Even if it’s not “pretty”, it’s a beautiful and necessary process.  I was challenged lately by one of my teachers Cass to face my pain, anger, sadness and other “ugly” shadow stuff, especially if I call myself a “transformative” artist.  Amen, he called it!  No steps can be skipped and this is the journey that I have accepted that I am on.  He encouraged me to look at my favorite artists’ (all mediums) and their work for evidence of this fact.  Vero vero.  Gratefully, I accepted this challenge as my aim is to be extraordinary and real in my expression of my Gifts in our world, similar to my favorite artists.  🙂

Courage, I embrace the waters with courage.  Nourishing from the source of life, our waters both inside and out.

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 indebted to my teacher Cass.

The Work and World of Dr. Masaru Emoto

Masaru Emoto has studied water for over twenty years. Water has been Dr. Masaru Emoto’s passion.  He has studied water around the planet form the perspective of an original thinker, and is the author of a number of bestselling books, a three-volume photo collection of beautiful water crystals, and now two children’s books about water.  These books have been translated into more than thirty-five languages.

Books:

The Water Cure with Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

Love his books!

Did you know?

Water is the basis of all life and that includes your body. Your muscles that move your body are 75% water; your blood that transport nutrients is 82% water; your lungs that provide your oxygen are 90% water; your brain that is the control center of your body is 76% water; even your bones are 25% water.

Our health is truly dependent on the quality and quantity of the water we drink.

Water

FindaSpring.com is a community and user created database of natural springs around the world.  Spring water is the cleanest, healthiest, most natural water. Now is the time to reclaim our water!

http://www.findaspring.com/

Film:

Inspirations

This latest documentary film by Michael Apted (7Up series, Gorillas in the Mist, Nell) explores the creative process through candid discussion with seven artists from diverse media.  (note: Chihuly loves water too, it’s fuel for his creative expression!)

“About 70 percent of our bodies are water. This is the case for adults of all races, and it is why people should not be divided by political strategies and ideologies. Just like water, people must always be allowed to flow freely.”

~Dr. Masaru Emoto

www.lorieneck.com

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