Artist Interview: What is Transformative Art?

With one of my healing Water paintings, Water III. To lean more about my Water Series, click here.

In 2014, I was interviewed by Art 4 All People as part of an art exhibition focused on arts and healing.

Here is the interview, short and sweet!

How would you describe Transformative Art? 

Transformative Art is art that reaches into the soul and acts as a mirror revealing the deep and rich inner beauty of the Self, as well as the shadow self.  It has the power to shift consciousness and not only raise the vibration of an individual, but shift the collective consciousness.

What inspires your own Art and what does Art mean to you? 

My own spiritual journey and quest for beauty, for what is true, and as a devotion to the Sacred is what informs and inspires my art practice.

In my experience, art serves as a visual response to the questions that one asks or that the collective is asking.  For example, questions about the nature of reality, what it means to be a Spiritual being having a human experience, or about what is possible in the human experience.

As an Artist what is the significance of doing Transformative Art in these times, in this century in the now?

If an individual feels the call to create and share their art with the world, the significance of doing Transformative art now is ad infinitum.  Art is a bridge between the mundane and the Sacred and has the capacity to bridge the gap of disparity between suffering and pure bliss. Artistic expression gives meaning and healing to the human condition.  Art is the glue of the Universe and provides a safe space for the Soul to rest and take refuge.  More than ever, art and artists serve as the foundation for the evolution of human consciousness.

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear your comments here, reach out via my facebook page, check out my Art with Lórien art classes on YouTube or email me at artwork@lorieneck.com.

May your days be filled with a sense of wonder, love, creativity, adventure and play!

In love, gratitude and beauty…

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What Inspires You? // Guest Blogger: Sara Krish – Founder, Mentor, Cancer Warrior ~ The Fly Buddha

I met Sara when we were seeking a great place and teacher to spin with this winter!  When I took that first spinning class with Sara, I knew that I had found what I was looking for; an inspired, passionate and motivating force of nature!  Sara was instantly our favorite guide leading us spinners (cycling and otherwise!) for our one-hour ride of what she calls “sweat therapy”!  And it was, as I felt not only sweaty from the intense cardio workout groovin’ to fun, uplifting playlists, but I had also received as a bonus, the feeling of release that is the often by product of a cathartic therapy session! I knew that I had to get to know Sara, and when I learned about The Fly Buddha, I understood more about what made her special brand of inspirational magic so tangible! Sara is a fired up more than survivor, but what I would call a thriver in life!  I am so happy that Sara said YES to sharing her inspirations with us here through my What Inspires You? Blog Series!  Thank you Sara!

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Raw, Emotional Humans

Raw, emotional humans. My favorite. So real. So strong. So present to the now. So willing to rise above. Acknowledging all their feels in every dark corner and in each ray of light. They hide nothing. Expression and truth is the game. Connection and growth is their goal. 

Once a month I lead a room full of THIS…pure, beautiful, unapologetic vulnerability. Men and women showing up, ready to give and needing to take. We talk cancer. We talk pain. We talk what is and what could be. On the table it goes for one to release and someone to pick up. It’s awesome. It’s powerful. It’s as uplifting as it comes. 

I leave those nights changed. My heart with more empathy and my mind greater depths of compassion. For the unfiltered truth is all that matters in the end. Humans being human – real, raw, expressive feelers – ebbing and flowing, leaning and bracing as we journey together on this ride of life.

Raw, emotional humans. This is what inspires me. xoxo 

 

Bio:

Just months after my 30th birthday, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. It hit me with the weight of a ton of bricks. My life suddenly filled with uncertainty, the future no longer a guarantee, and the days of motherhood stripped away from me before I had the chance to create miracles of my own. I spent the weeks that followed with a heavy heart focused on survival and acceptance of this altered life.

Then I got an introduction to the Southern California Reproductive Center where a beautiful new focus, one centered around hope and the possibility of “mini-mes” one day, gave me something to look forward to – something to carry me through. Under the care of Dr. Surrey and his staff I was able to freeze 18 eggs before beginning my cancer treatment.

Now, three years later and cancer free, I’m happy I gave myself this gift! I have so much excitement in my soul thinking about the next chapter of my life when I get to play the most important role I could ever imagine – that of a loving, grateful mama.

After my experience, I felt pulled to bring more awareness to egg freezing as an option to women diagnosed with gynecological cancer as well as provide financial assistance and resources during the process. Saving my eggs brought hope into my life at an extremely hopeless, fear-filled time. It is my mission to give this same powerful sense of hope and beautiful gift of motherhood to every woman who faces a similar journey through my foundation, The Fly Buddha. 

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” 
― Pema Chödrön, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times

Contact Info:

Sara Krish // Founder, Mentor, Cancer Warrior

sara@theflybuddha.com  

Read more at www.theflybuddha.com/blog

Follow on IG/FB @theflybuddha

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Loving is Tending

Fire I, close up, 3’x4′, Mixed media on canvas, ©LEAD

Love is particular.

When you love someone,

A tangible, touchable someone,

The whole world opens up.

If you want to know the universe,

Dare to love one person.

All the secret teachings are here–

Go deeper, and deeper still.

The gift of concentration

Is the spaciousness that surrounds it.

Focus illuminates immensity.

Sutra 99

The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight

(English and Sanskrit Edition, Lorin Roche, Ph.D.)

To love is to pay attention, to give attention, to tend to the being that is YOU or the being/s in front of you.  As I read this sutra above and allow its essence to permeate my awareness, my thoughts and feelings vacillate between the Self and the “other.”  Daring to love me, to know thyself through loving, tending to my own rich tapestry of intricacies is a day to day practice of tending my lifelong journey of wonder, magic, delight and actualization.  The word attention itself is derived from the words tender, tenderness, to tend to it.  Paying attention to the soul, the Self can be as natural as breathing, and is by default, a way of loving the Self.  We love ourselves as we pay attention to our physical needs, our emotional shifts, our thoughts about ourselves and our longings and yearnings in this life.  This way of perceiving how I love myself has been a refreshing, compassionate, kind and gentle way forward as I move forward on my life path.

Self love is the foundation for all other types of love.  Through my own deepening practice of Self love, I am progressively learning to love all else in a more attentive way… from my love for others, for the planet, for what I do, what I create, and everything else that I pay attention to that is outside the boundaries of this being that is Lórien.

Isn’t this perspective an exciting, beautiful and interesting method of loving the Self ?  Since this discovery, I have been in a constantly deepening state of awe, spaciousness and curiosity in love and life.  Awakening to loving myself in this way is transforming all of my interactions with others, from drivers on my morning commute, to my art students, to my more intimate connections, like family and close friends, and of course touching the details and entirety of my life existence in a way that is immeasurable, yet tangible at the same time.

I especially enjoy this line from Lorin Roche, “Love is a state of perceiving great value in the beloved.”  Love can therefore be a practice of paying attention and appreciating the layered nuances of the Beloved Self from the first moments of awakening in the morning to the last moments of alertness before falling into sleep and dream at night.  Aaahhhhhh…

Cast aside the ten thousand things,

And love only one.

Don’t go on to another.

Engage your lively awareness

With this one focus–

One object, one thought, one symbol.

Now go inside,

Find the center.

The soul, the heart.

Right here,

In the middle of the feeling,

Attend the blossoming–

Attention vast as the sky.

Sutra 39

The Radiance Sutras, Lorin Roche, Ph.D.

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear your comments here, reach out via my facebook page, or email me at lorien@lorieneck.com.

May your days be filled with a sense of wonder, love, creativity, adventure and play!

In love, gratitude and beauty…

Personally Experienced and Recommended Resources

Gently Moving Forward

Change Your Energy, Change Your Life with Kathleen Nelson Troyer

The Radiance Sutras

Paths to Enlightenment in Everyday Life

as translated by Lorin Roche, Ph.D.

Elixir

Songs of the Radiance Sutras

Sample Track: Go There

www.lorieneck.com

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Empowerment • Choice • Support

 

My palette for my Fire series, Elements Collection ©LEAD 2014

Warm end of summer (for those of us in the northern hemisphere) greetings to ya!  It’s been a very warm, yet mild summer here in So Cal and quite the productive one for this artist as I make progress, day by day, on my latest body of work, paintings Fire I, II, III.  As these paintings are born into completion, I will be sharing photos as well as some “in studio, in action” shots.  In addition to working in my studio and attending gallery events at LGOCA (Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art in Laguna Beach), I feel fortunate and grateful to be able to donate my energy and resources to a great cause that I truly believe in.

The organization is called Girls PACT,  a non-profit, curriculum-based program for young women ages 14-21 based in West L.A. that develops personal values, fosters self-confidence, teaches sexual health, promotes healthy lifestyles and serves the community by empowering young girls to make informed decisions, with confidence, so they may succeed in school, love and life.  Their mission is to inspire young girls to put themselves, their education, goals, and dreams above all else.

I found this to be an inspiring fact about Girls PACT:

OUR Statistics! (check out this link for more info About Girls PACT)

Below are the stats for our Girls PACT program. 

• Nearly 3 in 10 teen girls in the US will get pregnant at least once before age 20
• We have been offering the Girls PACT program for 18 months
• Resulting in ZERO pregnancies
• With ZERO current funding

My own personal experience as a young woman growing up through those tender years provided me a strong “learning curve” of developing self-confidence and making healthy choices, was certainly learned “the hard way”.  Fortunately I had some tough lessons early on which prompted me to be somewhat conservative throughout my high school and early university years.  I certainly experienced my share of painful lessons around self-esteem and self-respect throughout those years, and honestly, I still am growing, evolving and becoming in these areas of Self- realization.  Process, progress, not perfection is a motto that I like.

My inspiration and motivation to support Girls PACT is directly informed by my own traumatic experiences from ages 14-18 as well as my working directly with hundreds of young women ages 11-18 for over 14 years in the public education system.  My life’s journey has been immersed in deep healing and spiritual work, and lots of support from friends, a variety of healing professionals and spiritual teachers.  My vision and commitment is to support young women in any way that I can through sharing my time, energy, resources and my earned wisdom and I have chosen Girls PACT as one of my organizations to give to.  Looking back, I certainly wish that I had mentors during those times, to guide and support me through the labyrinth of changes, choices and opportunities.  With date rape, teen pregnancy, abuse (emotional, physical), body image issues, eating disorders and more on the rise, it is more important than ever to educate, empower and protect young women from these elements of our ever-changing world.

My introduction to Girls PACT is through a good friend of mine who is on the board and I am delighted to be able to donate a Soul Cosmology Painting Experience™ to their 1st Fundraising event, see details below.  All are welcome to this 21+ event!

 To purchase tickets, click here.

 

 Soul Cosmology Painting Experience™ samples

“Lori” Mixed Media on Paper

“Cindy” Mixed Media on Paper

“Kat” Mixed Media on Paper

Thank you for reading and I invite you to share your contributions via comments and connections and would love to hear from you via commenting on 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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Furry Family Love

Shanti and Angel sunning!  ©LE Photo

 I have had the honor and privilege of loving, receiving unconditional love and caring for two animals that are to me, basically, people. 🙂  These two earth angels came into my life in about 11 and 8 years respectively.  Shanti is now 14 years old and the mother of Angel, who is now 8.  They were both born in Hollywood California, and the story is quite like a storybook fairy tale.  I adopted Shanti at the age of 3 and she has been my constant companion and my beloved soul mate, in the form of a fuzzy critter!  She is my love and has been with me through thick and thin!  We have climbed many hills in the LA canyons and enjoyed many sunsets together!   Angel was born into a litter of 3 and was adopted by my parents.  These two puppies have given me and my family such joy, laughs and comfort throughout the years.  The two of them are soul mates to each other as well!

Shanti and Angel going on a field trip to the beach! ©LE Photo

Furry animals of all breeds are truly givers of unconditional love and have much to teach us humans, in my humble opinion.  I am forever indebted to  Shanti and Angel for their sweet licks, happy faces, silly antics and adorable little behaviors that are unique to each of them.  I know that many of you reading this would agree with me about the JOY that animals bring us and how the love from a dear animal is so precious and priceless.  So many of us are animal lovers and honestly I would have to say that 99.99999999% of my friends, family and acquaintances are pet parents.  Are you?  🙂

I feel so lucky and am even more lucky to be able to support a wonderful animal rescue organization in Southern California called the Modjeska Ranch Rescue (MRR).  MRR is a non-profit rescue organization based in south Orange County, California and operates as an all-volunteer rescue dedicated to finding great homes for neglected and abandoned animals.

**Due to an overwhelming response so far, the location has been changed to:  The Modjeska Park 28891 Modjeska Road

The organization was founded by Russell and Teresa Taylor in 2001. They opened the door of their heart to helping the helpless and ended up opening up their home for abandoned animals. Since 2001 this couple, in tandem with community support, have placed more than 6500 animals into new homes. The success rate of this rescue is amazing.

I will be there with original paintings, limited edition fine art giclées, fine art gifts and more!  The event title is “Healing Hearts” and it’s true, adopting a pet heals their hearts and brings us lasting joy, comfort, peace and the unconditional love that we all desire.  We will   raising funds for this amazing non-profit under a canopy of oak trees surrounded by nature’s beauty.  All are welcome and I cordially invite you and your loved ones! Feel free to check out their website to learn more about the Modjeska Ranch Rescue.   See you there!

Shanti my love bug! ©LE Photo

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…

 Recommended Resources

Modjeska Ranch Rescue
Dedicated to finding homes for neglected and abandoned animals.

Reiki

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use

www.lorieneck.com

“Art has the power to heal.” ~ Lórien

 

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Why is Art Healing?

Water IV 48 inches X 60 inches Mixed Media on Canvas ©LE Fine Art

My relationship to art and healing is complex and textured with many personal stories close to home as well as those from my professional career.  In my experience, my spiritual evolution is in direct relation to my artistic process.  My self-expression has morphed in its form, yet the reliable resource has consistently been a source of resiliency, growth and ascension to this day.  My artistic process has served me as an outlet moving me from hope to despair and back to hope again throughout my life.  And, my art “products” have served as a living document reflecting my upward spiral.

My exposure to the arts began from birth really, as my father is an active fine artist thus I grew up in a household that supported and fostered both art making and an appreciation for the arts.  I was immersed in a creative atmosphere and was given active permission to “play” in the arts.  My sister was an avid artist and it was through her creating of art that she was able to cope with the pain and suffering that she endured through a terminal illness with grace and ease.  Her fragile life is a strong testimony to the healing and liberating power that art carries.  Art continues to be a central resource to my family’s healing, grieving and transformation from a tragic loss.

As an arts educator for over 14 years, I personally witnessed a multitude of what I call “transitions in consciousness” within the thousands of students that I was able to reach.  My art classroom provided a safe container for their artistic expression to flourish and heal/relieve the suffering from loss, disease, grief, poverty, social injustice and other life threatening situations that many of them faced.  Time and again, it was self-evident that creative expression through the arts provides solace, an inward refuge and for many hope through a shift in awareness and perception.

Overall, art is a potent path of healing both as a practice and a profession for me.  Art, creativity and healing are to me synonymous.  Art is the glue of the Universe and provides a nourishing space for the Soul to rest and take refuge.  More than ever, art and the artistic process serve as the means for the evolution of human consciousness and planetary healing.

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