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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Surfing the Waves of Change

Waves ©LE Fine Art 2013 (photo)

The secret of change is to focus all your energy,

not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

~Socrates

Firstly, Happy New Moon! We’ve arrived to the harvest month of September, the time of the year when the gradual transition of the autumn season starts to stir in the winds. This time of the year is also very rich and fertile for me, as it’s the time of my solar return, my birth-day~ now what I refer to as my “re-Birth” time of the annual cycle. I love it! The feeling that I relish in is what I have come to know as the “pregnant pause“. It’s the introverted, reflective and introspective pause when I relax into this pause before both my personal and the collective seasonal transition comes to pass. And, this is the harvest season and blossoms, and abundance is everywhere!

Themes that I have been exploring lately in the midst of these winds of change, (and that are also being experienced in my friends and family circle), are the themes of acceptance and receiving. Looking at each separately is not viably possible, in my opinion, these themes are inextricably linked.

I have been meditating on and folding in acceptance of who I am, as a multi-dimensional being; ALL of myself, my brilliant light, my shadow, my sacred wounds, my need for community and support, and my Divinity. Accepting what is, accepting people as they are, and accepting each moment for its beauty, its perfection and its imperfection. Acceptance is an act of generosity, compassion, patience and love towards the Self and others. Sometimes when there is a lack of understanding, compassion or patience, acceptance is the medicine that soothes like a healing balm. Acceptance is the ultimate act of grace. (Jessica Shepherd) What comes to mind is the beautiful work of my friend Alaya DeNoyelles, from her book The Sovereignty of Love. Her work weaves together the Hawaiian healing art of Ho’oponopono, ancient wisdom and modern science inspiring what she calls: unconditional loving presence. This also sums up what I am feeling about acceptance from Osho: “Don’t say this is good and is bad. Drop all discrimination. Accept everything as it is. Liberation cannot be desired because desire is the bondage. When you are desireless, you are liberated. Tantra accepts everything, lives everything.”

Receiving is the call of the Sacred Feminine within all of us, the rise of the Divine Feminine in our times is to balance out the energies of the masculine and feminine within/without. Being a woman and conditioned to give, to over give, and at times in the past, to give from a place of deficit, has come up for transformation in 2013 and receiving fully has become my soul’s natural evolution. Receiving had not been a habit or behavior that was modeled for me, therefore, I am in a process of remembering how to receive. Learning to receive is an ongoing practice of mine inspired to balance out the imbalance of over giving in all areas of my life: career, personal relationships and across the board really. What I am especially and more importantly interested in is in receiving myself whilst I am giving. Giving in and of itself is essential, yet to give from a place of wholeness, completeness, fullness and love, is the key to avoiding experiencing ‘burnout’ or feeling drained. What does that mean, to receive oneself? I invite you to reflect on this for yourself and I’ll be exploring more on this beautiful topic in my future posts.

In closing, the tides of change are upon us, in the cosmic realm and on an individual deeply internal level. It is a great time to take it all in stride, to integrate the new and let go of the old, continue to live from our opulent, abundant space and give lavishly to ourselves and each other. Love much and love often!

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.

Mystic Mamma

I love this website, always on the pulse of the cosmos in a positive way.

Moonkissed Astrology

I enjoy Jessica’s perspective and writing style!

Rob Brezny’s Free Will Astrology

Pure Awakened Genius!

The Sovereignty of Love

by Alaya DeNoyelles

_______________________________

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it,

you will live along some distant day into your answers.

Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart.

Learn to love the questions themselves.”

~Rainer Maria Rilke

“What we are, the world is.
Without our own transformation,
there can be no transformation of the world.”
~Sri J Krishnamurti

www.lorieneck.com

 

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Can you feel it? The flow that is…

Cloud Atlas Mixed media original on paper 9×12 ins  ©LE Art & Design

“Flow with whatever is happening and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.” ~ Chuang Tzu

Wonderful warm April greetings to you!  The big theme right now in my life, what is inspiring me, and where I am being drawn into is all about what is known as “the flow“.  The flow of life, the flow of love, the flow of the dynamic present moment…  It’s easy for us to think of the “now” as a static moment, however, as a wise friend recently reminded me, the present moment is one of our paradoxes!  The “now” is an ever-changing, fluid, dynamic awareness… in other words, the flow.  Feeling into the flow, the present moment and dropping down into that golden, quiet, still place within where eventually time, space and form dissolve is where the nectar resides.  This very personal  practice has enveloped my daily life and for this I am grateful, truly humbled…  It’s a deep sea dive into the lushness of Self.

And, so my days now look a little bit like this:  The day opens with the first moments of awakened consciousness, taking in some deep breaths, I relish and nourish in this still, silent, fertile place within…tapping in, diving deep into my inner world whilst still lying in bed.  As the flow moves me, I move my body slowly from the bed into the various morning rituals in a pace that feels good…. Each activity throughout my day seems to lead to the next with a new sense of grace, joy, ease and gentleness that I am finding to be most comfy and ssllloooowww.  It’s wonderful!

I am really loving my pace of slow in the flow and if you have noticed, there is a “slow movement” in effect from slow food, to slow money, to slow sex, it seems “slow” is what’s trending now in American culture!  Hopefully, it’s not just a passing fad or a fleeting counterpoint to our “fast food nation” so to speak, that has been the norm of US culture and exports for decades now.  My hope is that slow merges and slows down everything and everyone on a grand scale, breath by breath, thought by thought, action by action, person by person, day by day…  One of my teachers told me all that I must do is breathe, simply be breathed, that’s it.  All of the rest will take care of itself.  And, then another one of my teachers echoed the same, live each moment breath by breath.  Hmmmm I think that I am finally getting the message!  So simple, yet our ego mind loves to complicate things! ha ha ha  🙂

My inspiration to slow down into the flow has been an inside job, I assure you and has organically be born out of my own inner response to the self-imposed career and lifestyle change that began June 2012.  Now, that I am coming up soon on the year cycle, I have noticed that I am slowing down even more, stepping off of the merry-go-round, and loving the languid life that I am leading…  The beauty of all of this is that I feel as “productive” as ever and yet more satisfied, fulfilled from within through a practice of listening in and respecting my own flow and tuning in as best I can to the larger life flow that we are all moving within.  Remaining true to Self and this pace whilst keeping my word to worldly time and space based commitments can be a challenge when everyone around is zipping around so quickly!  I have even started driving the speed limit (which is considered slow it seems) and get all sorts of looks and honks… it’s okay by me.

So to close, I invite you to experiment with your own version of slowing down and going with your flow, inwards and outwards, the flow that feels true and yummy to you!

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 beauty,

Recommended Resources

Steve Gold Experience

I love this singer/songwriter/entertainer/mystic!

Steve is living the dream! Living his “gift” and sharing it with our world!  So inspiring! I had the chance to see him live in April and was moved beyond….

zenhabits

I stumbled upon this blog and love it! Leo Baubuta is awesome! Check this out-all of his work is uncopyrighted and he writes on many of my fave topics!

(this is where these great quotes came from too!)

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.”~Thich Nhat Hanh

www.lorieneck.com

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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

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Always Bring Your “A” Game

Ciel/Mer XIV, 29″X41″, Mixed Media on Paper ©LE Art & Design

With my 3-part Pray, Love, Eat series coming to a halt (for now) I am now free to share, well, free-ly!

September is one of my favorite times of the year… why you might ask?  Well, it’s really all about my birthday!  😉  But frankly, it does have something to do with the annual cycle of my early September birth-day and rhythms that this time of the year seems to invoke in all of us.  Time to go back to school, get serious, summer is over, it’s time where the “rubber hits the road”, and when we re-commit to what we maybe took a summer “break” from….

Does that resonate with you?  Do you re-examine and re-commit to the lofty plans, dreams, intentions that you planted seeds for in the winter and spring during this time of transition of late summer to the Autumnal  Equinox?
If not, why not?  It is a naturally easier time to “get serious” with the collective going back to university, grade school, or secondary to teach or be a student, so everyone is that groove.  As this cycle comes around again, I find  myself naturally self-reflecting into what my deeper, most meaningful passions and intentions are and either digging my heels in deeper or letting some ideas, seeds, plans go…And, when these intentions for creating and action are firm and feel good, then it’s time to bring your “A” game!

What does it mean to You to “bring your “A” game”?  I ask you to think about that for a second….  do you know what that looks like for you, whatever the context or circumstance?  I experienced a situation recently where this very question came up for me and it was a revelation to deepen my experience of the I AM, my highest and best SELF.

Days after this revelation, I was having a conversation with a good friend about this topic and he commented, “how can you NOT bring your “A” game?”  And, you know what, he’s right! Even if you do not want the job, the opportunity, the girl, the guy, etc…. that’s NOT what the “A” game is about.  Of course we “bring it” when we have expectations and desire a certain outcome, but that’s not was this is about.  It’s about how you and (I) feel about ourselves… It’s about self-respect, self-worth, deserving, and the lot.  It’s all about YOU!  At the end of the day… it’s all about the I AM.

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…

Much love and beauty,

Lórien

Recommended Resources

Inside Out

Phenomenal New Music Album from friend

Michael Timothy

Essence Building Heart Breath

with Essence Coach Kathleen Nelson Troyer

AMAZING, effective quick process to connect with your Heart!!

Deserving Vs. Entitlement with Ask Teal

Spot on to the Point and empowering in ALL ways….

www.lorieneck.com

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