As I put paint onto paper
for the first time, I tune into my intuition for guidance. I have a desire to make circular lines on my canvas, so
that is how I begin. I have no roadmap or destination. I'm just painting for the sake of painting.
Quickly, I slip into a childlike state and immerse myself into playtime. Giddy with excitement once the paintbrush starts moving, I forget about my earlier anxiety about painting. My fears of looking stupid, making a mess and failing to measure up no longer concern me. I feel a sense of freedom as I let go of my desire to produce something pretty.
Quickly, I slip into a childlike state and immerse myself into playtime. Giddy with excitement once the paintbrush starts moving, I forget about my earlier anxiety about painting. My fears of looking stupid, making a mess and failing to measure up no longer concern me. I feel a sense of freedom as I let go of my desire to produce something pretty.
As my painting evolves, I
see the outline of a bird in the center of the picture. This thrills
me because I see it as a sign of liberation and soaring. Once the
painting is complete, I do not focus on it because, quite frankly, I
think it is ugly. Instead of being discouraged by my harsh judgment of my first painting, I am energized by the act of painting. Slowly I am realizing that intuitive painting truly is about process, not product.
Later, when I show a few friends my
first painting, they do not see a bird in flight. They see a woman
in bondage. What?? I look at my painting through their eyes and I
see her haunting image. How in the world did I not see her before?
Keeping in mind that the painting
happened spontaneously, I realize that the previous anxiety I felt about painting revealed itself on the canvas. However, I had so
much fun painting, that I could not see it. I only saw the fun and freedom I felt, which was represented by the hint of a bird.
This is when I realized that intuitive
painting holds deep value for me. By skipping over the
busy mind, I tapped into the wing clipping emotions of anxiety and fear. Through painting, I purged them without even realizing it. Kind of amazing, huh?
Here is the
last painting I did during the retreat. Quite a difference, eh?
Will your first intuitive painting experience be like mine? No! Your experience will be uniquely yours. There is no way to predict what might unfold for you. Diving deep into the mystery of the unknown is one of the many compelling components of intuitive painting. Just allowing yourself the time to play and be present can be such a wonderful gift to self. The busy brain gets a break as you immerse yourself into a space where creativity bubbles up and flourishes. Sounds so simple and at the same time, can be so refreshing and rewarding. I highly recommend!
Blessings!
Beverly Keaton Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment