transformation

Art as a creative, spiritual experience

If you’ve been following along for some time, you’ll have noticed that I’ve veered off track from my original blog format. I’ve gone a long way from the “how I created this piece” to life stories to philosophical musings to where I’ve now landed… in the land of spiritual awakening. My art tells the story of my inner life and this is where I am right now, deep into a blossoming of my heart. A few weeks back, I propped up a painting I thought I finished only to amend it with Posca markers and finally create the image I wanted all along. The Hamsa painting turned out so well, I did it again with the work shown below. While working, instead of my usual music, I listened to podcasts of Ram Dass and Alan Watts along with a few more “out there” interviews with people travelling rapidly on their spiritual paths… it was inspirational! I included the “before” image so you can see the change. If it looks familiar, I used this painting on a post from July.

move the slider to see the before and after image

Lately I’ve been thinking a great deal about how the actual ACT of creating art lends oneself to the spiritual experience. That art and spirit are linked in a deep way beyond what we see on the surface. I’m starting to see that the action of creation is fundamentally and profoundly an action of divinity. When one creates something from nothing; see’s something organized where before was only chaos, that this action is like THE cosmic creator and links the artist to the creative and energetic force of the Universe.

Thus, the artist hears inspiration and in answering the call of spirit, is transformed into the vessel by which the song of the Universe pours forth for all to hear. And so is born the Mystic Artist. Through which poetry and music flow, imagery reflects the real and the imaginary alike.

2020 has been quite the ride. The energy of the planet is shifting and I feel something vast and profound. Now is the time to remember who we are inside and to foster love, compassion and kindness. Honor your heart and hold onto the light. We will weather this storm together, I’m sure of it!

Beyond sharing what I am hearing and then painting, I set out a challenge to you all: take the time to draw or create something every day… it doesn’t have to be time consuming, just create every single day for a month. This small act will change you. It will ground your energy, connect you to something larger than yourself and expand your mind. And to back up my belief in the transformative powers of creation, if you do this, and then write to me about it, I will send you a signed card or print (5×7) of ANY painting on this blog (your choice) for FREE. Write me about your experience (Skyevans01@gmail.com) and include a photo of all you created (a group shot is best) and tell me how it’s transformed your life. I’m sure it will! Great stories will be featured on the blog, maybe even some of your work. This will be an exciting experiment; I’m looking forward to hearing from YOU!

Namaste dear souls ❤

Summer is winding down and for the first time in my life I am looking forward to some rainy days. All the lovely sunshine has kept me busy outside with chores and fun. The horses are sleek and fit, the pasture is mowed and the garden is having it’s last gasp at producing heirloom tomatoes. I’m caught up and full up with camping but the studio has grown some cobwebs and a fine layer of dust. The rain will keep me indoors and back to the business of being creative.

I did manage to spend a day whipping out an idea (which will be in the post, but not until the end, so stick around) as well as sorting through some old art I wanted to share. I used to love pen and ink, prior to discovering oil paints, it was probably my medium of choice. Before there were rapidograph and Stabilo pens (which I love) I learned to use India Ink and a crow quill pen. Crow quill refers to the nib, a very small tip that doesn’t hold much ink but makes thin, sharp lines. All the following pieces were done with the old dip and scratch method. Very messy and time consuming. I’m not sure what the attraction was… haven’t used that technique in years. Perhaps it was the ink itself… India ink is very very black and opaque. I always liked my blacks to be deep and dark.

Thank you Smithsonian for this image. Want to know more about pen and ink? Go to http://paleobiology.si.edu/paleoart/prentice/pages/pen_and_ink.html

I’ve done so many pen and ink drawings, I really should sort them all together. But instead they are scattered in several portfolio cases and inhabit odd corners here and there. I like to think I’m organized until I see my work helter skelter. Maybe this winter I’ll get on it, but for now, here are a few that caught my eye for posting:

Great Horned Owl

If you are clever, and have a good computer you will see my name from my youth. I prefer Sky, but wasn’t born with that name. Changing my name may be the subject for another post… it’s personal and somewhat of a story, but the short version is, I didn’t like it, so I changed it when I got married since I was changing my last name anyway. You can be who you want to be as far as I’m concerned.

Next on the hit parade:

Mother Tiger

Bloodhound for Joe

The Chipmunk

And for some fantasy fun:

Hippocampi

As I was sorting through the Pen and Inks, I came across some designs I did for a T-shirt company. My first job out of college was for a screen printing company and I have hundreds of designs that were printed on shirts. But some of the best were freelanced while I was in grad school. Here are some personal favorites that were printed by the Goldsmith Company in Portland, OR. I don’t believe they are in business anymore, but it was fun to be one of their “stringer artists”.

Here are most of the floral designs I did for them. The ones on black are actual screen prints.

Close up of a proposed design.

I always thought these kaleidoscope designs were fun for a shirt. Not high art, but still, not everything has to be mind blowing and thought provoking. Sometimes art is just fun. And now that we are talking about fun… I started this post with the title, Back to Work. I did “go back to work” and finished a new painting. My plan was to do a 2-D version of my “Winged Chair” so I outlined it (in orange as usual) then began filling it in with color. It was awful. I hated it and left the studio to work in the yard.

We had a day in August where the rain blew in so I made my way into the studio to finish or destroy the hated painting. Destruction was on my mind, but instead I began to embellish and before I knew it, the painting went from staid, awful and cartoon-y to something wild and awesome. So, as promised… the one new piece:

Wild Chair
Oil on Canvas

I think I would be a little apprehensive about sitting in this particular chair. It doesn’t look tame… and maybe even a little scary. I still kinda like it. It makes me feel dangerous!