International Soul Art Day Gallery

What Inspired you to do a Soul Art journey?

Soul Art Day is a wonderful opportunity to focus on entering creative mode in community! These past few years have been chaotic, and it’s a blessing to be able to immerse myself in the art that I love, to express my feelings and ideas as they emerge, and to find solace and healing. Soul Art Day creates sacred space for that emergence to happen.

How would you describe your creative process?

I have different methods of art-making. I enjoy the spontaneity of abstraction, and letting the medium (i.e. paint, mixed media) take the lead in mark-making, pattern, form and meaning. I also approach the studio with fully-formed ideas that I try to quickly materialize before I lose the vision. Other times, I select an object – i.e. a box or shrine – and play around with layering mixed media, collage materials, fabric or found objects until a theme emerges. In terms of color (and reflecting my personality no doubt LOL), my work can either be monochromatic with the richness of earth tones, or full of bright joyful hues.

What insight did you receive from your Soul Art?

The intention and bodymapping of my Soul Art piece happened rather quickly, and I was extremely happy with the result. The retrospection that followed (the Soul Art Journey) was a more slow and meditative process, that took place over the days that followed. I had many insights, some from visual prompts and others that were more intuitive. With the greyscale side and colorful side so prominent in my piece, I was reminded of the opposites in life such as hot/cold, dark/light, action/repose, grief/joy, and birth/death. My key insight was the realization that nothing is permanent, and to not define myself by difficult times, as things are always changing.

What is the most important thing you would like to share about your Soul Art experience?

The Soul Art Journey is incredibly exciting, because there are so many different possibilities and potential outcomes! The 5 steps of the Soul Art Journey are wonderful guidelines in terms of self-discovery and healing through the arts. I am looking forward to next year’s event already!