I’m a firm believer that what we learn through intuitive painting teaches us as much about ourselves & life as it does about painting.

When we set an intention, even better!

Preparing for my 3 months overseas is going super well. But at some points during the planning process, fears got triggered, revealing I need to loosen up. I really want to be able to go with the flow during my travels.

The creation of “Dripping Sunshine” during Flora Bowley’s online painting retreat did just that – I’m loosening up.

The result is this 30″ x 30″ testimonial and witness to that very process.

Its infused energy, experimental layers and final imagery now serve as a reminder for us all to shine our light as we naturally unfurl into peace & freedom.

So enjoy the 15-minute “The Making of Dripping Sunshine” video at the bottom of this post with lots of surprising twists and turns – literally!

From February 15-19th, I spent 5 wonderfully intensive days in the studio during Flora Bowley’s online Reunite Retreat. Freezing rain even cancelled my Saturday photo & painting teaching gig, ensuring an uninterrupted block of time.

I’ve been a long time fan of Flora’s work.

My jaw dropped leafing through her book “Brave Intuitive Painting” in the line-up at an art store over 10 years ago. I couldn’t believe it as some chapter titles were the same Spirit had given me to write about years before. I’d blogged about my process but never did write a book. This was definitely hers to fulfill!

In the following years, I did her online Bloom True e-course and attended her workshop in Bali. Fantastic!

I’m thrilled at how her career has helped people transform their art and their lives all over the world. She and her team have been role models on the entrepreneurial side too. She’s the only other business I’m an affiliate for, so if you’re moved to explore her many online courses & offerings, please use this link.

On each day of this Reunite retreat, we had video instructions, demonstrations and witnessing sessions of the group she worked with during the taping of the program.

But nothing teaches better than practice! And we got plenty of that, working on 2 canvases, in my case for at least 10 hours a day.

We also had daily zoom calls to get one-on-one feedback and share in the process, which we could also do in the Facebook group.

Flora has excelled at creating an uplifting supportive community of painters – from first-timers to long-time full-time artists.

Intuitive painting is an excellent way to grow our skills while observing our inner process too. Flora’s approach also focuses on this. 

It’s all about playing in layers as you explore & express your Self!

You may wonder why I decided to invest the time and resources on this retreat when I’m in full fundraising and preparation mode for 3 months in Europe (Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage in France & Transformative Arts Certification in Italy).

Sure, I’m a lifelong learner. But that’s not why.

When fear gets triggered, I tend to go into controlling mode. It’s not pleasant – for me or those around me.

Although I’ve become very good at saying yes to Spirit Calls that send me outside of my comfort zones and all over the world, I don’t always do it with the grace I’d like to.

Yes, I love traveling – the discovery of beauty, languages, people, foods, etc.  But if you know me, you also know I’m a happy hermit that loves my routines.

The idea of big crowds, navigating my way alone through public transport on tight schedules, and jumping from spot to spot can be stressful.

After my Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage, I’ll be going to Giverny to integrate for 4 days in and around Monet’s Gardens. Then it’s off to the Czech Republic to visit beloved friends from my years of teaching there. Next, it’s to Turin, Italy for a week at the Damanhur conscious community before finding my way down to the Ananada ashram, where I’ll then settle for 2 months to study. Yikes.

In the past, traveling brought out the best and worst of me. This time, I want it to be heavily leaning towards the best.

When I put out this intention, news of this retreat appeared on my radar.

So here’s to embracing the mystery and going with the flow, knowing that every step of the process is an important ingredient to the feast.

I went into the Reunite Retreat with the intention to loosen up – in my art and in my life.

My style of intuitive visionary painting developed in my studio for 20 years before I did my Certificate of Art & Design at the University of Saskatchewan, did Flora’s Bloom True e-course, then studied for a year at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art.

My channeled intuitive artwork has its unique voice expressed in a relaxed and blissful creative flow that is usually slow, methodical, detail-oriented, and done sitting at a table.

Flora’s approach is much freer, looser, and done standing at the wall.

One thing she teaches is scrubbing with tinted whites to simplify and soften the painting.

I love it. I’ve watched it. I’ve tried it and never could do it….

Part of it is that I rarely use white unless it’s for stamping or stencilling on its own or under glazes. And I rarely use heavy body paint.

So this wild application of globs of white heavy body paint with dabs of other colours in a loose fashion …. well, it just wasn’t part of my repertory.

Learning this symbolic technique was my only real goal during the retreat. If I could do that, I’d know I had loosened up!

Scrubbing represents simplifying and calming down the chaos of colours and textures that can be a bit much to handle in the moment.

But it takes practice….

As you’ll see in a few weeks when I introduce my 2nd canvas (unfinished at the time of this writing), I messed it up, totally obliterating the beautiful layers underneath. All part of the process… As I’d learned time and time again in the studio for the past 35 years, non-attachment is key. Who knows what the next layers will bring to the surface.

I didn’t do so well at it in the first layers of this painting either, but at one point, I got it! 

Then, I covered it up with my usual jewel-toned glazes, but that’s OK. I got to try it on and the satisfaction was thrilling! 

I will remember all this during my travels – breathing, moving, observing and taking one inspired action at a time to co-create the life-shifting experience in Europe that Spirit has in store for me.

I hope something here has been a good reminder / mirror for you too.

Although I’ve made it a habit to video my process in recent years, I believe the quality of Flora’s course materials is what inspired me to record my retreat experience so I could share it here with you. And I’m glad I did, thanks to my 2 iPhones on tripods..

Enjoy this 15-minute experience of transformation, knowing that the canvas wasn’t the only thing shifting along the way. Yay!

The Activation Drum was the 2nd to be painted in my 8-Painted-Drum-Fundraiser.

Early after I announced the project, I was kept up until 2 am receiving vision after vision of drums that wanted to come into being. This was one of them.

It was chosen by my friend Joanne Best of Earth & Sky Wellness, who recently moved to St. John’s from Twillingate and offers drumming as part of her empowerment circle offerings.

“I chose the drum  to  powerfully  launch and  activate my Sound Healing /Drum Circles and Women’s Empowernment circles in this new chapter of my life.

Before I saw the drum in person, I woke early to visions of violet energy rays streaming into my crown chakra, reminding me of the violet flame of St Germain. My mind’s eye was filled with an amethyst crystal, which represents enhanced intuition and knowing. I also saw myself standing outdoors with arms opened to the skies,  gathering  golden sun rays, being energized and activated for a great purpose. So when I saw the drum, there was a deep sense of recognition.

The Activation drum was present in January at a very special Full Moon Drum Circle at the Birch Centre for children and their parents to honour my daughter’s birthday.”  ~ Joanne Best

Every drum I painted had very different energy flowing through me during the co-creative process.

Powerful. That’s how I would qualify the energy transmissions that came through me for this one. I almost called it the Transmission Drum.

It felt like a Divine Call to open and say ‘Yes!’ to all that lies dormant, is germinating or sprouting within us that is meant to come into full bloom in this lifetime.

It’s as if rays of Celestial Light & Love were unlocking the codes inside us that help us live in Divine Alignement.

The same spiral pattern, a symbol of spiritual evolution (amongst many other things), is seen in the gold Central Sun ring, the purple & golden rays flowing down and in the many layers of colour on the person itself.

I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience. The energy in The Activation Drum is here to remind us of our spiritual nature.

And the amethyst (for spiritual awareness, communication, inner peace and healing) embedded in mica (energy of love & compassion) is there to support the process.

“Drumming activates deep connection to one’s true nature, connection to the true nature of others, to the heartbeat of Mother Earth and to the Spirit of  all that is.” ~ Joanne Best

May The Activation Drum help those who get to play it shift their own energy and support the group’s transformational drumming journey.

If you’re in St. John’s,  your opportunity to play it is in the afternoon of March 5th at The Birch Centre. Follow Earth & Sky Welln for details.

The Rainbow Harmony Drum was the first drum to be painted in my 8-Painted-Drum Fundraiser.

When I started, only 1 person had pre-paid her deposit, giving her the opportunity to pick or pass as each drum was painted, until she had found her drum.

As the vision for it came through, I wasn’t surprised that she said “Yes!” to this first drum.

The whole painting process & energy channeling that went into it felt like it was meant for Lucy O’Driscoll. 

The vision and the painting that emerged from it was very aligned with what I knew Lucy’s work to be – bringing people together for yearly Body Mind and Spirit retreats here on the island of Newfoundland.

I first attended one of her retreats on my birthday back in 2011, the year I was guided to move here.

Since then, I’ve led workshops every year or two at her retreats, filling my cup as I help others fill their own,

What a thrill to know this drum will be used to help bring community together and create sacred space at all her retreats.

As Mother Earth herself ascends, she is creating a slipstream that is helping humanity to ascend with Her. She is supporting our transformational journey into Higher Consciousness.

Having said that, as we do our inner work to raise our vibration and live more in alignment with our True Selves and our Higher Purpose, we too help our planet ascend and thrive.

Re-connecting to our Selves, each other and our planet’s sacredness, we nourish everyone’s transformational journey.

This can be accelerated by communing with the Elements represented on this drum: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Aether (Spirit) and I added Vibration (the energy within all beings and all things).

The gathered people in the circle are chakra or rainbow-coloured. Both chakras and rainbows are sacred symbols associated with colour. Colour is energy vibrating at a frequency we can see.

Open or balanced chakras represent the free flow of Life Force in the energy centres of the human body. The kinds of activities practiced at spiritual retreats help achieve that within the individual and the community.

Rainbows are a bridge, an invitation to spiritual growth. Among many other things, they represent new beginnings, change, hope, encouragement, and ascension.

The community sitting in sacred circle, is a symbol of unity, interrelatedness, Oneness – of coming together.

You can see why this was the perfect drum for Lucy and her calling to create sacred community, something she’s been doing in Newfoundland & Labrador for over 30 years.

Enjoy this short video that shows you how I brought the vision into being – you’re seeing days’ work at super-speed!

All 8 painted drums in my fundraiser have found homes. Commissions are possible for $1,111 CA. Contact me too enquire.

What a blissfully intensive time of channeling visions, painting and doing energy work in the studio since the beginning of this promising new year.

I’ve already got 6 of the 8 drums in my Painted-Drum-Fundraiser completed. They’re averaging 16 hours each, so yes…. intensive! But I’ve always loved long hours in the spirit / creative zone.

Four of the drums have already found homes. My Facebook followers & Friends usually get first glimpse at my work so feel free to look me up there too.

Each of the drums has such different energy.  Because of this, I’m sure that each drum will find its right person. Just like with my paintings.

This one, the “All One Under the Sun Drum” took the longest to paint.

As you’ll see in the video below, the drum hoop itself was elaborate to paint with all its loving people and happy colourful confetti dots.

This drum is infused with the joyously harmonious energy of diversity, inclusivity, community, togetherness and vibrancy. 

Drumming it, I could feel the heartbeat of our beloved Mother Earth, Gaia and all of her children.

I could also feel the love pouring down on us from our Father/Mother God, the Central Sun, through our sun.

This drum reminds me of when I discovered drum circles in Saskatchewan back in 2006. My employer, the late mystic photographer Courtney Milne and his wife Sherrill Miller gave me a buffalo hide drum, and I had plenty of opportunities to use it with our circle of friends and at spiritual events.

A few years into my time in Saskatoon, Jade Cathy Chicoine started offering community drum circles, which she still does. This soul sister’s events brought such joy into our community. If you’re in that area, check out Zen Rhythm Co – Listen. Feel.Play. for events.

At the end of her circles, she always had us gather the energy we’d generated in the room and, with a swoop of our arms, send it to all those who needed it around the planet.

As Jade says,

“The circle is the container with the power to hold us all. United we are strongest, divided we could fall.​​”

This drum has now SOLD

All 8 drums in my fundraiser have found homes. Commissioned drums are available for $1,111. Contact me too enquire.