Tag Archive for: intuitive painting

“Pétales Musicales” Painting from the NL Folk Festival

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“Pétales Musicales” – 4′ x 4′ – created live at the NL Folk Festival.

Remember when I wrote that live painting was a stretch of my comfort zones?

Well, I had a great time painting in the Espace Franco at the NL Folk Festival last weekend.  Thanks again to the Réseau Culturel Francophone TNL for the invite!

No regrets! That’s usually what happens when I feel the fear and do it anyway. Sure I was nervous, but excited too. I’m so glad I listened to a higher calling.

In this post, you’ll see the layers and read some stories about the creative process behind “Pétales Musicales”.  For purchasing details, click here.

Symbolism

“Pétales Musicales” (Musical Petals) is as much about listening to the song of your soul as it is about becoming a part of the music around you.

If you honour your unique voice first, you’ll rock this world …. (I couldn’t say folk it… just didn’t sound right).

Live Painting at the NL Folk Festival

My mission was to get the festival’s energy down on canvas.

If music, summer, fun, variety, and community are what you get from this painting, then I did my job!

My “research” started Friday night, sitting on the lawn of Bannerman Park with hundreds of other folks, filling my soul with the music of Emma Peckford, Allan Ricketts, Katie Baggs, Sean Panting, Kat McLevey, Andrew Laite & Josh Sandu (Rube & Rake) and Steve Maloney.

I could hear Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne from the bus stop, but I missed Hey Rosetta. They started at 10:30 and I knew I’d be a wreck the next day if I stayed.

In bed by 10pm, I was all set to go early on Saturday morning for set-up!

The weather was cold (9°C at times) and damp, but it didn’t rain (amazing since the forecast called for 20mm on Sunday).

The music, the crowd, my lunchtime fish tacos, and all those who stopped to chat inspired this painting. It came to life layer by layer.

I never knew what the next layer would bring. That’s the beauty of intuitive painting! 

Would you like to try intuitive painting? Get my free step-by-step guide with lots of photos.

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During the Fred Penner concert, I walked around tracing hands of children in the crowd. Thanks to Catie and Freddie of St. John’s, Sam and Anna of Hollyrood, and Ava of Nova Scotia!  You’re at the heart of this festive flower!

On Sunday morning, I woke up raring to go. I started an hour before the festival opened.

I was glad I had my alpaca wool socks, layers of thrift shop fleece (great for paint stains), and my groovy hat!  I love NL weather as long as I’m dressed for it!

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I couldn’t believe it! The thick strokes I used for the petals on Saturday weren’t dry by the time we left on Sunday! We’re talking acrylic paint that normally dries in a few hours…

If you see a few bugs when you look real close, that’s why!… all part of festival and floral life!  Part of me feels bad, but our local black flies have taken a few chunks out of me this week, leaving smears of bright red blood on my face and neck, so part of me doesn’t mind …

The Finishing Touches At Home

Yay for de-humidifiers! The petals dried at home overnight.

I worked on the painting for another 15 hours.  

You can’t see all the tangle pattern details in the hands and shading from far, but when you get up close, there’s a whole other world to explore. Click on the photos below to see them larger.

Then there’s the iridescent 3-D paint. Fun! Fun! Fun! Did I say I love my job!

“Pétales Musicales” (48″ x 48″)

I spray varnished it yesterday, covered from head to toe in protective gear.  Then I headed to Beachy Cove beach with friends to chill out. Actually, it was sunny and warm. What a contrast!

“Pétales Musicales” is SOLD.

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Journey Into the Law of Action – Enter the Mandala

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This is it! The 3rd of the Enter the Mandala Project paintings – The Law of Action.

When fuelled by the fires of purpose and passion, each inspired step towards your dreams will lead you to the doors and tools you need to achieve them. 

The Law of Action is not about aimless busy-ness. It’s about the continuous process of tuning in, communicating to the Universe, staying open and receptive, and following through on guidance. It’s this kind of action that creates the necessary momentum to manifest your vision.  

So take the steps, open the doors, collect the right tools, navigate the brainstorm web, send your smoke signals to the Universe, allow, receive, and create the reality you wish to see in the world. It’s all possible through the Law of Action.

Click to Buy Mandala Prints

Read on to find out more about how I tapped into the symbology for this painting.

Spirit Calling Card Message

First, I used my Spirit Calling Cards to invite my Divine Helpers into the intuitive painting process.

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You’ll hear me chat about these cards at the beginning of the recording below.

What a great reminder that “reflecting on the fruit of our purpose”, or visualizing our desired results and focusing on the WHY we do things, is a crucial part of the Law of Action.  It’s also the initial step in changing how we see, feel, and experience the world – our truth.

It was also a reminder that action which isn’t sourced from within won’t lead to an inner or outer reality that is aligned with our true essence.

What does this mean to you? I invite you to ponder on this message and share your insights in the comments.

Listen In

These readings, especially the Divine Storytelling Times, raise my vibration to such delightful levels. This one was so much fun!  

The symbology was so rich that my mind wanted to jump ahead and start interpreting as the story was evolving.  Active listening skills apply to intuition as well… best not interrupt Source, my Guiding Spirits and Angels while they’re speaking 🙂 …. 

Although these visual journeys aren’t new to me, tapping into them as part of my painting process is! I’m so grateful I was guided to create this series – for both artistic and spiritual growth.

Go ahead, listen in (17 min).  The mini-movie description starts after the Spirit Calling Card Reading.

Reflecting on the Journey:

When I think of volcanoes, I’m reminded of what a medical intuitive once told me. She commented that my eczema (skin condition) was like a volcano. The internal pressure of not listening to my inner guidance was causing stress on the system.  If I only took care of the symptom on my hands, it would simply erupt elsewhere on my body.  I needed to recognize and honour its core message.  I needed to listen before the pressure of holding my purpose, passion, and emotions deep inside created irreparable damage.

The volcano in this reading felt like our purpose calling us upwards into the Light. It’s the creative fire that lurks beneath the surface, brewing and bubbling. It’s inspiration percolating. It’s the source of own powerful brilliance. It feeds our dreams, which then feed our actions.

In this vision, the spinning merry-go-round (think of the symbolism of that word!) sent celebratory sparks that ignited the volcano, creating a glass tower that reached upwards towards that Light, leading us to the bigger picture with every step. Both the tower and staircase were manifested from the pressures of this same inner world. By tapping within and taking each step, our actions then manifested the doorways and tools necessary to create our landscapes.

You’re advised to stay grounded while connecting to your Higher Vision. Let the smoke signals rise up from the platform of your goals. Don’t block the mouth of the volcano and don’t wait until the pressure mounts to an insupportable level. The price of ignoring our Spirit Calls can be high indeed. Eczema is but a minor reminder when I am off my path …  Luckily, I eventually listen, heeding that warning.

What are your warning signals? Are you listening?

The Layers

As with many of my intuitive paintings, this one evolved in layers. Each new one inspired the next. There was little planning involved. I simply took action, trusting that the next step would reveal itself.

1.  The Inner Fires of Creativity and Passion:

Fire and water mixed to include the earth and air elements all present in volcanoes.

2.  Guided Action – Collecting the tools:

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You may not know how all of your guided actions fit in the big picture, but trust that layer upon layer, this will reveal itself to you.

See the slideshow above to witness the evolution of these many layers.

 

3.  Momentum:

I used ground up pumice (volcanic glass) to create the raised surface of the merry-go-round/tower and the rim of the volcano.  Pumice energetically helps us rise above our challenges by giving us the insights necessary to move forward. Perfect!

I represented the  inspiration / action cycle through the brainstorm web I saw in my intuitive journey as well as in the arrows pointing inwards towards our dreams/goals.

 

4.  Allowing:

Allow Dominique! Allow!  This is the area where I’ve repeatedly been told I need to practice more.

Coming from a military family and with decades of professional education and experience in recreation and teaching, I have become very good in the left brain areas of planning and implementing. The more anxious I get, however, the more controlling I become, wanting to force things into being. Then I start spiralling into fear, losing my inner peace. That’s when I become so goal focussed that I forget to enjoy the journey. Sounds familiar?

Luckily, life has taught me that the more I trust my intuitive guidance and the power of manifesting, the more my dreams are achieved with ease and grace. This is not about sitting back and passively waiting.  It’s about doing things when moved to do so, and paying close attention to what is being called for next. One step at a time.

My six months of fundraising to go study art overseas for a year is a perfect example.  I worked intensively, but it was so strongly guided that I not only succeeded in letting go of the fear around my project, but exceeded my fundraising goals.

My time painting in Austria, Bali, and Italy is proof to me of The Law of Action. First, I sent smoke signals to the Universe about wanting to get over psychological blocks to drawing (sometimes unknowingly). This was fuelled by my passion and purpose as an artist. I then received unmistakable guidance about the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. Once I accepted the call and affirmed my intentions, the action steps revealed themselves through messengers and inner work. I opened a lot of doors and worked with lots of tools.  Some stretched my comfort zones and some were criticized by other artists (like auctioning off all my artwork starting at the cost of materials). I went against the social norm, but that didn’t phase me because I was tapped in to something greater.  I trusted the inspired process full-heartedly and my dreams became a reality. No regrets!

Can you think of a time when this was true in your life?

Start with baby steps.  Listen and trust your intuition.  The more you do, the clearer your Spirit Calls will be and the easier it will be to create your dreams.

Your Turn

What would you like to achieve? What first step could you take today towards that dream?  Please inspire us with your stories or share your impressions of this painting and process in the discussion below.

Go to Mandala #2: Law of Vibration
Go to Mandala #4: The Law of Correspondence
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Purchase the Collection of Original Paintings.
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Journey Into the Law of Vibration – Enter the Mandala

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Law-of-Vibration-Dominique-Hurley

Click to Buy Mandala Prints

Here it is – the second of the Enter the Mandala Project paintings – The Law of Vibration.

As an intuitive artist, journeying into the Law of Vibration has meant riding the sinuous waves of energy throughout space and time as well as skipping from one God Particle to another within all things.

What a trip!

I’ll do my best to share with you the wonders of both the creative and spiritual processes here.

The Spirit Calling Card Reading

As you know, my goal in this series is to explore and express the Twelve Universal Laws.

It’s part of my own spiritual journey, using my intuitive gifts to generate a better understanding of the concepts on a body, mind, and spirit level.

In addition to the initial interpretations I share in the audio below, this Spirit Calling Card reading affirmed that by answering the call of my Angels and Spirit Guides to create this series, I am planting seeds on all levels. By using intuition and colour as my mediums, I am evolving and opening a gateway for those interested in journeying with me.

Thanks for coming along!

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Listen In

I love the visual journeys I take when I channel a Divine Storytelling Time! Whether I’m doing one to source information for myself, a painting, or as part of an intuitive reading for a client, they’re such rich sources of experience and symbology.

You get to join me on this short journey, which starts right after the Spirit Calling Card reading.

I invite you to listen as you explore the meaning of The Law of Vibration through the photos below.

The Creative Process

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Up Close

It took me about 75 hours to create this 30″ x 30″ painting.  I spent about 16 of those dot-making … a very meditative process.

As it was the last week of the Hay House Summit 2015, I also spent many of those hours listening to inspiring podcasts.  While my left brain was listening, my right brain entered the mandala, riding the waves of creativity and energy.

The Spiritual Process

It’s amazing to think (and know, and feel) that absolutely everything is pure energy vibrating at different frequencies.

I’ve long accepted this when it comes to the things we can see with the naked eye – be it people, plants, man-made objects, etc. I was paying attention in science class!

I also knew that this was true of what we can perceive with our other senses, such as sounds and smells. It even made sense that dog whistles, which we can’t hear, are vibrating at an imperceptible frequency.

I remember being fascinated, however, when I was introduced to the fact that thoughts, beliefs, and emotions are also vibrations.  Even consciousness is vibration! These aren’t only spiritual concepts, but quantum physics ones as well.

If you haven’t seen the movies “What the Bleep Do We Know!?”  and “What the Bleep: Down the Rabbit Hole” yet, I recommend them. They do a great job of explaining parts of this.

MOST INTRIGUING:

I don’t remember hearing or reading anything about it, but what has intrigued me most through this intuitive painting experience is the idea that time and history also vibrate at specific energetic frequencies. Is that why repressed emotions from this or past lifetimes get stored in our bodies and psyches? Is that where the idea of time travel came from? The fact that my visual journey through the Law of Vibration took me from cavemen to Columbus to modern times fascinates me.

The more I painted and the more I listened, the more I understood. Teal Swan, one of the Hay House speakers who was born with extrasensory perception, explained how she doesn’t see negative space like most of us do. For her, there is no empty space. Everything is vibrating in waves of energy, including the wind, the air, etc. There is no clear separation between things.

LINKS:

My experience journeying through this mandala also reaffirmed the link between the Law of Vibration and the Law of Attraction.  By vibrating at a certain frequency, through the power of our emotions, we attract what is also vibrating at that same frequency.

As Abraham (channeled by Esther Hicks) explained in a great interview by Dr. Wayne Dwyer, we have 17 seconds after having a negative thought to get off that vibration frequency. Esther herself, when she notices such thoughts, simply starts counting backwards to unhook from that frequency.  It stops her from spiralling down the chain of negative thoughts that remind her of related negative thoughts, etc.  I also like Abraham’s description of sleep as a reset button.  That’s why it’s so important to spend the first minutes upon waking on the higher frequency vibrations instead of instantly checking emails or listening to the news.  I don’t listen to the news, but I do jump onto the computer a little too quickly …

As spiritual beings here on earth to have human experiences, we are bound to vibrate at various frequencies during our lives, our chapters, our days and even our minutes. The importance of our roles as vibration managers though, is an interesting one to think about.  Are we following the leadership of our Guides and Higher Selves or are we so caught up in the details that we’re spinning on the lower frequencies – stuck until we remember to reconnect to our true essence?

I could go on, but you get the picture.  The Law of Vibration is as it is. There are many ways to understand it, including the various spiritual and metaphysical teachings I’ve been studying for years.  This was simply another way to explore and express it, helping me perceive and experience life and the world in a much more unconditionally loving way.

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Your Turn

I’d love to hear from you. Let’s get a community discussion going.  Scroll down to leave a reply.

What does this painting or post bring to mind? to heart? 

Go to Mandala #1: The Law of Divine Oneness
Go to Mandala #3: The Law of Action
Click to Buy Mandala Prints
Purchase the Collection of Original Paintings.
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Intuitive Sparks: AANL Painting Workshop

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AANL-Dominique Hurley-DLH_1612What a great Sunday! Twelve women from the Art Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (AANL) came together to embrace the mystery of intuitive painting.   This was part of the free workshop series they offer to their members.

Layer after layer, their worlds evolved.  From playful mark-making to harmonizing, these explorers tapped into their creative source to expand their inner and outer worlds.

As you can see, everyone took their creations in very different directions. It was such a blessing to watch how people learned the principles of a painting approach and interpreted it with their own creative voice. That is such an important part of the learning process – it’s not about copying my style, but adding to their own repertoire of skills.  As you can tell, they all listened to what their canvases or inner guidance asked and let the creative sparks fly.  Note: some of these are still works in progress.

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If you’d like to try this out by yourself, I’ve explained the whole process with lots of photos in my free Guide to Intuitive Painting.

Thanks ladies for a fabulous day of intuitive and creative play!

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Studio Sneak Peek: Love, Beauty, Mystery

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perfect senseMy newest work in progress started with a gasp as I was watching the movie “Perfect Sense”, one of the offerings on Waking Up to the Movies (see previous post).  I don’t know if I need to credit the director, David Mackenzie, or the cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, but when this shot came up, I paused the movie, apologized to my housemate, grabbed my iPhone, and took a picture.  All week I had been contemplating how best to represent the faces of a couple inside a circle. This was it! Isn’t that just the perfect shot?!

I worked on the drawing and stencil in my room while the repairs were being finished in my studio (new water pipes, ceiling, fresh paint).  I knew I wanted the forms to be raised, like in a cameo, so I needed to cut the stencil in something thick.  Unfortunately, the only large sheet of foam that I could get at Michaels was black (comes in a roll), which made tracing a bit tricky, but I managed with white transfer paper (which didn’t work very well on foam) and then a white paint marker. After that, I used an X-acto knife to cut it.

01_wip-Dominique Hurley-IMG_8916Originally, I had sized the design for a 24″ x 48″ canvas, but when I got down to the studio, a 30″ x 40″ canvas called to me.  I listened.  I invited my Guides and Angels to join me in the co-creative process, smudged myself, the canvas and the studio with sacred palo santo smoke, added some blessed water from the Chalice Well in Glastonbury to my spray bottle, created my intentions, and chose my initial colours.

Apart from the central motif, I had nothing planned for this painting.  I approached it similarly to how I describe the process in my Guide to Intuitive Painting.

This time I started with puddles of water and Golden High Flow acrylic colours.  I just wanted to play. Layers and layers of play as I massaged and moved colour and loving energy onto the canvas.

I know I “waste” a lot of very expensive paint the way I do things, but letting go of all that is definitely part of the creative process.

Once that was dry (which took so long, even with the hairdryer), I added layers and layers and hours and hours of mark-making. This is a truly meditative practice that brings such a state of inner peace. It’s all about being right here, right now. No planning, no knowing where it’s all going – I rarely do. Intuitive painting is all about loving the mystery.

07_wip-Dominique Hurley-IMG_8915Once that was dry, I added a very watery glaze of gold over the whole painting to unify it. Adding water to fluid gold paint by Golden Artist Colors Inc. releases the tiny mica particles that float, disperse and puddle. It’s magical to watch. Mica is a group of multi-layered transparent minerals that symbolically and energetically infuse the the painting and those in its proximity with awareness, love and compassion. Appropriate, don’t you think?

Last night, once the glaze was dry, I used a spatula knife to fill the stencil with 2 kinds of acrylic mediums. I used Light Molding Paste for her face and his hair and used Clear Granular Gel for his face and her hair.  I then peeled it back to realize that leaving the mouth and space behind him empty weren’t a good idea.  No worries, by this morning, the mediums were dry enough to put the stencil back on, and I filled those spaces with Glass Bead Gel.

I still have no idea where this is going, but that’s perfectly fine – it’s actually more fun that way.  I’ve already had all sorts of ideas while rebounding on my mini-trampoline and looking at it.  But I’ll wait until the mediums are dry before making any decisions. Although the molding paste will dry white, the granular gel and glass beads will be clearer (although I’ve never used them this thick before – we’ll see!).  I ‘m having visions of pearl, gold, and dark blue, but I’m not committing to that yet.

15_wip-Dominique Hurley-IMG_8929Well, now is the time for patience. I need to let that dry for the day, so it’s back to the books in preparation for B-School.

Are you loving the mystery?

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2

 

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Last But Not Least – Les Mains dans l’art Saint Jean

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20141014Affiche_Travail_4_copieIt was a full house yesterday at the last of my cross-province “Les Mains dans l’art” intuitive painting workshops.  This one was part of the Festival du Vent, St. John’s annual Francophone festival.  It was great: another 3 hours of colours, textures, exploration, and fun as 15 participants created truly unique masterpieces.

The whole process is described in my bilingual Guide to Intuitive Painting if you’d like to give it a try. I’m sure I’ll also be offering more workshops in the future – both in French and English. Interested?

Anyhow, I’ll let these photos do the talking – they say so much!

Thanks to the Réseau Culturel de la Fédération francophone de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador for hiring me, to Heritage Canada for sponsoring them, and to all the participants in both Newfoundland and Labrador for all the great memories.

 

 

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* Guide To Intuitive Painting / ** Guide de la peinture intuitive

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*Would you like to learn the intuitive painting process? It’s all here.  Give it a try and have fun!

It is with great pleasure that I provide this summary of the “Les mains dans l’art” (Hands On Art) workshop that I taught across the province of Newfoundland & Labrador thanks to the Réseau Culturel de la Fédération Francophone de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (FFTNL) and Heritage Canada. My hope is that it will not only serve as a reminder for all the teachers and participants, so that they can continue their multi-layered journey into the magical world of acrylic paint, but also inspire some of you to try out this avenue of intuitive creative expression. Ready to paint?

01_Port au Port_1522074_1512135659031968_8194920878061840375_n** Voulez-vous apprendre à peinturer d’une façon intuitive?  Allez-y! Amusez-vous!


C’est avec grand plaisir que j’offre ici ce résumé de l’atelier “Les Mains dans l’art” que j’ai facilité à travers la province, grâce au Réseau Culturel de la Fédération francophone de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (FFTNL) et de Patrimoine Canada. J’espère qu’il servira autant comme rappel pour mes étudiants et leurs enseignants que comme inspiration et guide pour ceux d’entre vous qui veulent essayer cette voie d’expression créative intuitive. Êtes-vous prêts?

***

* BACKGROUND / ** CONTEXTE:

* I have been painting in this style with acrylics since the 1980s, but this step-by-step teaching methodology was inspired by the teachings of the old Masters (as taught to me at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art) and by fellow artist Flora Bowley.

** Quoique je peins dans ce genre depuis les années 1980s, cette méthodologie pédagogique, étape-par-étape, a été inspirée à la fois par les enseignements des Maîtres anciens (tel qu’enseigné au Vienna Academy of Visionary Art) et de l’artiste Flora Bowley.

***

* MATERIALS NEEDED / ** MATÉRIEL NÉCESSAIRE:

  • * acrylic paints in warm and cool colours as well as black & white
  • variety of paintbrushes & sponge-brushes
  • palette paper
  • canvas boards or stretched canvas
  • water containers (2 per person)
  • variety of mark-making tools (possibilities are endless: comb, toothbrush, bottle caps, old dead pens, special brushes, stencils, sea sponges, nets, bubble wrap, leaves, stamps, spray bottle, spatula, etc.)
  • plastic tablecloths (can be bought in rolls – if so, scissors)
  • painting shirt or apron (very messy process 🙂 )
  • rolls of paper towels or rags
  • hairdryers (or more time)
  • music
  • colour wheel to teach basic colour theory
  • sample canvas for each step (if teaching a group)
  • an open mind, an open heart, no expectations
  • ** peintures acryliques en couleurs chaudes et froides ainsi que noir & blanc
  • variété de pinceaux, pinceaux éponges, et brosses
  • palette en papier
  • cartons ou châssis entoilés
  • bocaux d’eau (2 par)
  • variété d’outils pour faire des marques expressives (les possibilités sont infinies: peigne, brosse à dent, capuchon de bouteille, stylo, pinceaux spécialisés, éponge de mer, filet, film à bulle, feuilles d’arbres, étampes, vaporisateur, spatules/couteaux, etc.)
  • nappes en plastique (peuvent êtres achetées en rouleau – si oui, ciseaux)
  • tablier ou chemise pour la peinture (processus très salissant! 🙂  )
  • serviettes en papier ou guenilles
  • musique
  • séchoirs à cheveux
  • cercle chromatique pour enseigner la théorie des couleurs
  • un esprit ouvert, un coeur ouvert, la libération des attentes

* Note: The FFTNL has prepared a French vocabulary list for the arts (with English translations) that you can find here.

* Notez:  La FFTNL à préparé un petit lexique des arts que vous pouvez trouver ici.

***

* THE STEPS /** LES ÉTAPES:

* This workshop is about both technique and creative exploration – a process of letting go in a non-judgmental space of experimentation. There are no mistakes here. Everything is a step towards what will be.  I have divided these instructions into easy steps for the development of your own unique acrylic universe. You’ll be transforming your canvas with every layer, which in turn will inspire what to do next. Once you’re comfortable with the steps and principles, you can change the order, skip steps, etc.  Welcome to the world of intuitive painting!

** Cet atelier est à la fois techniques de peinture acrylique et exploration créative – un processus de libération dans un espace de non-jugement et d’expérimentation. Il n’y a pas d’erreur ici. Tout est un pas de plus vers ce qui sera. Les instructions sont divisées en étapes faciles pour le développement de votre propre univers acrylique. Votre toile se transformera avec chaque couche, qui par la suite inspirera la prochaine étape. Une fois comfortable avec les étapes et les principes, vous pouvez changer l’ordre, sauter des étapes, etc. Bienvenue au monde de la peinture intuitive!

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* Step 1: WARM COLOURS
Use warm colours to create a base coat in any manner you like and with any tools you like (blindfolded, with hands, dry brush, wet on wet, etc.). I gave my groups only 5 minutes to use all their warm colours and try all their starter tools to help loosen them up.

**1ière Étape : COULEURS CHAUDES
Utilisez des couleurs chaudes pour créer une couche de base de n’importe quelle manière et avec les outils que vous aimez (les yeux bandés , pinceaux sec, les mains, avec un vaporisateur d’eau, etc.).  Je n’ai donné à mes groupes que 5 minutes pour aider à les réchauffer: toutes les couleurs chaudes avec tous leurs premiers outils.

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* Step 2  : COOL COLOURS
Once the first layer is completely dry, use cool colours to create as many kinds of marks and designs on top. Be creative in finding natural or man-made mark-making tools (sponge, comb, leaves, various paintbrushes, bottle caps, stamps, etc.). I gave students 10-20 seconds to play with each toy before passing it to their neighbour on the right.

** 2ième Étape: COULEURS FROIDES
Une fois la première couche est complètement sèche, utilisez des couleurs froides pour créer autant de types de marques expressives et de motifs par dessus les couleurs chaudes. Soyez créatif pour trouver des outils naturels ou artificiels (éponge, peigne, feuilles d’arbre, différents pinceaux, capuchon de bouteille, des estampes, etc.).  Mes étudiants n’ont eu que 10-20 secondes par outil avant de le passer à leur voisin de droite.

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* Repeat Steps 1-2 as often as you like. Wait until each layer is completely dry, or you will create muddy colours.

** Répétez les étapes 1-2 autant de fois que vous le souhaitez. Attendez que chaque couche soit complètement sèche, sinon, le résultat sera des couleurs boueuses.

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* Step 3:  : CONTRAST
Use white and black (side by side for increased visual intensity) to add more marks or designs if you want to stay abstract, or to start building your subject if one is already calling you. If you prefer a more realistic look, you can use all shades of white, grey,  and black to build a three dimensional effect on your figures or in your landscapes, etc.

** 3ième Étape: CONTRASTE
Utiliser du blanc et du noir (côte à côte pour un plus grand contraste) pour ajouter plus de marques expressives ou motifs si vous voulez rester abstrait, ou commencer à développer votre sujet si vous en avez déjà une idée. Si vous préférez une peinture plus réaliste, utilisez toutes les nuances de blanc, de gris, et de noir pour peindre une image plus dimensionnelle.

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* Step 4: GLAZE OR WASH
(Note : Depending on time, I sometimes explained Step 4 before Step 3 during my workshop tour)

Add a unifying glaze by using a tiny bit of one colour and a small puddle of water or acrylic glazing liquid (more stable, but longer to dry). Test on a corner to see if the colour is too thin or too intense. Think: do you want your overall look to be warm or cool? As the glaze/wash is transparent, it will render some colours underneath more neutral (cool ones if you’re using a warm glaze or warm one if you’re using a cool glaze).

** 4ième Étape : GLACIS OU LAVIS
(Notez : Lors de ma tournée provinciale, surtout en fonction du temps , j’ai parfois expliqué l’étape 4 avant l’étape 3)

Ajouter un lavis ou glacis pour harmoniser les couleurs. Utilisez un tout petit peu d’une couleur et beaucoup d’eau ou de medium à glacis acrylique (plus stable, mais plus lent à sécher) . Essayez sur un coin pour voir si la couleur est trop faible ou trop intense. Pensez: voulez-vous que votre toile finale soit chaude ou froide? Comme le lavis est transparent, il va rendre certaines couleurs plus neutres (les froides si vous utilisez un glacis de couleur chaude ou les chaudes un si vous utilisez un glacis de couleur froide).

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* Step 5  : KEEP ON LAYERING 
Keep layering with black & white and colour.  Apply various glazes on specific sections (tiny bit of colour and water or acrylic glazing liquid) or straight paint, especially on the whites. Any colour you add on top of white will be brighter, more vibrant. So whether going for glazes or full-on paint, it’s better to put white underneath if you want the colours to pop.

Repeat any step as you feel moved to. Spend time looking at your canvas. Explore and develop what is already taking shape there. You might even want to use this as a background for a collage – use all you have ever learned and go from there.

** 5ième Étape: CONTINUEZ LES COUCHES
Continuez avec le blanc, le noir, et les couleurs.  Appliquez des glacis de maintes couleurs sur des sections spécifiques  (tout petit peu de couleur avec de l’eau ou medium de glacis acrylique) ou de la peinture pure, surtout sur les blancs. Toute couleur que vous ajouterez par dessus le blanc sera plus radiante et intense. Donc, il est préférable que l’évolution de votre toile se fasse avec maintes couches de blanc avec soit glacis sur des sections spécifiques ou couleurs pures.

Répétez toutes les étapes aussi souvent que vous le souhaitez.  Passez du temps à regarder votre toile.  Explorez et developpez ce qui se dessine déjà.  Ceci pourrait aussi être un arrière plan pour un collage ou autre technique – tout ce que vous avez déjà appris.

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* ENJOY!
Play and have fun! There are no mistakes, just learning. The beauty with acrylic paint is that you can keep adding layer after layer until you are perfectly happy with what you’ve created. It dries quickly. Be gentle with yourself, knowing that each layer is part of the evolution. It is not rare for me to think a painting was more appealing 5 layers back … I just keep on going, embracing the mystery and listening to both my heart and my painting. Where you go with this will be totally up to you – find your own unique voice and enjoy the process!

P.S.  If you want to dive deeper, Flora Bowley has a wonderful online intuitive painting course I’m affiliated with. Click here to learn more.
Flora Bowley

** AMUSEZ-VOUS!

Jouez et amusez-vous! Il n’y a pas d’erreur, que de l’apprentissage. La beauté de la peinture acrylique est que vous pouvez continuer à ajouter couche après couche jusqu’à ce que vous soyez parfaitement satisfait avec ce que vous avez créé. Soyez gentils avec vous-même, et rappelez-vous que chaque couche fait partie de l’évolution. Il m’arrive de penser qu’une peinture était plus attrayante 5 couches auparavant … je continue à accueillir le mystère et j’écoute à la fois à mon cœur et ma peinture. Je vous invite à développer votre propre voix artistique en explorant et en ajoutant à ce processus, tout en vous amusant!

***5_Exemples 3

* EXAMPLES:
Here are examples of some of my finished paintings created with this multi-layered technique. The « before » shots are of backgrounds created by multiple repetitions of all the steps, not necessarily in this order. The « after » shots are what happened once I « heard » what the painting wanted to become (something that sometimes doesn’t happen until 10-15 layers in). It’s about trusting the flow and enjoying yourself. You’ll find you will feel freer about jumping around and mixing steps the more experienced you become, the more comfortable with mixing colours you are, and the bigger your canvas. This is only the beginning!

** EXEMPLES:
Voici quelques exemples de mes œuvres créés avec cette technique. Les photos “avant” sont d’arrière-plans crées suivant les étapes 1-5, pas nécessairement dans cet ordre. Les photos “après” sont le résultat final lorsque j’ai compris ce que la toile voulait devenir (ce qui parfois ne se produit pas jusqu’à 10-15 couches plus tard). Il s’agit de faire confiance au processus et de s’amuser. Vous pourrez être plus libre de sauter des étapes et de les mélanger lorsque vous gagnerez en expérience, vous serez à l’aise avec les couleurs, et votre toile sera plus grande. Ce n’est qu’un début!  4_example 2 3_exemples 6_textures 1_pas à pas 1 2_pas à pas 2

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* WORKSHOP TOUR:
To see the full blog post from each location, click on the group name.

** LA TOURNÉE:
Pour voir l’article descriptif complet pour chaque emplacement de ma tournée, cliquez sur le nom du groupe.

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1) L’ÉCOLE SAINTE-ANNE:  Grand’Terre (Mainland), Péninsule Port-au-Port Peninsula (Terre-Neuve / Newfoundland)

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2) L’ÉCOLE NOTRE-DAME-DU-CAP:  Cap Saint-Georges, Péninsule Port-au-Port Peninsula (Terre-Neuve / Newfoundland)

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3) L’ASSOCIATION RÉGIONALE DE LA CÔTE OUEST (ARCO): Grand’Terre (Mainland), Péninsule de Port-au-Port Peninsula (Terre-Neuve / Newfoundland)

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4) L’ASSOCIATION FRANCOPHONE DU LABRADOR (AFL): Labrador City/Wabush (Labrador)

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5) CENTRE ÉDUCATIF L’ENVOL: Labrador City / Wabush (Labrador)

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6) L’ÉCOLE BORÉALE: Happy Valley – Goose Bay (Labrador)

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7) L’ÉCOLE DES GRANDS-VENTS, Saint Jean / St. John’s (Terre-Neuve / Newfoundland)

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8) FESTIVAL DU VENT– Saint Jean / St. John’s (Terre-Neuve / Newfoundland)

Atelier Saint Jean_Dominique Hurley_DLH_0474

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Breathing, Stretching, Creating & Eating in Italy

/in ,

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I’m taking a break to chat with you while letting a layer of paint dry.  The flames of the pellet stove beside me are keeping me warm while the symphony of rain on the tin roof and thunder all around stirs my soul.  Lunch is in an hour and by then Dana and I may have a dry walk back to The Refuge at Ananda Ashram from the Academy of Art, Creativity and Consciousness, 3 minutes down the road (or 20 if you take your camera with you for a detour through the woods).

Dominique Hurley_ Italy_Ananda_DLH_5561All I can say is that what I’m living here is what I could see myself living on an ongoing basis.  Up at 5am, shower, yoga/ meditation in the temple from 6-8:30am (various choices), delicious breakfasts in silence while looking at the vista of Umbrian hills and valleys, painting all day with breaks for lunches, suppers, reading, blogging or photo editing, gorgeous sunsets from the dining room or my balcony, quiet evenings by myself (was alone in my “shared room” for 3 night now) or in community (spiritual cinema, prayer, etc.).  I am so grateful to be here.

Now for some details.

YOGA:

Dominique Hurley_ Italy_Ananda_IMG_7438I was very lucky on Monday as I was the only one to show up for 6am yoga.  The teacher therefore taught the class in English.  Yogananda’s energization practice was, according to him, his unique contribution to yoga.  As it was different than any of the yoga styles I’d experienced before, getting English instruction was definitely beneficial.  I followed that up with another class at 7am that included energization, meditation and chanting.  The ashram had arranged to have a translator there for me.  What service!  She stood behind me the whole time and, in her soothing voice, translated everything and corrected my postures if she spotted something off.  The teacher, by the way, could be the twin to my friend Jackie in Saskatoon – from the hair style, facial features, smile, body style, to the fact that she’s a yoga teacher too.  I felt right at home.  Maria, the translator, came back again on Tuesday to help a few of us out.  By Wednesday, I understood the series of exercises better and class was in English anyway. After yoga, I only stayed for the first 45 minutes of silent meditation (although my mind could have used more quietude… not a master at meditation yet). I may do the full hour and a half on Friday. Tomorrow, I’ll do the 7am mixed session again to give me time to write/edit photos first.

MEALS:

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After 2.5 hours of yoga, however, I am super hungry and eat more than I ever would if I were having my usual 5am breakfast.  On Monday morning, I tasted peanut butter for the first time (except in cookies or satay sauce).  I know… I’m strange.  I’ve never tasted coffee either.  I’m just not a typical North American.  Anyhow, this was a huge bowl of obviously homemade stuff and it was warm. The bread looked good too even if I’ve never been a bread fan either (lucky thing as I try to eat gluten free). Anyhow, I liked it, but wouldn’t choose it every day.  On Tuesday morning, I was surprised to find chocolate cake along with the porridge and fixings… not sure which yogic principle that follows, but it was great.  I was starved, but it waited for me an extra 15 minutes as I ran outside after bringing my plate to my table. I simply had to chase the rainbow that appeared in the sky.  I got it with my iPhone (can you see it?), but by the time I ran to my room to get my good camera, it had faded.

There’s always a variety of vegan and vegetarian choices at every meal, including plain steamed veggies and rice for those on special diets.  There’s usually a salad buffet and a hot food station:  risotto, cauliflower purée, pasta, soya meat stew, bruschetta, various soups, etc.  Breakfast is in silence for the first half hour before a brief reading, lunch starts with a blessing and can be quite plentiful and social.  Dinner is in silence and lighter in nature.  It’s all healthy and prepared for me – such a blessing!

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE / ACADEMY OF ARTS, CREATIVITY & CONSCIOUSNESS:

Dominique Hurley_ Italy_Ananda_DLH_5268I love it!  I could stop there, but I promised details.  When I first walked into the Awakening Arts Center on Monday, I discovered something about my relationship with my camera.  The gallery part of the space was so beautiful aesthetically and energetically that it overwhelmed me in its offerings.  I almost immediately turned to my camera to help me navigate the space. It helps me to zone in and appreciate the details – to slow down and see and feel as I move along.  This is a different way that this beloved tool helps me be fully present in the here and now. When I mentioned that to someone in the community, he offered some interesting insights from his own teacher/swami. He offered that tools and techniques are good, but our goal is to eventually not need them anymore. I wouldn’t want my camera to become a crutch, but for now it’s a blessing. Eventually, I’ll be able to achieve the same equanimity and presence in a space that once would have overwhelmed me without tools. I enjoyed the conversation. I also enjoyed my tour around the gallery – my favourite pieces were the digital works on metal by Dana Lynne Andersen, who runs the place. So many, however, appealed to both my eyes and my heart.

After about half an hour in the gallery, I realized that the space behind the frosted glass doors was not Dana’s apartment, but the studio space.  What a great space it is.  Since Dana loves painted floors, it is very freeing to have complete freedom to splatter them with paint without worrying about making a mess.  I’m so used to being careful…  no need here.  Yay!

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Dana had prepared a big canvas for me to play on.  After I swept the floor, I used my pendulum to clear an uncomfortable spot I had felt in my designated area. I then called in my heavenly helpers and blessed the space and canvas with palo santo smudge and cat love. Stella was quite adamant about being part of the creative team.  My heart smiles every time I see her.

Working this large on an unstretched canvas is totally new for me.  Some really cool things happened before it all became one colour on the first day as I overdid the pouring, lifting and folding with warm colours.  No worries – it was only the first layer and all part of the process.  I quickly had to remind myself that I had asked to be a channel to God, my guiding spirits and angels and so it wasn’t my place to judge.  Instead, I got back into a space of total trust.  After decades of painting intuitively, I’ve learned the value of stepping out of the way.  Where the paint was puddling, Dana suggested putting plastic on top so that by the time it dried, tearing it off would create ridges of texture while uncovering previous layers of colour.  I saw what it did on one of her paintings, but I’ll need to press down more next time to push the paint out to the edges.  New trick – cool!

On Tuesday, I got in there with the cool colours and started mark-making.  I love this stage – it’s all about colour and layers – no thinking, no planning, no knowing where it may go from there.  I find that stage so much easier in painting than in life, but I’m getting there with that too.  Layer upon layer, dancing, standing back and listening for what is being called for next – very enjoyable!  It’s a wonderful way of painting and having the canvas up on the wall makes it easy to have my whole body involved, not just my wrists and hands.

Dominique Hurley_ Italy_Ananda_IMG_7450Part of the pleasure of working/ playing here, in addition to the space and energy – is that Dana and her daughter Rachel have been wonderful hosts and assistants.  From afternoon snacks of gluten-free toasts with almond butter and jelly to freshly squeezed orange juice, I am served like a queen (and you know how I like that).  Also, if I need anything or want help, they’re glad to jump in.  The whole philosophy here is about love and awakening to our higher consciousness.  I can feel it in many facets of my experience.  The 250 Euros I’m spending as a fee for being artist in residence for the week is going to supplies and so I’ve got access to all sorts of paints.  Fantastic! There’s a great feeling of abundance here.  The sun even came out just in time for my lunchtime walk to the dining room and the rain only began again as I was walking back up the driveway to the studio.  Cooperation all around!

Time to stare at my canvas again to see what it would like. It feels like a very happy piece – my favourite kind.  Let see where it goes from here… this is just the foundation layer. I’m open to inspiration and I know it’s on its way. It’s inevitable in a place like this!

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Oh – and while waiting for another layer of paint to dry, I wanted to create one photo that captured the feeling of elation from this stage of the painting process. Instead, I present you this slideshow (viewable only on the website, not in email subscriptions, so click on the blue post title at the top of your email to view post online).

I’m having a wonderful time – what a blessing indeed!

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