Tag Archives: Spirit connection

Creating from Deep Places

I am often asked what it takes to make great art

My first reaction is to say all art is great.

But that is often met with qualifying words of what they think is great.

Making any art in general, is directly related to; learning a process, practice, refining that process, more practice, changing that process to fit your “voice”, even more practice…practice, practice, practice. But even this, although true, is only part of the equation. It’s just the basics of what it takes to make art.

Great art on the other hand, comes from a much deeper place.

GREAT art is part desire, part suffering, a little bit of desperation, and a whole lot of SOUL.

Great art doesn’t just happen, it is born.

So what do I mean by great art….it isn’t what you may think. Sure, the Masters did their fair share of suffering, and created some of the worlds greatest masterpieces. Feeling is evident in the brushstrokes, even love, compassion, curiosity and a desire to know the subject matter more intimately. These are all qualifiers.

But just because you didn’t study under the masters, doesn’t mean that you can’t create a GREAT work of art.

Great creative works aren’t always born by the most gifted person, or even the one who has invested hundreds of hours into a creative piece or practice. It isn’t necessarily the most “beautiful”, or the most expensive, and they aren’t always found in galleries.

Truly Great pieces of Art make people feel.

They bring out emotion, memory and sometimes even tears. They are a culmination of what the artist feels deep inside during the creative process….often mirroring the heart of THE CREATOR, for it is in those deep places of the soul that ours touches HIS.

Heart beating fast, as the bush hits its mark with an accuracy you simply KNOW isn’t yours.

And then there is that one person who sees it and is overcome; sometimes with joy, sometimes with grief – and they experience feelings they often don’t understand. In this moment, that art, that masterpiece, that Truly. Great. Soul-work. is a conduit connecting the Creator to His creation; for that is what we all are, whether we readily acknowledge it or not.

It is a call to recognize that deep place, to “SEE” what only some will choose to see.

In that moment of clarity, all of our questions fall into place, and a knowledge that surpasses understanding finds its way into our souls…into those deeper places where art and creativity are born.

I invite you today to go deeper, to choose to see what is hidden deep inside of you, and to create that Great Work of Art that can touch the souls of others.

I would love to hear how you are connecting to that creative center of your being. What do YOU do to connect to your Creative Soul? Let’s start a conversation….this is a place of safety and love…your feelings mean something to us

with love and creativity ~lisa

Spirit Led: the art of worship

Have you ever experienced that sensation of wonder over something you’ve created? Beauty is upon the page but you aren’t quite sure where it came from.

Words, color, or creative expression evident, but how did it get there?

If you’ve come over today from A Beautiful Life – Welcome! I am so glad you have decided to stop by.

Creativity and art is not everybody’s cup of tea – heck, even self-proclaimed artists sometimes have trouble claiming it. But what do you call that fantastic meal you just created for your hungry family, the enemy slaying prayer that manifested on your lips – making all the difference in someone’s life, or the time carved out of an overly busy schedule to meet the needs of another?

I call it a CREATIVE use of what the CREATOR has given you. It is your worship!

Not everyone will have gifts that fall into the artistic realm. But, we are ALL, each and every one of us, CREATIVE. How can we help it? We have the breath of a creative Eternal within us. We are made in His image, made to reflect who He is. And that reflection is CREATIVE.

As of late, I have been intensely interested in Spirit led art. Are you familiar with it?

It is the practice of allowing the spirit within you guide your thoughts, your hands – your unique expression of creativity.

It is mysterious, invigorating, and enthralling, all rolled up into one.

I love how the spirit connects with its Creator to bring about something deep and unexpected. We can learn so much about ourselves and our Maker by engaging spiritually. The important thing to remember is that it’s not about the end result – it is absolutely about the process.

Here are some ideas to get you started in a spirit led practice, whether you are a writer, photographer, artist, cook, prayer, or creative entrepreneur…we all have that Spirit connection within us that will engage us on a much deeper level, manifesting things we never thought possible. These are just some initial things to try. Ultimately the Spirit will guide you as to how to proceed, but the idea here is to just get started. The more time you take exploring this practice, the closer your spirit will come to the Source and the deeper your outpouring will become. Take five minutes today to explore this, ten tomorrow. …and keep increasing your time to whatever you can afford to do. This is a great practice for right before you work doing whatever it is that you do.

Spirit Lead Me…

  1. Gather a few favorite supplies – limit what you take, this isn’t about exploring new techniques or supplies. Use what you already know so that figuring things out doesn’t factor in. Here are mine: arches hot press watercolor block (small) travel box of watercolors (limited to paynes gray, sepia, burnt orange and raw umber), white and black acrylic inks, 1 piece of willow charcoal, stabilo pencils in black and sepia.
  2. Find your quiet place – this should be somewhere free of distraction. I have to go where the dogs are not J I love their snuggly tendencies, but not while I am forming a spirit connection! This might be in a garden, walking in the woods, or in a room of your abode near a bright window. Your choice – do what works for you. Just make sure that you won’t be disturbed for the set period of time you have chosen to start with. I will be sitting near the big window in my studio today, as it is still quite cold outside.
  3. Engage with creation – The Creator is present within all of His creation. Being immersed in it will help you to visualize being where He is. Bring in some flowers from the garden if you aren’t sitting in it. Branches and pinecones you picked up on a walk works, as well as flowers from the store. Try to surround yourself with anything natural you can gather. I have a terrarium full of things I’ve picked up on walks. Empty robin’s eggs, acorn caps, moss balls, twisted branches. These kinds of things inspire me
  4. Have a backdrop of tunes –Does music inspire you? It does me. Choose something soothing and keep the volume low. Here are some of my personal favorites for this particular type of journey: bethel music, hillsong united, sounds of nature cd’s. These are just to get your soul singing. Sometimes words from the songs will pop vividly into my mind, demanding to be recognized. I often find that these are clues from the Eternal – words just for me.  Recognize them, make them heard on your page!
  5. Close your eyes to “SEE” – Sometimes seeing isn’t about the visual world. Sometimes it is about seeing with your heart, with your soul. When my eyes are open, I tend to see what I want to, but when they are closed my heart is much more open to the whisperings of the Spirit. When you close your eyes, what do you hear? Can you see a color? An image? A shape maybe? I often see circles – they find their way into my art a lot! What types of things do you do over and over? Pay attention to them. If you find that it is always the same thing, look up the symbolism of that shape, word, image. Listen to what your Spirit is telling you about it.

Journal what you are learning.  After several sessions, you may see a pattern, or discover something new….

  1. Allow the inner to connect with the outer – Whatever you are hearing or seeing during these precious moments, allow that inner voice to move your outer hands in a way that describes what you are hearing or seeing. I know it sounds confusing. I’m often confused during this carved out space in my life. But let your hands give expression to what you feel. Don’t over think it – you are not creating a piece of artwork that you will hang on the wall – yet. In these beginning sessions, it is about learning to listen and respond in whatever way you are compelled to. String lines together…or words. Let what you are experiencing on the inside flow through to the outside.  Just let it go! It doesn’t matter what it looks like.  It isn’t about anyone seeing what you see – only You and the Creator

Maybe you are sitting in a garden and watching the wind move some dried winter blooms.  Video tape them. Watch how they sway. They are responding to the external as well as the internal. They are doing exactly what they were made to do in every stage of their life.  They recognize how they were made. They know what to do.  They worship with their whole being!

It may be a stretch to think about things this way, but give it a try. Recognize the Creator spirit in all that surrounds you. See the world in a different way and renew your mind.

When we do what we were created to do, our very being becomes worship. Who we are reflects the Spirit of the Creator and shows the incredible glory that He is. This can make our whole life become a beautiful work of art – on or off the canvas.

 Keep your heart open to the possibilities, and you will see amazing things!

I hope you are inspired to begin today. Seek the Creator in all of His eternal glory.

Bring about the “ART” you were born to create!

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