AWAKENING THROUGH ART

IN EVERYONE SOME KIND OF ARTIST IS HIDING. CG JUNG

WELCOME!

Here you will find creative inspiration, art making projects, and tools to aid you in your creative journey. Creativity is so much more than a pleasant activity. it's also a potent practice to awaken latent talents and fuel a renewed passion for living. An interest in developing creativity is all that's required to begin, and following that interest can lead to surprising and delightful awakenings!
Aligning with the creative flow opens the portal to the soul, which allows for fresh growth and a renewed intensity and vibrancy in all areas of life. Art making reveals not only unsuspected gifts, but can also lead to a greater understanding of your true purpose in life. Art making is a doorway that facilitates a deeper spiritual practice by inviting us to move more deeply into our center to connect with the creative Source.

ART MAKING

Recently I've been drawn to creating images of women, both archetypal and sacred. Following intuition in art making leads us more deeply into our essence, and as we follow the whispers of the soul we may contact the spark of divinity within. But always there are messages and the invitation for exploration and growth. Follow those nudges! They are calling you home to your Self.

ARCHETYPES

Carl Jung believed archetypal images were part of the collective unconscious and so are available to all. Part of 'waking up' is to become more mindful of the archetypes that actually govern our lives. Do they serve our best interests, or are they unconscious motivators? Do they demonstrate as shadow qualities or as positive impulses? Art practice gives us the opportunity to reflect on and develop the archetypes that offer qualities that serve our overall wellbeing and growth.The Queen, The Magician, The Healer, The Warrior, The Mystic, and Wisdom Keeper, for example, are a few of the feminine archetypes that are needed now in the world, but there are many others as well. Becoming familiar with these archetypes, meditating on them to penetrate beneath the surface to understand and embody their qualities, and crafting their images are wonderful ways to invite their energies into our lives. As we fill in our blank spots and heal ourselves, we raise our own light and, one by one, we aid in healing the world.
All but one of the images above were created with mixed media elements and acrylic. Can you spot the one that isn't?

NATURE

In nature as well, we find beauty and inspiration that refresh the soul and replenish the well of creativity within. Drawing natural landscapes and wildlife, whether abstractly or realistically, are relaxing and enjoyable pastimes that connect us with life and it's rhythms.Making prints of flowers, leaves and weeds is so much fun- no expertise is required and the results can be stunning!- even on the first try. By combining different hand made papers (one of my favorite things to do) wonderful compositions can be assembled into a beautiful collage. These can have added drawn or painted elements or not. It's up to each individual. Art making is wide open for interpretation. My job is to hold the door open so you feel comfortable walking into the world of creativity.With step by step guides for drawing flowers and birds, even first time artists can follow along and develop a skill which can then be adapted for different varieties of flowers and birds.

But I begin my classes by focusing on the play of line and color in free expression with no thought of 'product', because it's one of the most liberating activities to open us up in art making. Enjoying the process is the goal here!Then we can play with some traditional methods to create a comfortable place from which to begin. There is often discomfort when beginning something new especially if we've been discouraged in the past. I have found over time that many students prefer an initial framework, a springboard if you will, that gives them the confidence to begin. The process can be developed from a basic foundation, or tossed out in favor of proceeding intuitively to create something that is uniquely yours and speaks to you. Often it's enough to just enjoy the buttery feel of paint gliding over the page in delicious colors and designs.Having fun with the materials and allowing intuition to guide your hand often brings surprising and meaningful understandings and images about self and life.

ART AS MEDITATION & DEVOTION

Blessinf

ART AS MEDITATION AND DEVOTIONAL PRACTICECreating inspiring figures can be a wonderfully meditative practice, which allows images to spontaneously arise from deep within. As such it's both calming and deeply healing as intuition is guided by the soul's wisdom. The world gives us many images of what it means to be a woman but the most authentic and transformative figures spring from your innermost being, your own soul.The worship of the divine as Mother is perhaps the oldest spiritual practice on earth and has existed in all cultures, in some form, throughout time. From this lineage come great women of inspiration and fearless courage. At this time of confusion and widespread dislocation we need authentic images of what it means to be a woman of spirit, wisdom, and strength in our fractured world. These examples reside in the soul and it is sincere intention that draws them forward for our own, and society's healing.MANDALA means circle, or sacred center, in Sanskrit and represents unity, harmony and interconnectedness with all life. Created by making circles with intricate repetitive designs, mandala making calms the mind by focusing on the present moment. The practice of mandala making spans cultures and religious practices throughout the world from the ancient Celts, to Buddhists, and Hindus, to Native American Indians. Mandalas are believed to represent a spiritual journey toward wholeness. Carl Jung considered mandala making an important tool in navigating the path to a person's center and thus to individuation and self knowledge.

CLASSES

Online classes are in development and will be offered soon!

Copy and paste this mandala outline and fill in with colors that bring you joy. Once copied you can enlarge it to the size you prefer.Watercolors, colored pencils, acrylics, Posca pens, and crayons will all work. But use any supplies you have on hand. Cool colors like blues and greens are calming, while warmer colors like red, yellow and orange are enlivening.

ABOUT ME

I'm Barbara Boren. As long as I can remember I've been an art lover- both as a student and teacher. I now offer women exercises and art activities designed to connect you with your creative source to rekindle (or find!) your passion.After a career in business I felt something inside of me was dying. So once again, I dove into my art practice scribbling, drawing, collaging, and painting. Through art practices I found my way home- to myself- my essence.
Whether recalibrating after leaving a career, the initial sense of loss and disorientation of an empty nest, the end of a relationship, or dealing with the death of a spouse, I have experienced these states and it's always art practice that pulls me through both uncertainty and grief. I know from experience that creativity is a great healer which can knit parts of us back into wholeness. And this can lead to exciting growth and transformation. Today I am living my best life and I would like this for you too! I would be honored to be your guide as you walk the creative path.

Contact

Thank you for stopping by! Please visit again as I'll be adding online classes and art prompts as well thoughts on beauty, life, and art.